1 USamuyeli eseluphele wabeka amadodana akhe ukuba ngabahluleli baka-Israyeli. 2 Ibizo lezibulo lakhe lalinguJoweli, ibizo leyesibili lingu-Abhija, njalo ayesebenza eBherishebha. 3 Kodwa amadodana akhe kawahambanga ezindleleni zakhe. Aphambukela eceleni emva kokuthola inzuzo yenkohliso amukela lemfumbathiso, onakalisa lokwahlulela ngemfanelo.

4 Ngakho bonke abadala bako-Israyeli babuthana ndawonye basebesiya kuSamuyeli eRama. 5 Bathi kuye, “Usuluphele, njalo amadodana akho kawahambi ezindleleni zakho, ngakho sibekele inkosi ezasikhokhela, njengezinye izizwe zonke ezilayo.”

6 Kodwa kwathi besithi, “Sinike inkosi ezasikhokhela,” lokhu kwamcunula uSamuyeli; ngakho wakhuleka kuThixo. 7 Njalo uThixo wathi kuye: “Lalela konke lokho abantu abakutshoyo kuwe; akusuwe abamalayo, kodwa bale mina njengeNkosi yabo. 8 Njengalokhu abakwenzayo kusukela ngosuku engabakhupha ngalo eGibhithe kuze kube lamhlanje, bangala bakhonza abanye onkulunkulu, lokhu yikho abakwenzayo kuwe. 9 Ngakho balalele; kodwa ubaxwayise kakhulu njalo ubazise okuzakwenziwa kubo yinkosi ezababusa.”

10 USamuyeli wabatshela wonke amazwi kaThixo abantu ababecela inkosi kuye. 11 Wathi, “Nanku okuzakwenziwa yinkosi ezalibusa: Izathatha amadodana enu iwasebenzise lezinqola zayo zempi lamabhiza, njalo azagijima phambi kwezinqola zayo zempi. 12 Amanye uzawenza abe ngabalawuli bezinkulungwane labalawuli bamatshumi amahlanu; njalo amanye azalima amasimu ayo avune kanye lamabele ayo, amanye njalo azakwenza izikhali zayo zempi kanye lempahla zezinqola zayo zempi. 13 Izathatha amadodakazi enu ukuba abe ngabenzi bamakha labapheki kanye labapheki bezinkwa. 14 Izathatha amasimu enu avundileyo lezivini kanye lezivande zama-oliva ikunike izinceku zayo. 15 Izathatha okwetshumi emabeleni enu lokwesivuno samavini ikunike izikhulu zayo. 16 Izisebenzi zenu ezesilisa lezesifazane lenkomo zenu ezinhle kanye labobabhemi izakuthatha ikusebenzise. 17 Izathatha okwetshumi emihlambini yenu njalo lina ngokwenu lizakuba yizigqili zayo. 18 Nxa lolosuku selufikile lizakhalela ukukhululwa enkosini eliyikhethileyo, kodwa uThixo kayikuliphendula ngalolosuku.”

19 Kodwa abantu bala ukumlalela uSamuyeli. Bathi, “Hatshi! Sifuna inkosi ezasibusa. 20 Lapho-ke sizakuba njengezinye izizwe zonke, silenkosi esikhokhelayo njalo ihambe phambi kwethu ilwe izimpi zethu.”

21 Kwathi uSamuyeli esekuzwile konke okwakutshiwo ngabantu, wakubika kuThixo. 22 Uthixo waphendula wathi, “Lalela ilizwi labo ubaphe inkosi.”

USamuyeli wasesithi ebantwini bako-Israyeli, “Umuntu wonke kabuyele emzini wakibo.”