1 Samueri 5
1 Mushure mokunge vaFiristia vapamba areka yaMwari, vakaitora kubva kuEbhenezeri vakaenda nayo kuAshidhodhi.
Emva kokuba amaFilistiya esethumbe ibhokisi lesivumelwano sikaNkulunkulu, alithatha e-Ebhenezeri alisa e-Ashidodi.
2 Ipapo vakatakura areka vakapinda nayo mutemberi yaDhagoni vakaiisa parutivi rwaDhagoni.
Aphinda alithwala alisa ethempelini likaDagoni.
3 Vanhu veAshidhodhi pavakamuka mangwanani-ngwanani zuva raitevera, wanei hoyo Dhagoni akawira pasi nechiso pamberi peareka yaJehovha! Vakatora Dhagoni vakamudzosera panzvimbo yake.
Kwathi abantu base-Ashidodi bevuka ekuseni kakhulu okwalandelayo, nango uDagoni, ewele phansi ngobuso phambi kwebhokisi lesivumelwano sikaThixo! Bamthatha uDagoni bambeka endaweni yakhe.
4 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.
Kodwa ngakusasa ekuseni bathi bevuka, nango uDagoni, ewele phansi ngobuso phambi kwebhokisi lesivumelwano sikaThixo! Ikhanda lakhe lezandla kwakugumukile kuthe qekele eduze lomnyango; kwakusele umzimba wakhe kuphela.
5 Ndokusaka kusvika nanhasi kusina vaprista vaDhagoni kana vamwewo zvavo vanopinda mutemberi yaDhagoni paAshidhodhi vanotsika pachikumbaridzo chomukova.
Ngalokho-ke kuze kube lamhla abaphristi bakaDagoni labanye nje abangena ethempelini likaDagoni kabanyatheli ekuqaliseni komnyango.
6 Ruoko rwaMwari rwakatambudza zvikuru vanhu veAshidhodhi nenzvimbo dzakaikomberedza; akauyisa kuparadzwa pamusoro pavo uye akavarova namamota.
Isandla sikaThixo sasinzima phezu kwabantu base-Ashidodi laseduze kwayo; wehlisela incithakalo phezu kwabo yabahlupha langamathumba.
7 Vanhu veAshidhodhi pavakaona zvakanga zvichiitika vakati, “Areka yaMwari weIsraeri haifaniri kugara pano nesu nokuti ruoko rwake rwatitambudza zvikuru isu naDhagoni mwari wedu.”
Kwathi abantu base-Ashidodi bebona okwakusenzakala, bathi, “Ibhokisi lesivumelwano sikankulunkulu ka-Israyeli akumelanga lihlale lathi lapha, ngoba isandla sakhe sinzima phezu kwethu laphezu kukaDagoni unkulunkulu wethu.”
8 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.
Ngakho babiza bonke ababusi bamaFilistiya bababuza bathi, “Sizakwenzani ngebhokisi lesivumelwano sikankulunkulu ka-Israyeli na?” Baphendula bathi, “Ibhokisi lesivumelwano sikankulunkulu ka-Israyeli liseni eGathi.” Ngakho ibhokisi lesivumelwano sikaNkulunkulu balisa eGathi.
9 Asi mushure mokunge vaibvisa, ruoko rwaMwari rwakarwisana neguta iroro, uye akarivhundutsa nokuvhundutsa kukuru. Akarova vanhu veguta iroro, vakuru navadiki, namamota.
Kodwa kwathi sebelihambisile, isandla sikaThixo samelana lalelodolobho, okwenza kwaba lokuthuthumela okukhulu kulo. Wahlupha abantu bedolobho lelo, abatsha labadala, ngokuphihlika kwamathumba.
10 Saka vakaendesa areka yaMwari kuEkironi. Areka yaMwari payakanga yava kupinda muEkironi, vanhu veEkironi vakadanidzira, vachiti, “Vauyisa areka yaMwari weIsraeri kuti vatiuraye isu navanhu vedu.”
Ngakho ibhokisi lesivumelwano sikaNkulunkulu lasiwa e-Ekroni. Kwathi ibhokisi lesivumelwano sikaNkulunkulu lifika e-Ekroni, abantu base-Ekroni bakhala besithi, “Sebelethe ibhokisi lesivumelwano sikankulunkulu ka-Israyeli kithi lapha ukuzasibulala kanye labantu bakithi.”
11 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.
Ngakho babiza bonke ababusi bamaFilistiya, bathi, “Susani ibhokisi lesivumelwano sikankulunkulu ka-Israyeli; kalibuyele emuva endaweni yalo, hlezi lisibulale thina kanye labantu bakithi.” Ngoba ukufa kwakwenze kwaba lokuthuthumela edolobheni; isandla sikaNkulunkulu sasinzima kakhulu phezu kwalo.
12 Avo vasina kufa vakarohwa namamota uye kuchema kweguta kwakakwira kudenga.
Labo abangafanga baphunywa ngamathumba, njalo umkhosi wedolobho waya phezulu ezulwini.
