1 USamuweli 5:1-12

AmaFilisti awuthatha umphongolo kaNkulunkulu, awususa e-Ebheni Ezeri, awuyisa e-Ashidodi. AmaFilisti awuthatha umphongolo kaNkulunkulu, awungenisa endlini kaDagoni, awubeka eceleni kukaDagoni. Kwathi bevuka abantu base-Ashidodi ekuseni ngakusasa; bheka, uDagoni wayewele phansi emhlabathini phambi komphongolo kaSimakade. Bamthatha uDagoni, bambuyisela endaweni yakhe. Bavuka ngakusasa ekuseni; uyabona-ke, uDagoni wayewele phansi emhlabathini phambi komphongolo kaSimakade, ikhanda likaDagoni nezihlakala zombili zezandla zakhe zazinqamukile, zisembundwini, kwakusele isidikinyane kuphela. Yingakho nje abaphristi bakaDagoni kuze kube namuhla, nabo bonke abangena endlini kaDagoni benganyatheli embundwini kaDagoni ose-Ashidodi. Isandla sikaSimakade saba nzima phezu kwabase-Ashidodi, wabashaya, wababhubhisa ngamathumba, i-Ashidodi nezifunda zayo. Abantu base-Ashidodi sebebona ukuthi kunjalo, bathi: “Umphongolo kaNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli awuyukuhlala kithi, ngokuba isandla sakhe sinzima phezu kwethu naphezu kukaDagoni, unkulunkulu wethu.” Bathumela, baqoqa onke amakhosi amaFilisti, bathi: “Sizokwenzenjani ngomphongolo kaNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli na?” Athi: “Umphongolo kaNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli masiwuthuthele eGathi.” Bawuthuthela khona umphongolo kaNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli. Kwathi ukuba bawuthuthele khona, isandla sikaSimakade saba phezu kwalowo muzi, kwaba khona ukudideka okukhulu, wabulala abantu bomuzi, abancane nabadala bamilwa ngamathumba. Umphongolo kaNkulunkulu base bewuthuthela e-Ekhroni. Kwathi lapho ufika e-Ekhroni, abantu base-Ekhroni bakhala, bathi: “Balethe lapha lo mphongolo kaNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli ukuba asibulale thina nabantu bakithi.” Bathumela, baqoqela ndawonye wonke amakhosi amaFilisti, bathi: “Wususeni umphongolo kaNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, ubuyele endaweni yawo, ukuze ungasibulali thina nabantu bakithi,” ngokuba kwaba khona ukwesaba okukhulu emzini wonke, besaba ukufa. Bheka, isandla sikaNkulunkulu sasinzima kakhulu kubo. Abantu abangafanga bashaywa ngamathumba; ukukhala komuzi kwenyukela ezulwini.