1 USamuyeli 5
1 AmaFilisti asewuthatha umtshokotsho kaNkulunkulu awususa eEbeni-Ezeri awusa eAshidodi.
Mushure mokunge vaFiristia vapamba areka yaMwari, vakaitora kubva kuEbhenezeri vakaenda nayo kuAshidhodhi.
2 AmaFilisti asethatha umtshokotsho kaNkulunkulu, awungenisa endlini kaDagoni, awubeka ngakuDagoni.
Ipapo vakatakura areka vakapinda nayo mutemberi yaDhagoni vakaiisa parutivi rwaDhagoni.
3 Kwathi abeAshidodi bevuka kusisa ngovivi, khangela, uDagoni esewile ngobuso bakhe emhlabathini phambi komtshokotsho weNkosi. Basebemthatha uDagoni, bambuyisela endaweni yakhe.
Vanhu veAshidhodhi pavakamuka mangwanani-ngwanani zuva raitevera, wanei hoyo Dhagoni akawira pasi nechiso pamberi peareka yaJehovha! Vakatora Dhagoni vakamudzosera panzvimbo yake.
4 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.
Asi mangwanani aitevera pavakamuka wanei hoyo Dhagoni akawira pasi nechiso pamberi peareka yaJehovha! Musoro wake namaoko zvakanga zvadimbuka zvisisipo uye zviri pasi pachikumbaridzo chomukova, muviri wake bedzi ndiwo wakanga wangosara.
5 Ngakho abapristi bakaDagoni labo bonke abangena endlini kaDagoni kabanyatheli embundwini kaDagoni eAshidodi kuze kube lamuhla.
Ndokusaka kusvika nanhasi kusina vaprista vaDhagoni kana vamwewo zvavo vanopinda mutemberi yaDhagoni paAshidhodhi vanotsika pachikumbaridzo chomukova.
6 Kodwa isandla seNkosi saba nzima phezu kwabeAshidodi, yabachitha, yabatshaya ngamathumba ophayo, iAshidodi lemingcele yayo.
Ruoko rwaMwari rwakatambudza zvikuru vanhu veAshidhodhi nenzvimbo dzakaikomberedza; akauyisa kuparadzwa pamusoro pavo uye akavarova namamota.
7 Kwathi abantu beAshidodi sebebona ukuthi kunjalo, bathi: Umtshokotsho kaNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli kawungahlali kithi, ngoba isandla sakhe sinzima phezu kwethu laphezu kukaDagoni unkulunkulu wethu.
Vanhu veAshidhodhi pavakaona zvakanga zvichiitika vakati, “Areka yaMwari weIsraeri haifaniri kugara pano nesu nokuti ruoko rwake rwatitambudza zvikuru isu naDhagoni mwari wedu.”
8 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.
Saka vakadana pamwe chete vatongi vose vavaFiristia vakavabvunza vachiti, “Toitei neareka yaMwari weIsraeri?” Vakapindura vachiti, “Itai kuti areka yaMwari weIsraeri iendeswe kuGati.” Saka vakabvisa areka yaMwari weIsraeri.
9 Kwasekusithi sebewubhodise bewuthwele, isandla seNkosi sasimelene lomuzi ngomonakalo omkhulu kakhulu, yatshaya abantu bomuzi, kusukela komncinyane kusiya komkhulu; kwasekuqhamuka amathumba ophayo kubo.
Asi mushure mokunge vaibvisa, ruoko rwaMwari rwakarwisana neguta iroro, uye akarivhundutsa nokuvhundutsa kukuru. Akarova vanhu veguta iroro, vakuru navadiki, namamota.
10 Basebewuthumela umtshokotsho kaNkulunkulu eEkhironi. Kwasekusithi ekufikeni komtshokotsho kaNkulunkulu eEkhironi, abeEkhironi bakhala besithi: Babhodise baletha umtshokotsho kaNkulunkulu wakoIsrayeli kithi ukusibulala labantu bakithi.
Saka vakaendesa areka yaMwari kuEkironi. Areka yaMwari payakanga yava kupinda muEkironi, vanhu veEkironi vakadanidzira, vachiti, “Vauyisa areka yaMwari weIsraeri kuti vatiuraye isu navanhu vedu.”
11 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.
Saka vakadana pamwe chete vatongi vose vavaFiristia vakati, “Dzoserai areka yaMwari weIsraeri kwakare, regai idzokere kunzvimbo kwayo, nokuti ichatiuraya isu navanhu vedu.” Nokuti rufu rwakanga rwazadza guta nokuvhunduka; ruoko rwaMwari rwakanga rwaritambudza zvikuru.
12 Labantu abangafanga batshaywa ngamathumba ophayo; lokukhala komuzi kwenyukela emazulwini.
Avo vasina kufa vakarohwa namamota uye kuchema kweguta kwakakwira kudenga.
