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 and took the LORD’s ark, and brought it into Abinadab’s house on the hill, and consecrated Eleazar his son to keep the LORD’s ark.
2 Kwasekusithi kusukela ngosuku umtshokotsho uhlala eKiriyathi-Jeyarimi, insuku zanda; ngoba kwaba yiminyaka engamatshumi amabili; lendlu yonke yakoIsrayeli yakhala ilandela iNkosi.
From the day that the ark stayed in Kiriath Jearim, the time was long—for it was twenty years; and all the house of Israel lamented after the LORD.
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 spoke to all the house of Israel, saying, “If you are returning to the LORD with all your heart, then put away the foreign gods and the Ashtaroth from amongst you, and direct your hearts to the LORD, and serve him only; and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.”
4 Ngakho abantwana bakoIsrayeli basebesusa oBhali laboAshitarothi, bakhonza iNkosi yodwa.
Then the children of Israel removed the Baals and the Ashtaroth, and served the LORD only.
5 USamuweli wasesithi: Buthanisani uIsrayeli wonke eMizipa; njalo ngizalikhulekela eNkosini.
Samuel said, “Gather all Israel to Mizpah, and I will pray to the LORD for you.”
6 Basebebuthana eMizipa, bakha amanzi, bawathela phambi kweNkosi, bazila ukudla mhlalokho, bathi lapho: Sonile eNkosini. USamuweli wasesahlulela abantwana bakoIsrayeli eMizipa.
They gathered together to Mizpah, and drew water, and poured it out before the LORD, and fasted on that day, and said there, “We have sinned against the LORD.” Samuel judged the children of Israel in Mizpah.
7 Kwathi amaFilisti esezwile ukuthi abantwana bakoIsrayeli babuthene eMizipa, iziphathamandla zamaFilisti zenyuka zamelana loIsrayeli. Abantwana bakoIsrayeli sebekuzwile bawesaba amaFilisti.
When the Philistines heard that the children of Israel were gathered together at Mizpah, the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel. When the children of Israel heard it, they were afraid of the Philistines.
8 Abantwana bakoIsrayeli basebesithi kuSamuweli: Ungathuli ukusikhalela eNkosini uNkulunkulu wethu ukuze asisindise esandleni samaFilisti.
The children of Israel said to Samuel, “Don’t stop crying to the LORD our God for us, that he will save us out of 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 suckling lamb, and offered it for a whole burnt offering to the LORD. Samuel cried to the LORD for Israel, and the LORD 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 came near to battle against Israel; but the LORD thundered with a great thunder on that day on the Philistines and confused them; and they were struck down before Israel.
11 Amadoda akoIsrayeli asephuma eMizipa axotshana lamaFilisti, awatshaya, kwaze kwaba ngaphansi kweBetikari.
The men of Israel went out of Mizpah and pursued the Philistines, and struck them until they came under 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, and called its name Ebenezer, saying, “The LORD helped us until now.”
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 stopped coming within the border of Israel. The LORD’s hand 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 cities which the Philistines had taken from Israel were restored to Israel, from Ekron even to Gath; and Israel recovered its border out of the hand of the Philistines. 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.
He went from year to year in a circuit to Bethel, Gilgal, and Mizpah; and he judged Israel in all those places.
17 Lokubuyela kwakhe kwakuyikuya eRama, ngoba indlu yakhe yayilapho; wahlulela uIsrayeli khona, wayakhela lapho iNkosi ilathi.
His return was to Ramah, for his house was there, and he judged Israel there; and he built an altar to the LORD there.
