Judges - Chapter 8

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Verse 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.

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

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

Verse 13: UGideyoni indodana kaJowashi wabuya empini ngasekwenyukeni kweHeresi.

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

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

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

Verse 17: Wawubhidliza umbhoshongo wasePhenuweli, wabulala abantu bomuzi.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Verse 29: UJerubali indodana kaJowashi waya wahlala endlini yakhe.

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

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

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

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

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

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