AbAhluleli 8

₁Abantu bakwa-Efrayimi bathi kuye: “Ukwenzeleni lokhu kithina ukuthi awusibizanga lapho uyakulwa nabakwaMidiyani na?” Bamkhankatha kakhulu.

₂Wathi kubo: “Ngenzeni mina, uma kulinganiswa nokwenu na? Ukukhothoza kwabakwa-Efrayimi akukuhle yini kunokuvuna umvini kwama-Abiyezeri na? ₃UNkulunkulu unikele esandleni senu izikhulu zakwaMidiyani, o-Orebi noZebi; mina benginamandla okwenzani, uma kulinganiswa nokwenu, na?” Kwase kubohla ukuthukuthela kwabo ngaye, eseshilo lokho.

₄UGideyoni wafika eJordani, wawela, yena namadoda angamakhulu amathathu ayenaye, eyethile, esaxosha nokho. ₅Wayesethi kubantu baseSukoti: “Ake niphe abantu abangilandelayo izinkwa, ngokuba bayethile, ngisaxosha oZeba noSalimuna amakhosi akwaMidiyani.”

₆Izikhulu zaseSukoti zathi: “Izandla zikaZeba noSalimuna sezisesandleni sakho ukuba siphe impi yakho isinkwa na?”

₇UGideyoni wathi: “Ngalokho nxa uJehova enikele oZeba noSalimuna esandleni sami, ngiyakuklebhula inyama yenu ngameva asehlane nangamazinyo ezinqola zokubhula.”

₈Wenyuka lapho, waya ePhenuweli, wakhuluma kubo ngokunjalo; abantu basePhenuweli bamphendula njengabantu baseSukoti bebephendulile. ₉Wakhuluma nakubo abantu basePhenuweli, wathi: “Ekubuyeni kwami ngiphilile ngizakubhidliza lo mbhoshongo.”

₁₀OZeba noSalimuna babeseKarkori, izimpi zabo zinabo kungathi abantu abayizinkulungwane eziyishumi nanhlanu, bonke ababesele empini yonke yabasempumalanga, ngokuba kwakuwile abantu abayizinkulungwane eziyikhulu namashumi amabili abahloma inkemba. ₁₁UGideyoni wenyuka ngendlela yabahlala ematendeni ngasempumalanga kwaseNoba neJogibeha, wanqoba impi, impi yayithi ilondekile. ₁₂OZeba noSalimuna babaleka, wabaxosha; wawabamba amakhosi omabili akwaMidiyani, oZeba noSalimuna, wachitha impi yonke.

₁₃UGideyoni indodana kaJowashi wabuya empini ngasekwenyukeni kweHeresi. ₁₄Wabamba insizwa yabantu baseSukoti, wabuza kuyo; yona yamlobela izikhulu zaseSukoti namalunga alo, abantu abangamashumi ayisikhombisa nesikhombisa. ₁₅Wayesefika kubantu baseSukoti, wathi: “Bhekani oZeba noSalimuna enangiswabulela ngabo, nathi: ‘Izandla zikaZeba noSalimuna sezisesandleni sakho ukuba siphe amadoda akho ayethileyo isinkwa na?’ ” ₁₆Wayesebamba amalunga omuzi, nameva asehlane, namazinyo ezinqola zokubhula, wagalela ngawo abantu baseSukoti. ₁₇Wawubhidliza umbhoshongo wasePhenuweli, wabulala abantu bomuzi.

₁₈Wayesesho koZeba noSalimuna, ethi: “Babe njani labo bantu enababulala eThabori na?”

Bathi: “Babe njengawe; yilowo nalowo wafana nabantwana benkosi.”

₁₉Wathi: “Babe ngabafowethu, amadodana kamame. Kuphila kukaJehova, uma benibayekile baphila, bengingayikunibulala.” ₂₀Wayesethi kuJetheri izibulo lakhe: “Suka ubabulale.” Kepha umfana kahoshanga inkemba yakhe, ngokuba wesaba lokhu engumfana.

₂₁Base bethi oZeba noSalimuna: “Suka wena, usihlasele, ngokuba njengendoda anjalo amandla ayo.” Wayesesuka uGideyoni, wababulala oZeba noSalimuna, wathatha izimbedu ezinjengenyanga ezazisezintanyeni zamakamela abo.

₂₂Abantu bakwa-Israyeli bathi kuGideyoni: “Sibuse, wena nendodana yakho, nendodana yendodana yakho futhi, ngokuba usisindisile esandleni sakwaMidiyani.”

₂₃UGideyoni wathi kubo: “Angiyikunibusa, nendodana yami ayiyikunibusa; nguJehova oyakunibusa.” ₂₄UGideyoni wathi kubo: “Mangicele okuthile kini ukuba ninginike, kube yilowo nalowo amacici empango yakhe.” Babenamacici egolide, lokhu bebengabakwa-Ishmayeli.

₂₅Bathi: “Siyakukunika wona impela.” Beneka ingubo, baphonsa khona, kwaba yilowo nalowo amacici empango yakhe. ₂₆Isisindo samacici egolide awacelayo sasingamashekeli* ayinkulungwane namakhulu ayisikhombisa egolide, ngaphandle kwezimbedu ezinjengenyanga, neziqhaza, nezingubo ezibubende ezazembethwe ngamakhosi akwaMidiyani, nangaphandle kwamaketanga ayesezintanyeni zamakamela awo. ₂₇UGideyoni wenza ingubo yamahlombe ngakho, wayibeka emzini wakhe e-Ofira; bonke abakwa-Israyeli baya baphinga nayo khona; yaba lugibe kuGideyoni nendlu yakhe.

₂₈AbakwaMidiyani bathotshiswa kanjalo phambi kwabantwana bakwa-Israyeli, ababe besaphakamisa amakhanda abo. Izwe lathula iminyaka engamashumi amane ezinsukwini zikaGideyoni.

₂₉UJerubali* indodana kaJowashi waya wahlala endlini yakhe. ₃₀UGideyoni wayenamadodana angamashumi ayisikhombisa aphuma okhalweni lwakhe, ngokuba wayenabafazi abaningi. ₃₁Isancinza sakhe esasiseShekemi naso samzalela indodana, sayiqamba igama lokuthi u-Abimeleki. ₃₂UGideyoni indodana kaJowashi wafa esemdala, wembelwa ethuneni likaJowashi uyise e-Ofira lama-Abiyezeri.

₃₃Kwathi esefile uGideyoni, abantwana bakwa-Israyeli babuye baphinga nawoBali, bamenza uBali Beriti unkulunkulu wabo. ₃₄Abantwana bakwa-Israyeli babengakhumbuli uJehova uNkulunkulu wabo owabophula esandleni sezitha zonke zabo nxazonke. ₃₅Abenzanga umusa kuyo indlu kaJerubali* onguGideyoni njengakho konke okuhle ayekwenzile ku-Israyeli.