Bible Reading Plan – Day 79

₁₉USamuweli wakhula; uJehova wayenaye; akawisanga phansi nelilodwa lamazwi akhe. ₂₀Wonke u-Israyeli kusukela kwaDani kuze kube seBeri Sheba wazi ukuthi uSamuweli uqinisiwe ukuba abe ngumprofethi kaJehova. ₂₁UJehova waphinda wabonakala eShilo, ngokuba uJehova wazibonakalisa kuSamuweli eShilo ngezwi likaJehova.

₁Izwi likaSamuweli lafika kuye wonke u-Israyeli. U-Israyeli waphuma ukulwa namaFilisti, wamisa ngase-Ebeni Ezeri; amaFilisti amisa e-Afeki. ₂AmaFilisti azihlela ukuhlangana no-Israyeli; impi yaqhubeka, u-Israyeli wahlulwa phambi kwamaFilisti abulala empini ngasendle kungathi abantu abayizinkulungwane ezine. ₃Kwathi abantu bengena ekamu,* amalunga akwa-Israyeli athi: “UJehova usibulaleleni phambi kwamaFilisti na? Masithathe umphongolo wesivumelwano sikaJehova eShilo, siwulethe kithi, ufike phakathi kwethu, usisindise esandleni sezitha zethu.”

₄Abantu base bethumela eShilo, bathatha khona umphongolo wesivumelwano sikaJehova Sebawoti ohlezi phezu kwamakherubi;* amadodana amabili ka-Eli, oHofini noFinehasi, ayelapho nomphongolo wesivumelwano sikaNkulunkulu.

₅Kwathi umphongolo wesivumelwano sikaJehova ufika ekamu,* wonke u-Israyeli wakhamuluka ngokukhamuluka okukhulu, kwaze kwaduma umhlaba. ₆AmaFilisti esezwa umsindo wokukhamuluka athi: “Uthini umsindo walokhu kukhamuluka okukhulu ekamu* lamaHeberu na?” Aqonda ukuthi umphongolo kaJehova ufikile ekamu. ₇AmaFilisti esaba, ngokuba athi: “UNkulunkulu ufikile ekamu.*” Athi-ke: “Maye kithina! Ngokuba akuzange kube khona okunje ngaphambili. ₈Maye kithina! Ngubani oyakusophula esandleni salaba onkulunkulu abanamandla na? Yilaba onkulunkulu abashaya abaseGibithe ngazo zonke izifo ehlane. ₉Qinani nibe ngamadoda nina maFilisti ukuba ningabi yizigqila zamaHeberu, njengalokho ebeyizigqila zenu. Yibani ngamadoda, nilwe!”

₁₀AmaFilisti alwa, u-Israyeli wachithwa, babaleka, kwaba yilowo nalowo etendeni lakhe; kwaba khona ukuceka okukhulu, ngokuba kwawa ku-Israyeli abantu abayizinkulungwane ezingamashumi amathathu aba yimigundatshani. ₁₁Umphongolo kaNkulunkulu wathathwa; amadodana omabili ka-Eli, oHofini noFinehasi, abulawa.

₁₂Kwaphuma umuntu wakwaBenjamini empini, wagijima waya eShilo ngalolo suku, izingubo zakhe ziklebhukile, enomhlabathi ekhanda. ₁₃Ekufikeni kwakhe, bheka, u-Eli wayehlezi esihlalweni sakhe ngaseceleni komgwaqo, ngokuba inhliziyo yakhe yayithuthumela ngomphongolo kaNkulunkulu. Esengenile emzini lowo muntu, wakubika, wakhala umuzi wonke.

₁₄Lapho u-Eli ezwa umsindo wokukhala, wathi: “Uthini umsindo walokhu kumemeza na?” Lowo muntu washesha waya wamtshela u-Eli. ₁₅U-Eli wayeneminyaka engamashumi ayisishiyagalolunye nesishiyagalombili; amehlo akhe ayequndekile, engenakubona. ₁₆Lowo muntu wathi ku-Eli: “Nginguye owaphuma empini, ngibaleke empini namuhla.”

Wathi: “Bekunjani, ndodana yami, na?”

₁₇Owaletha umbiko waphendula wathi: “U-Israyeli ubalekile phambi kwamaFilisti; kwakukhona ukubulawa okukhulu phakathi kwabantu; amadodana akho omabili oHofini noFinehasi afile, nomphongolo kaNkulunkulu uthathiwe.”

₁₈Kwathi esaphatha umphongolo kaNkulunkulu, wawa nyovane esihlalweni sakhe ngaseceleni kwesango, kwaphuka intamo yakhe, wafa, ngokuba wayengumuntu omdala, esinda. Wayebahlulele abakwa-Israyeli iminyaka engamashumi amane.

₁₉Umalokazana wakhe, umkaFinehasi, wayekhulelwe esezakubeletha; esezwile umbiko wokuthi umphongolo kaNkulunkulu uthathiwe nokuthi kufile uyisezala nomyeni wakhe, wakhonkobala, wabeletha, ngokuba wafikelwa yimihelo. ₂₀Ngesikhathi sokufa kwakhe abesifazane ababemi kuye bathi kuye: “Ungesabi, ngokuba ubelethe indodana.” Kepha akaphendulanga, akakunakanga.

₂₁Wamqamba umntwana ngokuthi u-Ikabodi,* ethi: “Inkazimulo isukile kwa-Israyeli,” ngokuba umphongolo kaNkulunkulu uthathiwe, nangenxa kayisezala wakhe nomyeni wakhe. ₂₂Wathi: “Inkazimulo isukile kwa-Israyeli, ngokuba umphongolo kaNkulunkulu uthathiwe.”

₁AmaFilisti athatha umphongolo kaNkulunkulu, awususa e-Ebeni Ezeri, awuyisa e-Ashidodi. ₂AmaFilisti awuthatha umphongolo kaNkulunkulu, awungenisa endlini kaDagoni, awubeka ngakuye uDagoni. ₃Abase-Ashidodi sebevukile kusasa ekuseni, bheka, uDagoni wayewile phansi ngobuso phambi komphongolo kaJehova. Bamthatha uDagoni, bambuyisela endaweni yakhe. ₄Sebevukile kusasa ekuseni, bheka, uDagoni wayewile phansi ngobuso phambi komphongolo kaJehova; ikhanda likaDagoni nezimpama zombili zezandla zakhe zazinqamukile zisembundwini; kwasala isidumbu sakhe kuphela. ₅Ngalokho abapristi bakaDagoni nabo bonke abangena endlini kaDagoni abanyatheli embundwini kaDagoni e-Ashidodi kuze kube namuhla.

₆Kepha isandla sikaJehova sasinzima phezu kwabase-Ashidodi, wabachitha, wababulala ngamathumba, i-Ashidodi nemikhawulo yalo. ₇Abantu base-Ashidodi sebebona ukuthi kunjalo bathi: “Umphongolo kaNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli awuyikuhlala kithi, ngokuba isandla sakhe silukhuni phezu kwethu naphezu kukaDagoni unkulunkulu wethu.” ₈Bathuma babuthela kubo onke amakhosi amaFilisti, bathi: “Siyakwenzani ngomphongolo kaNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli na?”

Athi: “Umphongolo kaNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli mawususelwe eGati.” Bawususela umphongolo kaNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli khona.

₉Kwathi sebewususele khona, isandla sikaJehova sasiphezu kwalowo muzi ngokungquzula okukhulu, wabulala abantu bomuzi abancane nabakhulu; kwaqhamuka amathumba kubo. ₁₀Base bethuma umphongolo kaNkulunkulu e-Ekroni. Kwathi ekufikeni komphongolo kaNkulunkulu e-Ekroni abase-Ekroni bakhala bathi: “Balethile umphongolo kaNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli kithi ukuba usibulale thina nabantu bakithi.” ₁₁Bathuma babutha onke amakhosi amaFilisti, bathi: “Wususeni umphongolo kaNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, ubuyele endlini yawo, ukuba ungasibulali thina nabantu bakithi,” ngokuba kwakukhona ukungquzuka okokufa emzini wonke; isandla sikaNkulunkulu sasinzima kakhulu khona. ₁₂Abantu abangafanga bashaywa ngamathumba; ukukhala komuzi kwenyukela ezulwini.

₁Umphongolo kaJehova wawusezweni lamaFilisti izinyanga eziyisikhombisa. ₂AmaFilisti abiza abapristi nababhuli, athi: “Siyakwenze njani ngomphongolo kaJehova na? Saziseni ukuthi singawubuyisela kanjani endaweni yawo.”

₃Bathi: “Uma nimukisa umphongolo kaNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, ningawumukisi ze, kepha anobuyisela nokubuyisela kuye umnikelo wecala; khona niyakuphiliswa, kwazeke kini ukuthi isandla sakhe asisuswa ngani kini.”

₄Athi: “Uyakuba yini umnikelo wecala esiyakuwubuyisela kuye na?”

Bathi: “Amathumba ayisihlanu egolide namagundane ayisihlanu egolide njengomumo wamakhosi amaFilisti, ngokuba kuyisifo sinye esikubo bonke nakuwo amakhosi enu. ₅Niyakwenza imifanekiso yamathumba enu nemifanekiso yamagundane enu alonayo izwe, nimnike uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli udumo; mhlawumbe uyakusenza lula isandla sakhe phezu kwenu, naphezu kwawonkulunkulu benu, naphezu kwezwe lakini. ₆Nenzeleni zibe lukhuni izinhliziyo zenu, njengalokho abaseGibithe noFaro bazenza lukhuni izinhliziyo zabo na? Lapho esebenzile phakathi kwabo, ababavumelanga yini ukuba bahambe na?

₇“Manje thathani nilungise inqola entsha nezinkomo ezimbili ezincelisayo okungafikanga joka phezu kwazo, nizibophele izinkomo enqoleni, nibuyisele ekhaya amankonyane azo, ₈nithathe umphongolo kaJehova, niwubeke enqoleni, nifake impahla yegolide eniyibuyisela kuye ibe ngumnikelo wecala ebhokisini eliseceleni kwawo, niyimukise, ihambe. ₉Anobona, uma yenyuka ngendlela yasemkhawulweni wayo ukuya eBeti Shemeshi, nguye osenzele lobo bubi obukhulu; kepha uma kungenjalo, siyakwazi ukuthi akusiso isandla sakhe esisishayileyo; sehlelwa ingozi nje.”

₁₀Abantu benze njalo; bathatha izinkomo ezimbili ezincelisayo, bazibophela enqoleni, bazivalela amankonyane azo ekhaya, ₁₁bawubeka umphongolo kaJehova enqoleni kanye nebhokisi lamagundane egolide nemifanekiso yamathumba abo. ₁₂Izinkomo zaqonda endleleni, zaya ngaseBeti Shemeshi, zahamba ngomendo, zihamba zikhala, zingaphambukeli ngakwesokunene noma ngakwesokhohlo; amakhosi amaFilisti azilandela, aze afika emkhawulweni waseBeti Shemeshi.

₁₃AbaseBeti Shemeshi babevuna ukolweni esigodini, baphakamisa amehlo abo, bawubona umphongolo, bathokoza ukuwubona. ₁₄Inqola yangena ensimini kaJoshuwa waseBeti Shemeshi, yema khona, lapho kwakukhona itshe elikhulu; babanda inqola yaba yizinkuni, banikela ngezinkomo zaba ngumnikelo wokushiswa kuJehova. ₁₅AmaLevi ayethulile umphongolo kaJehova nebhokisi elalinawo, okwakukulo impahla yegolide, akubeka etsheni elikhulu; abantu baseBeti Shemeshi banikela ngeminikelo yokushiswa, bahlabela uJehova imihlatshelo ngalolo suku. ₁₆Amakhosi ayisihlanu amaFilisti esekubonile abuyela e-Ekroni ngalolo suku.

₁₇Lawa angamathumba egolide amaFilisti awabuyisa abe ngumnikelo wecala kuJehova: elinye ngele-Ashidodi, nelinye ngeleGaza, nelinye ngele-Ashikeloni, nelinye ngeleGati, nelinye ngele-Ekroni; ₁₈namagundane egolide ayenjengomumo wemizi yonke yamaFilisti yamakhosi ayisihlanu, imizi ebiyelweyo nemizana yasemaphandleni, okubufakazi bakho kuyitshe elikhulu abawubeka kulo umphongolo kaJehova, elikhona nanamuhla ensimini kaJoshuwa waseBeti Shemeshi.

₁₉Wabulala abantu baseBeti Shemeshi, ngokuba babebukile umphongolo kaJehova; wabulala kubantu amadoda angamashumi ayisikhombisa emadodeni ayizinkulungwane ezingamashumi ayisihlanu; abantu balila, ngokuba uJehova wabulala abantu ngokubulala okukhulu. ₂₀Abantu baseBeti Shemeshi base bethi: “Ngubani ongema phambi kukaJehova, lo Nkulunkulu ongcwele, na? Uyakwenyukela kubani esuka kithina na?”

₂₁Bathuma izithunywa kwabakhileyo eKiriyati Jeharimi, bathi: “AmaFilisti awubuyisele umphongolo kaJehova; yehlani, niwukhuphulele kini.”

₁Abantu baseKiriyati Jeharimi bafika, bakhuphula umphongolo kaJehova, bawungenisa endlini ka-Abinadaba entabeni, bamngcwelisa u-Eleyazare indodana yakhe ukuba agcine umphongolo kaJehova.

₂Kwathi kusukela osukwini umphongolo owahlala ngalo eKiriyati Jeharimi, kwaba yisikhathi eside, ngokuba saba yiminyaka engamashumi amabili; yonke indlu yakwa-Israyeli yakhalela uJehova. ₃USamuweli wakhuluma kuyo yonke indlu ka-Israyeli, wathi: “Uma nibuyela kuJehova ngayo yonke inhliziyo yenu, susani kini onkulunkulu babezizwe no-Ashitaroti, nibhekise izinhliziyo zenu kuJehova, nimkhonze yena yedwa; uyakunophula esandleni samaFilisti.” ₄Abakwa-Israyeli base besusa oBali no-Ashitaroti, bamkhonza uJehova yedwa.

₅USamuweli wathi: “Buthani wonke u-Israyeli eMispa; ngiyakunikhulekela kuJehova.” ₆Babuthana eMispa, bakha amanzi, bawathulula phambi kukaJehova, bazila ngalolo suku, bathi khona: “Sonile kuJehova.” USamuweli wahlulela abantwana bakwa-Israyeli eMispa.

₇AmaFilisti esezwile ukuthi abantwana bakwa-Israyeli babuthene eMispa, amakhosi amaFilisti akhuphuka ukulwa no-Israyeli. Abantwana bakwa-Israyeli bekuzwile lokho bawesaba amaFilisti. ₈Abantwana bakwa-Israyeli bathi kuSamuweli: “Ungaphezi ukusikhalela kuJehova uNkulunkulu wethu ukuba asisindise esandleni samaFilisti.” ₉USamuweli wathatha iwundlu elincelayo, wanikela ngalo libe ngumnikelo oshiswa wonke kuJehova; uSamuweli wamkhalela u-Israyeli kuJehova; uJehova wamphendula.

₁₀USamuweli esanikela ngomnikelo wokushiswa, amaFilisti asondela ukulwa no-Israyeli; kepha uJehova waduma ngokuduma okukhulu phezu kwamaFilisti ngalolo suku, wawangquzula, abulawa phambi kuka-Israyeli. ₁₁Abantu bakwa-Israyeli baphuma eMispa, bawaxosha amaFilisti, bawabulala, baze bafika ngaphansi eBeti Kari.

₁₂USamuweli wathatha itshe, walimisa phakathi kweMispa neSheni, waqamba igama lalo ngokuthi i-Ebeni Ezeri, ethi: “Kuze kube manje uJehova usisizile.” ₁₃Ayesahlulwa amaFilisti, awabe esaphinda ukungena emikhawulweni ka-Israyeli; isandla sikaJehova sasimelene namaFilisti zonke izinsuku zikaSamuweli. ₁₄Imizi amaFilisti ayeyithathile ku-Israyeli yabuyiselwa ku-Israyeli, kusukela e-Ekroni kuze kube seGati; umkhawulo wayo u-Israyeli wawophula esandleni samaFilisti. Kwaba khona ukuthula phakathi kuka-Israyeli nama-Amori.

₁₅USamuweli wahlulela u-Israyeli zonke izinsuku zokuhamba kwakhe. ₁₆Wahamba iminyaka ngeminyaka ezungeza, waya eBethele, naseGiligali, naseMispa; wahlulela u-Israyeli kuzo zonke lezo zindawo. ₁₇Wayebuyela eRama, ngokuba indlu yakhe yayilapho; wahlulela u-Israyeli khona, wamakhela lapho uJehova i-altare.