1 Samueri 5
1 Mushure mokunge vaFiristia vapamba areka yaMwari, vakaitora kubva kuEbhenezeri vakaenda nayo kuAshidhodhi.
AmaFilisti asewuthatha umtshokotsho kaNkulunkulu awususa eEbeni-Ezeri awusa eAshidodi.
2 Ipapo vakatakura areka vakapinda nayo mutemberi yaDhagoni vakaiisa parutivi rwaDhagoni.
AmaFilisti asethatha umtshokotsho kaNkulunkulu, awungenisa endlini kaDagoni, awubeka ngakuDagoni.
3 Vanhu veAshidhodhi pavakamuka mangwanani-ngwanani zuva raitevera, wanei hoyo Dhagoni akawira pasi nechiso pamberi peareka yaJehovha! Vakatora Dhagoni vakamudzosera panzvimbo yake.
Kwathi abeAshidodi bevuka kusisa ngovivi, khangela, uDagoni esewile ngobuso bakhe emhlabathini phambi komtshokotsho weNkosi. Basebemthatha uDagoni, bambuyisela 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.
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 Ndokusaka kusvika nanhasi kusina vaprista vaDhagoni kana vamwewo zvavo vanopinda mutemberi yaDhagoni paAshidhodhi vanotsika pachikumbaridzo chomukova.
Ngakho abapristi bakaDagoni labo bonke abangena endlini kaDagoni kabanyatheli embundwini kaDagoni eAshidodi kuze kube lamuhla.
6 Ruoko rwaMwari rwakatambudza zvikuru vanhu veAshidhodhi nenzvimbo dzakaikomberedza; akauyisa kuparadzwa pamusoro pavo uye akavarova namamota.
Kodwa isandla seNkosi saba nzima phezu kwabeAshidodi, yabachitha, yabatshaya ngamathumba ophayo, iAshidodi lemingcele yayo.
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 beAshidodi sebebona ukuthi kunjalo, bathi: Umtshokotsho kaNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli kawungahlali kithi, 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 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 Asi mushure mokunge vaibvisa, ruoko rwaMwari rwakarwisana neguta iroro, uye akarivhundutsa nokuvhundutsa kukuru. Akarova vanhu veguta iroro, vakuru navadiki, namamota.
Kwasekusithi sebewubhodise bewuthwele, isandla seNkosi sasimelene lomuzi ngomonakalo omkhulu kakhulu, yatshaya abantu bomuzi, kusukela komncinyane kusiya komkhulu; kwasekuqhamuka amathumba ophayo kubo.
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.”
Basebewuthumela umtshokotsho kaNkulunkulu eEkhironi. Kwasekusithi ekufikeni komtshokotsho kaNkulunkulu eEkhironi, abeEkhironi bakhala besithi: Babhodise baletha umtshokotsho kaNkulunkulu wakoIsrayeli kithi ukusibulala 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 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 Avo vasina kufa vakarohwa namamota uye kuchema kweguta kwakakwira kudenga.
Labantu abangafanga batshaywa ngamathumba ophayo; lokukhala komuzi kwenyukela emazulwini.
