IINKOKHELI 3

₁*UNdikhoyo washiya izizwe ezithile ukuze zibe luvavanyo kumaSirayeli awayengekangeni ezimfazweni kwelaseKanana. ₂Le nto ke wayenza kuba efuna ukuzifundisa ngemfazwe zonke izizukulwana zamaSirayeli ezivelayo, ngakumbi ke ezo zazingazange zibe semadabini ngaphambili. ₃Iintlanga ezasala kwelo lizwe ke yaba ngamaFilistiya neenkosi zawo ezintlanu, namaKanana ephela, namaSidon, namaHivi awayehlala kwiintaba zeLebhanon ukusuka kwintaba iBhali-hermon ukuya kuthi xhaxhe ngenkalo yeHamati. ₄Zashiyelwa ukuba kuvavanywe amaSirayeli, khon' ukuze acace ukuba azimisele na ukuyithobela imimiselo eyanikezelwa nguNdikhoyo kookhokho bawo ngoMosis. ₅Ngoko ke amaSirayeli ema phakathi kwamaKanana, amaHiti, ama-Amori, amaPerezi, amaHivi, namaJebhusi. ₆AmaSirayeli endiselana nazo ezi ntlanga, anqula *nezithixo zazo.

₇AmaSirayeli amlibala *uNdikhoyo uThixo wawo, akreqa kuye, anqula ooBhali nooAshera. ₈Ngoko ke uNdikhoyo waba nomsindo, waza wawayekela ngokumkani uKushan-rishatayim waseAram-naharayim, wawoyisa, aba phantsi kwakhe iminyaka esibhozo.

₉Ke kaloku amaSirayeli adanduluka akhala kuNdikhoyo, waza ke yena wawathumela umkhululi. Lowo ke yayinguOteniyeli unyana kaKenazi umninawe omncinci kaKalebhi. ₁₀Ke kaloku uOteniyeli wonganyelwa nguMoya kaNdikhoyo, waza waba yinkokheli yamaSirayeli. UOteniyeli waya emfazweni, wathiwa jize ngoloyiso nguNdikhoyo, wamoyisa ukumkani uKushan-rishatayim waseAram. ₁₁Kwalandela amashumi amane eminyaka yoxolo ke apho, wada wafa uOteniyeli unyana kaKenazi.

₁₂Aphinda amaSirayeli akreqa *kuNdikhoyo. Ngenxa yeso sizathu ke uNdikhoyo womeleza uEglon ukumkani wamaMowabhi, waqina kunawo. ₁₃UEglon ke wadibana nama-Amon nama-Amaleki, baza bawahlasela amaSirayeli, basithatha isiXeko samaSundu. ₁₄AmaSirayeli ke aba phantsi koEglon ukumkani wamaMowabhi iminyaka elishumi elinesibhozo.

₁₅Aphinda amaSirayeli akhala kuNdikhoyo, waza ke yena wawathumela umkhululi uEhudi, inxele, unyana kaGera wendlu kaBhenjamin. AmaSirayeli athumela uEhudi kukumkani uEglon waseMowabhi, emphathele umrhumo.

₁₆Ke uEhudi wazenzela isabile ebazwe macala, ingamashumi amahlanu eesentimitha ubude. Wayibophelela kwithangá lakhe lasekunene phantsi kwempahla. ₁₇Wawuthatha ke umrhumo lowo, waya nawo kuEglon, umfo owayemkhulu ngesiqu, etyebile. ₁₈Wathi ke, akuba ewunikezele umrhumo lowo, uEhudi wawandulula loo madoda ayemphathisile, agoduka. ₁₉Kambe ke yena wajika ngakwimifanekiso yezithixo ekufuphi neGiligali, wabuya waya kuEglon, wafika wathi kuye: “Mhlekazi, ndicela khe sihlinz' impuku.”

Ngoko ke ukumkani wathi: “Shenxani!” Zaphuma ke izicaka zakhe.

₂₀Wathi ke esahleli apho kwelo gumbi lakhe lokuphola, likumgangatho ophezulu, suka uEhudi wonda ngaye, wathi: “Ndinomyalezo wakho ovela kuThixo.” Ke yena ukumkani wema ngenyawo. ₂₁Ngesandla sasekhohlo uEhudi warhola isabile yakhe apho wayeyifihle khona ethangéni lakhe lokunene, wayimilisela kweso sisu sikakumkani. ₂₂Yatshona yonke nywam nesiphatho sayo, yawagramza ayifihla loo mateketeke amanqatha. UEhudi wayiyeka apho, waza ke yena waya kuphuma ngasemva, ₂₃waluvala ucango, watshixa, ₂₄wemka. Izicaka ke zeza, zaza zakusondela zabona tyhini iingcango zitshixiwe, zacinga ukuba fana ukumkani ulapho ngaphakathi, ese. ₂₅Zakha zalinda umzuzu omde ucango lungavulwa. Zada zancama, zathatha izitshixo, zavula. Tyhini! Nanko umhlekazi ethe gangalala apho phantsi, itshoba lilel' umbethe.

₂₆Zathi zisathingaza izicaka zikakumkani, wesuka wemka yena uEhudi, waya kugqitha kuloo mifanekiso yezithixo, waya kutsho eSeyira. ₂₇Wathi akufika kweleentaba lakwaEfrayim wavuthela isigodlo, ahlangana amaSirayeli, wawakhokela wehla nawo kwezo nduli. ₂₈Wathi kuwo: “Yizani! UNdikhoyo uzinikele ezandleni zenu iintshaba zenu amaMowabhi.” Ngoko ke amaSirayeli ehla, ekhokelwa nguEhudi, aza awalalela amaMowabhi emazibukweni ayeza kuyiwela ngawo iJordan; avala ke apho, akwawela nendoda enye le. ₂₉Ngaloo mihla ke abulala kwisithuba seshumi lamawaka awona majoni omeleleyo anobukroti omkhosi wamaMowabhi; zange kusinde nelinye. ₃₀Ewe, ngaloo mihla amaSirayeli awoyisa amaMowabhi, kwaza ke kwalandela iminyaka yenzolo engamashumi asibhozo.

₃₁UEhudi walandelwa nguShamgare unyana ka-Anati. Naye ke wawakhulula amaSirayeli. Wabulala amaFilistiya angamakhulu amathandathu ngesixhobo sokuqhuba iinkomo esifana nomkhonto.