Abahluleli
3:1 Manje lezi yizizwe uJehova azishiya ukuze avivinye u-Israyeli ngazo.
ngisho abaningi bakwa-Israyeli ababengazazi zonke izimpi zaseKhanani;
3:2 Kuphela ukuze izizukulwane zabantwana bakwa-Israyeli zazi, ukufundisa
balwa, okungenani ababengazi lutho ngaphambili;
3:3 Okungukuthi, amakhosi amahlanu amaFilisti, futhi wonke amaKhanani, futhi
amaSidoni, namaHivi ayehlala entabeni yaseLebanoni, entabeni
eBali-Hermoni kuze kube sekungeneni kweHamati.
3:4 Futhi kwakumelwe avivinye u-Israyeli ngazo, ukuze bazi ukuthi babethanda
lalelani imiyalo kaJehova abayala ngayo
obaba ngesandla sikaMose.
3:5 Futhi abantwana bakwa-Israyeli bahlala phakathi kwamaKhanani, namaHeti, futhi
ama-Amori, namaPherizi, namaHivi, namaJebusi;
3:6 Futhi bathatha amadodakazi abo ukuba abe ngomkabo, banikela awo
amadodakazi emadodaneni awo, akhonza onkulunkulu bawo.
3:7 Futhi abantwana bakwa-Israyeli benza okubi emehlweni kaJehova, futhi bakhohlwa
uJehova uNkulunkulu wabo, bakhonza oBali no-Ashera.
3:8 Ngakho intukuthelo kaJehova yamvuthela u-Israyeli, futhi wathengisa ngabo
esandleni sikaKushani Rishatayimi inkosi yaseMesopotamiya, nabantwana
Israyeli wakhonza uKushani Rishatayimi iminyaka eyisishiyagalombili.
3:9 Futhi lapho abantwana bakwa-Israyeli bekhala kuJehova, uJehova wabavusa
umkhululi kubantwana bakwa-Israyeli owabakhulula, u-Otheniyeli
indodana kaKenazi, umfowabo kaKalebi.
3:10 UMoya kaJehova wehlela phezu kwakhe, futhi wahlulela u-Israyeli, futhi wahamba
uJehova wamnikela uKushani Rishatayimi inkosi yaseMesopotamiya
esandleni sakhe; isandla sakhe saba namandla phezu kukaKushani Rishatayimi.
3:11 Futhi izwe lazola iminyaka engamashumi amane. U-Otheniyeli indodana kaKenazi wafa.
3:12 Futhi abantwana bakwa-Israyeli benza okubi emehlweni kaJehova
uJehova wamnika u-Egiloni inkosi yakwaMowabi amandla phezu kuka-Israyeli, ngokuba
benza okubi emehlweni kaJehova.
3:13 Futhi wabuthela kuye abantwana bakwa-Amoni futhi Amaleki, futhi wahamba
wamshaya u-Israyeli, wadla umuzi wamasundu.
3:14 Abantwana bakwa-Israyeli bamkhonza u-Egiloni, inkosi yakwaMowabi, iminyaka eyishumi nesishiyagalombili.
3:15 Kodwa lapho abantwana bakwa-Israyeli bekhala kuJehova, uJehova wabavusa
wabakhiphela umkhululi, u-Ehudi indodana kaGera, umBenjamini, indoda
Ngaye abantwana bakwa-Israyeli bathumela isipho ku-Egiloni
inkosi yakwaMowabi.
16 Kepha u-Ehudi wazenzela inkemba enezinhlangothi ezimbili, ubude bayo buyingalo; futhi
walibhinca ngaphansi kwengubo yakhe ethangeni lakhe lokunene.
3:17 Waletha isipho ku-Egiloni inkosi yakwaMowabi;
isidudla.
3:18 Eseqedile ukunikela isipho, wabamukisa
abantu abaphethe okwamanje.
3:19 Kodwa yena ngokwakhe waphenduka ezithombeni ezazingaseGiligali, futhi
yathi: “Nginendaba eyimfihlo kuwe nkosi,” eyathi: “Thulani.
Baphuma kuye bonke ababemi ngakuye.
3:20 U-Ehudi wafika kuye; futhi wayehlezi endlini yokudlela ehlobo, okuyinto yena
wayezenzela yena yedwa. Wathi u-Ehudi: "Nginezwi elivela kuNkulunkulu eliya kuye."
wena. Wasukuma esihlalweni.
3:21 U-Ehudi welula isandla sakhe sokhohlo, wathatha inkemba ngakwesokunene sakhe
ethangeni, walifaka esiswini sakhe;
3:22 Naso sangena emva kwenkemba; amanoni asibekela
inkemba, kangangokuthi wayengenakuyikhipha inkemba esiswini sakhe; kanye ne
kwaphuma ukungcola.
3:23 Khona-ke u-Ehudi waphuma ngekhulusi, futhi wavala iminyango yethempeli
wahlala phezu kwakhe, wawahluthulela.
3:24 Esephumile, izinceku zakhe zafika; futhi lapho bebona lokho, bheka!
iminyango yegumbi eliphezulu yayihluthulelwe, bathi: "Impela uyasibekela eyakhe."
izinyawo ekamelweni lakhe lasehlobo.
3:25 Balinda baze baba namahloni; bheka, akalivulanga isango
iminyango yekamelo; bathatha isihluthulelo, bazivula;
bheka, inkosi yabo yayiwele phansi ifile.
3:26 U-Ehudi waphunyuka zisalindile, futhi wadlula ezindaweni ezibaziweyo, futhi
wabalekela eSeyira.
3:27 Kwathi esefikile, wavuthela uphondo.
entabeni yakwa-Efrayimi, nabantwana bakwa-Israyeli behla naye besuka
intaba, yena ephambi kwabo.
3:28 Wathi kubo, "Ngilandeleni, ngokuba uJehova ukhululile eyakho."
izitha zikaMowabi esandleni senu. Behla bamlandela, futhi
bathatha amazibuko aseJordani ngaseMowabi, akwavumela muntu ukuba awele
phezu.
3:29 Babulala kwaMowabi ngaleso sikhathi amadoda angaba yizinkulungwane eziyishumi, wonke ekhanukelayo.
nawo onke amadoda anamandla; akwaphunyuka muntu.
3:30 Ngakho uMowabi wathotshiswa ngalolo suku ngaphansi kwesandla sika-Israyeli. Nezwe lalinakho
iminyaka engamashumi ayisishiyagalombili.
3:31 Futhi emva kwakhe kwaba nguShamgari, indodana ka-Anati, owabulala
AmaFilisti amadoda angamakhulu ayisithupha enocijo lwenkabi;
Israyeli.