Eyokuqala KaSamuweli 6:1-21
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AmaFilisti abuyisela uMphongolo kwa-Israyeli (1-21)
6 UMphongolo + kaJehova wahlala ezweni lamaFilisti izinyanga eziyisikhombisa.
2 AmaFilisti abiza abapristi nezangoma, + athi: “Sizokwenzenjani ngoMphongolo kaJehova? Sitsheleni ukuthi kufanele siwuhambise kanjani ubuyele endaweni yawo.”
3 Baphendula bathi: “Uma nibuyisela umphongolo wesivumelwano sikaJehova uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, ningawuhambisi ngaphandle komnikelo. Kufanele nakanjani nihambise kuye umnikelo wecala. + Niyophulukiswa kuphela uma nenza kanjalo, futhi niyokwazi ukuthi kungani isandla sakhe besimelene nani.”
4 Ngakho abuza athi: “Hlobo luni lomnikelo wecala okufanele siwuhambise kuye?” Bathi: “Imihlume emihlanu yegolide namagundane amahlanu egolide, ngokwesibalo samakhosi amaFilisti, + ngoba nonke kanye namakhosi enu nishaywe ngesifo esifanayo.
5 Kufanele nenze imifanekiso yemihlume yenu nemifanekiso yamagundane enu + acekela phansi izwe, ninike uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli udumo. Mhlawumbe uzosisusa isijeziso sakhe kini nakunkulunkulu wenu nasezweni lenu. +
6 Ningabi nenkani ngendlela iGibhithe noFaro ababa nenkani ngayo. + Lapho uNkulunkulu ebajezisa, + kwadingeka bamdedele u-Israyeli futhi wahamba. +
7 Manje yakhani inqola entsha bese nithatha izinkomazi ezimbili ezincelisayo ezingakaze ziboshelwe, nizidonsise inqola, kodwa niphindisele amankonyane azo ekhaya.
8 Thathani uMphongolo kaJehova niwubeke enqoleni, bese nithatha izinto zegolide enizihambisa kuye njengomnikelo wecala nizifake ebhokisini nilibeke eceleni kwawo. + Ngemva kwalokho, wuhambiseni
9 bese nibheka: Uma ukhuphuka ngendlela eya eBheti-shemeshi, + endaweni yawo, kuyosho ukuthi nguye osenze le nto embi kangaka. Kodwa uma kungenjalo, sizokwazi ukuthi bekungeyena osijezisayo; kumane kwaqondana nje.”
10 Amadoda enza kanjalo. Athatha izinkomazi ezimbili ezazincelisa azibophela zadonsa inqola, amankonyane azo awavalela esibayeni.
11 Abeka uMphongolo kaJehova enqoleni kanye nebhokisi elinamagundane egolide nemifanekiso yemihlume.
12 Izinkomazi zahamba zaqonda phambili ngomgwaqo oya eBheti-shemeshi. + Zahamba ngomgwaqo owodwa omkhulu, zihambe zikhala; azizange ziphambukele ngakwesokudla noma ngakwesobunxele. Sonke leso sikhathi, amakhosi amaFilisti ayezilandela, aze ayofika emngceleni waseBheti-shemeshi.
13 Abantu baseBheti-shemeshi babevuna ukolweni ethafeni elisesigodini.* Lapho bephakamisa amehlo bebona uMphongolo, bajabula kakhulu ngokuwubona.
14 Inqola yafike yama ensimini kaJoshuwa umBheti-shemi eduze kwetshe elikhulu. Ngakho bacanda izingodo zenqola zaba izinkuni, banikela izinkomazi + njengomnikelo oshiswayo oya kuJehova.
15 AmaLevi + awehlisa uMphongolo kaJehova nebhokisi elalikanye nawo, elaliphethe izinto zegolide, akubeka phezu kwetshe elikhulu. Amadoda aseBheti-shemeshi + anikela iminikelo eshiswayo, anikela imihlatshelo eya kuJehova ngalolo suku.
16 Lapho amakhosi amahlanu amaFilisti ekubona lokho, aphindela emuva e-Ekroni ngalolo suku.
17 Nansi imihlume yegolide amaFilisti ayihambisa njengomnikelo wecala oya kuJehova: + owodwa wase-Ashidodi, + owodwa waseGaza, owodwa wase-Ashikeloni, owodwa waseGati + nowodwa wase-Ekroni. +
18 Inani lamagundane egolide lalilingana nenani lawo wonke amadolobha amaFilisti ayebuswa yila makhosi amahlanu—amadolobha abiyelwe ngezindonga eziqinile kanye nemizi esemaphandleni.
Itshe elikhulu okwakubekwe kulo uMphongolo kaJehova liwubufakazi kuze kube namuhla ensimini kaJoshuwa umBheti-shemi.
19 Kodwa uNkulunkulu wababulala abantu baseBheti-shemeshi ngoba babebuke uMphongolo kaJehova. Wabulala abantu abangu-50 070,* abantu balila ngoba uJehova wayebulale abantu abaningi kakhulu. +
20 Ngakho abantu baseBheti-shemeshi bathi: “Ubani ozokwazi ukuma phambi kukaJehova, lo Nkulunkulu ongcwele? + Uma nje engasuka kithi aye kwabanye!” +
21 Ngakho bathumela izithunywa kubantu baseKiriyati-jeyarimi, + bathi: “AmaFilisti awubuyisile uMphongolo kaJehova. Yehlani nizowulanda nikhuphuke nawo.” +
Imibhalo yaphansi
^ Noma, “ethafeni eliphansi.”
^ NgesiHebheru, “amadoda angu-70, amadoda angu-50 000.”
