Isandla sikaBaba wethu simelene namaFilisti
AmaFilisti abeka umphongolo kaBaba wethu abewuthumbile eceleni kukaDagoni, kabili athola unkulunkulu wawo ewe ngobuso, okwesibili ikhanda nezandla zakhe kunqunyiwe kulele emnyango. Amathumba nokwethuka kulandela umphongolo kusuka e-Ashidodi kuya eGati kuya e-Ekroni, kuze kube yilapho wonke umuzi uncenga ukuba ususwe kuwo.
5 1AmaFilisti ayewuthumbile umphongolo kaBaba wethu, awususa e-Ebeni-Ezeri awuyisa e-Ashidodi. 2AmaFilisti awuthatha umphongolo kaBaba wethu, awungenisa ethempelini likaDagoni, awubeka eceleni kukaDagoni. 3Kwathi lapho abantu base-Ashidodi bevuka ekuseni kakhulu ngakusasa, nango uDagoni ewile ngobuso phansi emhlabathini phambi komphongolo kaBaba wethu. Bamthatha uDagoni, bambuyisela endaweni yakhe. 4Kwathi bevuka ekuseni kakhulu ngakusasa, nango uDagoni ewile futhi ngobuso phansi emhlabathini phambi komphongolo kaBaba wethu. Kulokhu ikhanda lakhe nezandla zombili kwakunqunyukile kulele embundwini womnyango; kwasala umzimba wakhe kuphela. 5Ngakho kuze kube namuhla abapristi bakaDagoni kanye nabo bonke abangena ethempelini likaDagoni e-Ashidodi abawunyatheli umbundu kaDagoni. 6Isandla sikaBaba wethu sasinzima phezu kwabantu base-Ashidodi. Wababhubhisa, wabashaya ngamathumba—i-Ashidodi nezwe elizungezile. 7Kwathi amadoda ase-Ashidodi ebona lokhu, athi: “Umphongolo kaNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli makungahlali nathi, ngokuba isandla sakhe sinzima phezu kwethu naphezu kukaDagoni unkulunkulu wethu.” 8Abiza bonke ababusi bamaFilisti, abuza athi: “Senzenjani ngomphongolo kaNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli?” Baphendula bathi: “Umphongolo kaNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli mawususelwe eGati.” Ngakho bawususela khona umphongolo kaNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli.
9Kwathi sebewususile, isandla sikaBaba wethu samelana nalowo muzi nawo, kwaba nokwethuka okukhulu kakhulu. Wabashaya abantu bawo, abancane nabadala, kwaqhuma amathumba kubo. 10Ngakho bawuthumela umphongolo kaBaba wethu e-Ekroni. Kodwa uthe ufika, abantu base-Ekroni bakhala bathi: “Baletha umphongolo kaNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli kithi ukuze basibulale thina nabantu bethu!”
11Ngakho babutha bonke ababusi bamaFilisti, bathi: “Mawususwe umphongolo kaNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, ubuyele endaweni yawo, ukuze ungasibulali thina nabantu bethu.” Ngokuba kwakunokwethuka kokufa kuwo wonke umuzi; isandla sikaBaba wethu sasinzima kakhulu khona. 12Labo abangafanga bashaywa ngamathumba, nokukhala komuzi kwenyukela ezulwini.
