1 Samuweli 5:1-12
5 AmaFilisti wona, awuthatha umphongolo+ kaNkulunkulu weqiniso awususa e-Ebhenezeri awuyisa e-Ashidodi.+
2 AmaFilisti awuthatha umphongolo kaNkulunkulu weqiniso awungenisa endlini kaDagoni awumisa eceleni kukaDagoni.+
3 Khona-ke abase-Ashidodi bavuka ekuseni kakhulu ngalo kanye usuku olulandelayo, bheka uDagoni wayewe phansi ngobuso phambi komphongolo kaJehova.+ Ngakho bamthatha uDagoni bambuyisela endaweni yakhe.+
4 Lapho bevuka ekuseni kakhulu ngosuku olungemva kwalolo, bheka uDagoni wayewe phansi ngobuso phambi komphongolo kaJehova, ikhanda likaDagoni nazo zombili izintende zezandla zakhe kunqamukile, ewele embundwini.+ Kwakusele ingxenye eyinhlanzi kuphela kuye.
5 Kungaleso sizathu abapristi bakaDagoni nabo bonke abangena endlini kaDagoni benganyatheli embundwini kaDagoni e-Ashidodi kuze kube yilolu suku.
6 Isandla sikaJehova+ saba nzima phezu kwabase-Ashidodi, wabangela itwetwe futhi wabashaya ngemihlume,+ okungukuthi i-Ashidodi nezindawo zalo.
7 Amadoda ase-Ashidodi akubona lokhu, athi: “Mawungahlali nathi umphongolo kaNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, ngoba isandla sakhe sibe nzima kithi nakuDagoni unkulunkulu wethu.”+
8 Ngakho athumela abuthela wonke amakhosi ahlangene amaFilisti kuwo athi: “Sizokwenzenjani ngomphongolo kaNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli?” Ekugcineni athi: “Mawuzungeziswe umphongolo kaNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli uye ngaseGati.”+ Ngakho awuzungezisa umphongolo kaNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli waya khona.
9 Kwathi esewuzungezisile wafika khona, isandla sikaJehova+ saba phezu kwalowo muzi ngesiphithiphithi esikhulu kakhulu, wayesebashaya abantu bakulowo muzi, kusukela komncane kuya komkhulu, baqala ukuvela imihlume.+
10 Ngakho awuthumela e-Ekroni+ umphongolo kaNkulunkulu weqiniso. Kwathi lapho nje ufika e-Ekroni umphongolo kaNkulunkulu weqiniso, ama-Ekroni aqala ukukhala, ethi: “Bawuzungezise bawuletha kimi umphongolo kaNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli ukuze ngibulawe mina kanye nabantu bami!”+
11 Ngakho athumela abutha wonke amakhosi ahlangene amaFilisti athi: “Mukisani umphongolo kaNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli ubuyele endaweni yawo ngingabulawa mina kanye nabantu bami.” Ngoba kwase kuvele isiphithiphithi esibulalayo kuwo wonke umuzi;+ isandla sikaNkulunkulu weqiniso sasibe nzima kakhulu lapho,+
12 futhi abantu abangafanga babeshaywe ngemihlume.+ Ukukhalela+ komuzi usizo kwakuqhubeka kwenyukela emazulwini.
