1 Abako-Israyeli benza okubi njalo emehlweni kaThixo, ngakho uThixo wabanikela ezandleni zamaFilistiya okweminyaka engamatshumi amane.

2 Umuntu othile waseZora, owayethiwa nguManowa, owosendo lwakoDani, wayelomfazi owayeyinyumba engelamntwana. 3 Ingilosi kaThixo yabonakala kuye yathi, “Uyinyumba kawulamntwana, kodwa uzathatha isisu ube lendodana. 4 Ngakho nanzelela ukuthi kawunathi wayini loba okunye okunathwayo okulemvubelo kanye lokuthi ungadli ukudla okungcolileyo, 5 ngoba uzathatha isisu uzale indodana. Akungabi lempuco ezasetshenziswa ekhanda layo, ngoba umfana uzakuba ngumNaziri, owahlukaniselwe uNkulunkulu kusukela ekuzalweni, njalo uzakukhulula abako-Israyeli ezandleni zamaFilistiya.”

6 Emva kwalokho owesifazane lowo waya kumkakhe wamtshela wathi, “Kufike umuntu kaNkulunkulu kimi. Ubefana lengilosi kaNkulunkulu, esesabeka kakhulu. Angimbuzanga ukuthi ubevela ngaphi, njalo laye kangitshelanga ibizo lakhe. 7 Kodwa uthe kimi, ‘Uzathatha isisu uzale indodana. Ngakho-ke unganathi iwayini loba okunye okunathwayo okulemvubelo, njalo ungadli lutho olungcolileyo, ngoba umfana uzakuba ngumNaziri kaNkulunkulu kusukela ekuzalweni kuze kube lusuku lokufa kwakhe.’ ”

8 UManowa wasekhuleka kuThixo esithi, “Awu Nkosi, ngiyakucela, umuntu kaNkulunkulu omthumileyo kabuye futhi azesifundisa ukuthi umfana ozazalwa wondliwa njani.”

9 UNkulunkulu wamuzwa uManowa, ingilosi kaNkulunkulu yafika njalo kowesifazane lowo esegangeni; kodwa umkakhe uManowa wayengekho. 10 Owesifazane lowo wagijima wayatshela umkakhe wathi, “Ukhona lapha! Umuntu engimbone mhlalokhuyana!”

11 UManowa wasuka walandela umkakhe. Esefikile kulowomuntu, wathi, “Unguwe yini lowo owakhuluma lomkami?”

Yena wathi, “Nginguye.”

12 Ngakho uManowa wambuza wathi, “Lapho amazwi akho esegcwalisekile, umfana kuzamele aphile njani njalo lomsebenzi wakhe uzakuba ngowani?”

13 Ingilosi kaThixo yaphendula yathi, “Umkakho kumele enze konke engimtshele khona. 14 Kangadli lutho oluvela evinini, loba anathe iwayini loba okunye okunathwayo okulemvubelo loba adle ukudla okungcolileyo. Kumele enze konke engimlaye khona.”

15 UManowa wathi engilosini kaThixo, “Sifuna ukuba uhlale size sikuhlabele izinyane lembuzi.”

16 Ingilosi kaThixo yaphendula yathi, “Loba lingangibamba ngamandla ukuba ngihlale, angiyikukudla ukudla kwenu. Kodwa nxa lilungisa umnikelo wokutshiswa, unikeleni kuThixo.” (UManowa kananzelelanga ukuthi kwakuyingilosi kaThixo.)

17 UManowa waseyibuza ingilosi kaThixo esithi, “Ungubani ibizo lakho, ukuze sikubonge lapho ilizwi lakho seligcwalisekile?”

18 Yaphendula yathi, “Kungani ungibuza ibizo lami? Kaliqedisiseki.” 19 Lapho-ke uManowa wathatha izinyane lembuzi, ndawonye lomnikelo wamabele wakunikela kuThixo phezu kwedwala. Njalo uThixo wenza into emangalisayo uManowa lomkakhe bekhangele: 20 Kwathi ilangabi libhebha lisuka e-alithareni lisiya ezulwini, ingilosi kaThixo yenyukela phezulu iphakathi kwelangabi. Bebona lokhu uManowa lomkakhe bathi mbo phansi ngobuso. 21 Kwathi ingilosi kaThixo ingasazibonakalisanga futhi kuManowa lomkakhe, uManowa wananzelela ukuthi kwakuyingilosi kaThixo.

22 Wasesithi kumkakhe, “Silahliwe, sizakufa. Sibone uNkulunkulu!”

23 Kodwa umkakhe waphendula wathi, “Aluba uThixo ubeqonde ukusibulala, ubengasoze amukele umnikelo wokutshiswa lomnikelo wamabele ezandleni zethu, loba asitshengise zonke lezizinto kumbe asitshele lokhu asitshele khona.”

24 Owesifazane wazala umfana wamuthi nguSamsoni. Wakhula loThixo wambusisa, 25 loMoya kaThixo waqala ukuqubuka phakathi kwakhe eseseMahane Dani, phakathi kweZora le-Eshithawoli.