Bible Reading Plan – Day 69

₁U-Abimeleki indodana kaJerubali* waya kubafowabo bakanina, wakhuluma kubo nomndeni wonke wendlu kayise kanina, wathi: ₂“Ake nikhulume ezindlebeni zabo bonke abantu baseShekemi, nithi: ‘Yikuphi okuhle kini ukuba onke amadodana kaJerubali* angabantu abangamashumi ayisikhombisa anibuse nokuba nibuswe ngumuntu munye na?’ Khumbulani ukuthi mina ngiyithambo lenu nenyama yenu.”

₃Abafowabo bakanina base bekhuluma ngaye ezindlebeni zabo bonke abantu baseShekemi onke lawo mazwi; izinhliziyo zabo zathanda ukumlandela u-Abimeleki, ngokuba bathi: “Ungumfowethu.” ₄Bamnika amashekeli* angamashumi ayisikhombisa esiliva endlini kaBali Beriti, u-Abimeleki aqasha ngawo izidenga namayiyane, bamlandela. ₅Waya endlini kayise e-Ofira, wabulala abafowabo, amadodana kaJerubali,* abantu abangamashumi ayisikhombisa etsheni linye, kepha kwasala uJothamu indodana encinyane kaJerubali, ngokuba wacasha. ₆Bonke abantu baseShekemi bahlangana nabo bonke abaseBeti Milo, baya bambeka u-Abimeleki inkosi ngase-okini* letshe lesikhumbuzo elaliseShekemi.

₇Lapho kubikwa lokho kuJothamu, waya wema esiqongweni sentaba yaseGerizimu, waphakamisa izwi lakhe, wamemeza, wathi kubo: “Ngilaleleni nina bantu baseShekemi ukuba uNkulunkulu anilalele nina. ₈Imithi yake yaya ukuzigcobela inkosi, yathi kuwo umnqumo: ‘Yiba yinkosi yethu.’

₉“Kepha umnqumo wathi kuyo: ‘Ngiyakuwayeka yini amafutha ami abadunyiswa ngawo onkulunkulu nabantu, ngiye ngintengantenge phezu kwemithi, na?’

₁₀“Imithi yayisithi kuwo umkhiwane: ‘Woza wena, ube yinkosi yethu.’

₁₁“Kepha umkhiwane wathi kuyo: ‘Ngiyakubuyeka yini ubumnandi bami nezithelo zami ezinhle, ngiye ngintengantenge phezu kwemithi, na?’

₁₂“Yayisithi imithi kuwo umvini: ‘Woza wena, ube yinkosi yethu.’

₁₃“Umvini wathi kuyo: ‘Ngiyakuliyeka yini iwayini lami elithokozisa onkulunkulu nabantu, ngiye ngintengantenge phezu kwemithi, na?’

₁₄“Yonke imithi yayisithi kuso isihlahla somkhaya: ‘Woza wena, ube yinkosi yethu.’

₁₅“Isihlahla somkhaya sathi kuyo imithi: ‘Uma ningigcoba impela ngibe yinkosi yenu, wozani niphephele emthunzini wami; uma kungenjalo, makuphume umlilo kuso isihlahla somkhaya, uqede imisedari* yaseLebanoni.’

₁₆“Ngalokho uma nenzile ngeqiniso nangobuqotho lapho nimbeka u-Abimeleki inkosi, uma nimphathile kahle uJerubali* nendlu yakhe, nenza kuye njengokufanele izandla zakhe ₁₇ngokuba ubaba wanilwela wazidela, wanophula esandleni sabakwaMidiyani; ₁₈kepha niyivukele namuhla indlu kababa, nibulele amadodana akhe, abantu abangamashumi ayisikhombisa etsheni linye, nimbekile u-Abimeleki indodana yesigqilakazi sakhe inkosi yabaseShekemi ngokuba engumfowenu; ₁₉uma nimphathile kahle uJerubali* nendlu yakhe namuhla, thokozani ngo-Abimeleki, naye athokoze ngani; ₂₀kepha uma kungenjalo, makuphume umlilo ku-Abimeleki, uqede abantu baseShekemi neBeti Milo, umlilo uphume nakubantu baseShekemi naseBeti Milo, umqede u-Abimeleki.”

₂₁UJothamu wayesebaleka, weqa, waya eBeri, wahlala khona ngenxa ka-Abimeleki umfowabo.

₂₂U-Abimeleki wayeyisikhulu phezu kuka-Israyeli iminyaka emithathu. ₂₃UNkulunkulu wathuma umoya omubi phakathi kuka-Abimeleki nabantu baseShekemi; abaseShekemi bambhumbuluza u-Abimeleki ₂₄ukuba ubudlova obenziwe kuwo amadodana angamashumi ayisikhombisa kaJerubali* bufike, negazi labo libekwe phezu kuka-Abimeleki umfowabo owababulala, naphezu kwabaseShekemi abaqinisa izandla zakhe ukuba abulale abafowabo. ₂₅AbaseShekemi bambekela abaqamekeli eziqongweni zezintaba, baphanga bonke ababedlula kubo ngaleyo ndlela; kwabikwa ku-Abimeleki.

₂₆Kwafika uGali indodana ka-Ebedi nabafowabo, waya eShekemi; abaseShekemi bamethemba. ₂₇Baya endle, bavuna izivini zabo, banyathela imivini, bagubha umkhosi, bangena endlini kankulunkulu wabo, badla, baphuza, bamqalekisa u-Abimeleki. ₂₈UGali indodana ka-Ebedi wathi: “Ngubani u-Abimeleki, ngubani uShekemi, ukuba simkhonze, na? Akasiyo indodana kaJerubali,* noZebule yinduna yakhe na? Khonzani abantu bakaHamori uyise kaShekemi. Thina siyakumkhonzelani yena na? ₂₉Sengathi laba bantu nga besesandleni sami; bengiyakumsusa u-Abimeleki.” Wathi ku-Abimeleki: “Yandisa impi yakho, uphume.”

₃₀Lapha uZebule umphathi womuzi ezwa amazwi kaGali indodana ka-Ebedi, kwavutha ulaka lwakhe. ₃₁Wathuma izithunywa ku-Abimeleki ngobuqili, wathi: “Bheka, uGali indodana ka-Ebedi nabafowabo bafikile eShekemi; bheka, bakuvusela umuzi. ₃₂Ngalokho vukani ebusuku, wena nabantu abanawe, niqamekele endle; ₃₃kuyakuthi ekuseni lisaphuma ilanga, uvuke, uhlasele umuzi; bheka, lapho yena nabantu abanye bephuma ukuba balwe nawe, wenze kubo njengokubona kwakho.”

₃₄U-Abimeleki nabo bonke abantu ababenaye basuka ebusuku, baqamekela iShekemi ngezigaba ezine. ₃₅UGali indodana ka-Ebedi waphuma, wema esikhaleni sesango lomuzi; u-Abimeleki wayeseqhamuka nabantu ababenaye ekuqamekeleni.

₃₆Lapho uGali ebona abantu, wathi kuZebule: “Bheka, kwehla abantu eziqongweni zezintaba.”

UZebule wathi kuye: “Uyabona amathunzi ezintaba kungathi ngabantu.”

₃₇UGali wabuye wakhuluma, wathi: “Bheka, kwehla abantu eNkabeni yezwe, esinye isigaba sifika ngendlela ye-oki* lokuhlola imihlola.”

₃₈UZebule wayesethi kuye: “Uphi manje umlomo wakho ukuba uthi: ‘Ngubani u-Abimeleki ukuba simkhonze na?’ Akusibo labo bantu obadeleleyo na? Ake uphume manje, ulwe nabo.”

₃₉UGali waphuma phambi kwabantu baseShekemi, walwa no-Abimeleki. ₄₀U-Abimeleki wamxosha, wabaleka phambi kwakhe, kwawa abaningi bekhutshaziwe kwaze kwaba sesikhaleni sesango. ₄₁U-Abimeleki wahlala e-Aruma; uZebule wamxosha uGali nabafowabo ukuba bangahlali eShekemi.

₄₂Kwathi ngangomuso abantu baya endle, bamtshela u-Abimeleki. ₄₃Wathatha abantu, wabahlukanisela izigaba ezintathu, waqamekela endle; wabheka, nampa abantu bephuma emzini; wabavukela, wababulala. ₄₄U-Abimeleki nezigaba ezazinaye zadumela, zema esikhaleni sesango lomuzi; izigaba zombili zadumela bonke abasendle, zababulala. ₄₅U-Abimeleki walwa nomuzi lonke lolo suku; wawuthatha umuzi, wabulala abantu ababekuwo, wawubhidliza umuzi, wahlwanyela usawoti kuwo.

₄₆Lapho bezwa lokho bonke abasembhoshongweni waseShekemi, bangena enqabeni yendlu yase-Eli Beriti. ₄₇Kwabikwa ku-Abimeleki ukuthi bonke abasembhoshongweni waseShekemi babehlangene ndawonye. ₄₈U-Abimeleki wenyukela entabeni yaseSalimoni, yena nabantu bonke ababenaye; u-Abimeleki wathatha izembe ngesandla, wagawula igatsha emithini, walithatha, walibeka ehlombe, wathi kubantu ababenaye: “Lokho eningibone ngikwenza, sheshani nikwenze njengami.” ₄₉Bonke abantu bagawula, kwaba yilowo nalowo igatsha lakhe kanjalo, bamlandela u-Abimeleki, bawabeka enqabeni, bayithungela inqaba ngomlilo phezu kwabo; bafa bonke abantu abasembhoshongweni waseShekemi, kungathi abayinkulungwane, abesilisa nabesifazane.

₅₀U-Abimeleki wayeseya eThebesi, wamisa malungana neThebesi, walithatha. ₅₁Kepha phakathi komuzi wawukhona umbhoshongo oqinileyo; babalekela khona bonke abesilisa nabesifazane, nabo bonke abomuzi, bazivalela phakathi, benyukela ophahleni lombhoshongo. ₅₂U-Abimeleki wafika embhoshongweni, walwa nawo, wasondela emnyango wombhoshongo ukuba awushise ngomlilo. ₅₃Owesifazane othile waphonsa imbokodwe ekhanda lika-Abimeleki, wachimiza ikhanda lakhe.

₅₄Wayeseshesha ebiza udibi olwaluphethe izikhali zakhe, wathi kulo: “Hosha inkemba yakho, ungibulale ukuba abantu bangasho ngami ukuthi: ‘Wabulawa ngowesifazane.’ ” Udibi lwakhe lwase lumgwaza, wafa. ₅₅Kwathi abantu bakwa-Israyeli bebonile ukuthi u-Abimeleki ufile, bamuka baya, kwaba yilowo nalowo endaweni yakhe.

₅₆Kanjalo uNkulunkulu wabuyisela ububi buka-Abimeleki abebenzile kuyise ngokubulala abafowabo abangamashumi ayisikhombisa. ₅₇UNkulunkulu wabuyisela bonke ububi babantu baseShekemi emakhanda abo, behlelwa yisiqalekiso sikaJothamu indodana kaJerubali.*

₁Emva kuka-Abimeleki kwavela uThola indodana kaPhuwa kaDodo, umuntu wakwa-Isakare, ukuba asindise u-Israyeli; wayehlala eShamiri ezintabeni zakwa-Efrayimi. ₂Wamahlulela u-Israyeli iminyaka engamashumi amabili nantathu, wafa, wembelwa eShamiri.

₃Emva kwakhe kwavela uJayire wakwaGileyadi, wamahlulela u-Israyeli 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.

₆Abantwana bakwa-Israyeli babuye benza okubi emehlweni kaJehova, babakhonza oBali, no-Ashitaroti, nawonkulunkulu base-Aramu, nawonkulunkulu baseSidoni, nawonkulunkulu bakwaMowabi, nawonkulunkulu babantwana bakwa-Amoni, nawonkulunkulu bamaFilisti, bamshiya uJehova, kabamkhonza. ₇Intukuthelo kaJehova yamvuthela u-Israyeli, wathengisa ngabo esandleni samaFilisti nasesandleni sabantwana bakwa-Amoni. ₈Bakhathaza, bacindezela abantwana bakwa-Israyeli ngalowo mnyaka; iminyaka eyishumi nesishiyagalombili babacindezela bonke abantwana bakwa-Israyeli ababengaphesheya kweJordani ezweni lama-Amori elikwaGileyadi. ₉Abantwana bakwa-Amoni bawela iJordani ukuba balwe noJuda noBenjamini nendlu yakwa-Efrayimi; u-Israyeli wantula kakhulu. ₁₀Abantwana bakwa-Israyeli bakhala kuJehova, bathi: “Sonile kuwe, ngokuba simshiyile uNkulunkulu wethu, sakhonza oBali.”

₁₁UJehova wathi kubantwana bakwa-Israyeli: “Anginisindisanga yini kubo abaseGibithe, nakuwo ama-Amori, nakubo abantwana bakwa-Amoni, nakuwo amaFilisti, na? ₁₂Nacindezelwa ngamaSidoni, nama-Amaleki, namaMahoni, nakhala kimi, nganisindisa esandleni sawo. ₁₃Nokho ningishiyile, nakhonza abanye onkulunkulu; ngalokho angisayikunisindisa. ₁₄Hambani nikhale konkulunkulu enibakhethileyo; mabanisindise ngesikhathi sosizi lwenu.”

₁₅Abantwana bakwa-Israyeli bathi kuJehova: “Sonile; yenza kithi okuthandayo; kepha ake usophule kuphela namuhla.” ₁₆Base besusa onkulunkulu babezizwe phakathi kwabo, bamkhonza uJehova; umphefumulo wakhe wakhathazeka ngokuhlupheka kwabakwa-Israyeli.

₁₇Kwabuthwa abantwana bakwa-Amoni, bamisa kwaGileyadi. Kepha abantwana bakwa-Israyeli babuthana, bamisa eMispa. ₁₈Abantu, izikhulu zakwaGileyadi, bathi omunye komunye: “Ngumuphi umuntu oyakuqala ukulwa nabantwana bakwa-Amoni na? Yena uyakuba yinhloko yabo bonke abakhe kwaGileyadi.”

₁UJefta wakwaGileyadi wayeyiqhawe elinamandla; wayeyindodana yesifebe; uGileyadi wamzala uJefta. ₂UmkaGileyadi wamzalela amadodana; esekhulile amadodana omkakhe amxosha uJefta, athi kuye: “Awuyikulidla ifa endlini kababa, ngokuba uyindodana yomunye owesifazane.” ₃UJefta wabalekela abafowabo, wahlala ezweni laseThobi; kwabuthana kuJefta amayiyane, aphuma naye.

₄Kwathi emva kwesikhashana abantwana bakwa-Amoni balwa no-Israyeli. ₅Bathi abantwana bakwa-Amoni belwa no-Israyeli, amalunga akwaGileyadi aya amlanda uJefta ezweni laseThobi. ₆Athi kuJefta: “Woza ube ngumholi wethu, silwe nabantwana bakwa-Amoni.”

₇UJefta wathi kumalunga akwaGileyadi: “Aningizondanga yini, nangixosha endlini kababa na? Nizelani kimi manje nisekuhluphekeni na?”

₈Amalunga akwaGileyadi athi kuJefta: “Sibuyele kuwe manje ngalokhu ukuba uhambe nathi, ulwe nabantwana bakwa-Amoni, ube yinhloko phezu kwabo bonke abakhe kwaGileyadi.”

₉Wayesethi uJefta kumalunga akwaGileyadi: “Uma ningibuyisa ukulwa nabantwana bakwa-Amoni, uJehova abanikele phambi kwami, ngiyakuba yinhloko yenu.”

₁₀Amalunga akwaGileyadi athi kuJefta: “UJehova makabe ngufakazi wethu; impela siyakwenza njengezwi lakho.” ₁₁UJefta wayesehamba namalunga akwaGileyadi; abantu bamenza inhloko nomholi phezu kwabo; uJefta wakhuluma onke amazwi akhe phambi kukaJehova eMispa.

₁₂UJefta wathuma izithunywa enkosini yabantwana bakwa-Amoni, wathi: “Unamsebenzi muni nami ukuba uze kimi ukulwa nezwe lakithi na?”

₁₃Inkosi yabantwana bakwa-Amoni yathi kuzo izithunywa zikaJefta: “Ngokuba u-Israyeli walithatha izwe lakithi ekukhuphukeni kwakhe eGibithe, kusukela e-Arinoni kuze kube seJaboki naseJordani, buyisani lawo mazwe ngokuthula.”

₁₄UJefta wabuye wathuma izithunywa enkosini yabantwana bakwa-Amoni, ₁₅wathi kuyo: “Usho kanje uJefta, uthi: U-Israyeli akathathanga izwe lakwaMowabi nezwe labantwana bakwa-Amoni. ₁₆Ngokuba ekukhuphukeni kwabo eGibithe, u-Israyeli ehamba ehlane waze wafika eLwandle Olubomvu, wafika naseKadeshi, ₁₇u-Israyeli wathuma izithunywa enkosini yakwa-Edomi, wathi: ‘Ake ngidabule izwe lakho;’ kepha inkosi yakwa-Edomi ayilalelanga; nasenkosini yakwaMowabi wathuma kanjalo; kepha ayivumanga; u-Israyeli wayesehlala eKadeshi.

₁₈“Wayesehamba ehlane, wazungeza izwe lakwa-Edomi nezwe lakwaMowabi, weza ngasempumalanga kwezwe lakwaMowabi, wamisa ngaphesheya kwe-Arinoni; kepha abangenanga emkhawulweni wakwaMowabi, ngokuba i-Arinoni lalingumkhawulo wakwaMowabi.

₁₉“U-Israyeli wayesethuma izithunywa kuSihoni inkosi yama-Amori, inkosi yaseHeshiboni; u-Israyeli wathi kuye: ‘Ake sidabule izwe lakho, siye endaweni yethu.’ ₂₀Kodwa uSihoni akamethembanga u-Israyeli ukuba adabule emkhawulweni wakhe; kepha uSihoni wabutha bonke abantu bakhe, wamisa eJahasi, walwa no-Israyeli.

₂₁“UJehova uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli wanikela uSihoni nabo bonke abantu bakhe esandleni sakwa-Israyeli, bababulala; u-Israyeli wadla izwe lonke lama-Amori, abantu balelo zwe.