1Abemi baseKiriyati-yarim baya kuyiphuthuma ityesi yomnqophiso kaNdikhoyo, bayisa emzini ka-Abhinadabhi owawusendulini. Bamisela uElazare, unyana waloo mfo, ukuba ibe nguye ogcina ityesi yomnqophiso kaNdikhoyo.
USamweli uba yinkokheli kwaSirayeli
2Yahlala ithuba elide ityesi yomnqophiso *kaNdikhoyo eKiriyati-yarim. Yaba ngamashumi amabini eminyaka ilapho. Ngelo xesha onke amaSirayeli ayezibika kuNdikhoyo ukuba awancede. 3Ngoko ke uSamweli wathi kwindlu yonke kaSirayeli: “Ukuba ngenene nibuyele kuNdikhoyo ngentliziyo epheleleyo, kufuneka nahlukane *noothixo basemzini bonke, nilahle nemifanekiso yothixokazi uAshtaroti. Kufuneka nizimisele nizinikele kuNdikhoyo ngokupheleleyo, nikhonze yena yedwa. Yena ke wonihlangula esandleni samaFilistiya.” 4AmaSirayeli ke ayilahla imifanekiso kaBhali noAshtaroti, akhonza uNdikhoyo yedwa qwaba.
5Emva koko uSamweli wathi: “Onke amaSirayeli makahlangane eMizpa. Mna ke ndiya kunithandazela kuNdikhoyo.” 6Kwayiwa ke eMizpa kuloo mbizo, kwakhiwa amanzi, aza aphalazwa, kusenziwa umnikelo kuNdikhoyo. Kwakuzilwe imini yonke, abantu besithi: “Sinetyala kuNdikhoyo.” (NguSamweli owaba yinkokheli yamaSirayeli eMizpa.)
7Athi akuva amaFilistiya ukuba nâko amaSirayeli eqokelelene eMizpa, aphuma ekhokelwa ziinkosi zawo ukuya kuhlasela amaSirayeli. Zaya kufika kumaSirayeli ezo ndaba, atsho awoyika amaFilistiya, 8athi kuSamweli: “Uze ungayeki ukusitarhuzela kuNdikhoyo uThixo wethu, khon' ukuze asihlangule kumaFilistiya.” 9USamweli wathatha itakane, wenzela uNdikhoyo ngalo idini elitshiswayo lilonke. Wacelela amaSirayeli uncedo kuNdikhoyo, weviwa nguNdikhoyo umthandazo wakhe.
10Kanye xa uSamweli wayesenza elo dini, asondela amaFilistiya, elungiselela ukuhlasela amaSirayeli. Kuthe kanye ngoko kwavakala ukuzongoma kukaNdikhoyo, kusiza ngakumaFilistiya, atsho adideka, awabaleka amaSirayeli. 11Asuka indulumbane amaSirayeli, ephuma eMizpa, awaleqa kujub' ugodo ukuya ngaseBhete-kare.
12Emva koko uthathe ilitye lalinye uSamweli, walimisa phakathi kweMispa neShen, wathi igama laloo ndawo yiEbhenezere, esithi: “Kude kwakalokunje uNdikhoyo esinceda.” 13Kwaba njalo ke ukoyiswa kwamaFilistiya, ayeka ukuhlasela ummandla kaSirayeli. Ngalo lonke ixesha esaphila uSamweli isandla sikaNdikhoyo sasiwachasile amaFilistiya. 14Azibuyisela kwaSirayeli zonke izixeko ezaziphakathi kwe-Ekron neGati, ezo ayezithimbile amaFilistiya. Waba ke wonke ummandla kaSirayeli uyakhululeka kumaFilistiya. Kwabakho uxolo, nditsho naphakathi kwamaSirayeli nama-Amori.
15USamweli waba yinkokheli yamaSirayeli bonke ubomi bakhe. 16Minyaka le wayedla ngokwenza umjikelo, aye eBhetele, eGiligali, naseMizpa, afike apho alamle iimbambano zabantu. 17Ukusuka apho wayegoduka aye eRama, apho wayefika alamle nakhona. Apho eRama kulapho wakha iqonga lokwenzela uNdikhoyo amadini.
