AbAhluleli 3

₁Lezi ziyizizwe aziyekile uJehova ukuze amvivinye ngazo u-Israyeli, bonke abakwa-Israyeli ababengazi mpi eKhanani, ₂kuphela ukuba izizukulwane zabantwana bakwa-Israyeli zazi, zifundiswe impi, ikakhulu labo ababengayazi ngaphambili. ₃Amakhosi ayisihlanu amaFilisti, nawo onke amaKhanani, namaSidoni, namaHivi ahlala entabeni yaseLebanoni, kusukela entabeni yaseBali Hermoni kuze kube sekuyeni eHamati. ₄Zazingezokuba u-Israyeli avivinywe ngazo, kwazeke uma beyakulalela imiyalo kaJehova abayala ngayo oyise ngesandla sikaMose.

₅Abantwana bakwa-Israyeli bahlala phakathi kwamaKhanani, namaHeti, nama-Amori, namaPherizi, namaHivi, namaJebusi, ₆bathatha amadodakazi awo aba ngomkabo, banika amadodana awo amadodakazi abo, bakhonza onkulunkulu bawo.

₇Abantwana bakwa-Israyeli benza okubi emehlweni kaJehova, bamkhohlwa uJehova uNkulunkulu wabo, bakhonza oBali no-Ashitaroti. ₈Ngalokho intukuthelo kaJehova yavuthela u-Israyeli, wathengisa ngabo esandleni sikaKushani Rishatayimi inkosi yase-Aramu Naharayimi; abantwana bakwa-Israyeli bamkhonza uKushani Rishatayimi iminyaka eyisishiyagalombili. ₉Kepha abantwana bakwa-Israyeli bakhala kuJehova; uJehova wabavusela abantwana bakwa-Israyeli umsindisi owabasindisa, u-Otheniyeli indodana kaKenazi, umnawe kaKalebi. ₁₀UMoya kaJehova wayephezu kwakhe, wahlulela u-Israyeli, waphuma impi, uJehova wanikela uKushani Rishatayimi inkosi yase-Aramu Naharayimi esandleni sakhe; isandla sakhe samahlula uKushani Rishatayimi. ₁₁Izwe lase liba nokuthula iminyaka engamashumi amane. Wafa u-Otheniyeli indodana kaKenazi.

₁₂Abantwana bakwa-Israyeli babuye benza okubi emehlweni kaJehova; uJehova wamnika u-Egiloni inkosi yakwaMowabi amandla phezu kuka-Israyeli, lokhu benze okubi emehlweni kaJehova. ₁₃Wazibuthela abantwana bakwa-Amoni nabakwa-Amaleki, waya wachitha u-Israyeli, badla umuzi wamasundu. ₁₄Abantwana bakwa-Israyeli bamkhonza u-Egiloni inkosi yakwaMowabi iminyaka eyishumi nesishiyagalombili.

₁₅Kepha abantwana bakwa-Israyeli bakhala kuJehova, uJehova wabavusela umsindisi, u-Ehudi indodana kaGera, umBenjamini, umuntu oyinxele; abantwana bakwa-Israyeli bathuma isipho ngaye ku-Egiloni inkosi yakwaMowabi. ₁₆U-Ehudi wazenzela inkemba ebukhali izinsiko zombili, ubude bayo buyingalo, wayibhinca phansi kwengubo yakhe ethangeni lokunene.

₁₇Wamnika u-Egiloni inkosi yakwaMowabi isipho, kepha u-Egiloni wayengumuntu okhulupheleyo kakhulu. ₁₈Kwathi eseqedile ukumnika isipho, wamukisa abantu ababesithwele isipho. ₁₉Kepha yena wabuya endaweni yezithombe ezibaziweyo engaseGiligali, wathi: “Nginendaba eyisifuba kuwe nkosi.”

Wathi: “Thulani.” Base bephuma bonke ababemi ngakuye.

₂₀U-Ehudi wasondela kuye; wayehlezi ekamelweni eliphezulu elipholileyo; wayesethi u-Ehudi: “Nginodaba oluvela kuNkulunkulu kuwe.” Wasukuma esihlalweni sakhe. ₂₁U-Ehudi wayeselula isandla sakhe sokhohlo, wabamba inkemba ethangeni lakhe lokunene, wamgwaza esiswini sakhe; ₂₂kwangena nesibambo emva kwenkemba, amanoni azungeza inkemba, ngokuba akayikhiphanga inkemba esiswini sakhe; yaphumela emuva. ₂₃U-Ehudi wayesephumela ekamelweni eliphambili, wazivalela iminyango yekamelo eliphezulu, wayihluthulela.

₂₄Nxa esephumile yena, kwafika izinceku zakhe; zabona, bheka, iminyango yekamelo eliphezulu yayihluthulelwe; zathi: “Mhlawumbe uyembesa ezinyawo zakhe ekamelweni lakhe elipholileyo.” ₂₅Zalinda zaze zajabha; bheka, akayivulanga iminyango yekamelo eliphezulu; ngalokho zathatha ukhiye, zayivula; bheka, inkosi yazo yayiwele phansi ifile.

₂₆U-Ehudi waphunyuka zisalinda, wadlula endaweni yezithombe ezibaziweyo, wabalekela eSeyiri. ₂₇Kwathi esefikile, wabetha icilongo ezintabeni zakwa-Efrayimi, abantwana bakwa-Israyeli behla naye ezintabeni, yena ephambi kwabo.

₂₈Wathi kubo: “Ngilandeleni, ngokuba uJehova unikele izitha zenu abakwaMowabi esandleni senu!” Behla emva kwakhe, bavimba amazibuko aseJordani ababewela ngawo abakwaMowabi, abavumanga ukuba kuwele muntu. ₂₉Babulala kwabakwaMowabi ngaleso sikhathi kungathi abantu abayizinkulungwane eziyishumi abayizidlakela namajaha, akwaphunyuka muntu. ₃₀UMowabi wathotshiswa kanjalo ngalolo suku phansi kwesandla sakwa-Israyeli. Izwe laba nokuthula iminyaka engamashumi ayisihiyagalombili.

₃₁Emva kwakhe kwafika uShamgari indodana ka-Anati owabulala kuwo amaFilisti abantu abangamakhulu ayisithupha ngocijo lwenkabi; naye wasindisa u-Israyeli.