Isahluko 6
1
Umphongolo kaJehova wawusezweni lamaFilisti izinyanga eziyisikhombisa.
2
AmaFilisti abiza abapristi nababhuli, athi: “Siyakwenze njani ngomphongolo kaJehova na? Saziseni ukuthi singawubuyisela kanjani endaweni yawo.”
3
Bathi: “Uma nimukisa umphongolo kaNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, ningawumukisi ze, kepha anobuyisela nokubuyisela kuye umnikelo wecala; khona niyakuphiliswa, kwazeke kini ukuthi isandla sakhe asisuswa ngani kini.”
4
Athi: “Uyakuba yini umnikelo wecala esiyakuwubuyisela kuye na?” Bathi: “Amathumba ayisihlanu egolide namagundane ayisihlanu egolide njengomumo wamakhosi amaFilisti, ngokuba kuyisifo sinye esikubo bonke nakuwo amakhosi enu.
5
Niyakwenza imifanekiso yamathumba enu nemifanekiso yamagundane enu alonayo izwe, nimnike uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli udumo; mhlawumbe uyakusenza lula isandla sakhe phezu kwenu, naphezu kwawonkulunkulu benu, naphezu kwezwe lakini.
6
Nenzeleni zibe lukhuni izinhliziyo zenu, njengalokho abaseGibithe noFaro bazenza lukhuni izinhliziyo zabo na? Lapho esebenzile phakathi kwabo, ababavumelanga yini ukuba bahambe na?
7
“Manje thathani nilungise inqola entsha nezinkomo ezimbili ezincelisayo okungafikanga joka phezu kwazo, nizibophele izinkomo enqoleni, nibuyisele ekhaya amankonyane azo,
8
nithathe umphongolo kaJehova, niwubeke enqoleni, nifake impahla yegolide eniyibuyisela kuye ibe ngumnikelo wecala ebhokisini eliseceleni kwawo, niyimukise, ihambe.
9
Anobona, uma yenyuka ngendlela yasemkhawulweni wayo ukuya eBeti Shemeshi, nguye osenzele lobo bubi obukhulu; kepha uma kungenjalo, siyakwazi ukuthi akusiso isandla sakhe esisishayileyo; sehlelwa ingozi nje.”
10
Abantu benze njalo; bathatha izinkomo ezimbili ezincelisayo, bazibophela enqoleni, bazivalela amankonyane azo ekhaya,
11
bawubeka umphongolo kaJehova enqoleni kanye nebhokisi lamagundane egolide nemifanekiso yamathumba abo.
12
Izinkomo zaqonda endleleni, zaya ngaseBeti Shemeshi, zahamba ngomendo, zihamba zikhala, zingaphambukeli ngakwesokunene noma ngakwesokhohlo; amakhosi amaFilisti azilandela, aze afika emkhawulweni waseBeti Shemeshi.
13
AbaseBeti Shemeshi babevuna ukolweni esigodini, baphakamisa amehlo abo, bawubona umphongolo, bathokoza ukuwubona.
14
Inqola yangena ensimini kaJoshuwa waseBeti Shemeshi, yema khona, lapho kwakukhona itshe elikhulu; babanda inqola yaba yizinkuni, banikela ngezinkomo zaba ngumnikelo wokushiswa kuJehova.
15
AmaLevi ayethulile umphongolo kaJehova nebhokisi elalinawo, okwakukulo impahla yegolide, akubeka etsheni elikhulu; abantu baseBeti Shemeshi banikela ngeminikelo yokushiswa, bahlabela uJehova imihlatshelo ngalolo suku.
16
Amakhosi ayisihlanu amaFilisti esekubonile abuyela e-Ekroni ngalolo suku.
17
Lawa angamathumba egolide amaFilisti awabuyisa abe ngumnikelo wecala kuJehova: elinye ngele-Ashidodi, nelinye ngeleGaza, nelinye ngele-Ashikeloni, nelinye ngeleGati, nelinye ngele-Ekroni;
18
namagundane egolide ayenjengomumo wemizi yonke yamaFilisti yamakhosi ayisihlanu, imizi ebiyelweyo nemizana yasemaphandleni, okubufakazi bakho kuyitshe elikhulu abawubeka kulo umphongolo kaJehova, elikhona nanamuhla ensimini kaJoshuwa waseBeti Shemeshi.
19
Wabulala abantu baseBeti Shemeshi, ngokuba babebukile umphongolo kaJehova; wabulala kubantu amadoda angamashumi ayisikhombisa emadodeni ayizinkulungwane ezingamashumi ayisihlanu; abantu balila, ngokuba uJehova wabulala abantu ngokubulala okukhulu.
20
Abantu baseBeti Shemeshi base bethi: “Ngubani ongema phambi kukaJehova, lo Nkulunkulu ongcwele, na? Uyakwenyukela kubani esuka kithina na?”
21
Bathuma izithunywa kwabakhileyo eKiriyati Jeharimi, bathi: “AmaFilisti awubuyisele umphongolo kaJehova; yehlani, niwukhuphulele kini.”