1Izizwe uSomnini azilisa kobana azizinye ngazo ama-Israyeli, okutjho lawo ebegade anganalwazi lepi eKanana 2nokuwafundisa ukwazi ipi njengombana bekangazange akhe ayibone ngaphambilini, ngilezi: 3ababusi abahlanu beemfunda zamaFilista, woke amaKanana, amaTsidoni namaRhivi ebekahlala entabeni iLibhanoni, ukusuka entabeni eBhali-Rherimoni ukuyokufika eLebo-Rhamathi. 4Izizwezo uSomnini bekazizinya ngazo ama-Israyeli ukubona bonyana azakulalela imiyalwakhe ayala ngayo aboyise ngoMosi na. 5Yeke ama-Israyeli ahlala phakathi kwamaKanana, amaRhithi, ama-Amori, amaPerizi, amaRhivi namaJebusi. 6Kodwana athatha amadodakazi wezizwezo njengabafazi bawo begodu anikela amadodana wezizwezo amadodakazawo bona abe bafazi bawo. Alotjha abosingazimu bezizwezo.
U-Otiniyeli, u-Ehudi noTjhamgari
7Ama-Israyeli enza ubumbi phambi kwakaSomnini, akhohlwa uSomnini uZimawo, alotjha aboBhali nabo-Atjhera. 8Ngalokho itukuthelo kaSomnini yavutha phezu kwama-Israyeli, wawathengisa ezandleni zakaKutjhana-Ritjhatayimu ikosi ye-Aramu-Naharayimu, asebenzela uKutjhana-Ritjhatayimu iminyaka ebunane. 9Kodwana kwathi lokha ama-Israyeli nalilela uSomnini, uSomnini wawavusela umsindisi owawasindisako, ongu-Otiniyeli umsa kaKhenazi, umfowabo omncani kaKalebi. 10UMoya kaSomnini wehlela phezu kwakhe, wakhokhela u-Israyeli. Waphuma ipi, uSomnini wanikela uKutjhana-Ritjhatayimu ikosi ye-Aramu esandleni sakhe. Wahlula uKutjhana-Ritjhatayimu ngokumeyisa. 11Inarha yaba nokuthula iminyaka ematjhumi amane. U-Otiniyeli umsa kaKhenazi wahlongakala.
12Godu ama-Israyeli enza ubumbi phambi kwakaSomnini. USomnini waqinisa u-Egiloni ikosi yakwaMowabi bona alwe nama-Israyeli ngombana enza ubumbi phambi kwakhe. 13U-Egiloni wabuthelela kuye ama-Amoni nama-Amalekhi, waphuma wayokulwa nama-Israyeli, wawahlula. Bathumba idorobho lamasundu. 14Ama-Israyeli asebenzela u-Egiloni ikosi yakwaMowabi iminyaka elitjhumi nabunane. 15Kodwana kwathi lokha ama-Israyeli nalilela uSomnini, uSomnini wawavusela umsindisi, u-Ehudi umsa kaGera wakwaBhenjamini. U-Ehudi loyo gade asincele. Ama-Israyeli athumela isibiko ku-Egiloni ikosi yakwaMowabi ngo-Ehudi. 16U-Ehudi wazenzela isabulana ebukhali mahlangothi woke nengaba masentimitha amatjhumi amathathu ubude, wayibophelela enyongenakhe yangesigomeni ngaphakathi kwezambatho zakhe. 17Waletha isibiko ku-Egiloni ikosi yakwaMowabi. U-Egiloni lo kwakuyindoda ezimuke khulu. 18Kwathi bona u-Ehudi aqede ukwethula isibiko, wajika nabantu ebebathwele isibikweso. 19Kodwana yena wathi nafika ematjeni aseGiligali wabuyela emuva wafese wathi ku-Egiloni: “Nginomlayezwakho oyifihlo, kosi.”
U-Egiloni wathi ku-Ehudi: “Akhe uyibambe kancani!” Nje-ke wayala iinsebenzi zakhe bona zimrhaduke. 20Njengombana u-Egiloni gade azipholele ngelawini lakhe elipholileko elingaphezulu, u-Ehudi watjhidela kuye wathi: “Nginomlayezwakho obuya kuZimu.”
Wasikima lapha gade ahlezi khona. 21U-Ehudi welula isandla sakhe sesincele wakhupha isabulana enyongakhe yangesigomeni wahlaba ngayo u-Egiloni esiswini. 22Kwangena ngitjho nesibambo sesabulana esiswini, yacwila emafutheni. U-Ehudi azange akhuphe isabulana esiswini saka-Egiloni kodwana waphuma ngentunja, 23ngemva kobana avale iminyango yakhona wayilodlhela. Waphuma hlangana neensika zesigodlo.
24Ngemva kobana akhambe, iinsebenzi zaka-Egiloni zafika. Kuthe nazibona iminyango yelawu elingaphezulu ilodlhelwe zadlumbana zathi: “Awa, usazibangula ngelawini lakhe elipholileko.” 25Zalinda bezaphela amandla. Kwathi nakubonakala angavuli iminyango yelawu elingaphezulu zathatha isilodlhelo zayivula. Zafumana ikosazo idindilizile.
26U-Ehudi waphunyurha lokha iinsebenzezo nazisadidizelako, wadlula hlangana namatje aseGiligali wabalekela eSeyira. 27Kwathi nafikako wavuthela ipalapala ngeentatjaneni zakwa-Efrayimu. Ama-Israyeli asuka ngeentatjanenapho ehla naye, yena wakhamba phambi kwawo. 28Wathi kiwo: “Ngilandelani ngombana uSomnini unikele izitha zenu, amaMowabi, ezandleni zenu.” Ngambala amlandela, avimbezela amazibuko weJoridani ukuyela ngakwaMowabi. Azange avumela abantu ukudlula lapho. 29Ngesikhatheso abulala amaMowabi angaba ziinkulungwana ezilitjhumi. Woke njalo bekumadoda wepi ondlekileko kodwana azange kusinde nayinye. 30Yeke mhlokho amaMowabi eyiswa ma-Israyeli. Inarha yaba nokuthula iminyaka ematjhumi abunane.
31U-Ehudi welanywa nguTjhamgari umsa ka-Anathi, owabulala amaFilista amakhulu asithandathu ngetlobo yokutlhorholoja iinkabi. Naye wasindisa ama-Israyeli.
