Eyokuqala EkaSamuyeli
3 USamuyeli waqhubeka esenzela uJehova inkonzo engcwele+ ngaphansi kuka-Eli. Kodwa ilizwi elivela kuJehova lalingandanga ngalezonsuku futhi lemibono+ yayingasajayelekanga.
2 Ngalesosikhathi amehlo ka-Eli ayesefiphele futhi engasenelisi ukubona.+ Ngelinye ilanga wayelele endaweni yakhe, 3 njalo isibane sikaNkulunkulu+ sasingakacitshwa, uSamuyeli yena wayelele ethempelini*+ likaJehova lapho okwakulebhokisi likaNkulunkulu khona. 4 UJehova wabiza uSamuyeli, yena wasabela wathi: “Ngilapha.” 5 Wagijima waya ku-Eli wafika wathi: “Sengibuyile, ngizwe ungibiza.” Kodwa yena wathi kuye: “Angizange ngikubize, buyela uyelala.” Ngakho wabuyela wayalala. 6 UJehova waphinda wabiza wathi: “Samuyeli!” USamuyeli wasevuka waya ku-Eli wafika wathi: “Sengibuyile, ngizwe ungibiza.” Kodwa yena wathi: “Angizange ngikubize ndodana yami, buyela uyelala.” 7 (Ngalesosikhathi uSamuyeli wayengakamazi uJehova njalo ilizwi likaJehova lalingakaze lifike kuye.)+ 8 Ngakho uJehova wambiza futhi okwesithathu wathi: “Samuyeli!” USamuyeli wavuka waya ku-Eli wafika wathi: “Sengibuyile, ngizwe ungibiza.”
U-Eli wasenanzelela ukuthi uJehova nguye owayebiza umfana. 9 Yikho wathi kuSamuyeli: “Buyela uyelala. Nxa engakubiza kumele uthi, ‘Khuluma Jehova, inceku yakho ilalele.’” USamuyeli wasesuka wayalala endaweni yakhe.
10 UJehova wabuya wazokuma khonapho, wasembiza ngendlela ayembize ngayo kuqala wathi: “Samuyeli! Samuyeli!” USamuyeli uthe esizwa lokhu wathi: “Khuluma, inceku yakho ilalele.” 11 UJehova wasesithi kuSamuyeli: “Lalela! Kulento engizayenza ko-Israyeli ezakwenza indlebe zaloba ngubani oyizwayo zincencethe.+ 12 Ngalelolanga ngizakwenza konke engathi ngizakwenza ku-Eli lasemulini yakhe, kusukela kokokuqala kusiya kokokucina.+ 13 Umtshele ukuthi imuli yakhe ngizayijezisa kokuphela ngenxa yesono asaziyo.+ Amadodana akhe athuka uNkulunkulu+ kodwa yena kawakhuzi.+ 14 Yikho ngifungile kwabemuli ka-Eli ngathi isono sabo ngeke sihlawulelwe ngemihlatshelo loba ngeminikelo.”+
15 USamuyeli walala kwaze kwaba sekuseni, wasevuka wavula iminyango yendlu kaJehova. Kodwa wayesesaba ukutshela u-Eli umbono ayewubonile. 16 Ngakho u-Eli wambiza uSamuyeli wathi: “Samuyeli ndodana yami!” Yena waphendula wathi: “Ngilapha.” 17 Wabuza wathi: “Utheni kuwe? Ngicela ungangifihleli lutho. UNkulunkulu kakujezise kakhulu nxa ungangifihlela lokukodwa nje ezintweni zonke akutshele zona.” 18 Yikho-ke uSamuyeli wamtshela konke, kazange afihle lokukodwa. U-Eli wasesithi: “Kukhulume uJehova, kenze lokho akubona kukuhle.”
19 USamuyeli waqhubeka ekhula njalo uJehova wayelaye.+ Kazange avumele lelilodwa ilizwi ayelikhulumile ukuthi lingagcwaliseki.* 20 Bonke abako-Israyeli kusukela koDani kuze kuyefika eBheri-shebha bakwazi ukuthi uSamuyeli wayesebekwe ukuba ngumphrofethi kaJehova. 21 UJehova waqhubeka ebonakala eShilo. UJehova waziveza kuSamuyeli eShilo njalo uSamuyeli wayesamukela ilizwi elivela kuJehova.+