1Sa 4 | NdeIBE | STEP | Ilizwi likaSamuyeli lafika ku-Israyeli wonke. Ngalesosikhathi abako-Israyeli baphuma ukuyakulwa lamaFilisti. Abako-Israyeli bamisa e-Ebhenezeri, amaFilisti e-Efeki.

1 Samuel 4

1 Ilizwi likaSamuyeli lafika ku-Israyeli wonke.

AmaFilisti athumba ibhokisi lesivumelwano

Ngalesosikhathi abako-Israyeli baphuma ukuyakulwa lamaFilisti. Abako-Israyeli bamisa e-Ebhenezeri, amaFilisti e-Efeki. 2 AmaFilisti aphaka amabutho awo ukuba ayohlangana labako-Israyeli, kwathi ekumemethekeni kwempi, u-Israyeli wehlulwa ngamaFilisti, abulala abaphosa babe yizinkulungwane ezine enkundleni yokulwela. 3 Kwathi esebuyele ezihonqweni, abadala bako-Israyeli bathi, “Kungani uJehova esilethele ukwehlulwa lamhla phambi kwamaFilisti na? Kasiyenithatha ibhokisi lesivumelwano sikaJehova eShilo, ukuze lihambe lathi lisisindise esandleni sezitha zethu.” 4 Ngakho abantu bathuma amadoda eShilo, ayabuya lebhokisi lesivumelwano sikaJehova uSomandla, ehlezi ebukhosini phakathi kwamakherubhi. Lamadodana ka-Eli amabili, uHofini loFinehasi, ayekhona lebhokisi lesivumelwano sikaNkulunkulu.

5 Kwathi lapho ibhokisi lesivumelwano sikaJehova lifika ezihonqweni, wonke u-Israyeli wenza umsindo omkhulu iphansi laze lanyikinyeka. 6 Esizwa ukuxokozela amaFilisti abuza athi, “Utshoni umsindo wonke lo ezihonqweni zamaHebheru na?” Kwathi esezwile ukuthi ibhokisi lesivumelwano sikaJehova laselikhona ezihonqweni,

7 amaFilisti esaba. Athi, “Unkulunkulu usefikile ezihonqweni. Siphakathi kohlupho. Akulanto enje eseyake yenzakala ngaphambili. 8 Maye kithi! Ngubani ozasikhulula esandleni sabonkulunkulu abatshaya amaGibhithe ngenhlobo zonke zezifo enkangala? 9 Qinani, maFilisti! Wobani ngamadoda hlezi libe yizichaka zamaHebheru, njengalokhu ababeyikho kini. Wobani ngamadoda, lilwe!”

10 Ngakho amaFilisti alwa, abako-Israyeli behlulwa njalo amadoda wonke abalekela emathenteni awo. Ababulawayo babebanengi kakhulu; uIsrayeli walahlekelwa ngamabutho ezinyawo ayizinkulungwane ezingamatshumi amathathu.

11 Ibhokisi lesivumelwano sikaJehova lathunjwa, lamadodana amabili ka-Eli, Hofini loFinehasi, afa.

Ukufa kuka-Eli

12 Ngalonalelolanga umuntu wako-Bhenjamini wagijima esuka empini waya eShilo, izigqoko zakhe zazidabukile elothuli ekhanda.

13 Ekufikeni kwakhe, kwakulo-Eli ehlezi esihlalweni eceleni komgwaqo, elindile, ngoba inhliziyo yakhe yayisesabela ibhokisi lesivumelwano sikaNkulunkulu. Kwathi umuntu lowo esengenile emzini wabika okwasekwenzakele, umuzi wonke waqhinqa isililo.

14 U-Eli wezwa umsindo wokukhala wabuza wathi, “Ukuxokozela lokhu kutshoni na?” Umuntu lowo watshitshela ku-Eli,

15 owayeleminyaka engamatshumi aficamunye lesificamibili ubudala, njalo omehlo akhe ayesefiphele, engasaboni. 16 Watshela u-Eli wathi, “Ngisanda kufika ngivela empini; ngibalekile kuyo ngalonaleli ilanga.” U-Eli wabuza wathi, “Kutheni ndodana yami?”

17 Umuntu owayeze lendaba waphendula wathi, “U-Israyeli ubalekile phambi kwamaFilisti njalo ibutho lilahlekelwe kakhulu. Njalo lamadodana akho amabili, uHofini loFinehasi, afile njalo lebhokisi lesivumelwano sikaNkulunkulu lithunjiwe.”

18 Kwathi esethinte ngebhokisi lesivumelwano sikaNkulunkulu, u-Eli wawa ngesiphundu esihlalweni sakhe eceleni kwesango. Intamo yakhe yephuka, wafa, ngoba wayesengumuntu omdala njalo emkhulu. Wayekhokhele u-Israyeli iminyaka engamatshumi amane.

19 Umalokazana wakhe, umkaFinehasi, wayezithwele njalo esezabeletha. Kwathi esizwa izindaba zokuthi ibhokisi lesivumelwano sikaNkulunkulu lalithunjiwe lokuthi uyisezala lomkakhe babefile, wahelelwa wabeletha, kodwa wakhulelwa yibuhlungu bomhelo wakhe.

20 Esesifa, abesifazana ababembelethisa bathi kuye, “Ungalahli ithemba; uzele indodana.” Kodwa yena kaphendulanga loba anake.

21 Wametha ibizo umfana wathi ngu-Ikhabhodi, esithi, “Inkazimulo isisukile ko-Israyeli,” – ngenxa yokuthunjwa kwebhokisi lesivumelwano sikaNkulunkulu lokufa kukayisezala kanye lomkakhe. 22 Wathi, “Inkazimulo isisukile ko-Israyeli, ngoba ibhokisi lesivumelwano sikaNkulunkulu lithunjiwe.”