Kubuyiselwa kwelibhokisi lesivumelwane
1Kwatsi ngesikhatsi libhokisi lesivumelwane saSimakadze liseseveni lemaFilisti tinyanga letisikhombisa, 2emaFilisti abita baphristi netangoma, atsi: “Sitakwenta njani ngalelibhokisi laSimakadze? Sitjeleni kutsi sitalibuyisela kanjani endzaweni yalo.”
3Baphendvula batsi: “Nanibuyisela libhokisi laloNkulunkulu wema-Israyeli, ningacali nilibuyisele emuva liguncuta lodvwa. Nibetama ngawo onkhe emandla enu kutsi nilibuyisele kuye nemnikelo welicala. Nase nente njalo-ke, nitawuphila, nati nekwati kutsi bekwentiwa yini kutsi sandla sakhe singesuki etikwenu.”
4EmaFilisti abuta atsi: “Ngumuphi umnikelo welicala lesingawutfumela kuye?”
Baphendvula batsi: “Ngematfumba lasihlanu egolide, nemagundvwane lasihlanu egolide njengelinani lebabusi bemaFilisti, ngobe lesishayo sehlele nine kanye nebabusi benu. 5Bumbani imifanekiso yematfumba enu neyemagundvwane lekungatsi abhubhise lelive, nimnike ludvumo Nkulunkulu wema-Israyeli. Mhlawumbe uyakusiphakamisa sandla sakhe lesimatima etikwenu, nasetikwabonkulunkulu benu, nasetikwelive lenu. 6Nitentelani tinhlitiyo tenu tibe lukhuni njengebaseGibhithe nanjengaFaro? Ngesikhatsi Nkulunkulu abahlupha kamatima, abazange yini bawakhulule ema-Israyeli kuze ahambe indlela yawo?
7“Manje-ke, lungisani incola lensha netinkhomo letimunyisako letimbili letinemankhonyane, letingazange setiboshelwe ejokeni. Bophelani letinkhomo tidvonse lencola, nitsatse lamankhonyane ato niwabuyisele ekhaya nifike niwakhunge, bese niwavalela esibayeni. 8Nitawutsatsa lelibhokisi lesivumelwane saSimakadze nilibeke kulencola, bese kutsi kulesilulu lesiseceleni kwalo nifake letintfo tegolide lenititfumela kuye, tibe ngumnikelo welicala. Niboyiyekela ihambe ngendlela yayo, 9kodvwa niyicaphele. Nayikhuphuka icondza eveni lalo, kubheka ngaseBhethi Shemeshi, kuyakube nguye Simakadze lona losehlisele letinhlupho. Kodvwa nakungenjalo, siyawube sesiyati kutsi bekungesiso sandla sakhe lesi lesisehlisele letishayo; kumane kwasivelela nje.”
10Ngako bavele bakwenta loko. Batsatsa tinkhomo letimunyisako letimbili batibophela encoleni, base bafaka lamankhonyane ato esibayeni. 11Batsatsa lelibhokisi lesivumelwane saSimakadze balekhweta kulencola, babophela eceleni kwalo lesilulu semagundvwane egolide nemifanekiso yematfumba. 12Letinkhomo tahamba tacondza ngco eBhethi Shemeshi, takhuphuka ngemgwaco, tingaphambuki ndzawo, tihambe tibhonsa yonkhe indlela; atizange tiphambukele ngesekudla nome ngesancele. Babusi bemaFilisti babenguloku batibukile batilandzela ngemuva, taze tayawufika emnyeleni waseBhethi Shemeshi.
13Bantfu baseBhethi Shemeshi babevuna kolo wabo esigodzini; batsi baphakamisa emehlo abo, babona libhokisi lesivumelwane, bajabula kakhulu nabalibona. 14Incola yefikela ensimini yakaJoshuwa eBhethi Shemeshi, yefika lapho yema eceleni kwalelikhulu lidvwala. Bantfu bakabha lamapulango lekwakwakhiwe ngawo lencola, banikela ngaletinkhomo, taba ngumnikelo wekushiswa kuSimakadze. 15EmaLevi aletfula lelibhokisi lesivumelwane saSimakadze kanye nalesilulu lesasiphetse letintfo tegolide, akubeka etikwelidvwala. Ngalelo langa bantfu baseBhethi Shemeshi bashisa iminikelo yekushiswa benta nemihlatjelo kuSimakadze. 16Lababusi labasihlanu bemaFilisti bakubona konkhe loko, base bayancandzeka ngalona lelo langa baya e-Ekroni.
17Lawa ngematfumba egolide emaFilisti lawatfumela aba ngumnikelo welicala kuSimakadze: Lelinye lalila-Ashdodi, lelinye lilaGaza, lelinye lila-Ashkeloni, lelinye lilaGathi, lelinye lila-Ekroni. 18Linani lemagundvwane egolide lalilingana nelinani lemadolobha emaFilisti nebabusi bawo labasihlanu, emadolobha latinqaba akanye nemiti yawo yasemaphandleni. Lelidvwala lelikhulu lababeka kulo libhokisi lesivumelwane saSimakadze lingufakazi ngisho nalamuhla loku ensimini yakaJoshuwa eBhethi Shemeshi.
19Kodvwa Nkulunkulu wababhubhisa labanye bantfu baseBhethi Shemeshi, wabhubhisa labanye lababengema-70 babo, ngobe babebuke ekhatsi ebhokisini lesivumelwane saSimakadze. Sive salila, ngobe Simakadze abebabhubhise ngembhubhiso lenkhulu kabi, 20bantfu baseBhethi Shemeshi babuta batsi: “Ngubani longema ebukhoneni baSimakadze, loNkulunkulu longcwele? Lelibhokisi lesivumelwane litawuya kabani nalikhuphuka lapha?”
21Base batfuma tigijimi esiveni saseKhiriyathi Jeyarimu, batsi: “EmaFilisti asalibuyisile libhokisi lesivumelwane saSimakadze. Yehlani nitelitsatsa nikhuphukele nalo lapho eveni lenu.”
