Ama-Israyeli amlahla godu uJehova, athoma ukulotjha abozimu bamala. Ngesikhathi ama-Amoni ahlasela ama-Israyeli, abozimu bawo bamala akhenge babasize. Ama-Israyeli adosa emhlweni iminyaka eminengi. Emaswapheleni, ama-Israyeli athi: ‘Sonile. Sibawa usisindise esandleni samanabethu.’ Ama-Israyeli alahla abozimu bamala labo, athoma ukulotjha uJehova godu. UJehova bekangasafuni ukuwabona atlhagile.

UJafta, indoda yepi, wakhethwa bona arhole ama-Israyeli nawayokulwa nama-Amoni. Wathi kuJehova: ‘Nawungasisiza siphumelele epini le, ngiyakuthembisa bona nangibuya ukuyokuhlula ama-Amoni, ngizokunikela umuntu wokuthoma ozokuza kimi angihlangabeze.’ UJehova wawulalela umthandazo kaJafta begodu wamsiza wathumba epini.

UJafta nakabuyela ekhaya, umuntu wokuthoma ozomhlangabeza bekuyindodakazakhe, okunguye yedwa umntwana ngakwabo. Beyigida ngabosotjherere, ithabile. Bekazokwenza njani uJafta? Wakhumbula isithembiso sakhe, wathi: ‘Mntazanami uyiphulile ihliziywami. Ngenze isithembiso kuJehova. Nje-ke ukuze sizaliseke, kuzokufuze nginikele ngawe uyokulotjha ethaberinakeli eTjhilo.’ Indodakazakhe yathi kuye: ‘Baba, nangabe wenze isithembiso kuJehova, kufuze usizalise. Ngibawa iinyanga ezimbili kwaphela ngiyokuhlala nabangani bami entabeni. Ngemva kwalokho ngizakukhamba.’ Indodakazi kaJafta yalotjha ngokuthembeka ethaberinakeli ukuphila kwayo koke. Qobe mnyaka, abangani bayo bebaya eTjhilo bayoyivakatjhela.

UmPhristi oPhakemeko u-Eli bekanamadodana amabili ebekabaphristi ethaberinakeli. Amagamabo bekunguHofni noFiniyasi. Akhenge balalele umthetho kaJehova begodu bebaphatha abantu kumbi. Bekuthi ama-Israyeli nakaletha umnikelo kuJehova, uHofni noFiniyasi bazithathele amaqatha wenyama amahle kube ngewabo. U-Eli wezwa ngalokho ebekwenziwa madodanakhe kodwana akhenge azitshwenye ngakho. Kghani uJehova naye bekazokweqisela amehlo akulise kurage?

Nanyana uSamyela bekamncani kunoHofni noFiniyasi, yena azange abalingise. UJehova bekathokoza ngoSamyela. Kwathi ngobunye ubusuku alele, uSamyela wezwa ilizwi libiza igama lakhe. Wavuka, wagijimela ku-Eli, wathi kuye: ‘Ngizwe ungibiza, ngilapha!’ Kodwana u-Eli wathi: ‘Akhenge ngikubize. Khamba uyokulala.’ USamyela wabuyela walala. Kwenzeka kathathu. Nakezwa ilizwi kwesithathu, u-Eli walemuka bona nguJehova obiza uSamyela. Watjela uSamyela ukuthi nakezwa ilizwi godu kufuze athi: ‘Khuluma Jehova. Incekwakho ilalele.’

USamyela wakhamba wayokulala godu. Nakusesenjalo, wezwa ilizwi lithi: ‘Samyela! Samyela!’ Waphendula: ‘Khuluma, ngombana incekwakho ilalele.’ UJehova wathi kuye: ‘Tjela u-Eli bona ngizokwahlulela yena nendlwakhe. Uyazi ukuthi amadodanakhe enzani ethaberinakeli kodwana yena akenzi litho ngalokho.’ Ekuseni elangeni elilandelako uSamyela wavula iminyango yethaberinakeli njengombana ahlala enza. Bekasaba ukutjela umphristi ophakemeko lokho uJehova amtjele khona. Kodwana u-Eli wambiza wambuza: ‘Ndodanami, uJehova utheni kuwe? Ngitjela koke.’ Yeke uSamyela watjela u-Eli koke.

Njengombana uSamyela akhula, uJehova waraga nokuba naye. Kiyo yoke indawo, ama-Israyeli bekazi ukuthi uJehova ukhethe uSamyela bona abe mphorofidi begodu ahlulele nokwahlulela.