IINKOKHELI 12

₁Ke wona amaEfrayim axhobela imfazwe, aza aphuma aya eZafoni, afika athi kuJefta: “Bekungani ukuba ungasibizi thina xa usiya kulwa nama-Amon? Uyabona ke ngoku siza kuyitshisa indlu yakho wena uphakathi kuyo!”

₂UJefta waphendula wathi: “Hayi kaloku, thina nabantu bam sasuka saxabana nama-Amon, saza sathi sakunibiza ukuba nize kusihlangula nasuka anasabela. ₃Ndithe ke ndakuqonda ukuba anizi, ndasuka ndazilahlela, ndawuwela umda, ndaya kulwa, waza ke *uNdikhoyo wawanikela ezandleni zam. Ngani ukuba ngoku nina nifune kum?”

₄Ke uJefta wawaqokelela amaGiliyadi, walwa nawo amaEfrayim, wawoyisa. (AmaEfrayim ke athi: “Nina maGiliyadi niziimbacu eziphuma kwaEfrayim nakwaManase.”) ₅Ke kaloku amaGiliyadi avingca amazibuko eJordan, khon' ukuze amaEfrayim angaweli asabe. Kuthe ke, yakufika imbacu yakwaEfrayim, isithi kumaGiliyadi: “Khanindivumele ndiwele,” ayibuze athi: “Akunguye kodwa umEfrayim?” Ukuba iphendule yathi: “Hayi,” ₆amaGiliyadi ayesithi kuye: “Khawuthi: ‘Shibholethi.’ ” Ukuba ungumEfrayim ebesuka angakwazi ukulibiza eli gama, koko athi: “Sibholethi.” Ayesuka amtsibele umntu lowo, ambulale apho ezibukweni leJordan. Ngelo thuba ke kwabulawa amaEfrayim angamashumi amane anambini amawaka.

₇Yaba yiminyaka emithandathu uJefta eyinkokheli kwaSirayeli, waza ke wasweleka, wafihlwa ekhayeni lakhe eGiliyadi.

₈Emva koJefta uIbzan waseBhetelehem waba yinkokheli kwaSirayeli. ₉Wayenoonyana abangamashumi amathathu neentombi ezikwangako. Iintombi zakhe wazendisela kwezinye izizwe; waza ngokunjalo noonyana bakhe wabathathela iintombi kwezinye izizwe. Wayeyinkokheli kwaSirayeli iminyaka esixhenxe uIbzan, ₁₀waza ke wasweleka wangcwatywa eBhetelehem.

₁₁Emva koIbzan uElon wakwaZebhulon waba yinkokheli kwaSirayeli iminyaka elishumi. ₁₂Uthe ke akubhubha wangcwatywa eAyalon kwaZebhulon.

₁₃Emva koElon ke nguAbdon unyana kaHileli wasePiraton owaba yinkokheli kwaSirayeli. ₁₄Yena ke wayenoonyana abamashumi mane nabazukulwana abangoonyana abamashumi mathathu; babekhwele iidonki ezimashumi asixhenxe. Ke uAbdon waba yinkokheli kwaSirayeli iminyaka esibhozo. ₁₅Uthe ke akusweleka wangcwatyelwa ePiraton kummandla kaEfrayim kweleentaba lama-Amaleki.