Judg 8 | NdeIBE | STEP | Abako-Efrayimi babuza uGidiyoni bathi, “Kungani usiphathe kanje na? Kungani ungasibizanga lapho ususiyakulwa lamaMidiyani?” Bamsola kakhulu.

Judges 8

UZebha loZalimuna

1 Abako-Efrayimi babuza uGidiyoni bathi, “Kungani usiphathe kanje na? Kungani ungasibizanga lapho ususiyakulwa lamaMidiyani?” Bamsola kakhulu. 2 Kodwa yena wabaphendula wathi, “Ku-yini mina engikufezileyo okulingana lo-kwenu na? Amagirebisi ako-Efrayimi aseleyo ekuvuneni kawangcono kulamagirebisi esivuno esipheleleyo sako-Abhiyezeri na? 3 UNkulunkulu unikele u-Orebhi loZebhi, abakhokheli bamaMidiyani, ezandleni zenu. Kuyini lokho engikwenzileyo lapho ngiqathaniswa lani?” Ngalokhu ukuthukuthela kwabo kwadeda.

4 UGidiyoni labantu bakhe abangamakhulu amathathu, sebediniwe kodwa belokhu bexotshana lawo, bafika eJodani bayichapha.

5 Wasesithi ebantwini baseSukhothi, “Phanini amabutho ami izinkwa; akhathele, njalo ngisaxotshana loZebha kanye loZalimuna, amakhosi aseMidiyani.”

6 Kodwa izikhulu zaseSukhothi zathi, “Usulazo kuwe yini izandla zikaZebha loZalimuna na? Kungani amabutho akho kumele siwanike izinkwa na?

7 UGidiyoni waphedula wathi, “Ngenxa yalokho, lapho uJehova esenikele uZebha loZalimuna esandleni sami, ngizaklaya imizimba yenu ngameva asenkangala.”

8 Esuka lapho waya ePheniyeli, wenza isicelo esifanayo kubo, kodwa baphendula njengabantu beSukhothi. 9 Ngakho wathi ebantwini basePheniyeli, “Ekuphendukeni kwami senginqobile, ngizawudiliza umphotshongo lo.”

10 Ngalesosikhathi uZebha loZalimuna babeseKhakhori lebutho labantu ababephosa babe yizinkulungwane ezilitshumi lanhlanu, bonke ababesele abamabutho abantu basempumalanga; izinkulungwane ezilikhulu lamatshumi amabili zababesilwa ngenkemba zazifile.

11 UGidiyoni wahamba ngendlela yemihambima empumalanga kweNobha leJogibheha watheleka phezu kwebutho elalilibele.

12 UZebha loZalimuna, amakhosi amabili aseMidiyani, babaleka, kodwa waxotshana labo wabathumba, walichitha lonke ibutho labo.

13 Emva kwalokho uGidiyoni indodana kaJowashi wabuyela evela empini ngoKhalo lwaseHeresi. 14 Wabamba ijaha laseSukhothi walibuzabuza, ijaha lelo lamlobela amabizo ezikhulu zaseSukhothi ezingamatshumi ayisikhombisa, abadala bomuzi.

15 UGidiyoni wafika wathi ebantwini baseSukhothi, “Nangu uZebha loZalimuna elalingichothoza ngabo lisithi, ‘Usulazo kuwe yini izandla zikaZebha loZalimuna? Kungani amabutho akho akhatheleyo kumele siwanike izinkwa na?’ ” 16 Wathatha abadala bomuzi wasefundisa amadoda aseSukhothi isifundo ngokubajezisa ngameva asenkangala.

17 Wadiliza lomphotshongo wasePheniyeli wabulala amadoda alowomuzi.

18 Wabuza uZebha loZalimuna wathi, “Ngabantu abanjani labo elababulalayo eThabhori?” Baphendula bathi, “Ngabantu abanjengawe, lowo lalowo efana lenkosana.”

19 UGidiyoni waphendula wathi, “Labobantu babengabafowethu, amadodana kamama. Ngeqiniso elinjengoba uJehova ekhona, aluba labayekela bephila, kade ngingayikulibulala.”

20 Esephendukele kuJetheri, indodana yakhe endala, wathi, “Babulale!” Kodwa uJetheri kayihwatshanga inkemba yakhe, ngoba wayengumfanyana esesaba.

21 UZebha loZalimuna bathi, “Woza, usibulale wena ngokwakho. ‘Njengoba indoda injalo, anjalo lamandla ayo.’ ” Ngakho uGidiyoni wasondela phambili wababulala, wasethatha imiceciso ezintanyeni zamakamela abo.

Isithombe sikaGidiyoni

22 Abako-Israyeli bathi kuGidiyoni, “Sibuse – wena, lendodana yakho kanye lendodana yendodana yakho – ngoba usisindisile ezandleni zamaMidiyani.”

23 Kodwa uGidiyoni wathi kubo, “Mina kangiyikulibusa, lendodana yami kayiyikulibusa. UJehova uzalibusa.” 24 Wabuya wathi, “Ngilesicelo esisodwa, ukuthi omunye lomunye wenu angiphe icici esabelweni sempango yenu.” (Ukufaka amacici egolide kungumkhuba wama-Ishimayeli.)

25 Baphendula bathi, “Sizathaba ukukunika wona.” Ngakho bendlala ingubo, kwathi umuntu ngamunye waphosela kuyo icici lempango yakhe. 26 Isisindo samacici egolide ayewacelile saba ngamashekeli angamakhulu alitshumi lesikhombisa, kungabalwa izigqizo lemigaxo lezambatho ezilubende ezigqokwa ngamakhosi aseMidiyani loba amaketane ayesezintanjeni zamakamela awo. 27 UGidiyoni wenza isithombe ngegolide lelo, wasibeka e-Ofira, umuzi wakibo. Bonke abako-Israyeli bazingcolisa ngokusikhonza khonapho, njalo saba ngumjibila kuGidiyoni labendlu yakhe.

Ukufa kukaGidiyoni

28 IMidiyani yanqotshwa kanjalo ngabako-Israyeli njalo kayizange ivuse ikhanda futhi. Ngezinsuku zokuphila kukaGidiyoni ilizwe laba lokuthula iminyaka engamatshumi amane.

29 UJerubhi-Bhali indodana kaJowashi wabuyela ekhaya ukuyahlala khona. 30 Wayelamadodana angamatshumi ayisikhombisa angawakhe ngoba wayelabafazi abanengi. 31 Umfazi wakhe weceleni, owayehlala eShekemu, laye wamzalela indodana ayithi nguAbhimelekhi.

32 UGidiyoni indodana kaJowashi wafa eseluphele kakhulu wangcwatshwa ethuneni likayise uJowashi e-Ofira yama-Abhizeri.

33 Masinyane nje uGidiyoni esanda kufa ama-Israyeli azingcolisa njalo ngokukhonza oBhali. Bamisa uBhali Bherithi njengonkulunkulu wabo

34 kabaze bamkhumbula uJehova uNkulunkulu wabo owayebahlenge ezandleni zezitha zonke ezinhlangothini zonke. 35 Njalo kababanga lomusa kwabendlu ka-Jerubhi-Bhali (uGidiyoni) mayelana lezinto zonke ezinhle ayebenzele zona.