Judges 3

1Nanzi izizwe ezatshiywa nguThixo ukuze abahlole bonke abako-Israyeli ababengazibonanga izimpi eKhenani 2(wenza lokhu ukuba azifundise izizukulwane zako-Israyeli ukulwiwa kwezimpi lezo ezazingazange zikubone ukulwa ngaphambilini): 3ababusi abahlanu bamaFilistiya, amaKhenani wonke, amaSidoni, lamaHivi ahlala ezintabeni zaseLebhanoni kusukela eNtabeni iBhali-Hemoni kusiya eLebho Hamathi. 4Babetshiyelwe ukuhlola abako-Israyeli ukuba kubonakale ukuthi bayayilalela na imilayo kaThixo, ayeyinike okhokho babo ngoMosi.

5Abako-Israyeli babehlala phakathi kwamaKhenani, lamaHithi, lama-Amori, lamaPherizi, lamaHivi kanye lamaJebusi. 6Bathatha amadodakazi awo aba ngomkabo njalo bendisela amadodakazi abo emadodaneni awo, bakhonza labonkulunkulu bawo.

U-Othiniyeli

7Abako-Israyeli benza okubi emehlweni kaThixo; bamkhohlwa uThixo uNkulunkulu wabo bakhonza oBhali labo-Ashera. 8Ulaka lukaThixo lwavuthela abako-Israyeli waze wabanikela ezandleni zikaKhushani-Rishathayimi inkosi yase-Aramu Naharayimu, lapho abantu bako-Israyeli ababangaphansi kombuso wayo iminyaka eyisificaminwembili. 9Kodwa ekukhaleni kwabo kuThixo, wabalethela umhlengi, u-Othiniyeli indodana kaKhenazi, umnawakhe kaKhalebi, owabakhululayo. 10Umoya kaThixo wehlela kuye, wasesiba ngumahluleli wako-Israyeli waya empini. UThixo wanikela uKhushani-Rishathayimi inkosi ye-Aramu ezandleni zika-Othiniyeli, wamnqoba. 11Ngakho ilizwe laba lokuthula iminyaka engamatshumi amane, u-Othiniyeli indodana kaKhenazi waze wafa.

U-Ehudi

12Abako-Israyeli baphinda benza okubi emehlweni kaThixo, kwathi ngenxa yokuthi babenze lobububi uThixo wanika u-Egiloni inkosi yaseMowabi amandla phezu kuka-Israyeli. 13Esenze ama-Amoni lama-Amaleki amanyana laye, u-Egiloni wayahlasela u-Israyeli, basebethumba idolobho laMalala. 14Abako-Israyeli babangaphansi kombuso ka-Egiloni inkosi yaseMowabi iminyaka elitshumi layisificaminwembili.

15Abako-Israyeli bakhala futhi kuThixo, wasebapha umhlengi u-Ehudi, indoda eyayilinxele indodana kaGera owakoBhenjamini. Abako-Israyeli bamthuma lesipho ku-Egiloni inkosi yaseMowabi. 16U-Ehudi wayenze inkemba esika inxa zombili eyayingaba yingalo lengxenye ubude bayo, ayibophela ethangazini lakhe lwesokudla ngaphansi kwezigqoko zakhe. 17Wasethula isipho ku-Egiloni inkosi yaseMowabi, owayengumuntu oqatha kakhulu. 18Emva kokuba u-Ehudi esesethule isipho, walaya abantu ababesithwele ukuba bazihambele. 19Ezithombeni eduze leGiligali yena uqobo wabuyela emuva, wathi, “Oh nkosi, ngilelizwi lakho eliyimfihlo.

” Inkosi yathi, “Thula!” Zonke izikhonzi zayo zasuka kuyo.

20U-Ehudi wayilanda isihlezi yodwa ekamelweni langaphezulu elipholileyo endlini yayo yobukhosi wathi, “Ngilelizwi lakho elivela kuNkulunkulu.” Kwathi inkosi isukuma esihlalweni sayo, 21u-Ehudi wafinyelela ngesandla sakhe senxele, wahwatsha inkemba ethangazini lakhe kwesokudla wayithela esiswini senkosi. 22Inkemba yatshona yasala ngesilanda, amathumbu akhe agcwala phansi. U-Ehudi kayingcothulanga inkemba, idanga layemboza. 23U-Ehudi waphuma phandle, wavala iminyango yekamelo langaphezulu wayihluthulela.

24Esehambile kweza izinceku zathola iminyango yekamelo langaphezulu ihluthulelwe. Zathi, “Kutsho ukuthi iye ngaphandle ekamelweni elingaphakathi kwendlu.” 25Zalinda zaze zakhathazeka, kodwa ngoba ingasavulanga iminyango yekamelo lelo, zathatha ikhiye zayivula. Lapho-ke zabona inkosi yazo iwele phansi, isifile.

26Zisalindile, u-Ehudi wasuka wahamba. Wedlula eduzane lezithombe wabalekela eSeyira. 27Esefike lapho wakhalisa icilongo elizweni lezintaba lako-Efrayimi, abako-Israyeli basebesehla laye ezintabeni, yena ebakhokhele.

28Wabalaya wathi, “Ngilandelani, ngoba uThixo usenikele uMowabi, isitha senu, ezandleni zenu.” Ngakho behlela laye phansi bemlandela, kwathi sebethumbe amazibuko eJodani ayewelela eMowabi, kabaze bavumela muntu ukuba achaphele ngaphetsheya. 29Ngalesosikhathi babulala amaMowabi ayengaba zinkulungwane ezilitshumi, wonke ayeqinile elamandla; akukho muntu owaphunyukayo. 30Ngalolosuku iMowabi yanqotshwa yi-Israyeli, ilizwe laselisiba lokuthula iminyaka engamatshumi ayisificaminwembili.

UShamigari

31Emva kuka-Ehudi kwaba loShamigari indodana ka-Anathi owabulala amaFilistiya angamakhulu ayisithupha ngesijujo senkabi. Laye wamkhulula u-Israyeli.