1 Samuel 7
1 Then the men of Kiriath-jearim came for the ark of the LORD and took it into Abinadab’s house on the hill. And they consecrated his son Eleazar to guard the ark of the LORD.
Ngakho abantu baseKhiriyathi-Jeyarimi beza balithatha ibhokisi lesivumelwano sikaThixo. Balisa endlini ka-Abhinadabi eqaqeni bangcwelisa u-Eliyazari indodana yakhe ukuba agcine ibhokisi lesivumelwano sikaThixo.
2 And from that day a long time passed, twenty years in all, as the ark remained at Kiriath-jearim. And all the house of Israel mourned and sought after the LORD.
Kwakuyisikhathi eside, iminyaka engamatshumi amabili isiyonke, ibhokisi lesivumelwano liseKhiriyathi-Jeyarimi. Njalo bonke abantu bako-Israyeli bakhala befuna uThixo.
3 Then Samuel said to all the house of Israel, “If you are returning to the LORD with all your hearts, then rid yourselves of the foreign gods and Ashtoreths among you, prepare your hearts for the LORD, and serve Him only. And He will deliver you from the hand of the Philistines.”
USamuyeli wasesithi kuyo yonke indlu ka-Israyeli, “Nxa libuyela kuThixo ngezinhliziyo zenu zonke zehlukaniseni labonkulunkulu bezizweni labo-Ashithorethi lizinikele kuThixo njalo likhonze yena kuphela, uzalikhulula esandleni samaFilistiya.”
4 So the Israelites put away the Baals and Ashtoreths and served only the LORD.
Ngakho abako-Israyeli babalahla oBhali babo labo-Ashithorethi, bakhonza uThixo kuphela.
5 Then Samuel said, “Gather all Israel to Mizpah, and I will pray to the LORD on your behalf.”
USamuyeli wasesithi, “Buthanisani u-Israyeli wonke eMizipha mina ngizalikhulekela kuThixo.”
6 When they had gathered at Mizpah, they drew water and poured it out before the LORD. On that day they fasted, and there they confessed, “We have sinned against the LORD.” And Samuel judged the Israelites at Mizpah.
Kwathi sebebuthene eMizipha, bakha amanzi bawathela phambi kukaThixo. Ngalolosuku bazila njalo bavuma izono zabo khonapho besithi, “Sonile.” Njalo uSamuyeli wahlulela abantu bako-Israyeli eMizipha.
7 When the Philistines heard that the Israelites had gathered at Mizpah, their rulers marched up toward Israel. And when the Israelites learned of this, they feared the Philistines
Kwathi amaFilistiya esizwa ukuthi u-Israyeli wayebuthene eMizipha, ababusi bamaFilistiya baya khona ukuyabahlasela. Kwathi abako-Israyeli bekuzwa, besaba ngenxa yamaFilistiya.
8 and said to Samuel, “Do not stop crying out to the LORD our God for us, that He may save us from the hand of the Philistines.”
Bathi kuSamuyeli, “Ungayekeli ukusikhalela kuThixo uNkulunkulu wethu ukuba asihlenge esandleni samaFilistiya.”
9 Then Samuel took a suckling lamb and offered it as a whole burnt offering to the LORD. He cried out to the LORD on behalf of Israel, and the LORD answered him.
USamuyeli wathatha iwundlu elimunyayo walinikela kuThixo njengomnikelo opheleleyo wokutshiswa. Wamkhulekela kuThixo u-Israyeli, uThixo wamphendula.
10 As the Philistines drew near to fight against Israel, Samuel was sacrificing the burnt offering. But that day the LORD thundered loudly against the Philistines and threw them into such confusion that they fled before Israel.
Kwathi uSamuyeli enikela umnikelo wokutshiswa, amaFilistiya asondela eduze ukuba alwe lo-Israyeli. Kodwa mhlalokho uThixo waduma ngomdumo omkhulu emelane lamaFilistiya wawenza athuthumela kangangoba aze achithwachithwa phambi kwabako-Israyeli.
11 Then the men of Israel charged out of Mizpah and pursued the Philistines, striking them down all the way to an area below Beth-car.
Abantu bako-Israyeli bagijima bephuma eMizipha baxotshana lamaFilistiya bewabulala endleleni baze bayafika endaweni engaphansi kweBhethi-Khari.
12 Afterward, Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer, saying, “Thus far the LORD has helped us.”
USamuyeli wasethatha ilitshe walimisa phakathi kweMizipha leSheni. Walibiza ngokuthi yi-Ebhenezeri, esithi, “Kuze kube khathesi uThixo usisizile.”
13 So the Philistines were subdued, and they stopped invading the territory of Israel. And the hand of the LORD was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel.
Ngakho amaFilistiya anqotshwa njalo kawazange ahlasele ilizwe lako-Israyeli futhi. Kuyo yonke impilo kaSamuyeli, isandla sikaThixo sasimelane lamaFilistiya.
14 The cities from Ekron to Gath, which the Philistines had taken, were restored to Israel, who also delivered the surrounding territory from the hand of the Philistines. And there was peace between the Israelites and the Amorites.
Amadolobho kusukela e-Ekroni kusiya eGathi ayethunjwe ngamaFilistiya ku-Israyeli abuyiselwa kuye, njalo u-Israyeli wakhulula ilizwe eliseduze emandleni amaFilistiya. Njalo kwaba lokuthula phakathi kuka-Israyeli lama-Amori.
15 So Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life.
USamuyeli waqhubeka engumahluleli ka-Israyeli kuzozonke insuku zokuphila kwakhe.
16 Every year he would go on a circuit from Bethel to Gilgal to Mizpah, judging Israel in all these places.
Iminyaka ngeminyaka wayenquma esuka eBhetheli aye eGiligali leMizipha, esahlulela u-Israyeli kuzozonke lezindawo.
17 Then he would return to Ramah because his home was there, and there he judged Israel and built an altar to the LORD.
Kodwa wayehlezi ebuyela eRama lapho okwakulomuzi wakhe khona, lakhona wahlulela u-Israyeli. Njalo wakhela uThixo i-alithari.
