Judges 6

UGidiyoni

1Abako-Israyeli benza okubi futhi emehlweni kaJehova, wabanikela ezandleni zamaMidiyani iminyaka eyisikhombisa. 2Ngenxa yokuthi umbuso wamaMidiyani wawucindezela kakhulu, abako-Israyeli bazakhela amadumba ezingoxweni zezintaba, lasezimbalwini kanye lasezinqabeni. 3Kwakusithi abako-Israyeli bangalima izilimo zabo, amaMidiyani lama-Amaleki kanye labanye abantu basempumalanga bahlasele ilizwe labo. 4Bahlala elizweni bachitha izilimo ummango wonke kusiya eGaza kabaze bamtshiyela lutho oluphilayo u-Israyeli, loba izimvu kumbe izinkomo loba obabhemi.

5Beza lezifuyo zabo lamathente abo benjengemitshitshi yezithethe ngobunengi. Kwakungenzeki ukubala abantu lamakamela abo; bahlasela ilizwe balichithiza. 6AmaMidiyani abaphundla kangaka abako-Israyeli baze bakhala kuJehova ukuba abasize.

7Kwathi abako-Israyeli sebekhalile kuJehova ngenxa yamaMidiyani, 8wabathumela umphrofethi, owathi, “Nanku okutshiwo nguJehova, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli: Ngalikhupha eGibhithe, ngalikhupha elizweni lobugqili. 9Ngalihluthuna emandleni eGibhithe lasezandleni zabacindezeli benu bonke. Ngabaxotsha phambi kwenu ngalipha ilizwe labo. 10Ngathi kini, ‘Mina nginguJehova uNkulunkulu wenu, lingabakhonzi onkulunkulu bama-Amori, elihlala elizweni lawo.’ Kodwa kalingilalelanga.”

11Ingilosi kaJehova yafika yahlala ngaphansi kwesihlahla som-okhi e-Ofira esasingesikaJowashi umAbhiyezeri lapho indodana yakhe uGidiyoni eyayibhula khona amabele esikhamelweni sewayini ukuze iwafihlele amaMidiyani. 12Ingilosi kaJehova isibonakele kuGidiyoni yathi kuye, “UJehova ulawe, butho elilamandla.”

13UGidiyoni waphendula wathi, “Kodwa nkosi, nxa uJehova elathi, pho kungani konke lokhu kwenzakele kithi? Zingaphi izimanga zakhe zonke obaba abasitshela ngazo besithi, ‘Kanje uJehova kasikhuphanga eGibhithe na? Kodwa khathesi uJehova usesidelile wasibeka ezandleni zamaMidiyani.” 14UJehova waphendukela kuye wathi, “Hamba ngamandla olawo uhlenge u-Israyeli ezandleni zamaMidiyani. Kanti kangikuthumi na?”

15UGidiyoni wabuza wathi, “Kodwa Jehova, u-Israyeli ngingamhlenga kanjani na? Usendo lwakwethu kalulamandla koManase, njalo mina ngingomncinyane emulini yakwethu.”

16UJehova waphendula wathi, “Ngizakuba lawe, njalo amaMidiyani uzawacakazela phansi wonke ndawonye.”

17UGidiyoni waphendula wathi, “Uma khathesi sengithole umusa emehlweni akho, nginika isibonakaliso sokuthi impela nguwe sibili okhuluma lami. 18Ngiyakucela ukuba ungahambi ngize ngiphenduke ngilethe umnikelo wami ngiwubeke phambi kwakho.” UJehova wathi, “Ngizahlala uze uphenduke.”

19UGidiyoni wangena phakathi wahlaba izinyane lembuzi, wasesenza isinkwa esingelamvubelo ngehefa yefulawa. Esebeke inyama esitsheni lomhluzi wayo embizeni, waphuma lakho wayakunikela kuye ngaphansi kom-okhi.

20Ingilosi kaNkulunkulu yathi kuye, “Thatha inyama lesinkwa esingelamvubelo ukubeke phezu kwedwala leli, uthele umhluzi.” UGidiyoni wenzanjalo. 21Ngesihloko somqwayi eyayiwuphethe ingilosi kaJehova yathinta inyama lesinkwa esingelamvubelo. Umlilo walavuka edwaleni watshisa inyama lesinkwa. Ingilosi kaJehova yasinyamalala. 22Kwathi uGidiyoni esenanzelele ukuthi kwakuyingilosi kaJehova, wamemeza wathi, “A, Jehova Wobukhosi! Ngibone ingilosi kaJehova ubuso ngobuso!”

23Kodwa uJehova wathi kuye, “Ukuthula! Ungesabi. Kawuyikufa.”

24Ngakho uGidiyoni wakhela uJehova ialithare khonapho walibiza ngokuthi uJehova uyiKuthula. Kuze kube lamhla likhona e-Ofira lama-Abhiyezeri.

25Ngabonalobobusuku uJehova wathi kuye, “Thatha inkunzi yesibili emhlambini kayihlo, le eleminyaka eyisikhombisa ubudala. Diliza ialithare likayihlo alakhela uBhali, ugamule lezinsika zika-Ashera eziphansi kwalo. 26Emva kwalokho yakhela uJehova uNkulunkulu wakho i-alithare lohlobo oluyilo engqongeni yalumqolo. Nikela inkunzi yesibili njengomnikelo wokutshiswa usebenzisa izinkuni zensika zika-Ashera ozigamuleyo.”

27Ngakho uGidiyoni wathatha izinceku zakhe ezilitshumi wenza njengokutshelwa kwakhe nguJehova. Kodwa ngenxa yokuthi wayesesaba abemuli yakwabo labantu basedolobheni, wakwenza ebusuku kulokuba kube semini.

28Ekuseni kwathi abantu bedolobho lelo bevuka babona i-alithare likaBhali lidiliziwe, lezinsika zika-Ashera emaceleni alo ziganyulwe lenkunzi yesibili inikelwe phezu kwe-alithare elalisanda kwakhiwa!

29Babuzana besithi, “Ngubani owenze lokhu?” Kwathi sebebuzisise kakuhle babatshela ukuthi, “Kwenziwe nguGidiyoni indodana kaJowashi.”

30Abantu bakulelodolobho bathonisa kuJowashi bathi, “Ikhuphe indodana yakho. Kumele ife, ngoba idilize i-alithare likaBhali yagamula lezinsika zika-Ashera emaceleni alo.”

31Kodwa uJowashi waphendula ixuku lelo elalifuthelene limhanqile wathi, “Lizakhulumela uBhali na? Lizama ukumhlenga na? Loba ngubani omlwelayo uzabulawa ekuseni! Nxa uBhali engunkulunkulu sibili, angazivikela uma umuntu ediliza i-alithare lakhe.” 32Ngakho ngalelolanga uGidiyoni bambiza ngokuthi “Jerubhi-Bhali,” besithi, “UBhali kalwe laye,” ngoba wadiliza i-alithare likaBhali.

33Ngalesosikhathi wonke ama-Midiyani, lama-Amaleki kanye labanye abantu basempumalanga bamanyana bachapha iJodani, bamisa eSigodini saseJezereli. 34Umoya kaJehova wafika kuGidiyoni, wasetshaya icilongo emema ama-Abhiyezeri ukuba amlandele. 35Wathuma izithunywa kulo lonke elakoManase, ebatshela ukuba bahlome, lako-Asheri, koZebhuluni kanye lakoNafthali, ukuze labo bayebahlangabeza.

36UGidiyoni wathi kuNkulunkulu, “Uma uzasindisa u-Israyeli ngesandla sami njengoba uthembisile – 37khangela ngizabeka uboya bewulu esizeni. Kungaba lamazolo eboyeni bewulu kuphela iphansi lonke lomile, ngizakwazi ukuthi uzamsindisa u-Israyeli ngesandla sami njengoba utshilo.” 38Lokho yikho okwenzakalayo. Ngakusisa uGidiyoni wavuka ekuseni wakhama uboya wahluza amazolo – umganu wagcwala amanzi.

39UGidiyoni wasesithi kuNkulunkulu, “Ungangizondeli. Ngivumela ngenze esinye isicelo esisodwa. Ngivumela ukuhlola kanye futhi ngoboya. Khathesi yomisa uboya kuthi iphansi ligcwale amazolo.” 40Ngalobobusuku uNkulunkulu wenzanjalo. Uboya kuphela yibo obabomile; iphansi lonke ligcwele amazolo.