¹ Apa aki ya Yehova inali muziko ya ma Philistini kwa myezi seveni. ² Manje banthu wa mutundu wama Philistini wanayitanisa ansembe na wowombeza ; anati kwa weve , ''Tifunika tichite bwanji na aki ya Mulungu ? Tiuzeni mwamene tizatumizila poyibweza kumbuyo kuziko kwawo.'' ³ Ansembe na wowombeza anati , '' Ngati muzabweza aki ya Mulungu wa Israeli , osayitumiza palibe chopeleka ; munjira iliyonse mutumizileni chopeleka chovemekeza kulakwa . Chokonkhapo muzachilisidwa , ndipo muzaziwa nichi fukwa chanji sanalekeze kuku menyani imwe mpaka namanje.'' ⁴ Apo wanakamba kuti , '' Tipeleke mtundu wabwanji wa chopeleka chovomelela kulakwa kwathu pomubwezela ?'' Anayankha kuti , '' Mabola fayivi yagolide , tumbewa towumbiwa na golide tuli fayivi , fayivi inkhare namba yamene iyimilila ma fumu yachi Philistini pakuti naweve wali fayivi . Chifukwa matenda yamozi na yamozi yapalana yonakudwalisani imwena asogoleli wanu. ⁵ Chomcho mufunika kupanga vopalanisako ku vovimba vovimba vanu, navopalanisilako tunyama twanu twamene tumaononga aya malo yanu , nakupeleka ulemelelo kwa Mulungu wa Israeli . Kapena azanyamula wakuchosapo kwanja kwa chilango pali imwe ; pa milungu yanu , na kuchoka mu yano malo yanu. ⁶ Nichifukwa chani imwe mufuna kukosesa mitima yanu , monga a Egypito na Farawo wanalimbisa mitima yawo ? Ndiye pamene Mulungu wa Israeli ana anachita nawo mwankhanza maningi; kodi a Egypiti sanawa pitikise wanthu ndipo wana choka? ⁷ Apa manje , konzani chikochikale cha nyowani na ng'ombe ziwili zikazi zonyansha wana zamene zikalibe kumangiwapo kale. Mangani izi ng'ombe pa chikochikale , koma pelekani tuwana twake kunyumba kutali na mai wake. ⁸ Chokonkhapo mutenge aki ya Yehova nakuyika muchikochi. Ikani vowumba vagolide vovomelela mulandu vamene mumubwezela , mu bokosi kumbali imozi pa fupi na aki ya Yehova . Ndipo muyitumize nakuyilekelela iyende kwao. ⁹ Pambuyo pake mulindilile; ngati izayenda kukwezeka mpaka kuziko kwawo ku Bethi shemeshi , nishi ni Yehova wamene anakwanilisa kuchita ichi chionongeko koma ngati iyayi , ndiye pamene tizaziwa kuti sikwanja yake yamene inatipasa chilango kuti chinango tichitikila chabe mwangozi yotipezekeza.'' ¹⁰ Waja amuna anachita monga mwamene anawauzila . Anatenga ng'ombe ziwili zonyonsha , nakuzimanga pa chikochikale, nakusunga tuwana twake kunyumba. ¹¹ Anayika aki ya Yehova muchikochi , pamozi na bokosi yamene muna mbewa zowumbiwa na golide na vowumba vama bola va golide. ¹² Ng'ombe zinayenda steleti molungama njira yaku Bethi Shemeshi . Zinayenda mokonkha njila imozi yikulu , apo zinali kulila modandaula pamene ziyenda , ndipo sizinali kukonekela munsanga kuyenda kurayiti kapena kumalefuti. Azisogoleli ama Philistini anali kukonkha muwambuyo mpaka ku Bethi Shemeshi. ¹³ Iyi nthawi wanthu waku Bethi Shemeshi wanali kuchosa wheati mu malo yakufupi na manzi . Pamene ananyamula menso yawo nakuwona aki ya Yehova anasangalala. ¹⁴ Chija chikochi chinafika popitila mumunda mwa Yoswa wochokela ku tawuni ya Bethi Shemeshi na kuyimilila pamene paja . Penze chimwala chikulu maningi pamene apo , ndipo waja wanthu wanapandula mapulanga wakuchikochikale , na kupoleka zija ng'ombe monga usembe yo shoka kwa Yehova . ¹⁵ Alevi anaselusa pansi aki ya Yehova na bokosi yamene yenze pamozi nayo, mwamene munali zisauzo zagolide , nakuviyika pachimwala chikulu . Amuna aku Bethi Shemeshi anapeleka chopeleka choshoka namulilo nakupeleka nsemb siku yamene iyo kwa Yehova. ¹⁶ Pamene azisogoleli ali fayivi wana Philistini anawona ichi , wanabwerela yamene iyi siku ku Ekironi. ¹⁷ Ivi nivovimba va golide vamene ma Philisti anabweza kuvipanga chopeleka chovomelela mulandu kwa Yehova chimozi chaku Ashdodi , chimozi cha ku Gaza , chimozi chaku Ashkeloni , chimozi chaku Gathi , na chimozi chaku Ekroni. ¹⁸ Mbewa zangolide zinali zolingana mu namba monga nichiwelengelo cha mizinda yonse ya ma Philisti yenze yama fumu osogolela , pawili ponse, mizinda yo chinjilizidwa na minzi yamene yanali musanga . Chimwala chikulu chamene wanankhazikapo aki ya Mulungu , chinankhalilila nimboni mpaka siku yalelo mumunda mwa Yoswa mu Bethishemayiti. ¹⁹ Mulungu anawayamba kuwamenya wanthu wenangu waku Beth Shemeshi chifukwa anayang'ana mu chombo cha Yehova . Anapayapo fifite sauzande na sevente amuna . Wanthu analila chifukwa Yehova anawapasa nkhonya ikulu maningi . M'malo mwa wanthu 50,070 amuna , zinabwela zalembewa pasogolo pake na mamasulidwe yamakono , yama lembewa kuti sevente amuna. ²⁰ Wanthu waku Beth Shemeshi banati, ''Ndani wamene akwanisa kuyimilila pa menso pa Yehova , uyu mulungu woyela ? Aki ya Mulungu izayenda kuli ndani ikachoka kuli ise?'' ²¹ Anatuma anthenge ku wanthu wankhala ku kinathi Jearimu, '' kunena kuti .'' A Philisti wabwelesa aki ya Yehova ; selukani mubwele muyinyamule muyibweze kwanu . ''