ABahluleli
6 Abako-Israyeli baphinda benza okubi phambi kukaJehova.*+ Ngakho uJehova wabanikela esandleni samaMidiyani, asebabusa okweminyaka eyisikhombisa.+ 2 AmaMidiyani abacindezela abako-Israyeli.+ Ngenxa yalokho abako-Israyeli bazenzela indawo zokucatsha ezintabeni, embalwini lasezindaweni okunzima ukufika kuzo.+ 3 Abako-Israyeli babesithi bangalima, amaMidiyani lama-Amaleki+ labantu beMpumalanga+ babuye bezobahlasela. 4 Babefika babavimbezele batshabalalise konke okusemasimini kuze kuyefika eGaza, batshiye abako-Israyeli bengelakudla, kungela ngitsho imvu, inkomo loba ubabhemi.+ 5 Babebuya lezifuyo zabo lamatende, bebanengi angathi zintethe.+ Babesiza ngobunengi futhi belamakamela amanengi+ belande ukuzotshabalalisa ilizwe. 6 AmaMidiyani abathwalisa nzima abako-Israyeli, bahawula baze bakhala kuJehova becela ukuthi abasize.+
7 Abako-Israyeli bathi becela kuJehova ukuthi abakhulule kwabakoMidiyani,+ 8 uJehova wathuma umphrofethi wakhe kubo wafika wathi: “Nanku okutshiwo nguJehova uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, ‘Ngalikhipha eGibhithe ngalisusa elizweni lobugqili.+ 9 Ngalikhulula esandleni samaGibhithe lakubo bonke ababelicindezela, ngabaxotsha phambi kwenu ngasengilinika ilizwe labo.+ 10 Ngathi kini: “NginguJehova uNkulunkulu wenu.+ Akumelanga libesabe onkulunkulu bama-Amori elihlezi elizweni lawo.”+ Kodwa lina kalizange lingilalele.’”*+
11 Ngemva kwesikhathi kwafika ingilosi kaJehova+ yahlala ngaphansi kwesihlahla esikhulu esasise-Ofira, endaweni kaJowashi um-Abhiyezeri.+ Indodana yakhe uGidiyoni+ yayibhula ingqoloyi esikhamelweni sewayini* ukuze iyifihlele amaMidiyani. 12 Ingilosi kaJehova yabonakala kuGidiyoni yasisithi: “UJehova ulawe+ qhawe elilamandla.” 13 UGidiyoni waphendula wathi: “Uxolo nkosi yami. Nxa kuyikuthi uJehova ulathi, kungani konke lokhu kusehlele?+ Zingaphi izimanga zakhe esasizitshelwa ngobaba bethu+ besithi, ‘UJehova nguye owasikhipha eGibhithe?’+ Khathesi uJehova usesifulathele+ wasinikela esandleni samaMidiyani.” 14 UJehova wamkhangela wasesithi kuye: “Hamba ngamandla olawo uzabakhulula abako-Israyeli esandleni samaMidiyani.+ Yimi engikuthumayo.” 15 UGidiyoni wamphendula wathi: “Uxolo Jehova. Ngingamsindisa njani u-Israyeli? Phela usendo* lwakithi yilo oluncinyane koManase njalo mina ngimncane kulabo bonke endlini kababa.” 16 Kodwa uJehova wathi kuye: “Uzababhuqa abakoMidiyani kube angathi ulwa lomuntu oyedwa ngenxa yokuthi ngizabe ngilawe.”+
17 UGidiyoni wasesithi kuye: “Nxa kuyikuthi ngithole umusa kuwe, nginika isibonakaliso esitshengisa ukuthi nguwe sibili okhuluma lami. 18 Ngicela ungasuki lapha ngize ngiphenduke lesipho sami ngisibeke phambi kwakho.”+ Ingilosi yasisithi: “Ngizahlala lapha uze uphenduke.” 19 UGidiyoni wasuka wayahlaba izinyane lembuzi walipheka, wenza lesinkwa esingelamvubelo nge-efa* yefulawa.+ Wafaka inyama ebhasikitini, umhluzi wayo wawuthela embizeni, wasethwala izinto lezi wahamba lazo esihlahleni esikhulu wafika wazibeka phambi kwengilosi.
20 Ingilosi kaNkulunkulu weqiniso yasisithi: “Thatha inyama lesinkwa esingelamvubelo ukubeke edwaleni leliyana elikhulu, ubusuthela umhluzi.” UGidiyoni wenza njalo. 21 Ingilosi kaJehova yasiselula umqwayi wayo yathinta inyama lesinkwa esingelamvubelo, kwalavuka umlilo edwaleni watshisa inyama lesinkwa esingelamvubelo.+ Ngemva kwalokho ingilosi kaJehova yanyamalala. 22 UGidiyoni wananzelela ukuthi bekuyingilosi kaJehova.+
Wathi: “Maye Nkosi Enkulu Jehova! Ngibone ingilosi kaJehova ubuso ngobuso!”+ 23 Kodwa uJehova wathi kuye: “Ukuthula akube kuwe. Ungesabi,+ awusoze ufe.” 24 UGidiyoni wasesakhela uJehova i-alithare kuleyondawo. Libizwa ngokuthi yiJehova-shalomi*+ kuze kube lamuhla njalo lilokhu lise-Ofira yama-Abhiyezeri.
25 Ngalobobusuku uJehova wathi kuye: “Thatha inkunzi kayihlo, leyana eyesibili* eleminyaka eyisikhombisa, ubusudiliza i-alithare uyihlo alakhela uBhali, ugamule lesithombe sika-Ashera* esiseceleni kwalo.+ 26 Nxa ungaqeda ukwakhela uJehova i-alithare phezu kwenqaba le ngamatshe afolisiweyo, thatha inkunzi yesibili unikele ngayo emlilweni owubase ngesithombe sika-Ashera* osigamulileyo, ibe ngumnikelo wokutshiswa.” 27 Yikho-ke uGidiyoni wathatha amadoda alitshumi wasesenza lokho ayekutshelwe nguJehova. Wakwenza ebusuku hatshi emini ngoba wayesesaba abantu bendlu kayise lamadoda akulelodolobho.
28 Amadoda edolobho lelo athi evuka ekuseni abona i-alithare likaBhali selidiliziwe lesithombe sika-Ashera* esasiseceleni kwalo siganyuliwe. Inkunzi yesibili layo yayisinikelwe e-alithareni elalakhiwe khonapho. 29 Babuzana bathi: “Ngubani okwenzileyo lokhu?” Bathe sebedingisisile bathi: “NguGidiyoni indodana kaJowashi owenze lokhu.” 30 Ngakho amadoda akulelodolobho athi kuJowashi: “Khiphela phandle indodana yakho. Kumele ife ngoba idilize i-alithare likaBhali yagamula lesithombe sika-Ashera* ebesiseceleni kwalo.” 31 UJowashi+ wasesithi kulabo ababexabana laye: “Kumele limlwele yini uBhali? Kambe sengaze asindiswe yini? Loba ngubani omlwelayo uzabulawa lamuhla ekuseni.+ Nxa engunkulunkulu kazilwele+ njengoba kulomuntu odilize i-alithare lakhe.” 32 Ngalelolanga uJowashi wabiza uGidiyoni ngokuthi nguJerubhali,* esithi: “UBhali kazilwele njengoba kulomuntu odilize i-alithare lakhe.”
33 Wonke amabutho amaMidiyani+ lawama-Amaleki+ lawabantu beMpumalanga ahlangana+ achaphela* esigodini seJeziriyeli, amisa inkamba yawo khona. 34 Umoya kaJehova wasusehlela phezu kukaGidiyoni,*+ wasetshaya uphondo+ ama-Abhiyezeri+ abuya azomncedisa. 35 Wathumela izithunywa kulo lonke elakoManase babuya bazomsekela. Wasethumela ezinye ko-Asheri lakoZebhuloni lakoNafithali, labo babuya bazohlangana laye.
36 UGidiyoni wasesithi kuNkulunkulu weqiniso: “Nxa kuyikuthi uzasindisa abako-Israyeli usebenzisa mina njengoba uthembisile,+ 37 ngizabeka iwulu phansi esizeni.* Nxa iwulu leyo ingaba lamazolo kodwa umhlabathi wonke oseduze womile, ngizakwazi ukuthi uzabasindisa abako-Israyeli usebenzisa mina njengoba uthembisile.” 38 Lokhu yikho kanye okwenzakalayo. Wavuka ekuseni ngelanga elilandelayo wakhama iwulu, kwaphuma amanzi ayengagcwala umganu omkhulu. 39 Kodwa uGidiyoni wathi kuNkulunkulu weqiniso: “Ungangithukutheleli, ngilesinye isicelo. Ngicela ukusebenzisa iwulu le futhi ukuze ngibone ukuthi uzakuba lami yini. Ngicela wenze umhlabathi wonke ube lamazolo, kodwa iwulu kube yiyo yodwa ewomileyo.” 40 UNkulunkulu wenza njalo ngalobobusuku, iwulu yasala iwomile kodwa umhlabathi wonke ulamazolo.