1 Samueli 5
1 Afilisti atalanda Bokosi la Mulungu lija, analitenga kuchoka ku Ebenezeri kupita ku Asidodi.
AmaFilisti asewuthatha umtshokotsho kaNkulunkulu awususa eEbeni-Ezeri awusa eAshidodi.
2 Kenaka anatenga Bokosi la Chipanganolo nabwera nalo ku nyumba ya Dagoni ndi kuliyika pambali pa Dagoni.
AmaFilisti asethatha umtshokotsho kaNkulunkulu, awungenisa endlini kaDagoni, awubeka ngakuDagoni.
3 Anthu a ku Asidodi atadzuka mmawa mwake, anangoona Dagoni atagwa pansi chafufumimba pamaso pa Bokosi la Yehova! Iwo anatenga Dagoni ndi kumuyimika pamalo pake.
Kwathi abeAshidodi bevuka kusisa ngovivi, khangela, uDagoni esewile ngobuso bakhe emhlabathini phambi komtshokotsho weNkosi. Basebemthatha uDagoni, bambuyisela endaweni yakhe.
4 Koma mmawa mwakenso atadzuka, anaona Dagoni atagwa chafufumimba pamaso pa Bokosi la Yehova. Mutu wake ndi manja ake zinali zitaduka ndi kugwera pa khonde polowera, thunthu lake lokha ndilo linatsala.
Sebevukile kusisa ekuseni kakhulu, khangela, uDagoni wayesewile ngobuso bakhe emhlabathini phambi komtshokotsho weNkosi, lekhanda likaDagoni lempama zombili zezandla zakhe kwakuqunyiwe embundwini; kwasala kuye isithombo kuphela.
5 Nʼchifukwa chake mpaka lero ansembe a Dagoni kapena wina aliyense amene amalowa mʼkachisi wa Dagoni ku Asidodi saponda pa khonde.
Ngakho abapristi bakaDagoni labo bonke abangena endlini kaDagoni kabanyatheli embundwini kaDagoni eAshidodi kuze kube lamuhla.
6 Yehova analanga koopsa anthu a ku Asidodi. Yehova anawawononga ndi kuwazunza ndi zithupsa Asidoniwa pamodzi ndi anthu a madera ozungulira.
Kodwa isandla seNkosi saba nzima phezu kwabeAshidodi, yabachitha, yabatshaya ngamathumba ophayo, iAshidodi lemingcele yayo.
7 Anthu a ku Asidodi ataona zimene zimachitika anati, “Bokosi la Mulungu wa Israeli lisakhale kuno chifukwa akutizunza ife pamodzi ndi mulungu wathu Dagoni.”
Kwathi abantu beAshidodi sebebona ukuthi kunjalo, bathi: Umtshokotsho kaNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli kawungahlali kithi, ngoba isandla sakhe sinzima phezu kwethu laphezu kukaDagoni unkulunkulu wethu.
8 Choncho anayitana atsogoleri onse a Afilisti kuti asonkhane ndipo anawafunsa kuti, “Kodi Bokosi la Mulungu wa Israeli tichite nalo chiyani?” Iwo anayankha kuti, “Bokosi la Mulungu wa Israeli lipite ku Gati.” Kotero analichotsa Bokosi la Mulungu wa Israelilo.
Ngakho bathuma babuthanisa zonke iziphathamandla zamaFilisti kibo, bathi: Sizakwenzani ngomtshokotsho kaNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli? Zasezisithi: Umtshokotsho kaNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli kawubhode uye eGathi. Basebewubhodisa bewusa khona umtshokotsho kaNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli.
9 Koma atafika nalo ku Gati, Yehova analanga mzindawo, ndipo anthu anachita mantha aakulu. Iye anazunza anthu a mu mzindawo, ana ndi akulu omwe, ndi zithupsa.
Kwasekusithi sebewubhodise bewuthwele, isandla seNkosi sasimelene lomuzi ngomonakalo omkhulu kakhulu, yatshaya abantu bomuzi, kusukela komncinyane kusiya komkhulu; kwasekuqhamuka amathumba ophayo kubo.
10 Choncho anatumiza Bokosi la Mulungu ku Ekroni. Koma Bokosi la Mulungu lija litangofika ku Ekroni, anthu a ku Ekroni analira kuti, “Abwera nalo Bokosi la Mulungu wa Israeli kwa ife kuti atiphe pamodzi ndi anthu athu.”
Basebewuthumela umtshokotsho kaNkulunkulu eEkhironi. Kwasekusithi ekufikeni komtshokotsho kaNkulunkulu eEkhironi, abeEkhironi bakhala besithi: Babhodise baletha umtshokotsho kaNkulunkulu wakoIsrayeli kithi ukusibulala labantu bakithi.
11 Kotero iwo anayitana atsogoleri onse a Afilisti kuti asonkhane ndipo anati, “Chotsani Bokosi la Mulungu wa Israeli, libwerere ku malo ake. Tikapanda kutero lidzatipha ife ndi anthu athu.” Pakuti mu mzinda monse munali mantha aakulu kwambiri ndipo Mulungu ankawalanga kwambiri anthu a kumeneko.
Ngakho bathuma babuthanisa zonke iziphathamandla zamaFilisti, bathi: Thumani lisuse umtshokotsho kaNkulunkulu wakoIsrayeli ukuthi ubuyele endaweni yawo, ukuze ungasibulali labantu bakithi, ngoba kwakulomonakalo wokufa emzini wonke, lesandla sikaNkulunkulu sasinzima kakhulu khona.
12 Anthu amene sanafe anavutika ndi zithupsa, ndipo kulira kwa anthu a mu mzindamo kunamveka kumwamba.
Labantu abangafanga batshaywa ngamathumba ophayo; lokukhala komuzi kwenyukela emazulwini.
