To The Word – Day 73

₁ERamatayim kwakukho mfo uthile ugama linguElikana, unyana kaJeroham, kaElihu, kaTowu wendlu kaZufi. Wayengowesizwe sakwaEfrayim kweleentaba. ₂Lo mfo wayenabafazi ababini, uHana noPenina. UPenina wayezala, kodwa uHana yena engafumani bantwana.

₃Minyaka le lo mfo wayedla ngokuya eShilo, aye kunqula *uNdikhoyo uThixo onamandla onke, anikele amadini. UHofeni noPineyasi, oonyana bakaEli, babengababingeleli bakaNdikhoyo apho. ₄Wayedla ngokuthi uElikana, ngomhla enze idini, akhuphe izabelo zikaPenina nezabantwana bakhe, ₅uHana yena amnike sibe sinye, naxa wayemthanda nje. Kaloku uHana wayeyivinjiwe inzala nguNdikhoyo. ₆Ngaphezu koko umka-ndod' akhe uPenina wayesoloko emcunukisa, emngcungcuthekisa ngokungazali kwakhe. ₇Yayisithi rhoqo le nto ukwenzeka xa beye kwaNdikhoyo eShilo minyaka le. UPenina wayesoloko emnukuneza ngokungazali kwakhe uHana, amtsho ade akhale ezimathontsi, angafuni nokutya oku. ₈Kwakuba njalo indoda yakhe uElikana yayisithi: “Hana, ulilela ntoni? Kutheni ungatyi nokutya oku? Ukhathazwa yintoni kakade, selude waziduba wadandatheka kangaka? Andixabisekanga na kuwe ngaphezu koonyana abalishumi?”

_9-10Ngamhla uthile, beseShilo apho, kwakuba kutyiwe kwaselwa, wasuka waphakama uHana, ebindekile, wazibika *kuNdikhoyo. Ngelo xesha umbingeleli uEli wayehleli esihlalweni sakhe ngasemnyango wendlu kaNdikhoyo. Ebuhlungu enjalo uHana, wathandaza, ₁₁wenza isibhambathiso kuNdikhoyo, wathi: “Ndikhoyo Somandla, wanga ungayibona inkxwaleko yesicakazana sakho, usikhumbule, ungasilibali isicakazana sakho, kodwa usinike unyana. Ke ndomnikezela kuwe, Ndikhoyo, abe ngowakho bonke ubomi bakhe, yaye neenwele zakhe azinakuze zichetywe.”

₁₂UHana wathandaza ithuba elide, uEli emjongile, ethe ntsho kuloo milebe. ₁₃Wayengavakalisi kuthetha uHana, kodwa yayibebezela yona imilebe. UEli wacinga ukuba uHana uyanxila, ₁₄wathi kuye: “Koda kube nini na unxila? Yahlukana notywala!”

₁₅“Hayi, mhlekazi, andinxilanga,” waphendula watsho uHana. “Andikhange ndisele iwayini okanye utywala, nto nje ndibuhlungu kakhulu. Wena undibona ndibika intlungu yam kuNdikhoyo. ₁₆Uze ungathi ndilitshijolo lomfazi. Ndithandaza ndingayeki nje, kungenxa yokuba ndibindekile ndihluphekile.”

₁₇“Hayi ke, hamba ngoxolo; uThixo kaSirayeli uya kukwenzela ngokwesicelo sakho, ntombi yam,” watsho uEli.

₁₈UHana yena wathi: “Akwaba isicakazana sakho singababalwa njalo.” Watsho ehamba, waya kutya, waxola.

₁₉Usapho lukaElikana lwavuka kwangentseni. Baya kunqula *uNdikhoyo, emva koko banduluka ukubuyela kokwabo eRama. Ke uElikana wahlangana noHana umkakhe. Weviwa nguNdikhoyo umthandazo wakhe. ₂₀Wakhawula, wazala inkwenkwe unyaka ungekapheli. Wathi: “Igama layo nguSamweli; kaloku ndayicela kuNdikhoyo.”

₂₁UElikana ubuye waya nosapho lwakhe eShilo ukuya kunikela kuNdikhoyo idini lonyaka kunye nelesithembiso. ₂₂UHana wasala ekhaya. Wathi kumyeni wakhe: “Ndakululumla usana lwam, ndolusa endlwini kaNdikhoyo, luhlale phambi kwakhe ubomi balo bonke.”

₂₃Indoda yakhe uElikana yathi: “Kulungile, ungasala. Yenza loo nto uyibona ilungile. Ungalinda ude umlumle umntwana. Ubenga uNdikhoyo angasifezekisa isithembiso sakhe.”

Wasala ke uHana, eluncancisa usana lwakhe, lwada lwalunyulwa.

₂₄Wathi akululumla usana lwakhe uHana, waya nalo eShilo, eqhuba inkunzi yenkomo eminyaka mithathu, ephethe neshumi leekhilogram zomgubo wengqolowa, nemvaba ezele yiwayini. Wahamba noSamweli, emsa endlwini *kaNdikhoyo eShilo, eselula njalo.

₂₅Yakuba iwile inkunzi yenkomo, usana lwasiwa kuEli. ₂₆UHana wathi kuEli: “Camagu, nkosi yam! Usaphila nje ulingqina lam lokuba ndingulaa mfazi wayemi apha ethandaza kuNdikhoyo. ₂₇Ndandicela lo mntwana, waza uNdikhoyo wasiva isicelo sam. ₂₈Ngoku ke ndimbuyisela kuNdikhoyo, kuba bonke ubomi bakhe bobalowo ucelwe kuNdikhoyo.” Emva koko ke uSamweli wakhonza uNdikhoyo apho eShilo.

₁Ke kaloku uHana wathandaza emtyibela *uNdikhoyo, wathi:

₁₁Bagoduka ke ooElikana baya eRama, yasala apho eShilo yona inkwenkwe, ikhonza uNdikhoyo phambi kombingeleli uEli.

₁₂Oonyana bakaEli ke babengamatshijolo, bengamazele nto *uNdikhoyo. ₁₃Kaloku inkqubo yababingeleli nabantu yayikukuthi xeshikweni nabani na enikezela idini, kuthi ngeli xesha imbiza yenyama ibilayo, sifike isicaka sombingeleli siphethe ifolokhwe entloko ineencula ezintathu. ₁₄Besihlaba ngayo epanini, nokuba kuseketileni, okanye esityeni sokupheka, kungenjalo embizeni nje, aze umbingeleli azithathele loo ndawo iphume nefolokhwe. Kwakuqhutywa ngolu hlobo kuwo onke amaSirayeli ayeye eShilo. ₁₅Kodwa ngoku bekuthi, singekatshi siphele isiqhumiso samanqatha, suka isicaka sombingeleli siye kuloo mfo unikezela idini, sithi kuye: “Nika umbingeleli inyama, ose! Akayifuni inyama yakho ephekiweyo; ufuna ekrwada.”

₁₆Ukuba loo mntu uphendule wathi: “Kaloku kufuneka siqale sitshe siphele isiqhumiso samanqatha, wandule ukuthatha loo ndawo uyithandayo,” besisithi isicaka sombingeleli: “Hayi, ndinike ngoku; kungenjalo ndoyithatha ngetshova.”

₁₇Esi sono soonyana bakaEli sokudela iminikelo sasisikhulu kakhulu emehlweni kaNdikhoyo.

₁₈Yena uSamweli wayehlala ekhonza endlwini *kaNdikhoyo – inkwenkwana ethiwe wambu ngesidanga selineni. ₁₉Minyaka le unina wayedla ngokumenzela umnwetyana, aye nawo eShilo, xa umyeni wakhe aye kwenzela uNdikhoyo idini lonyaka. ₂₀UEli wayemthamsanqelisa uElikana nomkakhe uHana, athi: “Ubenga uNdikhoyo angenza lo mfazi akuzalele abanye abantwana endaweni yalo wamcelayo waza wamnikela kuye,” baze ke emva koko bagoduke.

₂₁UNdikhoyo ngenene wamvelela uHana, waza wamitha, wazala abanye oonyana abathathu kunye neentombi ezimbini. Yona inkwenkwe uSamweli yakhulela kwaNdikhoyo.

₂₂UEli ngeli xesha wayeselaluphele mpela. Wayesoloko esiva ngemikhwa emibi yoonyana bakhe kumaSirayeli. Wayiva nento yokuba babelala abafazi ababekhonza ngasemasangweni enkundla *yesibingelelo *sikaNdikhoyo. ₂₃Wabakhalimela wathi: “Yeyantoni le ntlondi niyenzayo ebaliswa ngabantu bonke! ₂₄Hayi, bantwana bam, imbi le nto endiyiva ithethwa ngani ngabantu bakaNdikhoyo! ₂₅Kaloku umntu one omnye umntu angathethelelwa phambi koThixo; angalanyulelwa kanjani ke xa one uNdikhoyo ngokwakhe?”

Ke bona oonyana bakhe abazange bamhoye, naye uNdikhoyo wayeselezimisele ukubatshabalalisa.

₂₆Ke yena uSamweli wakhula ngesithomo, ebabalwa nguNdikhoyo, ethandwa nangabantu.

₂₇Kwafika umfo wakwaThixo kuEli, wathi: “Utsho *uNdikhoyo ukuthi: ‘Wazi kakuhle ukuba ndazityhila kookhokho bakho, xa babengamakhoboka eJiputa phantsi kokumkani walapho. ₂₈Uyayazi nento yokuba ndabatyumba phakathi kwezizwe zakwaSirayeli, ndathi bona boba ngababingeleli bam, basondele eqongeni lam, benze isiqhumiso, bagaxele *isidanga sam. Ndatsho nokuthi boba nenxaxheba kumadini anikelwa kum ngomlilo ngamaSirayeli. ₂₉Kungani ke ukuba ninyelise amadini neminikelo emiselwe ndim endaweni yam? Kungani ukuba uxabise oonyana bakho ngaphezu kwam, suka nizingxale ngokuthatha ezona-zona ndawo ziphambili zeminikelo endiyenzelwa ngabantu bam amaSirayeli?’

₃₀“Ngako oko uNdikhoyo, uThixo kaSirayeli, uthi: ‘Mna ndathembisa ukuba indlu yakho nendlu kayihlo yoba ngababingeleli bam naphakade.’ Kodwa ngoku uNdikhoyo uthi: ‘Unotshe! Mna ndiwonga abo bandihlonelayo, abo bandidelayo ndibaqalekise. ₃₁Iyeza imihla endiza kuwashunqula amandla akho namandla endlu kayihlo, khon' ukuze ingabikho ingwevu kumlibo wenu. ₃₂Niya kubona imbandezelo endaweni yam, naxa amanye amaSirayeli aya kuba nempumelelo. Ewe, akusayi kubuya kubekho nkonde kowenu. ₃₃Nokuba kungakho omnye wenzala yakho osasondela eqongeni, naloo nto iseza kukulilisa ikuhluphe, kuba inkoliso yamadoda endlu yakho iya kufa iselula.

₃₄“ ‘Into eya kufikela uHofeni noPineyasi oonyana bakho iza kuba ngumqondiso kuwe wale nto yonke endiyithethileyo. Bona baza kufa ngamini-nye. ₃₅Ndiza kumisela owam umbingeleli onyanisekileyo, oya kwenza intando yam yonke. Ndiya kuyizinzisa indlu yakhe, andikhonze lonke ixesha phambi kokumkani otyunjwe ndim. ₃₆Bonke abomzi wakho abaya kusinda baya kuya kuloo mbingeleli wam, bazithobe kuye, bacele imali nento etyiwayo, bathi: “Ndivumele ukuncedisa ababingeleli, khon' ukuze ngaloo ndlela ndizuze into etyiwayo.” ’ ”

₁Ke kaloku umfana uSamweli wayekhonza *kwaNdikhoyo phambi koEli. Ngaloo mihla udaba oluvela kuNdikhoyo lwalunqabile, kungekho mntu unemibono ivela kuye. ₂UEli wayenorhatyazo emehlweni kangangokuba wayebona luzizi. Ngabusuku buthile uEli wayelele endaweni yakhe, ₃uSamweli yena elele endlwini kaNdikhoyo apho kwakugcinwa khona ityesi yomnqophiso. Kwathi ekuzeni kokusa, isibane sisavutha, ₄uNdikhoyo wavakala ebiza uSamweli.

Wasabela uSamweli esithi: “Ndim lo, mhlekazi!” ₅Wakhawuleza waya kuEli, wafika wathi: “Ndim lo; ubundibiza.”

Wathi yena uEli: “Hayi, yiya kulala, mfo wam; andikhange ndikubize.” Waya kulala ke.

₆UNdikhoyo wabuya wambiza uSamweli. Wavuka ke umfana, waya kwakuEli, wathi: “Mhlekazi, uyandibiza. Ndim lo!”

Kambe yena uEli wathi: “Hayi, andikubizanga; yiya kulala, mfo wam.”

₇Phofu umfana lo yena wayengekamazi uNdikhoyo; kaloku uNdikhoyo wayengekazityhili kuye ngelizwi lakhe.

₈UNdikhoyo wabuya wambiza uSamweli isihlandlo sesithathu. Wavuka uSamweli, waya kwakuEli, wafika wathi: “Ndim lo, mhlekazi; ubundibiza.”

Waqonda ngoku uEli ukuba nguNdikhoyo lo umana ebiza lo mfana. ₉Wathi uEli kuye: “Hamba wena, yiya kulala. Xa ubuye weva ubizwa, uze uthi: ‘Thetha, Ndikhoyo; isicaka sakho siphulapule.’ ” Waya kulala ke uSamweli emandlalweni wakhe.

₁₀Waza uNdikhoyo weza wema apho, wabiza kwakhona esithi: “Samweli! Samweli!”

Wasabela uSamweli wathi: “Thetha; siphulaphule isicaka sakho.”

₁₁Wathi ke uNdikhoyo kuSamweli: “Uyabona, ndiza kwenza into kwaSirayeli eya kutsho zithi nzwii iindlebe zabantu bonke abaya kuyiva. ₁₂Umlomo wam ngomzi kaEli ndiza kuwufezekisa ngaloo mini, ndisuse ekuqaleni ndise esiphelweni. ₁₃Phofu ke sendimxelele ukuba umzi wakowabo ndiza kuwohlwaya ngokupheleleyo ngenxa yesono asaziyo soonyana bakhe. Kaloku oonyana bakhe balinyelisa igama lam, waza yena akabakhalimela. ₁₄Ke ngoko ndifunge ndathi kumzi kaEli: ‘Akukho dini namnikelo uya kuze ube nako ukulicamagushela ityala lakho.’ ”

₁₅USamweli wangqengqa kwada kwasa. Uthe akuvuka, wavula iingcango zendlu yakwaNdikhoyo. Woyika ukubalisela uEli ngombono wakhe. ₁₆Ke kaloku uEli wambiza uSamweli, wathi: “Samweli, mfo wam!”

Waphendula uSamweli wathi: “Ndim lo!”

₁₇Wambuza esithi: “Lizwi lini na eli uNdikhoyo alithethe kuwe? Musa ukundifihlela; ndixelele. UThixo uya kuba nento yokwenza nawe ukuba akundixeleli into yonke ayithethileyo.”

₁₈Wachaza konke ke uSamweli, akafihla nto. Watsho wathi uEli: “Nguye uNdikhoyo; makenze loo nto abona ukuba ifanele ukwenziwa.”

₁₉Waya ekhula uSamweli, uNdikhoyo enaye, zaza nezinto ezathethwa nguSamweli zazalisekiswa. ₂₀AmaSirayeli, ukususela eDan kuye eBheshebha, aqonda ukuba uSamweli *wayengumshumayeli onyanisekileyo kaNdikhoyo. ₂₁UNdikhoyo ke wathi rhoqo ukuvela eShilo, apho wazityhila khona ngezwi lakhe kuSamweli.

₁Ilizwi likaSamweli lafikelela kumaSirayeli onke.

Aphuma amaSirayeli, ahlangabezana namaFilistiya ukuya kulwa nawo. AmaSirayeli amisa e-Ebhenezere; wona amaFilistiya amisa eAfeki. ₂AmaFilistiya akha uluhlu ukukhawulela amaSirayeli, kwahlanganwa, zanqoza, aswantsuliswa amaSirayeli ngamaFilistiya, kwawa amawaka amane amaSirayeli kwelo dabi. ₃Ukufika kwawo ekampini amajoni asindileyo edabini akhuza amadoda amakhulu, athi: “Ngani ukuba namhlanje *uNdikhoyo asiyekele siswantsuliswe ngamaFilistiya? Masiye kuphuthuma ityesi yomnqophiso kaNdikhoyo eShilo, ibe lapha phakathi kwethu, khon' ukuze isisindise esandleni seentshaba zethu.”

₄Kwathunywa izigidimi eShilo ukuba ziye kuphuthuma ityesi yomnqophiso kaNdikhoyo onamandla onke, yena ongqongwe *zizithunywa ezimaphiko. Kweza noonyana bakaEli uHofeni noPineyasi, bekhapha ityesi yomnqophiso.

₅Atsho ngentlokomakazi enkulu amaSirayeli ukufika kwetyesi yomnqophiso kaNdikhoyo ekampini, watsho wanyikima umhlaba! ₆Athi akuyiva loo ntswahla amaFilistiya, athi: “Yeyantoni na le ntsholo ingaka ekampini yamaSirayeli?” Athe akuva ukuba kufike ityesi kaNdikhoyo ekampini yamaSirayeli, ₇ankwantya kukoyika amaFilistiya, esithi: “Kufike uThixo ekampini yamaSirayeli! Yehaa! Ayizange ibekho into enjengale ngaphambili! ₈Sifile thina! Yaz'ba sosinda kanjani na esandleni salo Thixo unamandla? Asinguye na owabatshabalalisela entlango ngezibetho amaJiputa? ₉Yomelelani, maFilistiya! Yibani ngamadoda, hleze nathi sibe zizicaka zamaSirayeli kanye njengoko nawo ayezizicaka zethu! Kuf' ayayo, madoda!”

₁₀Alwa ke amaFilistiya, awaswantsulisa amaSirayeli, aya kutshona ngezindlu zawo. Kwajub' ugodo kwelo dabi, kwawa amashumi amathathu amawaka amajoni akwaSirayeli. ₁₁Yathinjwa ngamaFilistiya ityesi yomnqophiso kaThixo, oonyana bakaEli uHofeni noPineyasi basala apho itshoba lilel' umbethe.

₁₂Kwabakho mfo uthile wakwaBhenjamin owaxhina ukusuka edabini, waya kugaleleka eShilo kwangaloo mini. Izambatho zakhe zazikrazukile, intloko izele luthuli. ₁₃Ukufika kwaloo mfo uEli wayehleli ecaleni kwendlela, ejonge enkalweni, exhalele ityesi yomnqophiso. Loo ndoda yaziphalaza esixekweni ezo ndaba zimbi, kothuka wonke umntu, yaba sisikhalo sodwa. ₁₄Akusiva eso sijwili uEli wabuza wathi: “Yintoni unobangela wale ngxolo?” Loo ndoda yakhawuleza yaya kuEli. ( ₁₅Wayeselemashumi alithoba nesibhozo ubudala uEli, selephants' ukuba yimpumputhela yexhego.)

₁₆Yamxelela loo ndoda uEli, yathi: “Ndibhungce edabini kwanamhlanje, ndaxhina okoko ukuza apha.”

“Kwenzekeni, mfo wam?” kubuza uEli.

₁₇Wathi loo mfo ubhunce edabini ukuphendula: “AmaSirayeli aswantsulisiwe ngamaFilistiya, yaye kufe amaSirayeli amaninzi, noonyana bakho uHofeni noPineyasi baphakathi kwaloo madoda awileyo. Ndithi kuthinjwe nkqu netyesi kaThixo leyo.”

₁₈Uthe akuva kukhankanywa netyesi yomnqophiso uEli, waphequka kweso sihlalo sakhe ngasesangweni, wophuka ilungu lentamo, wafa. Kaloku wayeselaluphele, ekwanesiqu. Wayeyinkokheli kwaSirayeli iminyaka engamashumi amane.

₁₉Ngelo xesha umolokazana kaEli, umka-Pineyasi, wayekhulelwe, seleza kukhululeka. Wathi ke akuziva iindaba zokuthinjwa kwetyesi yomnqophiso kaThixo, nokuba uyisezala kunye nomyeni wakhe abasekho, wasuka waguqa, wazala. Zamongamela iintlungu zokubeleka. ₂₀Kwathi xa aqhawukayo, abafazi ababembelekisa bathi kuye: “Qina, mfazi; uzele inkwenkwe.”

Yena wasuka akaphendula, akabahoya nokubahoya oku. ₂₁Wathi igama laloo mntwana nguIkabhodi, esithi: “Udumo lumkile kwaSirayeli,” kuba ityesi kaThixo ibithinjiwe, uyisezala nomyeni wakhe nabo babeswelekile. ₂₂Wathi: “Udumo lumkile kwaSirayeli, kuba ityesi kaThixo ithinjiwe.”

₁Ayithatha amaFilistiya ityesi kaThixo e-Ebhenezere, ayisa eAshdode. ₂Apho afika ayingenisa endlwini yothixo wawo uDagoni, ayimisa ecaleni kwakhe. ₃Ngentsasa elandelayo amaFilistiya afika, tyhini uDagoni uthe qungqululu emhlabeni, ewe ngobuso ngaphambi kwetyesi *kaNdikhoyo! Babuya bammisa kwasendaweni yakhe uDagoni. ₄Kwakhona ngentsasa elandelayo bafike tyhini kwakhona nanko uDagoni equngquluze ngaphambi kwetyesi kaNdikhoyo! Ngoku wayeqhawuke intloko nezandla, zingasemgubasini wendlu leyo, yena uDagoni esele esisibhukubhuku nje. ( ₅Unanamhla oku ababingeleli bakaDagoni, nabani na ongena endlwini kaDagoni eseAshdode, uyawutsiba umgubasi ngenxa yale ntlekele.)

₆UNdikhoyo wabaphatha gadalala abantu baseAshdode neziphaluka zayo. Wabathobela izibetho, wabathuthumbisa ngamathumba. ₇Athi amadoda alapho akuqonda le meko: “Le tyesi yoThixo wamaSirayeli mayisuke apha phakathi kwethu. Naku esimise kakubi kunye noDagoni uthixo wethu.” ₈Kwabizwa intlanganiso yeenkosi zamaFilistiya, kwabuzwa kuzo kwathiwa: “Nithi mayithiweni na le tyesi yoThixo wamaSirayeli?”

Zaphendula zathi: “Mayisiwe eGati ityesi yoThixo wamaSirayeli.” Yasiwa apho ke.

₉Nalapho uNdikhoyo wabamisa kakubi abantu, batsho bazizantanta, wabathuthumbisa ngamathumba, omncinci nomdala ngokufanayo. ₁₀Yadluliselwa e-Ekron ityesi yomnqophiso kaThixo.

Yathi isafikanje abantu balapho bakhalaza besithi: “Baze kusibulalisa ngalaa tyesi yoThixo wamaSirayeli thina nabantu bethu!” ₁₁Abantu balapho babiza iinkosi zamaFilistiya, babhekisa kuzo bathi: “Sincedeni; yisuseni apha kuthi le tyesi yoThixo wamaSirayeli. Mayibuyele kowayo, hleze isibulale thina nabantu bethu.” Kaloku bonke abantu besixeko babenkwantyisiwe kukufa, kuba uThixo wayebamise kakubi. ₁₂Abantu abangafanga babethuthunjiswa ngamathumba, senyuka isikhalo sesixeko, sada savakala nasezulwini.