1Sa 6 | NdeIBE | STEP | Kwathi ibhokisi lesivumelwano sika-Jehova selihlale elizweni lamaFilisti izinyanga eziyisikhombisa,

1 Samuel 6

Ibhokisi lesivumelwano libuyiselwa ko-Israyeli

1 Kwathi ibhokisi lesivumelwano sika-Jehova selihlale elizweni lamaFilisti izinyanga eziyisikhombisa, 2 amaFilisti abiza abaphristi labahlahluli athi, “Sizakwenzani ngebhokisi lesivumelwano sikaJehova na? Sitsheleni ukuthi singalibuyisela njani emuva endaweni yalo.”

3 Baphendula bathi, “Uma libuyisela ibhokisi lesivumelwano sikankulunkulu ka-Israyeli, lingalibuyiseli lingelalutho, kodwa impela thumelani umhlatshelo wecala kuye. Ngalokho lizasila, njalo lizakwazi ukuthi kungani isandla sakhe singasuswanga kini.”

4 AmaFilisti abuza athi, “Ngumhlatshelo bani wecala okumele siwuthumele kuye na?” Baphendula bathi, “Amathumba egolide amahlanu lamagundwane egolide amahlanu, kusiya ngenani lababusi bamaFilisti, ngoba isifo sinye sihlasele lina kanye lababusi benu.

5 Yenzani izifanekiso zamathumba lamagundwane achitha ilizwe, lidumise uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli. Mhlawumbe uzasusa isandla sakhe kini lakubonkulunkulu benu kanye laselizweni lenu. 6 Kungani lisenza izinhliziyo zenu zibe lukhuni, njengalokhu okwenziwa ngamaGibhithe loFaro na? Lapho esebaphethe kalukhuni kabawavumelanga ama-Israyeli ukuba ahambe na?

7 “Ngakho-ke khathesi, lungisani inqola entsha lamankomokazi amabili azeleyo njalo angakaze afakwe ijogwe. Bophelani amankomokazi enqoleni, kodwa lisuse amankonyane awo liwavalele esibayeni.

8 Thathani ibhokisi lesivumelwano sikaJehova lilibeke enqoleni, kuthi emxhakeni oseceleni kwalo lifake izinto zegolide elizithumela kuye njengomhlatshelo wecala. Ikhupheni izihambele ngendlela yayo, 9 kodwa liyiqaphelisise. Ingaya elizweni lakibo, iqonde eBhethi Shemeshi, kuyabe kunguJehova olethe incithakalo le enkulu phezu kwethu. Kodwa uma ingenzi njalo, sizakwazi ukuthi kade kungasisosandla sakhe esisitshayileyo kanye lokuthi kuzenzakalele kodwa nje kithi.”

10 Ngakho-ke bakwenza lokhu. Bathatha amankomokazi amabili anjalo bawabophela enqoleni kwathi amankonyane awo bawavalela esibayeni. 11 Babeka ibhokisi lesivumelwano sikaJehova enqoleni ndawonye lomxhaka owawulamagundwane egolide lezifanekiso zamathumba. 12 Emva kwalokho amankomokazi ahamba eqonde eBhethi Shemeshi, elokhu esemgwaqweni njalo ebhonsa indlela yonke; kawazange aphambukele kwesokudla kumbe kwesenxele. Ababusi bamaFilisti bawalandela baze bayafika emngceleni weBhethi Shemeshi.

13 Ngalesosikhathi abantu beBhethi Shemeshi babevuna amabele abo esigodini, njalo bathi lapho bekhangela babona ibhokisi lesivumelwano, bathokoza ukulibona. 14 Inqola yafika ensimini kaJoshuwa waseBhethi Shemeshi, yasisima khonapho phansi kwedwala elikhulu. Abantu baqumaquma amapulanka enqola basebehlaba amankomokazi ukuba ngumnikelo wokutshiswa kuJehova. 15 AbaLevi bethula ibhokisi lesivumelwano sikaJehova, kanye lomxhaka owawulezinto zegolide, bakubeka phezu kwedwala elikhulu. Ngalelolanga abantu baseBhethi Shemeshi banikela iminikelo yokutshiswa benza lemihlatshelo kuJehova.

16 Ababusi abahlanu bamaFilisti bakubona konke lokhu basebebuyela e-Ekhroni ngalonalelolanga.

17 Amathumba egolide amaFilisti awathumela kuJehova njengomnikelo wecala yila – elilodwa ele-Ashidodi, leleGaza, lele-Ashikheloni, leleGathi kanye lele-Ekhroni.

18 Lenani lamagundwane egolide lalisiya ngenani lamadolobho amaFilisti ayengawababusi abahlanu – amadolobho ayevikelwe alemizi yawo yasemaphandleni. Idwala elikhulu ababebeke ibhokisi lesivumelwano sikaJehova phezu kwalo, liyibufakazi lalamhlanje ensimini kaJoshuwa waseBhethi Shemeshi.

19 Kodwa uNkulunkulu watshaya abanye babantu baseBhethi Shemeshi, wabulala abangamatshumi ayisikhombisa babo ngoba babelunguze phakathi kwebhokisi lesivumelwano sikaJehova. Abantu balila ngenxa yokugadla okunzima uJehova ayekwenze kubo, 20 njalo abantu baseBhethi Shemeshi babuza bathi, “Pho ngubani ongema phambi kukaJehova, uNkulunkulu lo ongcwele na?”

21 Emva kwalokho bathumela izithunywa ebantwini baseKhiriyathi Jeyarimi, besithi, “AmaFilisti aselibuyisile ibhokisi lesivumelwano sikaJehova. Wozanilithatha lilise endaweni yenu.”