1Sive saka-Efrayimu sabuta Gideyoni, satsi: “Usiphatseleni kanje? Awukasimemi ngani nawuyakulwa nemaMidiyani?” Bamsola kakhulu ngaloko.
2Kodvwa wabaphendvula watsi: “Yini nje lengiyente kahle kwendlula nine? Angitsi sivuno semagelebisi lesikhwinyitwa baka-Efrayimu sincono kakhulu kunesivuno sibili saka-Abiyezeri? 3Nkulunkulu wanikela bo-Orebi naZebi, baholi bemaMidiyani, etandleni tenu. Yini lengikhone kuyenta kwendlula nine?” Ngaloko, kumsola kwabo kwabotja.
Gideyoni utfumba emakhosi akaMidiyani
4Gideyoni nemadvodza akhe langema-300, nome abesadziniwe, kodvwa achubeka acosha emaMidiyani, aze ewelela ngesheya kwemfula iJordane. 5Wakhuluma kulamadvodza aseSukhothi, watsi: “Phanini emabutfo ami kudla; asadziniwe futsi alambile, kantsi ngisachubeka kucosha boZeba naSalmuna, emakhosi emaMidiyani.”
6Kodvwa tindvuna taseSukhothi tatsi: “Senibatfumbile yini boZeba naSalmuna? Kepha singawanikelani kudla lamabutfo akho?”
7Gideyoni wabaphendvula watsi: “Njengobe nisho nje, kuyawutsi Simakadze anganikela boZeba naSalmuna esandleni sami, ngiyawudladlabula imitimba yenu ngemanyeva esiganga nangetinchachabutane.”
8Wesuka lapho wakhuphukela ePheniyeli, nakhona wenta sona leso sicelo, kodvwa nabo bamphendvula njengalaba baseSukhothi. 9Ngako wakhuluma kulamadvodza asePheniyeli, watsi: “Ngiyawutsi nase ngibuya sengincobile ngiwubhidlite lombhoshongo.”
10BoZeba naSalmuna babeseKhakhori kanye nemphi yabo leyayinemadvodza labengaba ti-15 000, bonkhe lababesele emabutfweni etive tangasemphumalanga. Kwase kufe emadvodza lati-120 000, tingwazi cobo lwato. 11Gideyoni wenyuka ngendlela yetihambi emphumalanga yeNoba neJogbeha, watitsela etikwalamabutfo, wona angakacapheli. 12BoZeba naSalmuna, emakhosi lamabili emaMidiyani, babaleka, kodvwa wabacosha, wabakhandza, wabatfumba, wadvungulula yonkhe imphi yabo.
13Gideyoni, umsa waJowashi, wabuya emphini ngeSikhala saseHeresi. 14Wabamba lijaha laseSukhothi waliphenya ngemibuto, lona lase limbhalela emabito etindvuna taseSukhothi labengema-77, lekwakutibondza talelo dolobha. 15Gideyoni weta kulamadvodza aseSukhothi, wafike watsi: “Naba boZeba naSalmuna, lenaningicoloshela ngabo, nitsi: ‘Sewubatfumbile yini boZeba naSalmuna? Pho, singawanikelani kudla lamabutfo akho lasadziniwe?’ ” 16Watsatsa lamadvodza, tibondza telidolobha laseSukhothi, wafundzisa sifundvo ngekuwajezisa ngemanyeva esiganga nangetinchachabutane. 17Waphindze wabhidlita umbhoshongo wasePheniyeli; wabulala nemadvodza alelo dolobha.
18Wabuta boZeba naSalmuna watsi: “Bekubobani lamadvodza lenawabulala eThabori?”
Bamphendvula batsi: “Lamadvodza abefanana nawe ngulowo nalowo abenesimo sebuntfwabenkhosi.”
19Gideyoni wabaphendvula, watsi: “Lawo madvodza bekubomnaketfu, kungemadvodzana amake longitalako. Ngifunga kuphila kwaSimakadze, kube anibabulalanga, nami-ke bengingeke nginibulale.” 20Wagucukela ngakuJetheri, umsa wakhe lomdzala, watsi: “Babulale.” Kodvwa Jetheri akayihoshulanga inkemba yakhe, ngobe abesengumfana futsi esaba.
21BoZeba naSalmuna bakhuluma, batsi: “Kota, kutekwentiwa nguwe matfupha loko; ‘indvodza yindvodza ngemandla ayo.’ ” Ngako Gideyoni wasondzela kubo wababulala, wase utsatsa imihlobiso etintsanyeni temakamela abo.
Leminye imisebenti yaGideyoni
22Ema-Israyeli akhuluma kuGideyoni, atsi: “Sale sewusibusa, wena nemsa wakho nemtukulu wakho, ngobe usisindzise esandleni semaMidiyani.”
23Kodvwa Gideyoni wawatjela watsi: “Ngingeke nginibuse, ngisho nemsa wami imbala. NguSimakadze lotanibusa.” 24Wachubeka watsi: “Kunye lengikucelako, kutsi ngulowo nalowo angiphe licici esabelweni senu semphango.” Bekulisiko lema-Ishmayeli kufaka emacici egolide.
25Ema-Israyeli aphendvula atsi: “Singajabula kukunika wona.” Ngako endlala ingubo, bonkhe bantfu ngulowo nalowo wajika licici kuyo labelitsetse emphangweni yakhe. 26Sisindvo salamacici labewacelile saba ngemakhilogremu labengaba li-19 nemagremu langema-500, ngaphandle kwemihlobiso letinhlobonhlobo netingubo letatibukhwebeletane letatembatfwa ngemakhosi aseMidiyani kanye netingcibe lebetisetintsanyeni temakamela awo. 27Gideyoni wenta sidziya segolide, wasibeka edolobheni lakubo i-Ofra. Onkhe ema-Israyeli eta aphinga ngekukhonta sona; loko kwaba lugibe kuGideyoni kanye nemndeni wakhe.
Kufa kwaGideyoni
28Atfotjiswa kanjalo-ke emaMidiyani ngaphansi kwa-Israyeli, akazange aphindze atiphakamise. Ngesikhatsi saGideyoni ema-Israyeli aba nekuthula iminyaka lengema-40.
29Jerubhali, umsa waJowashi, wabuyela ekhaya kubo. 30Gideyoni abenemadvodzana labengema-70, labetalwa nguye, ngobe abenebafati labanyenti. 31Lesinye singani sakhe, lesasihlala eShekhemu, samtalela indvodzana, layetsa libito watsi ngu-Abimeleki. 32Gideyoni, umsa waJowashi, wafa asakhulile kakhulu ngeminyaka. Wangcwatjwa ethuneni leyise, Jowashi, lelalise-Ofra, kulema-Abiyezeri.
33Wenelela kufa nje Gideyoni, ema-Israyeli aphindze abuyela kuboBhali, aphinga nabo ngekubakhonta. Atimisela Bhali Bherithi, atsi ngunkulunkulu wawo, 34angete amkhumbula Simakadze Nkulunkulu wawo, labewephule etandleni tato tonkhe titsa tawo kuyo yonkhe indzawo. 35Akazange entele umusa emndenini waJerubhali lekwakunguGideyoni, njengako konkhe lokuhle labekwentele wona.
