1 Abantwana bakwa-Israyeli babuye benza okubi emehlweni kaJehova; uJehova wabanikela esandleni samaFilisti iminyaka engamashumi amane.
2 Kwakukhona umuntu othile waseSora womndeni wakwaDani ogama lakhe lalinguManowa; umkakhe wayeyinyumba engazali.
3 Ingelosi kaJehova yabonakala kowesifazane, yathi kuye: “Bheka-ke, uyinyumba, awuzali, kepha uyakukhulelwa, uzale indodana.
4 Ngalokho ake uxwaye ungaphuzi wayini naluphuzo olunamandla, ungadli lutho olungcolileyo,
5 ngokuba bheka, uyakukhulelwa, uzale indodana, impuco ayiyikuthinta ekhanda layo, ngokuba umntwana uyakuba ngumNaziri* kaNkulunkulu kwasesizalweni; uyakuqala ukusindisa u-Israyeli esandleni samaFilisti.”
6 Owesifazane wayeseya ukubika endodeni yakhe, ethi: “Kufikile kimi umuntu kaNkulunkulu, isimo sakhe sasinjengesimo sengelosi kaNkulunkulu, sesabeka kakhulu; angimbuzanga ukuthi uvelaphi, naye akangitshelanga igama lakhe.
7 Kepha wathi kimi: ‘Bheka, uyakukhulelwa, uzale indodana; ngakho ungaphuzi wayini naluphuzo olunamandla, ungadli lutho olungcolileyo, ngokuba umntwana uyakuba ngumNaziri* kaNkulunkulu kwasesizalweni kuze kube sosukwini lokufa kwakhe.’ ”
8 UManowa wayesemncenga uJehova, wathi: “O Nkosi, umuntu kaNkulunkulu owamthumayo ake abuyele kithi, asifundise ukuthi siyakwenzani kumntwana ozakuzalwa.”
9 UNkulunkulu walalela izwi likaManowa; ingelosi kaNkulunkulu yabuyela kowesifazane ehlezi endle; kepha uManowa indoda yakhe wayengenaye.
10 Owesifazane washesha, wagijima, wayitshela indoda yakhe, wathi kuyo: “Bheka, ubonakele kimi lowo muntu owafika kimi ngolunye usuku.”
11 UManowa wasukuma wamlandela umkakhe, wafika kulowo muntu, wathi kuye: “Wena ungumuntu lowo owakhuluma kowesifazane na?”Wathi: “Nginguye.”
12 Wayesethi uManowa: “Nxa esenzekile amazwi akho, iyakuba yini indlela yomntwana, kuyakwenziwani na?”
13 Ingelosi kaJehova yathi kuManowa: “Konke engakushoyo kowesifazane makakuxwaye.
14 Kangadli lutho oluvela ezithelweni zomvini, kangaphuzi wayini naluphuzo olunamandla, kangadli lutho olungcolileyo; konke engamyaleza ngakho kakugcine.”
15 UManowa wayesethi engelosini kaJehova: “Ake sikulibazise, sikulungisele izinyane lembuzi.”
16 Ingelosi kaJehova yathi kuManowa: “Noma ungilibazisa, angiyikudla ukudla kwakho; uma ulungisa umnikelo wokushiswa, uyakunikela ngawo kuJehova.” Ngokuba uManowa wayengazi ukuthi uyingelosi kaJehova.
17 UManowa wathi engelosini kaJehova: “Ngubani igama lakho ukuba, lapho esenzekile amazwi akho, sikudumise?”
18 Ingelosi kaJehova yathi kuye: “Ubuzelani igama lami, lokhu liyimfihlakalo, na?”
19 UManowa walithatha izinyane lembuzi kanye nomnikelo wempuphu, wanikela ngakho kuJehova edwaleni. Yase yenza okumangalisayo, uManowa nomkakhe bebukela.
20 Kwathi ilangabi lisaphuma e-altare lenyukela ngasezulwini, ingelosi kaJehova yenyuka elangabini le-altare; uManowa nomkakhe babukela; bawa ngobuso emhlabathini.
21 Kepha ingelosi kaJehova ayiphindanga ukubonakala kuManowa nomkakhe. Khona uManowa waqonda ukuthi yingelosi kaJehova.
22 UManowa wathi kumkakhe: “Siyakufa nokufa, ngokuba simbonile uNkulunkulu.”
23 Kepha umkakhe wathi kuye: “Uma uNkulunkulu ebethanda ukusibulala, nga engamukelanga esandleni sethu umnikelo wokushiswa nomnikelo wempuphu, futhi nga engasibonisanga konke lokho, nga engasitshelanga izinto njengalezi.”
24 Owesifazane wazala indodana, waqamba igama layo ngokuthi uSamsoni; umntwana wakhula, uJehova wambusisa.
25 UMoya kaJehova waqala ukumqhuba eMahane Dani phakathi kweSora ne-Eshitawoli.