UYALATI yini ligama lendvodza lenemandla lamakhulu leyake yaphila? Ligama layo kwakunguSamsoni, futsi abesikhulu. NguJehova labemnika lamandla lamakhulu. Ngisho nangembi kwekuba atalwe, Jehova watjela make wakhe watsi: ‘Utawukhulelwa utale indvodzana. Ngiyo letawukhulula sive sema-Israyeli esandleni semaFilisti.’

EmaFilisti kwakusive lesingakalungi lesasihlala eveni laseKhenani. Abenemadvodza lamanyenti emphi, futsi abewaphatsa kabi ema-Israyeli. Kwatsi ngalelinye lilanga Samsoni asendleleni leya lapho kwakuhlala khona emaFilisti, wahlangana nelibhubesi lelikhulu libhodla. Kodvwa walibulala ngetandla takhe. Waphindze wabulala nemakhulu ebantfu besive semaFilisti.

Ngalelinye lilanga Samsoni watsandzana nentfombi ligama layo lokwakunguDelila. EmaFilisti etsembisa Delila kutsi nguloyo naloyo kuwo utamniketa tinhlavu tesiliva letingu-1 100 nangabe abatjela loko lokwenta Samsoni abe nemandla lamakhulu. Delila abeyifuna lemali. Abengesuye nani umngani lowetsembekile kuSamsoni, nakubantfu baNkulunkulu. Abeloku ambuta kutsi yini lena lementa abe nemandla lamakhulu kangaka.

Ekugcineni, Delila wamenta kutsi amtjele lemfihlo yemandla akhe. Samsoni wamtjela konkhe watsi: ‘Tinwele tami atizange setihhulwe, ngoba kusukela ekutalweni, ngakhetfwa nguNkulunkulu kutsi ngibe yinceku yakhe lekhetsekile, lebitwa ngekutsi ngumNaziri. Inhloko yami nayingase ihhulwe, emandla ami angesuka kimi.’

Delila watsi kube abone kutsi umtjele konkhe, wamlalisa ematsangeni akhe. Wase ubita lenye indvodza kutsi itemhhula letinwele. Watsi Samsoni nakavuka, emandla akhe abengasekho. EmaFilisti angena ambamba, akupuluta emehlo akhe futsi amenta sigcili.

Ngalelinye lilanga emaFilisti abutsana ndzawonye enta lidzili lelikhulu, lekukhonta nkulunkulu wabo Dagoni. Bamkhipha Samsoni ejele bamletsa embikwabo, bahlekisa ngaye. Tinwele taSamsoni tase ticale kuhluma. Ngako watsi kulomfana lobekambambe ngesandla: ‘Ngimise lapho ngingakwati kubamba khona tinsika telithempeli.’ Samsoni wathandaza kuJehova wacela kutsi aphindze amuphe emandla, kute akwati kuwisa tinsika tendlu. Watsi: ‘Angife kanye nemaFilisti.’ Kulelidzili kwakunemaFilisti langu-3 000. Watsi Samsoni nakafuca letinsika, lendlu labekuyo yadzilika yawela etikwawo, yababulala bonkhe labantfu labangakalungi.