UBaba Ukhulula u-Israyeli Ophendukayo
Emva kweminyaka engamashumi amabili uSamuweli utshela u-Israyeli ukuba alahle onkulunkulu bezizwe ngenhliziyo yonke. Babuthana eMispa, bazila ukudla, bavume izono, kuthi lapho amaFilisti ehlasela, uBaba wethu adume phezu kwawo. USamuweli umisa itshe alibiza ngokuthi Ebeni-Ezeri: kuze kube manje uBaba wethu usisizile.
7 1Amadoda aseKiriyati Jeyarimi afika, awuthatha umphongolo kaBaba wethu, awuletha endlini ka-Abhinadaba egqumeni, futhi angcwelisa indodana yakhe u-Eleyazare ukuba awugcine umphongolo kaBaba wethu. 2Kusukela ngosuku umphongolo owafika ngalo wahlala eKiriyati Jeyarimi, kwedlula isikhathi eside—iminyaka engamashumi amabili—futhi yonke indlu ka-Israyeli yakhala yafuna uBaba wethu. 3USamuweli wasekhuluma nayo yonke indlu ka-Israyeli, wathi: "Uma nibuyela kuBaba wethu ngenhliziyo yenu yonke, susani onkulunkulu bezizwe nawo-Ashtaroti phakathi kwenu, nibhekise izinhliziyo zenu kuBaba wethu, nimkhonze yena yedwa—khona uyakunophula ezandleni zamaFilisti." 4Ngakho abantu bakwa-Israyeli basusa oBali nawo-Ashtaroti, bakhonza uBaba wethu yedwa. 5USamuweli wathi: "Buthani wonke u-Israyeli eMispa, ngiyakunikhulekela kuBaba wethu." 6Babuthana eMispa, bakha amanzi, bawathululela phambi kukaBaba wethu, bazila ukudla ngalolo suku, bavuma bathi: "Sonile kuBaba wethu." USamuweli wahlulela u-Israyeli eMispa. a a v6 Ukuthulula amanzi phambi kukaNkulunkulu kwakuyisenzo somkhosi somkhuleko, sokulila, nesokuzithoba.
7AmaFilisti ezwa ukuthi abantwana bakwa-Israyeli babebuthene eMispa, nababusi bamaFilisti benyuka beza ukuyohlasela u-Israyeli. Abantwana bakwa-Israyeli bezwa, besaba amaFilisti. 8Abantwana bakwa-Israyeli bathi kuSamuweli: "Ungayeki ukukhala kuBaba wethu ngenxa yethu, ukuze asisindise ezandleni zamaFilisti." 9USamuweli wathatha iwundlu elisancela, walinikela njengomnikelo oshiswa wonke kuBaba wethu. USamuweli wakhala kuBaba wethu ngenxa ka-Israyeli, uBaba wethu wamphendula. 10Kwathi uSamuweli esanikela umnikelo oshiswayo, amaFilisti asondela ukuyohlasela u-Israyeli. Kodwa ngalolo suku uBaba wethu waduma ngezwi elikhulu emelene namaFilisti, wawaphithizelisa, ehlulwa phambi kuka-Israyeli. 11Amadoda akwa-Israyeli aphuma eMispa, axosha amaFilisti, awacshaya aze aba ngaphansi kweBeti Khari.
12USamuweli wasethatha itshe, walimisa phakathi kweMispa neSheni, waliqamba ngokuthi i-Ebeni Ezeri, ethi: "Kuze kube manje uBaba wethu usisizile." b b v12 I-Ebeni Ezeri kuchaza ukuthi "itshe losizo" — uSamuweli walimisa ukuze akhumbule ukuthi uBaba wethu wayebathwele waze wafika kude kangakanani. 13Ngakho amaFilisti ehlulwa, kawabange esangena emngceleni wakwa-Israyeli futhi; isandla sikaBaba wethu samelana namaFilisti zonke izinsuku zokuphila kukaSamuweli. 14U-Israyeli waphinda wawathola amadolobha amaFilisti ayewathathile, kusukela e-Ekroni kuze kube seGati, wabuyisa umngcele wakhe ezandleni zamaFilisti. U-Israyeli wayenokuthula futhi nama-Amori.
15USamuweli wahlulela u-Israyeli zonke izinsuku zokuphila kwakhe. 16Wayehamba iminyaka ngeminyaka, ezungeza iBeteli, iGiligali, neMispa, ehlulela u-Israyeli kuzo zonke lezi zindawo. 17Wayesebuyela eRama, ekhaya lakhe, ahlulele khona u-Israyeli. Lapho wakhela uBaba wethu i-altare.
