11 Emva kwalokho u-Elikhana wabuyela ekhaya eRama, kodwa umfana wakhonza phambi kukaThixo ngaphansi kuka-Eli umphristi.
16 Lapho umuntu ethe kuyo, “Yekela amahwahwa aqale atshe, ube usuthathake lokho okufunayo,” inceku yayiphendula ithi, “Hatshi, ngiqhubela yona khathesi; nxa ungenzi njalo, ngizayihluthuna ngamandla.”
17 Lesisono samajaha sasisikhulu kakhulu emehlweni kaThixo, ngoba babephatha umnikelo kaThixo ngokwedelela.
18 Kodwa uSamuyeli wayekhonza phambi kukaThixo engumfana egqoka isembatho samahlombe selineni. 19 Minyaka yonke unina wayemenzela ingubo encane ayise kuye lapho esiya khonale lomkakhe ukuyanikela umhlatshelo weminyaka yonke. 20 U-Eli wayebusisa u-Elikhana lomkakhe, esithi, “Sengathi uThixo angalipha abantwana ngalo owesifazane ukuba bathathe isikhundla salowo amkhulekelayo wasemnika uThixo.” Emva kwalokho babebuyela ekhaya. 21 Uthixo waba lomusa kuHana; wakhulelwa wazala amadodana amathathu lamadodakazi amabili. Kusenjalo, umfana uSamuyeli wakhula phambi kukaThixo.
22 Ngalesosikhathi u-Eli, owayesemdala kakhulu, wezwa ngakho konke okwakusenziwa ngamadodana akhe ku-Israyeli wonke kanye lokuthi ayelala njani labesifazane ababesebenza esangweni lethente lokuhlangana. 23 Ngakho wathi kuwo, “Kungani lisenza izinto ezinje na? Ngizizwa ngabantu bonke lezizenzo zenu ezimbi. 24 Hatshi, madodana ami; akusimbiko omuhle engiwuzwa usanda phakathi kwabantu bakaThixo. 25 Nxa umuntu esona komunye umuntu, uNkulunkulu angaba ngumeli wakhe kodwa nxa umuntu esona kuThixo, ngubani ongamkhulumela na?” Kodwa amadodana akhe kawakulalelanga ukukhuza kukayise, ngoba kwakuyisifiso sikaThixo ukuba awabulale.
26 Umfana uSamuyeli waqhubeka ekhula ngomzimba langokuthandeka kuThixo lasebantwini.
30 Ngakho-ke uThixo, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, uthi, ‘Ngathembisa ukuthi indlu yakho lendlu kayihlo zizakhonza phambi kwami nini lanini.’ Kodwa khathesi uThixo uthi, ‘Akusenjalo kimi!’ Labo abangihloniphayo ngizabahlonipha, kodwa labo abangeyisayo bazakweyiswa. 31 Isikhathi siyeza lapho engizaphungula khona amandla akho lamandla endlu kayihlo, ukuze kungabi lomuntu omdala kusendo lwakwenu 32 njalo uzabona usizi lapho engihlala khona. Lanxa okuhle kuzakwenziwa ku-Israyeli, kwabosendo lwakho akuyikuba lomuntu omdala. 33 Lowo lalowo wakini engingayikumsusa e-alithareni lami uzayekelwa nje ukuba amehlo akhe afiphale lokuba azwise inhliziyo yakho ubuhlungu, njalo yonke inzalo yakho izakufa kuyikhona isephakathi kwempilo.
34 ‘Njalo okwenzakala emadodaneni akho amabili, uHofini loFinehasi, kuzakuba yisiboniso kuwe, bobabili bazakufa langa linye. 35 Ngizakuzimisela umphristi othembekileyo ozakwenza mayelana lokusenhliziyweni yami lengqondweni yami. Ngizamisa indlu yakhe iqine, njalo uzakhonza phambi kogcotshiweyo wami kokuphela. 36 Lapho-ke bonke abosendo lwakho abaseleyo bazakuza bakhothame kuye becela uhlamvu lwesiliva loqweqwe lwesinkwa njalo bakhalaze besithi, “Ake ungibeke kwesinye isikhundla sobuphristi ukuze ngithole ukudla ngidle.” ’ ”
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