1 Samuweli 2:11-36

U-Elkana waya eRama endlini yakhe. Umfana wakhonza uJehova phambi kompristi u-Eli. Amadodana ka-Eli ayengamadodana kaBheliyali; babengamazi uJehova. Umkhuba wabapristi phakathi kwabantu wawuwukuthi, lapho umuntu enikela ngomhlatshelo, kwafika inceku yompristi inyama isabila, iphethe ikona lenyama elinamazinyo amathathu esandleni sayo; Wakushaya epanini, noma embizeni, noma embizeni, noma embizeni; konke okwakhushulwa yikona lenyama, umpristi wazithathela yena. Yilokho abakwenza eShilo nabo bonke abantwana bakwa-Israyeli ababefika khona. Futhi bengakashisi amanoni, inceku yompristi yeza, yathi kumuntu onikela ngomhlatshelo: “Nika umpristi inyama yokosa; ngoba akayikucwiliswa inyama kuwe, kodwa eluhlaza. Uma umuntu ethi kuye: “Mabangashisi amanoni ngalesi sikhathi, bese uthatha njengokufisa komphefumulo wakho; wayesemphendula wathi: Cha; kodwa kufanele unginike yona manje; uma kungenjalo, ngiyakuyithatha ngamandla. Ngakho isono sabafana saba sikhulu kakhulu phambi kukaJehova, ngoba abantu babewuzonda umnikelo kaJehova. Kodwa uSamuweli wayesebenza esemncane phambi kukaJehova, ebhince isambatho samahlombe selineni. Ngaphezu kwalokho, amadoda ayemenzela ingubo, amadoda ayemlethela iminyaka ngeminyaka lapho ekhuphuka nomyeni wakhe ukuzokwenza umhlatshelo weminyaka yonke. U-Eli wambusisa u-Elkana nomkakhe, wathi: “UJehova makakuphe inzalo ngalo wesifazane esikhundleni sokubolekwa uJehova. Basuka baya endlini yabo. UJehova wamhambela uHana, wakhulelwa, wazala amadodana amathathu namadodakazi amabili. Umntwana uSamuweli wakhula phambi kukaJehova. U-Eli wayesemdala kakhulu, wezwa konke amadodana akhe akwenzayo ku-Israyeli wonke; nokuthi balala kanjani nabesifazane ababebuthene ngasemnyango wetende lokuhlangana. Wathi kubo: “Nenzelani izinto ezinjalo na?” Ngoba ngiyezwa ngezenzo zakho ezimbi phakathi kwabo bonke lababantu. Cha, madodana ami; ngokuba akusiwo umbiko omuhle engiwezwayo: nenza abantu bakaJehova ukuba baphambuke. Uma umuntu ona komunye, umahluleli makamahlulele; kepha uma umuntu ona kuJehova, ngubani ongamlamulela na? Kodwa kabalilalelanga ilizwi lendoda, ngoba uJehova wayezababulala. Umntwana uSamuweli wakhula, wathandeka kuJehova nakubantu. Kwasekufika umuntu kaNkulunkulu kuEli, wathi kuye: “Usho kanje uJehova, uthi: ‘Ingabe ngabonakala nokubona endlini kayihlo beseseGibithe endlini kaFaro na? Futhi ngimkhethile yini kuzo zonke izizwe zakwa-Israyeli ukuba abe ngumpristi wami, anikele phezu kwami, akhuphule impepho, embathe indwangu yesaka phambi kobuso bami, na? Ngiyinikile indlu kayihlo yonke iminikelo yokushiswa yabantwana bakwa-Israyeli na? Kungakho ukhahlela isisulu sami nomhlatshelo wami enginawo endaweni yami yokuhlala; nidumise amadodana enu ngaphezu kwami, ukuze nizikhukhumeze ngenhlokweni yemihlatshelo yonke yabantu bami u-Israyeli na? Ngalokho usho uJehova uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, uthi: “Ngishilo nokusho ukuthi indlu yakho nendlu kayihlo iyakuhamba phambi kwami kuze kube phakade; kepha Jehova muntu, makube kude nami; Ngokuba abangidumisayo ngiyakubadumisa, nabangidelelayo bayakuba-delelekile. Bheka, izinsuku ziyeza engiyakunquma ngazo ingalo yakho nengalo yendlu kayihlo ukuba kungabikho xhegu endlini yakho; bhekani endlini yami kukho konke okuhle uNkulunkulu ayakunika u-Israyeli; futhi kakuyikuba khona ixhegu endlini yakho kuze kube phakade. Umuntu wakini engingayikumbhubhisa kumama, uyakuqeda amehlo akho, enze inhliziyo yakho ibe lusizi; Lokhu kuyakuba yisibonakaliso kuwe esiyakwehlela amadodana akho omabili, phezu kukaHofini noFinehasi; ngelinye ilanga bayofa bobabili. Ngiyakuzivusela umpristi othembekileyo oyakwenza njengokusenhliziyweni yami nasengqondweni yami; ngiyakumakhela indlu eqinile; futhi uyohamba phambi kogcotshiweyo wami kuze kube phakade. Bonke abaseleyo endlini yakho bayakukhuleka kuye bafune uhlamvu lwesiliva nocezu lwesinkwa, bathi: ‘Ngibeke komunye wabapristi.’ Amahhovisi, ukuthi ngingadla ucezu lwesinkwa.