UBawo wethu uhlangula uSirayeli oguqukileyo
Emva kweminyaka emashumi mabini uSamuweli wathi kumaSirayeli masuse oothixo basemzini ngokwenene. Bahlanganisana eMizpa, bazila ukudla, bavuma izono zabo, kwaye xa amaFilisti ehlasela uBawo wethu waduduma ngokuchasene nawo. USamuweli wamisa ilitye awalithiya ngokuba yiEbhenezere: kude kube lapha uBawo wethu usincedile.
7 1Eza ke amadoda aseKiriyati-yeharim, ayithabatha ityeya kaBawo wethu, anyuka nayo esiya endlwini ka-Abhinadabhi ebisendulini, aza amngcwalisa unyana wakhe uElazare, ukuze ayilinde ityeya kaBawo wethu. 2Kususela kwimini awathi ngayo wahlala ityeya eKiriyati-yeharim, yadlula ixesha elide—iminyaka emashumi mabini—yaza yonke indlu kaSirayeli yenza isijwili, yalandela uBawo wethu. 3Waza uSamuweli wathetha kuyo yonke indlu kaSirayeli, wathi: “Ukuba niyabuyela kuBawo wethu ngentliziyo yenu yonke, susani oothixo basemzini noAshtaroti phakathi kwenu, nizithobele iintliziyo zenu kuBawo wethu, nikhonze yena yedwa—yena uya kunihlangula esandleni samaFilisti.” 4Basusa ke oonyana bakaSirayeli ooBhahali noAshtaroti, bakhonza uBawo wethu yedwa. 5Waza uSamuweli wathi: “Hlanganisani bonke amaSirayeli eMizpa, ndiza kunithandazela kuBawo wethu.” 6Bahlanganisana ke eMizpa, bakha amanzi, bawaphalaza phambi koBawo wethu, bazila ukudla ngaloo mini, baza bavuma besithi: “Sonile kuBawo wethu.” USamuweli wawalawula amaSirayeli eMizpa. a a v6 Ukuphalaza amanzi phambi koThixo ibisisenzo sokunqula, sokwenza isijwili, nesokuzithoba.
7Eva amaFilisti ukuba oonyana bakaSirayeli babehlanganisene eMizpa, zaza izikhulu zamaFilisti zenyuka zaya phezu koSirayeli. Beva oonyana bakaSirayeli, awoyika amaFilisti. 8Oonyana bakaSirayeli bathi kuSamuweli: “Ungayeki ukudanduluka kuBawo wethu ngenxa yethu, ukuze asihlangule esandleni samaFilisti.” 9USamuweli wathabatha itakane legusha elisaanyayo, walenza idini elinyukayo lonke kuBawo wethu. USamuweli wakhala kuBawo wethu ngenxa yamaSirayeli, waza uBawo wethu wamphendula. 10Kuthe, akubon' ukuba uSamuweli ulisondeza idini elinyukayo, asondela amaFilisti ukuba alwe namaSirayeli. Kodwa ngaloo mini uBawo wethu wadudumisa ngezwi elikhulu phezu kwamaFilisti, waza wawadubaduba, athotywa phambi koSirayeli. 11Aphuma amadoda akwaSirayeli eMizpa, awasukela amaFilisti, awaxabela kwada kwesa ezantsi kweBhete-khari.
12Waza uSamuweli wathabatha ilitye, walimisa phakathi kweMizpa neShen, walibiza ngokuthi yi-Ebhenezere, esithi: “Kude kube ngoku uBawo wethu usincede.” b b v12 U-Ebhenezere uthetha ukuthi “ilitye loncedo” — uSamuweli walimisa ukuze kukhunjulwe ukuba ude wabathwala kangakanani na uBawo wethu. 13Athotywa ke amaFilisti, akaba saphinda angena emdeni wakwaSirayeli; isandla sikaBawo wethu saba chasene namaFilisti yonke imihla yobomi bukaSamuweli. 14AmaSirayeli ayibuyisela imizi awayithabathayo amaFilisti, kwathabathela e-Ekron kwada kwaseGati, abuyisele umda wawo esandleni samaFilisti. AmaSirayeli aba noxolo nama-Amori.
15USamuweli wawalawula amaSirayeli yonke imihla yobomi bakhe. 16Waye ehambahamba iminyaka ngeminyaka, ejikeleza iBheteli, neGiligali, neMizpa, ewalawula amaSirayeli kuzo zonke ezi ndawo. 17Waza wabuyela eRama, apho likhaya lakhe, wawalawula amaSirayeli khona. Khona apho wakha isibingelelo kuBawo wethu.
