1 Eza amadoda aseKiriyati-yeharim, ayinyusa ityeya kaYehova, ayizisa endlwini ka-Abhinadabhi, endulini, angcwalisa uElazare, unyana wakhe, ukuba ayigcine ityeya kaYehova.
2 Kwathi, ihleli eKiriyati-yeharim apho ityeya, zanda iintsuku, zayiminyaka emashumi mabini; yamlandela uYehova ngesimema yonke indlu kaSirayeli.
3 Wathi ke uSamuweli kwindlu yonke kaSirayeli, Ukuba nibuyela kuYehova ngentliziyo yenu yonke, basusenl ke phakathi kwenu oothixo bolunye uhianga nooAshtaroti,* nizimise iintliziyo zenu kuYehova, nikhonze yena yedwa: wonihlangula ke esandleni samaFilisti.
4 Oonyana bakaSirayeli babasusa ke ooBhahali* nooAshtaroti, bakhonza uYehova yedwa.
5 Wathi uSamuweli, Wahlanganiseleni eMizpa onke amaSirayeli, ndinithandazele kuYehova.
6 Ahlanganiselana eMizpa, akha amanzi, awaphalaza phambi koYehova, azila ukudla ngaloo mini, athi khona, Sonile kuYehova. Wabalawula uSamuweli oonyana bakaSirayeli eMizpa.
7 Eva amaFilisti ukuba oonyana bakaSirayeli bahlanganiselene eMizpa, zenyuka izikhulu zamaFilisti, zawaphumela amaSirayeli. Beva oonyana bakaSirayeli, bawoyika amaFilisti.
8 Bathi oonyana bakaSirayeli kuSamuweli, Musa ukuyeka ukusikhalela kuYehova uThixo wethu, asisindise esandleni samaFilisti.
9 USamuweli wathabatha itakane elanyayo, walinyusa lalidini elinyukayo lonke liphela kuYehova. Wakhala uSamuweli kuYehova ngenxa yamaSirayeli; uYehova wamphendula.
10 Kwathi, xa uSamuweli alinyusayo idini elinyukayo, amaFilisti asondela, esiza kulwa namaSirayeli. UYehova wadudumisa ngezwi elikhulu loo mini kumaFilisti, wawaqungaqunga; abulawa phambi kwamaSirayeli.
11 Aphuma amadoda akwaSirayeli eMizpa, awasukela amaFilisti, awabulala, esa phantsi kweBhetekare.
12 USamuweli wathabatha ilitye, walimisa phakathi kweMizpa neShen, wathi igama lalo yiEbhenezere;* wathi, Kude kwaba lapha uYehova esinceda.
13 Athotywa ke amaFilisti, akaba saphinda eze emdeni wakwaSirayeli; sachasana namaFilisti isandla sikaYehova yonke imihla kaSamuweli.
14 Yabuyiselwa kumaSirayeli imizi leyo abeyithimbile amaFilisti kumaSirayeli, ithabathela e-Ekron yesa eGati; nemida yayo ayihlangula amaSirayeli esandleni samaFilisti. Laxola ke phakathi kwamaSirayeli nama-Amori.
15 USamuweli waye engumlawuli kumaSirayeli yonke imihla yobomi bakhe;
16 ehamba iminyaka ngeminyaka, ejikeleza eBheteli, naseGiligali, naseMizpa, ewalawula amaSirayeli kwezo ndawo zonke;
17 ebuyela eRama, ngokuba yayikhona indlu yakhe. Wawalawula nakhona amaSirayeli, wákha isibingelelo kuYehova khona.