Njalo bonke abantu bako-Israyeli bakhala befuna uThixo. 3 USamuyeli wasesithi kuyo yonke indlu ka-Israyeli, “Nxa libuyela kuThixo ngezinhliziyo zenu zonke zehlukaniseni labonkulunkulu bezizweni labo-Ashithorethi lizinikele kuThixo njalo likhonze yena kuphela, uzalikhulula esandleni samaFilistiya.” 4 Ngakho abako-Israyeli babalahla oBhali babo labo-Ashithorethi, bakhonza uThixo kuphela.

5 USamuyeli wasesithi, “Buthanisani u-Israyeli wonke eMizipha mina ngizalikhulekela kuThixo.” 6 Kwathi sebebuthene eMizipha, bakha amanzi bawathela phambi kukaThixo. Ngalolosuku bazila njalo bavuma izono zabo khonapho besithi, “Sonile.” Njalo uSamuyeli wahlulela abantu bako-Israyeli eMizipha.

7 Kwathi amaFilistiya esizwa ukuthi u-Israyeli wayebuthene eMizipha, ababusi bamaFilistiya baya khona ukuyabahlasela. Kwathi abako-Israyeli bekuzwa, besaba ngenxa yamaFilistiya. 8 Bathi kuSamuyeli, “Ungayekeli ukusikhalela kuThixo uNkulunkulu wethu ukuba asihlenge esandleni samaFilistiya.” 9 USamuyeli wathatha iwundlu elimunyayo walinikela kuThixo njengomnikelo opheleleyo wokutshiswa. Wamkhulekela kuThixo u-Israyeli, uThixo wamphendula.

10 Kwathi uSamuyeli enikela umnikelo wokutshiswa, amaFilistiya asondela eduze ukuba alwe lo-Israyeli. Kodwa mhlalokho uThixo waduma ngomdumo omkhulu emelane lamaFilistiya wawenza athuthumela kangangoba aze achithwachithwa phambi kwabako-Israyeli. 11 Abantu bako-Israyeli bagijima bephuma eMizipha baxotshana lamaFilistiya bewabulala endleleni baze bayafika endaweni engaphansi kweBhethi-Khari.

12 USamuyeli wasethatha ilitshe walimisa phakathi kweMizipha leSheni. Walibiza ngokuthi yi-Ebhenezeri, esithi, “Kuze kube khathesi uThixo usisizile.”

13 Ngakho amaFilistiya anqotshwa njalo kawazange ahlasele ilizwe lako-Israyeli futhi. Kuyo yonke impilo kaSamuyeli, isandla sikaThixo sasimelane lamaFilistiya. 14 Amadolobho kusukela e-Ekroni kusiya eGathi ayethunjwe ngamaFilistiya ku-Israyeli abuyiselwa kuye, njalo u-Israyeli wakhulula ilizwe eliseduze emandleni amaFilistiya. Njalo kwaba lokuthula phakathi kuka-Israyeli lama-Amori.

15 USamuyeli waqhubeka engumahluleli ka-Israyeli kuzozonke insuku zokuphila kwakhe. 16 Iminyaka ngeminyaka wayenquma esuka eBhetheli aye eGiligali leMizipha, esahlulela u-Israyeli kuzozonke lezindawo. 17 Kodwa wayehlezi ebuyela eRama lapho okwakulomuzi wakhe khona, lakhona wahlulela u-Israyeli. Njalo wakhela uThixo i-alithari.

<- 1 USamuyeli 61 USamuyeli 8 ->