1 USamuyeli 7
1 Njalo abantu beKiriyathi-Jeyarimi beza, benyusa umtshokotsho weNkosi, bawungenisa endlini kaAbinadaba phezu kwaloloqaqa, bangcwelisa uEleyazare indodana yakhe ukuthi agcine umtshokotsho weNkosi.
The men of Kiriath Jearim came, took the ark of Yahweh, and brought it into the house of Abinadab on the hill. They set apart his son Eleazar to keep the ark of Yahweh.
2 Kwasekusithi kusukela ngosuku umtshokotsho uhlala eKiriyathi-Jeyarimi, insuku zanda; ngoba kwaba yiminyaka engamatshumi amabili; lendlu yonke yakoIsrayeli yakhala ilandela iNkosi.
From the day the ark remained in Kiriath Jearim, a long time passed, twenty years. All the house of Israel lamented and wished to turn to Yahweh.
3 USamuweli wasekhuluma endlini yonke kaIsrayeli esithi: Uba libuyela eNkosini ngenhliziyo yenu yonke, susani onkulunkulu bezizweni phakathi kwenu laboAshitarothi, liqondise inhliziyo yenu eNkosini, likhonze yona yodwa, ngakho izalophula esandleni samaFilisti.
Samuel said to the entire house of Israel, “If you return to Yahweh with your whole heart, remove the foreign gods and the Ashtoreths from among you, turn your hearts to Yahweh, and worship him only, then he will rescue you from the hand of the Philistines.”
4 Ngakho abantwana bakoIsrayeli basebesusa oBhali laboAshitarothi, bakhonza iNkosi yodwa.
Then the people of Israel removed the Baals and the Ashtoreths, and worshiped Yahweh only.
5 USamuweli wasesithi: Buthanisani uIsrayeli wonke eMizipa; njalo ngizalikhulekela eNkosini.
Then Samuel said, “Bring together all Israel to Mizpah, and I will pray to Yahweh for you.”
6 Basebebuthana eMizipa, bakha amanzi, bawathela phambi kweNkosi, bazila ukudla mhlalokho, bathi lapho: Sonile eNkosini. USamuweli wasesahlulela abantwana bakoIsrayeli eMizipa.
They gathered at Mizpah, drew water and poured it out before Yahweh. They fasted that day and said, “We have sinned against Yahweh.” It was there that Samuel decided disputes for the people of Israel and led the people.
7 Kwathi amaFilisti esezwile ukuthi abantwana bakoIsrayeli babuthene eMizipa, iziphathamandla zamaFilisti zenyuka zamelana loIsrayeli. Abantwana bakoIsrayeli sebekuzwile bawesaba amaFilisti.
Now when the Philistines heard the people of Israel had gathered at Mizpah, the rulers of the Philistines attacked Israel. When the people of Israel heard of it, they were afraid of the Philistines.
8 Abantwana bakoIsrayeli basebesithi kuSamuweli: Ungathuli ukusikhalela eNkosini uNkulunkulu wethu ukuze asisindise esandleni samaFilisti.
Then the people of Israel said to Samuel, “Do not stop calling out to Yahweh our God for us, so he will save us from the hand of the Philistines.”
9 USamuweli wasethatha iwundlu elimunyayo, walinikela lonke eNkosini laba ngumnikelo otshiswayo. USamuweli wakhalela uIsrayeli eNkosini, iNkosi yasimphendula.
Samuel took a nursing lamb and offered it as a whole burnt offering to Yahweh. Then Samuel cried out to Yahweh for Israel, and Yahweh answered him.
10 Kwathi uSamuweli esanikela umnikelo wokutshiswa, amaFilisti asondela empini loIsrayeli; kodwa iNkosi yaduma ngelizwi elikhulu phezu kwamaFilisti ngalolosuku, yawachithachitha, asetshaywa phambi kukaIsrayeli.
As Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines approached to attack Israel. But Yahweh thundered with a loud sound that day against the Philistines and threw them into confusion, and they were routed before Israel.
11 Amadoda akoIsrayeli asephuma eMizipa axotshana lamaFilisti, awatshaya, kwaze kwaba ngaphansi kweBetikari.
The men of Israel went from Mizpah, and they pursued the Philistines and killed them as far as below Beth Kar.
12 USamuweli wasethatha ilitshe, walimisa phakathi kweMizipa leSheni, wabiza ibizo lalo iEbeni-Ezeri, wathi: Kuze kube khathesi iNkosi isisizile.
Then Samuel took a stone and set it between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer, saying, “Thus far Yahweh has helped us.”
13 Ngakho amaFilisti ehliselwa phansi, kawabe esaphinda ukungena emngceleni wakoIsrayeli. Njalo isandla seNkosi samelana lamaFilisti zonke izinsuku zikaSamuweli.
So the Philistines were subdued and they did not enter the border of Israel. The hand of Yahweh was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel.
14 Imizi amaFilisti ayeyithethe-ke koIsrayeli yabuyiselwa kuIsrayeli kusukela eEkhironi kuze kufike eGathi; lomngcele wayo uIsrayeli wawukhulula esandleni samaFilisti. Njalo kwaba lokuthula phakathi kukaIsrayeli lamaAmori.
The towns that the Philistines had taken from Israel were restored to Israel, from Ekron to Gath; Israel brought back their territory from the Philistines. Then there was peace between Israel and the Amorites.
15 USamuweli wasesahlulela uIsrayeli insuku zonke zempilo yakhe.
Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life.
16 Wahamba iminyaka ngeminyaka wabhoda eBhetheli, leGiligali, leMizipa; wahlulela uIsrayeli kuzo zonke lezozindawo.
Each year he went on a circuit to Bethel, to Gilgal, and to Mizpah. He decided disputes for Israel in all these places.
17 Lokubuyela kwakhe kwakuyikuya eRama, ngoba indlu yakhe yayilapho; wahlulela uIsrayeli khona, wayakhela lapho iNkosi ilathi.
Then he would return to Ramah, because his house was there; and there also he decided disputes for Israel. He also built an altar there to Yahweh.
