OThola noJayire
1Emva kuka-Abimeleki kwavela uThola indodana kaPhuwa kaDodo, umuntu wakwaIsakare, ukuba asindise uIsrayeli; wayehlala eShamiri ezintabeni zakwaEfrayimi.
2Wamahlulela uIsrayeli iminyaka engamashumi amabili nantathu, wafa, wembelwa eShamiri.
3Emva kwakhe kwavela uJayire wakwaGileyadi, wamahlulela uIsrayeli iminyaka engamashumi amabili nambili.
4Wayenamadodana angamashumi amathathu agibela amathole ezimbongolo angamashumi amathathu; ayenemizi engamashumi amathathu ethiwa iHavoti-Jayire kuze kube-namuhla, esezweni lakwaGileyadi.
5UJayire wafa, wembelwa eKhamoni.
AbakwaIsrayeli babuyela esandleni sezitha zabo
6Abantwana bakwaIsrayeli babuye benza okubi emehlweni kaJehova, babakhonza oBali, noAshitaroti, nawonkulunkulu baseAramu, nawonkulunkulu baseSidoni, nawonkulunkulu bakwaMowabi, nawonkulunkulu babantwana bakwaAmoni, nawonkulunkulu bamaFilisti, bamshiya uJehova, kabamkhonza.
7Intukuthelo kaJehova yamvuthela uIsrayeli, wathengisa ngabo esandleni samaFilisti nasesandleni sabantwana bakwa-Amoni.
8Bakhathaza, bacindezela abantwana bakwaIsrayeli ngalowomnyaka; iminyaka eyishumi nesishiyagalombili babacindezela bonke abantwana bakwaIsrayeli ababengaphesheya kweJordani ezweni lamaAmori elikwaGileyadi.
9Abantwana bakwa-Amoni bawela iJordani ukuba balwe noJuda noBenjamini nendlu yakwaEfrayimi; uIsrayeli wantula kakhulu.
10Abantwana bakwaIsrayeli bakhala kuJehova, bathi: Sonile kuwe, ngokuba simshiyile uNkulunkulu wethu, sakhonza oBali.
11UJehova wathi kubantwana bakwaIsrayeli: Anginisindisanga yini kubo abaseGibithe, nakuwo ama-Amori, nakubo abantwana bakwa-Amoni, nakuwo amaFilisti, na?
12Nacindezelwa ngamaSidoni, namaAmaleki, namaMahoni, nakhala kimi, nganisindisa esandleni sawo.
13Nokho ningishiyile, nakhonza abanye onkulunkulu; ngalokho angisayikunisindisa.
14Hambani nikhale konkulunkulu enibakhethileyo; mabanisindise ngesikhathi sosizi lwenu.
15Abantwana bakwaIsrayeli bathi kuJehova: Sonile; yenza kithi okuthandayo; kepha ake usophule kuphela namuhla.
16Base besusa onkulunkulu babezizwe phakathi kwabo, bamkhonza uJehova; umphefumulo wakhe wakhathazeka ngokuhlupheka kwabakwaIsrayeli.
17Kwabuthwa abantwana bakwa-Amoni, bamisa kwaGileyadi. Kepha abantwana bakwaIsrayeli babuthana, bamisa eMispa.
18Abantu, izikhulu zakwaGileyadi, bathi omunye komunye: Ngumuphi umuntu oyakuqala ukulwa nabantwana bakwa-Amoni na? Yena uyakuba-yinhloko yabo bonke abakhé kwaGileyadi.
