AbaHluleli
3 Yilezi izizwe+ uJehova azivumela ukuba zisale ukuze avivinye+ ngazo u-Israyeli, okungukuthi, bonke labo ababengazange balwe kunoma yiziphi izimpi zaseKhanani;+ 2 wayekwenzela kuphela ukuba izizukulwane zabantwana bakwa-Israyeli zibe nolwazi lwempi, ukuze zifundiswe impi, okungukuthi, lezo kuphela ezazingazange zihlangabezane nezinto ezinjalo ngaphambili: 3 Amakhosi amahlanu+ ahlangene amaFilisti,+ nawo wonke amaKhanani,+ ngisho nabaseSidoni+ namaHivi+ ahlala eNtabeni iLebhanoni+ kusukela eNtabeni iBhali-hermoni+ kuze kufike ekungeneni kweHamati.+ 4 Futhi zazilokhu ziyizinto zokuvivinya+ u-Israyeli ukuze kwaziwe ukuthi wayeyoyilalela yini imiyalo kaJehova ayeyiyalé oyise ngoMose.+ 5 Abantwana bakwa-Israyeli bahlala phakathi kwamaKhanani,+ amaHeti nama-Amori namaPherizi namaHivi namaJebusi.+ 6 Futhi bazithathela amadodakazi awo ukuba abe abafazi babo,+ banika amadodana awo+ amadodakazi abo, bakhonza onkulunkulu bawo.+
7 Ngakho abantwana bakwa-Israyeli benza okubi emehlweni kaJehova, futhi base bemkhohliwe uJehova uNkulunkulu wabo+ bakhonza oBhali+ nezigxobo ezingcwele.+ 8 Khona-ke intukuthelo kaJehova yamvuthela u-Israyeli,+ wamthengisa+ esandleni sikaKushani-rishatayimi inkosi yaseMesophothamiya;+ abantwana bakwa-Israyeli baqhubeka bekhonza uKushani-rishatayimi iminyaka eyisishiyagalombili. 9 Abantwana bakwa-Israyeli bacela usizo+ kuJehova. Khona-ke uJehova wavusela abantwana bakwa-Israyeli umsindisi+ ukuze abasindise, u-Otheniyeli+ indodana kaKhenazi,+ umfowabo kaKalebi+ omncane. 10 Umoya+ kaJehova wehlela kuye, waba umahluleli ka-Israyeli. Lapho ephuma eyokulwa, uJehova wanikela uKushani-rishatayimi inkosi yaseSiriya esandleni sakhe, isandla sakhe samehlula+ uKushani-rishatayimi. 11 Ngemva kwalokho izwe alibanga nasiphazamiso iminyaka engamashumi amane. Ekugcineni u-Otheniyeli indodana kaKhenazi wafa.
12 Abantwana bakwa-Israyeli baphinda benza okubi emehlweni+ kaJehova. Khona-ke uJehova wavumela u-Egiloni inkosi yakwaMowabi+ ukuba abe namandla ekulweni no-Israyeli,+ ngoba wenza okubi emehlweni kaJehova.+ 13 Ngaphezu kwalokho, wababuthela abantwana bakwa-Amoni+ nabakwa-Amaleki.+ Khona-ke baya bamshaya u-Israyeli futhi badla umuzi wemithi yesundu.+ 14 Abantwana bakwa-Israyeli bakhonza u-Egiloni inkosi yakwaMowabi iminyaka eyishumi nesishiyagalombili.+ 15 Abantwana bakwa-Israyeli bacela usizo kuJehova.+ Ngakho uJehova wabavusela umsindisi, u-Ehudi+ indodana kaGera, umBhenjamini,+ indoda eyinxele.+ Ngemva kwesikhathi abantwana bakwa-Israyeli bathumela inkokhiso ngesandla sakhe ku-Egiloni inkosi yakwaMowabi. 16 Phakathi naleso sikhathi u-Ehudi wazenzela inkemba, futhi yayisika nhlangothi zombili,+ ubude bayo buyingalo. Khona-ke wayibhinca ngaphansi kwengubo yakhe phezu kwethanga lakhe lesokunene.+ 17 Wayethula le nkokhiso ku-Egiloni inkosi yakwaMowabi.+ U-Egiloni wayengumuntu okhuluphele kakhulu.
18 Kwathi lapho eseqedile ukuyethula le nkokhiso,+ ngaso leso sikhathi wabamukisa abantu, abaphathi benkokhiso. 19 Yena wabuya ngasezinkwalini ezaziseGiligali,+ wathi: “Nginezwi eliyimfihlo engingathanda ukulixoxa nawe, nkosi.” Ngakho yathi: “Thula!” Ngalokho bonke labo ababemi ngakuyo baphuma basuka kuyo.+ 20 U-Ehudi weza kuyo njengoba yayihlezi egumbini layo elipholile elisophahleni okwakungelayo yodwa. U-Ehudi wathi: “Ngikuphathele izwi elivela kuNkulunkulu.” Yasukuma esihlalweni sayo sobukhosi. 21 Khona-ke u-Ehudi wafaka isandla sakhe sobunxele wakhipha inkemba ethangeni lakhe langakwesokunene wayibhokoda esiswini. 22 Isibambo sasilokhu singena silandela ukudla kwenkemba kangangokuba amanoni akuzungeza ukudla kwenkemba, ngoba wayiyeka inkemba esiswini sayo, kwaphuma indle. 23 U-Ehudi waphuma ngembobo yomoya, kodwa wayivala iminyango yegumbi elisophahleni ngemva kwakhe, wayihluthulela. 24 Yena waphuma.+
Izinceku zakhe zeza zabheka, futhi bheka, iminyango yegumbi elisophahleni yayihluthulelwe. Ngakho zathi: “Umane nje uyazikhulula+ ekamelweni elipholile elingaphakathi.” 25 Zaqhubeka zilindile zaze zaba namahloni, bheka! akukho muntu owavula iminyango yegumbi elisophahleni. Khona-ke zathatha isihluthulelo zayivula, bheka! inkosi yazo yayiwele phansi ifile!
26 U-Ehudi yena waphunyuka ngesikhathi zisalibele, futhi wadlula ngasezinkwalini+ wabalekela eSeyira. 27 Kwathi lapho efika khona washaya uphondo+ esifundeni sezintaba sakwa-Efrayimi;+ abantwana bakwa-Israyeli behla naye baphuma esifundeni sezintaba, yena ebahola. 28 Khona-ke wathi kubo: “Ngilandeleni,+ ngoba uJehova unikele izitha zenu, abakwaMowabi, esandleni senu.”+ Bamlandela futhi bathumba amazibuko+ aseJordani kwabakwaMowabi, futhi abavumelanga muntu ukuba awele. 29 Ngaleso sikhathi babulala uMowabi, amadoda angaba yizinkulungwane eziyishumi,+ wonke eyizingqabavu+ futhi wonke engamaqhawe; ayikho neyodwa eyaphunyuka.+ 30 UMowabi wanqotshwa ngalolo suku ngaphansi kwesandla sika-Israyeli; izwe alibanga naso esinye isiphazamiso iminyaka engamashumi ayisishiyagalombili.+
31 Ngemva kwakhe kwaba khona uShamgari+ indodana ka-Anati, wawabulala amaFilisti,+ amadoda angamakhulu ayisithupha, ngokhandi lwezinkomo; naye wamsindisa u-Israyeli.+