USamuweli Ubeka Amadodana Akhe Abe Ngabehluleli
1Kwathi lapho uSamuweli esemdala, wabeka amadodana akhe ukuba abe ngabehluleli kwa-Israyeli. 2Igama lezibulo lakhe kwakunguJoweli, igama leyesibili kungu-Abhiya; babengabehluleli eBheri Sheba. 3Amadodana akhe awahambanga ngezindlela zakhe, aphambukela enzuzweni embi, agwazelwa, ahlanekezela ubulungiswa.
Abakwa-Israyeli Bafuna Ukubekelwa Inkosi
4Kwase kubuthana wonke amalunga akwa-Israyeli, aya kuSamuweli eRama, 5athi kuye: “Bheka, usumdala manje, amadodana akho awahambi ezindleleni zakho; sibekele inkosi ukuba isehlulele njengezizwe zonke.”
6Kodwa lokho kwaba kubi emehlweni kaSamuweli, lapho ethi: “Sinike inkosi ukuba isehlulele.”
USamuweli wayesekhuleka kuSimakade. 7USimakade wathi kuSamuweli: “Lalela izwi labantu kukho konke abakusho kuwe, ngokuba akuwena abakulahlayo, kodwa balahle Mina, ukuba ngingabe ngisaba yinkosi phezu kwabo. 8Kunjengayo yonke imisebenzi abayenzayo, kusukela ngosuku engabakhuphula ngalo eGibhithe kuze kube namuhla, bangilahla bayokhonza abanye onkulunkulu, ngakho-ke benza kanjalo nakuwe. 9Manje lalela abakushoyo, kodwa-ke uze ubexwayise impela, ubatshele ngendlela inkosi eyakubusa ngayo phezu kwabo.”
10USamuweli wabatshela abantu ababecele kuye inkosi wonke amazwi kaSimakade. 11Wathi: “Nansi indlela inkosi eyonibusa ngayo: izothatha amadodana enu, izibekele wona ezinqoleni zayo nasemahhashini ayo, agijime phambi kwezinqola zayo; 12iyakuzibekela wona abe yizinduna zezinkulungwane nezinduna zama-50, alime umhlabathi wayo, avune isivuno sayo, enze izikhali zayo zempi nempahla yezinqola zayo. 13Iyakuthatha amadodakazi enu abe ngabathaki bamakha, nabapheki, nababhakizinkwa. 14Iyakuthatha amasimu enu, izivini zenu neminqumo yenu emihle, iyakukuthatha ikunike izinceku zayo. 15Iyakuthatha okweshumi kwembewu yenu nokwesivini senu, ikunike izinduna zayo nezinceku zayo. 16Iyakuthatha izinceku zenu, izincekukazi zenu, izinsizwa zenu ezinhle, nezimbongolo zenu, yenze ngazo imisebenzi yayo. 17Iyakuthatha okweshumi kwezimvu zenu, nina nibe yizinceku zayo. 18Ngalolo lusuku niyakukhala ngenxa yenkosi yenu enizikhethele yona, kodwa uSimakade akayukuniphendula ngalolo lusuku.”
19Kepha abantu bala baphetha ukulalela izwi likaSamuweli, bathi: “Qha, sifuna ukuba kube khona inkosi isibuse, 20ukuze nathi sifane nezizwe zonke, inkosi yethu isehlulele, kube yiyo esiholayo lapho siphuma impi, ilwe izimpi zethu.”
21USamuweli wawezwa wonke amazwi abantu, wawalandisa uSimakade. 22USimakade wathi kuSamuweli: “Lalela izwi labo, ubanike inkosi, ibuse phezu kwabo.”
USamuweli wathi kubantu bakwa-Israyeli: “Hambani, kube yilowo nalowo aye emzini wakubo.”
