1. Eza amadoda aseKiriyati-yeharim, ayinyusa ityeya kaYehova, ayizisa endlwini ka-Abhinadabhi, endulini, angcwalisa uElazare, unyana wakhe, ukuba ayigcine ityeya kaYehova.
2. Kwathi, ihleli eKiriyati-yeharim apho ityeya, zanda iintsuku, zayiminyaka emashumi mabini; yamlandela uYehova ngesimema yonke indlu kaSirayeli.
3. Wathi ke uSamuweli kwindlu yonke kaSirayeli, Ukuba nibuyela kuYehova ngentliziyo yenu yonke, basusenl ke phakathi kwenu oothixo bolunye uhianga nooAshtaroti,* nizimise iintliziyo zenu kuYehova, nikhonze yena yedwa: wonihlangula ke esandleni samaFilisti.
4. Oonyana bakaSirayeli babasusa ke ooBhahali* nooAshtaroti, bakhonza uYehova yedwa.
5. Wathi uSamuweli, Wahlanganiseleni eMizpa onke amaSirayeli, ndinithandazele kuYehova.
6. Ahlanganiselana eMizpa, akha amanzi, awaphalaza phambi koYehova, azila ukudla ngaloo mini, athi khona, Sonile kuYehova. Wabalawula uSamuweli oonyana bakaSirayeli eMizpa.
7. Eva amaFilisti ukuba oonyana bakaSirayeli bahlanganiselene eMizpa, zenyuka izikhulu zamaFilisti, zawaphumela amaSirayeli. Beva oonyana bakaSirayeli, bawoyika amaFilisti.
8. Bathi oonyana bakaSirayeli kuSamuweli, Musa ukuyeka ukusikhalela kuYehova uThixo wethu, asisindise esandleni samaFilisti.
9. USamuweli wathabatha itakane elanyayo, walinyusa lalidini elinyukayo lonke liphela kuYehova. Wakhala uSamuweli kuYehova ngenxa yamaSirayeli; uYehova wamphendula.
10. Kwathi, xa uSamuweli alinyusayo idini elinyukayo, amaFilisti asondela, esiza kulwa namaSirayeli. UYehova wadudumisa ngezwi elikhulu loo mini kumaFilisti, wawaqungaqunga; abulawa phambi kwamaSirayeli.
11. Aphuma amadoda akwaSirayeli eMizpa, awasukela amaFilisti, awabulala, esa phantsi kweBhetekare.
12. USamuweli wathabatha ilitye, walimisa phakathi kweMizpa neShen, wathi igama lalo yiEbhenezere;* wathi, Kude kwaba lapha uYehova esinceda.
13. Athotywa ke amaFilisti, akaba saphinda eze emdeni wakwaSirayeli; sachasana namaFilisti isandla sikaYehova yonke imihla kaSamuweli.
14. Yabuyiselwa kumaSirayeli imizi leyo abeyithimbile amaFilisti kumaSirayeli, ithabathela e-Ekron yesa eGati; nemida yayo ayihlangula amaSirayeli esandleni samaFilisti. Laxola ke phakathi kwamaSirayeli nama-Amori.
15. USamuweli waye engumlawuli kumaSirayeli yonke imihla yobomi bakhe;
16. ehamba iminyaka ngeminyaka, ejikeleza eBheteli, naseGiligali, naseMizpa, ewalawula amaSirayeli kwezo ndawo zonke;
17. ebuyela eRama, ngokuba yayikhona indlu yakhe. Wawalawula nakhona amaSirayeli, wákha isibingelelo kuYehova khona.