1 Abemi baseKiriyati-yarim baya kuyiphuthuma ityesi yomnqophiso kaNdikhoyo, bayisa emzini ka-Abhinadabhi owawusendulini. Bamisela uElazare, unyana waloo mfo, ukuba ibe nguye ogcina ityesi yomnqophiso kaNdikhoyo.
2 Yahlala ithuba elide ityesi yomnqophiso *kaNdikhoyo eKiriyati-yarim. Yaba ngamashumi amabini eminyaka ilapho. Ngelo xesha onke amaSirayeli ayezibika kuNdikhoyo ukuba awancede.
3 Ngoko ke uSamweli wathi kwindlu yonke kaSirayeli: “Ukuba ngenene nibuyele kuNdikhoyo ngentliziyo epheleleyo, kufuneka nahlukane *noothixo basemzini bonke, nilahle nemifanekiso yothixokazi uAshtaroti. Kufuneka nizimisele nizinikele kuNdikhoyo ngokupheleleyo, nikhonze yena yedwa. Yena ke wonihlangula esandleni samaFilistiya.”
4 AmaSirayeli ke ayilahla imifanekiso kaBhali noAshtaroti, akhonza uNdikhoyo yedwa qwaba.
5 Emva koko uSamweli wathi: “Onke amaSirayeli makahlangane eMizpa. Mna ke ndiya kunithandazela kuNdikhoyo.”
6 Kwayiwa ke eMizpa kuloo mbizo, kwakhiwa amanzi, aza aphalazwa, kusenziwa umnikelo kuNdikhoyo. Kwakuzilwe imini yonke, abantu besithi: “Sinetyala kuNdikhoyo.” (NguSamweli owaba yinkokheli yamaSirayeli eMizpa.)
7 Athi akuva amaFilistiya ukuba nâko amaSirayeli eqokelelene eMizpa, aphuma ekhokelwa ziinkosi zawo ukuya kuhlasela amaSirayeli. Zaya kufika kumaSirayeli ezo ndaba, atsho awoyika amaFilistiya,
8 athi kuSamweli: “Uze ungayeki ukusitarhuzela kuNdikhoyo uThixo wethu, khon' ukuze asihlangule kumaFilistiya.”
9 USamweli wathatha itakane, wenzela uNdikhoyo ngalo idini elitshiswayo lilonke. Wacelela amaSirayeli uncedo kuNdikhoyo, weviwa nguNdikhoyo umthandazo wakhe.
10 Kanye xa uSamweli wayesenza elo dini, asondela amaFilistiya, elungiselela ukuhlasela amaSirayeli. Kuthe kanye ngoko kwavakala ukuzongoma kukaNdikhoyo, kusiza ngakumaFilistiya, atsho adideka, awabaleka amaSirayeli.
11 Asuka indulumbane amaSirayeli, ephuma eMizpa, awaleqa kujub' ugodo ukuya ngaseBhete-kare.
12 Emva koko uthathe ilitye lalinye uSamweli, walimisa phakathi kweMispa neShen, wathi igama laloo ndawo yiEbhenezere, esithi: “Kude kwakalokunje uNdikhoyo esinceda.”
13 Kwaba njalo ke ukoyiswa kwamaFilistiya, ayeka ukuhlasela ummandla kaSirayeli. Ngalo lonke ixesha esaphila uSamweli isandla sikaNdikhoyo sasiwachasile amaFilistiya.
14 Azibuyisela kwaSirayeli zonke izixeko ezaziphakathi kwe-Ekron neGati, ezo ayezithimbile amaFilistiya. Waba ke wonke ummandla kaSirayeli uyakhululeka kumaFilistiya. Kwabakho uxolo, nditsho naphakathi kwamaSirayeli nama-Amori.
15 USamweli waba yinkokheli yamaSirayeli bonke ubomi bakhe.
16 Minyaka le wayedla ngokwenza umjikelo, aye eBhetele, eGiligali, naseMizpa, afike apho alamle iimbambano zabantu.
17 Ukusuka apho wayegoduka aye eRama, apho wayefika alamle nakhona. Apho eRama kulapho wakha iqonga lokwenzela uNdikhoyo amadini.