1 Samuel 7
1 Abantu baseKiriyathi Jeharimi bafika belethe umphongolo kaSimakade, bawungenisa endlini ka-Abhinadaba entabeni, bangcwelisa u-Eleyazare, indodana yakhe, ukuba anakekele umphongolo kaSimakade.
2 Kusukela osukwini umphongolo owahlala ngalo eKiriyathi Jeharimi, kwedlula isikhathi eside, iminyaka engama-20. Yonke indlu yakwa-Israyeli yakhala kuSimakade.
3 USamuweli wathi kuyo yonke indlu yakwa-Israyeli: “Uma nibuyela kuSimakade ngenhliziyo yenu yonke, susani phakathi kwenu onkulunkulu babezizwe no-Ashitharothi, nibhekise izinhliziyo zenu kuSimakade, nikhonze Yena yedwa; uzonihlenga esandleni samaFilisti.”
4 Abantu bakwa-Israyeli basusa oBhali no-Ashitharothi, bakhonza uSimakade kuphela.
5 USamuweli wathi: “Buthelani wonke u-Israyeli eMizpha, ukuze nginikhulekele kuSimakade.”
6 Ngakho-ke abakwa-Israyeli babuthana eMizpha. Bakha amanzi, bawathulula phambi kukaSimakade, bazila, bathi: “Sonile kuSimakade.” USamuweli wabehlulela abantu bakwa-Israyeli eMizpha.
7 Esezwile amaFilisti ukuthi abakwa-Israyeli babuthene eMizpha, amakhosi amaFilisti akhuphuka ukuyolwa no-Israyeli. Abantu bakwa-Israyeli bezwa, bagcwala ukwesaba phambi kwamaFilisti.
8 Abantu bakwa-Israyeli bathi kuSamuweli: “Ungayeki ukusikhalela kuSimakade uNkulunkulu wethu ukuba asisindise esandleni samaFilisti.”
9 USamuweli wathatha iwundlu elisancelayo, wanikela ngalo laba ngumnikelo wokushiswa wonke kuSimakade; uSamuweli wamkhulekela u-Israyeli kuSimakade, uSimakade wamphendula.
10 Kwathi uSamuweli esenza umnikelo wokushiswa, asondela amaFilisti ukuzolwa no-Israyeli. USimakade waduma ngezwi elikhulu ngalolo lusuku wamelana namaFilisti, wawafaka ukudideka, anqotshwa kanjalo ngu-Israyeli.
11 Amadoda akwa-Israyeli aphuma eMizpha awaxosha amaFilisti, awabulala kwaze kwaba seBhethi Khari.
12 USamuweli wathatha itshe, walimisa phakathi kweMizpha neSheni. Waliqamba wathi yi-Ebheni Ezeri, ethi: “USimakade usisizile kwaze kwaba lapha.”
13 AmaFilisti ehlulwa; awaphindanga angena emingceleni yakwa-Israyeli ngezinsuku zonke zikaSamuweli.
14 Yonke imizi amaFilisti ayeyidlile ku-Israyeli, yabuyela kuye, kusukela e-Ekhroni kuze kube seGathi. U-Israyeli wazithola zonke izifunda zakhe ezazithathwe ngamaFilisti. Kwaba nokuthula phakathi kuka-Israyeli nama-Amori.
15 USamuweli wehlulela u-Israyeli zonke izinsuku zokuphila kwakhe.
16 Wayezungeza njalo minyaka yonke aye eBhetheli, eGiligali, naseMizpha; wamehlulela u-Israyeli kuzo zonke lezo zindawo.
17 USamuweli wayebuyela eRama ngoba indlu yakhe yayilapho, wamehlulela u-Israyeli ekhona, wamakhela lapho uSimakade i-althare.