1 uSamuweli 5:1-12

AmaFilisti athatha umphongolo kaNkulunkulu, awususa e-Ebeni Ezeri, awuyisa e-Ashidodi. AmaFilisti awuthatha umphongolo kaNkulunkulu, awungenisa endlini kaDagoni, awubeka ngakuye uDagoni. Abase-Ashidodi sebevukile kusasa ekuseni, bheka, uDagoni wayewile phansi ngobuso phambi komphongolo kaJehova. Bamthatha uDagoni, bambuyisela endaweni yakhe. Sebevukile kusasa ekuseni, bheka, uDagoni wayewile phansi ngobuso phambi komphongolo kaJehova; ikhanda likaDagoni nezimpama zombili zezandla zakhe zazinqamukile zisembundwini; kwasala isidumbu sakhe kuphela. Ngalokho abapristi bakaDagoni nabo bonke abangena endlini kaDagoni abanyatheli embundwini kaDagoni e-Ashidodi kuze kube namuhla. Kepha isandla sikaJehova sasinzima phezu kwabase-Ashidodi, wabachitha, wababulala ngamathumba, i-Ashidodi nemikhawulo yalo. Abantu base-Ashidodi sebebona ukuthi kunjalo bathi: “Umphongolo kaNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli awuyikuhlala kithi, ngokuba isandla sakhe silukhuni phezu kwethu naphezu kukaDagoni unkulunkulu wethu.” Bathuma babuthela kubo onke amakhosi amaFilisti, bathi: “Siyakwenzani ngomphongolo kaNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli na?” Athi: “Umphongolo kaNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli mawususelwe eGati.” Bawususela umphongolo kaNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli khona. Kwathi sebewususele khona, isandla sikaJehova sasiphezu kwalowo muzi ngokungquzula okukhulu, wabulala abantu bomuzi abancane nabakhulu; kwaqhamuka amathumba kubo. Base bethuma umphongolo kaNkulunkulu e-Ekroni. Kwathi ekufikeni komphongolo kaNkulunkulu e-Ekroni abase-Ekroni bakhala bathi: “Balethile umphongolo kaNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli kithi ukuba usibulale thina nabantu bakithi.” Bathuma babutha onke amakhosi amaFilisti, bathi: “Wususeni umphongolo kaNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, ubuyele endlini yawo, ukuba ungasibulali thina nabantu bakithi,” ngokuba kwakukhona ukungquzuka okokufa emzini wonke; isandla sikaNkulunkulu sasinzima kakhulu khona. Abantu abangafanga bashaywa ngamathumba; ukukhala komuzi kwenyukela ezulwini.