1 Izwi likaSamuweli lafika kuye wonke u-Israyeli. U-Israyeli waphuma ukulwa namaFilisti, wamisa ngase-Ebeni Ezeri; amaFilisti amisa e-Afeki.
2 AmaFilisti azihlela ukuhlangana no-Israyeli; impi yaqhubeka, u-Israyeli wahlulwa phambi kwamaFilisti abulala empini ngasendle kungathi abantu abayizinkulungwane ezine.
3 Kwathi abantu bengena ekamu, amalunga akwa-Israyeli athi: “UJehova usibulaleleni phambi kwamaFilisti na? Masithathe umphongolo wesivumelwano sikaJehova eShilo, siwulethe kithi, ufike phakathi kwethu, usisindise esandleni sezitha zethu.”
4 Abantu base bethumela eShilo, bathatha khona umphongolo wesivumelwano sikaJehova Sebawoti ohlezi phezu kwamakherubi; amadodana amabili ka-Eli, oHofini noFinehasi, ayelapho nomphongolo wesivumelwano sikaNkulunkulu.
5 Kwathi umphongolo wesivumelwano sikaJehova ufika ekamu, wonke u-Israyeli wakhamuluka ngokukhamuluka okukhulu, kwaze kwaduma umhlaba.
6 AmaFilisti esezwa umsindo wokukhamuluka athi: “Uthini umsindo walokhu kukhamuluka okukhulu ekamu lamaHeberu na?” Aqonda ukuthi umphongolo kaJehova ufikile ekamu.
7 AmaFilisti esaba, ngokuba athi: “UNkulunkulu ufikile ekamu.” Athi-ke: “Maye kithina! Ngokuba akuzange kube khona okunje ngaphambili.
8 Maye kithina! Ngubani oyakusophula esandleni salaba onkulunkulu abanamandla na? Yilaba onkulunkulu abashaya abaseGibithe ngazo zonke izifo ehlane.
9 Qinani nibe ngamadoda nina maFilisti ukuba ningabi yizigqila zamaHeberu, njengalokho ebeyizigqila zenu. Yibani ngamadoda, nilwe!”
10 AmaFilisti alwa, u-Israyeli wachithwa, babaleka, kwaba yilowo nalowo etendeni lakhe; kwaba khona ukuceka okukhulu, ngokuba kwawa ku-Israyeli abantu abayizinkulungwane ezingamashumi amathathu aba yimigundatshani.
11 Umphongolo kaNkulunkulu wathathwa; amadodana omabili ka-Eli, oHofini noFinehasi, abulawa.
12 Kwaphuma umuntu wakwaBenjamini empini, wagijima waya eShilo ngalolo suku, izingubo zakhe ziklebhukile, enomhlabathi ekhanda.
13 Ekufikeni kwakhe, bheka, u-Eli wayehlezi esihlalweni sakhe ngaseceleni komgwaqo, ngokuba inhliziyo yakhe yayithuthumela ngomphongolo kaNkulunkulu. Esengenile emzini lowo muntu, wakubika, wakhala umuzi wonke.
14 Lapho u-Eli ezwa umsindo wokukhala, wathi: “Uthini umsindo walokhu kumemeza na?” Lowo muntu washesha waya wamtshela u-Eli.
15 U-Eli wayeneminyaka engamashumi ayisishiyagalolunye nesishiyagalombili; amehlo akhe ayequndekile, engenakubona.
16 Lowo muntu wathi ku-Eli: “Nginguye owaphuma empini, ngibaleke empini namuhla.” Wathi: “Bekunjani, ndodana yami, na?”
17 Owaletha umbiko waphendula wathi: “U-Israyeli ubalekile phambi kwamaFilisti; kwakukhona ukubulawa okukhulu phakathi kwabantu; amadodana akho omabili oHofini noFinehasi afile, nomphongolo kaNkulunkulu uthathiwe.”
18 Kwathi esaphatha umphongolo kaNkulunkulu, wawa nyovane esihlalweni sakhe ngaseceleni kwesango, kwaphuka intamo yakhe, wafa, ngokuba wayengumuntu omdala, esinda. Wayebahlulele abakwa-Israyeli iminyaka engamashumi amane.
19 Umalokazana wakhe, umkaFinehasi, wayekhulelwe esezakubeletha; esezwile umbiko wokuthi umphongolo kaNkulunkulu uthathiwe nokuthi kufile uyisezala nomyeni wakhe, wakhonkobala, wabeletha, ngokuba wafikelwa yimihelo.
20 Ngesikhathi sokufa kwakhe abesifazane ababemi kuye bathi kuye: “Ungesabi, ngokuba ubelethe indodana.” Kepha akaphendulanga, akakunakanga.
21 Wamqamba umntwana ngokuthi u-Ikabodi, ethi: “Inkazimulo isukile kwa-Israyeli,” ngokuba umphongolo kaNkulunkulu uthathiwe, nangenxa kayisezala wakhe nomyeni wakhe.
22 Wathi: “Inkazimulo isukile kwa-Israyeli, ngokuba umphongolo kaNkulunkulu uthathiwe.”