5 Abantu beSamariya bagugunwa yindaba yethole leBhethe-Aveni. Abalotjhi balo bayalililela, nabaphristi ababalotjhi balo bayabubula – babubula ngomnothwalo ngombana lisiwe ekuthunjweni.
Nokho, akhange aphambuke ezonweni zakaJerobhowamu umsa kaNebathi, abangela ngazo bonyana u-Israyeli one ngokulotjha amakonyana wegolide eBhethe-Eli nakwaDani.
Bafulathela yoke imiyalo kaSomnini uZimabo bebazenzela abosingazimu ababaziweko abamakonyana amabili; bazakhela nemifanekiso ka-Atjhera. Bakhothamela zoke iinkwekwezi zomkayi bebalotjha noBhali.
Yaqotjha boke abaphristi babosingazimu ebegade bajanyiswe yikosi yakwaJuda bona batjhise itjhwalo eendundumeni zemizi yakwaJuda nakileyo ebhode iJerusalema. Yasusa nalabo ebegade batjhisa itjhwalo kuBhali, ilanga, inyanga, imithala yeenkwekwezi, iye neenkwekwezi zoke.
Wazikhethela abaphristi kobana basebenze eendundumeni lapha bekukhona iinthombe zeembuzi nezeenkunzana azenzileko.
Nje-ke nicabanga bona ningajamelana nombuso kaZimu osezandleni zeenzukulwana zakaDavida ngombana nilibutho elikhulukazi nokobana nineenkunzana zegolide enizenzelwe nguJerobhowamu njengabozimu benu na?
Batjekamile bebakhothamile bobabili, abakwazi nokusindisa ipahla abanayo, ngitjho nabo ngokwabo baya ekuthunjweni.
Khonapho abantu bathuwelela ngokona: Bazenzela iinthombe, abosingazimu ababazwe ngesiliva labo okumsebenzi nje owenziwe sithakgha! Ngeenthombezi bathi: “Abantu abenza umhlabelo bamele bancwange amathole la.”
kanye neengwadla. Nina, ma-Israyeli, nawe Juda ningaziboni umlandu. Ningayi eGiligali, ningenyukeli eBhethe-Aveni. Ningafungi nihle nithi: ‘Sifunga uSomnini ophilako’.”
Vuthelani ipalapala eGibiya! Nivuthele iporompita eRama! Hlabani umkhosi eBhethe-Aveni! UBhenjamini useenthendeni zakho Efrayimu.
Ungathabi wena Israyeli! Ungajekezeli njengezizwe ezinye ngombana azange uthembeke kuZimakho: Wakhamba unghatulela aboBhali, uthabela abakupha khona eselelweni esinye nesinye.
Idumo laka-Efrayimu linyelele, lemuke njengenyoni; kungabikhona ukubeletha, ukuzithwala nokubamba.
“Mhlana ngihlunguphaza u-Israyeli ngebanga lokona kwakhe, ngizokona ama-aldari weBhethe-Eli; iimpondo ze-aldari zizakwephulwa bezikhithikele ehlabathini.
“UJuda ngizombeka isandla nazo zoke izakhamuzi zeJerusalema. Ngizakuphelisa yoke imisalela yakaBhali endaweni le namabizo wabaphristi ababalotjhi bakaBhali, angasakhunjulwa.
Nje-ke sekukhona ingozi ekulu, ingasi kwaphela bona lirhwebo lethu elizakulahlekelwa libizo lalo elihle, kodwana nokobana nethempeli lakazimukazi omkhulu u-Aritemisi lizokunyazwa begodu uzimukazi ngokwakhe, olotjhwa esifundeni se-Asiya nephasini loke, uzokululazeka isithunzi sakhe sobundlovukazi!”
UJotjhuwa wathumela amadoda ukusuka eJerikho aya e-Ayi ngepumalanga yeBhethe-Eli wathi kiwo: “Khuphukani niyokuhlola inarha.” Yeke amadoda lawo akhuphuka ayokuhlola i-Ayi.
Yena wathi: “Nithethe uzimami engizenzele yena benathatha nomphristami nangena indlela, nangitjhiya nginganalitho! Alo, ningibuza njani-ke bonyana ngilunywa yini?”