Isizwe Esifulathela UKumkani Waso

Oonyana bakaSamuweli bamkela izinyobo, ngoko amadoda amakhulu acela ukumkani njengeentlanga ezinye. UBawo wethu wathi kuSamuweli ngumcekiso kuye, kungekhona kuSamuweli. USamuweli wacacisa oko ukumkani aya kukuthabatha: oonyana, iintombi, amasimi, isishumi sento yonke, kodwa abantu basavuma.

Isahluko 8.

Kwathi uSamuweli akuba mkhulu, wamisa oonyana bakhe baba ngabagwebi kumaSirayeli. Unyana wakhe wamazibulo nguYoweli, owesibini wakhe nguAbhiya; babengabagwebi eBher-shebha. Oonyana bakhe abazilandelanga iindlela zakhe, basuka baphuthuma inzuzo embi, bamkela izinyobo, bajika ubulungisa.

Ahlanganisana ke onke amadoda amakhulu akwaSirayeli, eza kuSamuweli eRama. Bathi kuye: “Umdala, oonyana bakho abazilandeli iindlela zakho. Simisele ngoku ukumkani wokusilawula, njengeentlanga zonke.” USamuweli wakhathazeka xa besithi: “Siphe ukumkani wokusilawula,” waza wathandaza kuBawo wethu.

Wathi ke uBawo wethu kuSamuweli: “Baphulaphule abantu kuyo yonke into abayithethayo kuwe; ayikuwe abakucekisileyo; ndim abandicekisileyo ukuba ndingabi ngukumkani wabo. Njengoko, kususela kwimini endabakhuphayo eYiputa kude kube namhlanje, bandilahlile, bekhonza thixo bambi—benjenjalo nakuwe. Baphulaphule ke ngoku, kodwa ubaqononondise, ubaxelele indlela aya kulawula ngayo ukumkani wabo.”

USamuweli Ulumkisa Ngeendlela ZoKumkani

USamuweli wabaxelela abantu ababecela ukumkani kuye onke amazwi kaBawo wethu. Wathi: “Nantso into aya kuyenza ukumkani olawula phezu kwenu: uya kubathabatha oonyana benu, ababeke ezinqwelweni zakhe nabamahashe bakhe, ukuba babe zizigidimi phambi kwazo. Uya kuzimisela abathetheli-waka nabathetheli bamashumi ngamahlanu, abanye balime umhlaba wakhe, bavune isivuno sakhe, abanye benze izikhali zakhe neempahla zeenqwelo zakhe zokulwa. Uya kuthabatha iintombi zenu zibe ngabaqholi, nabapheki, nabosi. Uya kuthabatha amasimi enu alungileyo, nezidiliya zenu, nemiyezo yenu yeminquma, awanike abakhonzi bakhe. Uya kuthabatha isishumi sengqolowa yenu nezidiliya zenu, asinike abathetheli bakhe nabakhonzi bakhe. Uya kubathabatha abakhonzi benu nabakhonzazana benu, namadodana enu alungileyo, namaesile enu, awasebenzise emsebenzini wakhe. Uya kuthabatha isishumi sempahla yenu emfutshane, nani ngokwenu nibe ngamakhoboka akhe. Kothi ngaloo mini nikhale ngenxa yokumkani enizinyulele yena, kodwa uBawo wethu akayi kuniphendula ngaloo mini.”

Kodwa abantu bala ukumphulaphula uSamuweli. Bathi: “Hayi! Sifuna ukumkani phezu kwethu, ukuze sibe njengeentlanga zonke, asilawule ukumkani wethu, asikhokele, asilwele iimfazwe zethu.”

Weva uSamuweli onke amazwi abantu, waza wawathetha kuBawo wethu.

Wathi uBawo wethu kuSamuweli: “Baphulaphule; babeke ukumkani.” Waza uSamuweli wathi kumadoda akwaSirayeli: “Hambani, elowo aye kowakowabo umzi.”