3. Ukufika kwawo ekampini amajoni asindileyo edabini akhuza amadoda amakhulu, athi: “Ngani ukuba namhlanje *uNdikhoyo asiyekele siswantsuliswe ngamaFilistiya? Masiye kuphuthuma ityesi yomnqophiso kaNdikhoyo eShilo, ibe lapha phakathi kwethu, khon' ukuze isisindise esandleni seentshaba zethu.”
4. Kwathunywa izigidimi eShilo ukuba ziye kuphuthuma ityesi yomnqophiso kaNdikhoyo onamandla onke, yena ongqongwe *zizithunywa ezimaphiko. Kweza noonyana bakaEli uHofeni noPineyasi, bekhapha ityesi yomnqophiso.
5. Atsho ngentlokomakazi enkulu amaSirayeli ukufika kwetyesi yomnqophiso kaNdikhoyo ekampini, watsho wanyikima umhlaba!
6. Athi akuyiva loo ntswahla amaFilistiya, athi: “Yeyantoni na le ntsholo ingaka ekampini yamaSirayeli?” Athe akuva ukuba kufike ityesi kaNdikhoyo ekampini yamaSirayeli,
7. ankwantya kukoyika amaFilistiya, esithi: “Kufike uThixo ekampini yamaSirayeli! Yehaa! Ayizange ibekho into enjengale ngaphambili!
8. Sifile thina! Yaz'ba sosinda kanjani na esandleni salo Thixo unamandla? Asinguye na owabatshabalalisela entlango ngezibetho amaJiputa?
9. Yomelelani, maFilistiya! Yibani ngamadoda, hleze nathi sibe zizicaka zamaSirayeli kanye njengoko nawo ayezizicaka zethu! Kuf' ayayo, madoda!”
10. Alwa ke amaFilistiya, awaswantsulisa amaSirayeli, aya kutshona ngezindlu zawo. Kwajub' ugodo kwelo dabi, kwawa amashumi amathathu amawaka amajoni akwaSirayeli.
11. Yathinjwa ngamaFilistiya ityesi yomnqophiso kaThixo, oonyana bakaEli uHofeni noPineyasi basala apho itshoba lilel' umbethe.
12. Kwabakho mfo uthile wakwaBhenjamin owaxhina ukusuka edabini, waya kugaleleka eShilo kwangaloo mini. Izambatho zakhe zazikrazukile, intloko izele luthuli.
13. Ukufika kwaloo mfo uEli wayehleli ecaleni kwendlela, ejonge enkalweni, exhalele ityesi yomnqophiso. Loo ndoda yaziphalaza esixekweni ezo ndaba zimbi, kothuka wonke umntu, yaba sisikhalo sodwa.
14. Akusiva eso sijwili uEli wabuza wathi: “Yintoni unobangela wale ngxolo?” Loo ndoda yakhawuleza yaya kuEli. (
15. Wayeselemashumi alithoba nesibhozo ubudala uEli, selephants' ukuba yimpumputhela yexhego.)