AbAhluleli Chapter 8

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

2. Wathi kubo: “Ngenzeni mina, uma kulinganiswa nokwenu na? Ukukhothoza kwabakwa-Efrayimi akukuhle yini kunokuvuna umvini kwama-Abiyezeri na?

3. UNkulunkulu unikele esandleni senu izikhulu zakwaMidiyani, o-Orebi noZebi; mina benginamandla okwenzani, uma kulinganiswa nokwenu, na?” Kwase kubohla ukuthukuthela kwabo ngaye, eseshilo lokho.

4. UGideyoni wafika eJordani, wawela, yena namadoda angamakhulu amathathu ayenaye, eyethile, esaxosha nokho.

5. Wayesethi kubantu baseSukoti: “Ake niphe abantu abangilandelayo izinkwa, ngokuba bayethile, ngisaxosha oZeba noSalimuna amakhosi akwaMidiyani.”

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

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

8. Wenyuka lapho, waya ePhenuweli, wakhuluma kubo ngokunjalo; abantu basePhenuweli bamphendula njengabantu baseSukoti bebephendulile.

9. Wakhuluma nakubo abantu basePhenuweli, wathi: “Ekubuyeni kwami ngiphilile ngizakubhidliza lo mbhoshongo.”

10. OZeba noSalimuna babeseKarkori, izimpi zabo zinabo kungathi abantu abayizinkulungwane eziyishumi nanhlanu, bonke ababesele empini yonke yabasempumalanga, ngokuba kwakuwile abantu abayizinkulungwane eziyikhulu namashumi amabili abahloma inkemba.

11. UGideyoni wenyuka ngendlela yabahlala ematendeni ngasempumalanga kwaseNoba neJogibeha, wanqoba impi, impi yayithi ilondekile.

12. OZeba noSalimuna babaleka, wabaxosha; wawabamba amakhosi omabili akwaMidiyani, oZeba noSalimuna, wachitha impi yonke.

13. UGideyoni indodana kaJowashi wabuya empini ngasekwenyukeni kweHeresi.

14. Wabamba insizwa yabantu baseSukoti, wabuza kuyo; yona yamlobela izikhulu zaseSukoti namalunga alo, abantu abangamashumi ayisikhombisa nesikhombisa.

15. Wayesefika kubantu baseSukoti, wathi: “Bhekani oZeba noSalimuna enangiswabulela ngabo, nathi: ‘Izandla zikaZeba noSalimuna sezisesandleni sakho ukuba siphe amadoda akho ayethileyo isinkwa na?’ ”

16. Wayesebamba amalunga omuzi, nameva asehlane, namazinyo ezinqola zokubhula, wagalela ngawo abantu baseSukoti.

17. Wawubhidliza umbhoshongo wasePhenuweli, wabulala abantu bomuzi.

18. Wayesesho koZeba noSalimuna, ethi: “Babe njani labo bantu enababulala eThabori na?” Bathi: “Babe njengawe; yilowo nalowo wafana nabantwana benkosi.”

19. Wathi: “Babe ngabafowethu, amadodana kamame. Kuphila kukaJehova, uma benibayekile baphila, bengingayikunibulala.”

20. Wayesethi kuJetheri izibulo lakhe: “Suka ubabulale.” Kepha umfana kahoshanga inkemba yakhe, ngokuba wesaba lokhu engumfana.

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

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

23. UGideyoni wathi kubo: “Angiyikunibusa, nendodana yami ayiyikunibusa; nguJehova oyakunibusa.”

24. UGideyoni wathi kubo: “Mangicele okuthile kini ukuba ninginike, kube yilowo nalowo amacici empango yakhe.” Babenamacici egolide, lokhu bebengabakwa-Ishmayeli.

25. Bathi: “Siyakukunika wona impela.” Beneka ingubo, baphonsa khona, kwaba yilowo nalowo amacici empango yakhe.

26. Isisindo samacici egolide awacelayo sasingamashekeli ayinkulungwane namakhulu ayisikhombisa egolide, ngaphandle kwezimbedu ezinjengenyanga, neziqhaza, nezingubo ezibubende ezazembethwe ngamakhosi akwaMidiyani, nangaphandle kwamaketanga ayesezintanyeni zamakamela awo.

27. UGideyoni wenza ingubo yamahlombe ngakho, wayibeka emzini wakhe e-Ofira; bonke abakwa-Israyeli baya baphinga nayo khona; yaba lugibe kuGideyoni nendlu yakhe.

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

29. UJerubali indodana kaJowashi waya wahlala endlini yakhe.

30. UGideyoni wayenamadodana angamashumi ayisikhombisa aphuma okhalweni lwakhe, ngokuba wayenabafazi abaningi.

31. Isancinza sakhe esasiseShekemi naso samzalela indodana, sayiqamba igama lokuthi u-Abimeleki.

32. UGideyoni indodana kaJowashi wafa esemdala, wembelwa ethuneni likaJowashi uyise e-Ofira lama-Abiyezeri.

33. Kwathi esefile uGideyoni, abantwana bakwa-Israyeli babuye baphinga nawoBali, bamenza uBali Beriti unkulunkulu wabo.

34. Abantwana bakwa-Israyeli babengakhumbuli uJehova uNkulunkulu wabo owabophula esandleni sezitha zonke zabo nxazonke.

35. Abenzanga umusa kuyo indlu kaJerubali onguGideyoni njengakho konke okuhle ayekwenzile ku-Israyeli.