AbaHlulelii

9 Ngokukhamba kwesikhathi u-Abimeleki+ indodana kaJerubhali waya kibomalumakhe eTjhekemu, wakhuluma nabo nomndeni kabamkhulwakhe woke, wathi: 2 “Ngibawa nibuze boke abarholi beTjhekemu* nithi, ‘Ngikuphi okungcono kini, kubuswa ngiwo woke amadodana kaJerubhali+ ama-70 namkha kubuswa mumuntu munye? Khumbulani ukuthi ngilithambo lenu nenyamenu.’”*

3 Yeke abomalumakhe bamkhulumela nabarholi beTjhekemu begodu iinhliziyo zabo zadoseleka ekulandeleni u-Abimeleki, ngombana bathi: “Yena mfowethu.” 4 Nje-ke bamnikela iimpaparwana zesiliva ezima-70 ezivela endlini kaBhali-Bherithi,*+ u-Abimeleki waqatjha ngazo amadoda amavila nadelelako bona amphekelele. 5 Ngemva kwalokho, waya endlini kayise e-Ofira+ wabulala abafowabo elitjeni linye,+ amadodana kaJerubhali ama-70. Kwasinda uJothamu kwaphela, ubuphetjhani emadodaneni kaJerubhali ngombana wabhaca.

6 Yeke boke abarholi beTjhekemu neBethe-Milo yoke bahlangana eduze nomuthi omkhulu, hlanu kwesika ebeyiseTjhekemu, babeka u-Abimeleki+ bona abe yikosi.

7 Kwathi uJothamu nakabikelwa ngalokho, msinyana wakhamba wayokujama esiqongolweni seNtaba iGerizimu+ warhuwelela ngelizwi elikhulu wathi kibo: “Yeningilalele, nina barholi beTjhekemu noZimu uzonilalela.

8 “Kwakhe kwaba nemithi eyakhamba iyokuzesa ikosi ezoyibusa. Nje-ke yathi emthini wama-oliva, ‘Sibusa.’+ 9 Kodwana umuthi wama-oliva wathi kiyo, ‘Kghani kufuze ngitjhiye amafuthami, abawasebenzisela ukuphazimulisa uZimu nabantu, ngikhambe ngiyokuphephezela phezu kweminye imithi?’ 10 Yeke imithi yathi emthini wamafeyi, ‘Yiza uzosibusa.’ 11 Kodwana umuthi wamafeyi wathi kiyo, ‘Kghani kufuze ngilise ubumnandi bami neenthelo zami ezihle, ngikhambe ngiyokuphephezela phezu kweminye imithi?’ 12 Ngokulandelako imithi yathi emthini wamadiribe, ‘Yiza uzosibusa.’ 13 Umuthi wamadiribe wayiphendula wathi, ‘Kghani kufuze ngitjhiye iwayini lami elitjha elenza uZimu nabantu bathabe, ngikhambe ngiyokuphephezela phezu kweminye imithi?’ 14 Ekugcineni, yoke eminye imithi yathi emthini womunga, ‘Yiza uzosibusa.’+ 15 Umuthi womunga waphendula imithi wathi, ‘Nangabe mbala ningizesa bona ngibe yikosenu, yizani nizokukhosela emthunzinami. Kodwana nangabe akusinjalo, akuphume umlilo emthini womunga urhiribidele imisedari yeLibhanoni.’

16 “Nje-ke, kghani nenze ngokuthembeka nokuhlonipha nanibeka u-Abimeleki+ bona abe yikosi, kghani nitjengise ubuhle kuJerubhali nomzakhe begodu nimphathe ngendlela efaneleko na? 17 Ngesikhathi ubaba anilwela,+ wabeka ukuphila kwakhe engozini bona anisindise esandleni samaMidiyani.+ 18 Kodwana namhlanjesi nivukele indlu kababa nabulala amadodanakhe, amadoda ama-70, elitjeni linye.+ Ngemva kwalokho, nabeka u-Abimeleki, indodana yesigqilakazi,+ bona abe yikosi phezu kwabarholi beTjhekemu ngombana amfowenu. 19 Kwamambala, nangabe lokhu enikwenzako namhlanjesi kuthembeka nokuhlonipha uJerubhali nomzakhe, thabani ngo-Abimeleki begodu naye akathabe ngani. 20 Kodwana nakungasinjalo, kwanga kungaphuma umlilo ku-Abimeleki urhiribidele abarholi beTjhekemu neBethe-Milo+ begodu kwanga kungaphuma umlilo ebarholini beTjhekemu neBethe-Milo urhiribidele u-Abimeleki.”+

21 Ngemva kwalokho, uJothamu+ wabalekela eBheri, wahlala lapho ngebanga lomfowabo u-Abimeleki.

22 U-Abimeleki wabusa* kwa-Israyeli iminyaka emithathu. 23 UZimu wavumela bona kube nobutha phakathi kwaka-Abimeleki nabarholi beTjhekemu begodu bakhohlisa u-Abimeleki. 24 Lokhu kwenzeka bona kubuyiselelwe ilunya elenziwa emadodaneni kaJerubhali ama-70, bona kubekwe iingazi zawo phezu kwaka-Abimeleki ngombana wawabulala+ naphezu kwabarholi beTjhekemu ngebanga lokuthi bamsiza bona abulale abafowabo. 25 Ngalokho abarholi beTjhekemu babeka amadoda bona amkhukhuthele phezu kweentaba begodu bewadlelezela woke umuntu odlula ngakiwo endleleni. Ngokukhamba kwesikhathi lokhu kwabikelwa u-Abimeleki.

26 Yeke uGali indodana ka-Ebede nabafowabo bayamela eTjhekemu+ begodu abarholi beTjhekemu babeka ithemba labo kuye. 27 Baphuma baya esimini, babuthelela amadiribe esiminabo yamadiribe, bawagadanga bona benze iwayini, benza umnyanya, ngemva kwalokho baya endlini kazimabo+ badla, basela begodu bathuka u-Abimeleki. 28 Ngalokho uGali indodana ka-Ebede wathi: “Ngubani u-Abimeleki begodu ngubani uTjhekemu bona simsebenzele? Kghani akasiyindodana kaJerubhali+ begodu uZebhulu akasimjamelakhe? Sebenzelani abantu bakaRhamori, uyise kaTjhekemu! Kodwana kubayini kufuze sisebenzele u-Abimeleki? 29 Ngathana abantwaba bebangaphasi kwelawulo lami, bengizokususa u-Abimeleki.” Yeke wathi ku-Abimeleki: “Ngezelela ibutho lakho, uphume nalo.”

30 Kwathi uZebhulu ikosana yedorobho nakezwa amezwi kaGali indodana ka-Ebede, wavutha ngelaka. 31 Yeke wathumela iinthunywa ku-Abimeleki ngemsitheleni, wathi: “Qala! UGali indodana ka-Ebede nabafowabo baseTjhekemu njenganje begodu bahlohlozela idorobho bona liphikisane nawe. 32 Nje-ke khuphuka ebusuku, wena nabantu bakho, nilinde emmangweni. 33 Msinyana nakuphuma ilanga, kufuze uvuke usahlele idorobho; nakaphuma nabantu bakhe bona alwe nawe, yenza nanyana yini bona umhlule.”

34 U-Abimeleki nabo boke abantu bakhe bavuka ebusuku, bakhukhuthela iTjhekemu baziinqhema ezine. 35 Kwathi uGali indodana ka-Ebede nakaphumako ajama esangweni ledorobho, u-Abimeleki nabantu ebebanaye baphuma lapho ebebazifihle khona. 36 Lokha uGali nakabona abantwabo wathi kuZebhulu: “Qala! Kunabantu abehla bavela phezu kweentaba.” Kodwana uZebhulu wathi kuye: “Ubona iinthunzi zeentaba ngasuthi babantu.”

37 Ngokukhamba kwesikhathi uGali wathi: “Qala! Abantu behla bavela ekabeni yenarha begodu isiqhema sinye siza ngendlela yomuthi omkhulu weMewonenimi.” 38 UZebhulu wamphendula wathi: “Kuphi ukuzikhakhazisa kwakho nje nawuthi, ‘Ngubani u-Abimeleki bona singamsebenzela?’+ Kghani akusibabantu obadelelileko laba? Phuma njenganje uyokulwa nabo.”

39 Yeke uGali waphuma adosa phambili abarholi beTjhekemu walwa no-Abimeleki. 40 U-Abimeleki wamgijimisa begodu uGali wambalekela, kwahlongakala abantu abanengi bekwayokufika esangweni ledorobho.

41 U-Abimeleki waraga nokuhlala e-Aruma, uZebhulu+ waqotha uGali nabafowabo eTjhekemu. 42 Ngelanga elilandelako abantu baphuma baya emmangweni begodu u-Abimeleki wabikelwa ngalokho. 43 Yeke wathatha abantu bakhe wabahlukanisa baba ziinqhema ezintathu, wayokulinda emmangweni. Kwathi nakabona abantu baphuma edorobheni, wabasahlela bewabarhayila. 44 U-Abimeleki neenqhema ebezinaye bagijimela phambili bajama esangweni ledorobho, khisibe iinqhema ezimbili zisahlela boke ebebasemmangweni zabarhayila. 45 U-Abimeleki walwa nedorobho ilanga loke mhlokho bewalithumba. Wabulala abantu ebebakilo, ngemva kwalokho wagiriza idorobho+ bewalirhatjha ngetswayi.

46 Kwathi boke abarholi bombhotjhongo weTjhekemu nabezwa ngalokhu, baya endaweni evikelekileko yendlu ka-Eli-Bherithi*+ khonokho. 47 Msinyana ngemva kobana u-Abimeleki abikelwe ukuthi boke abarholi bombhotjhongo weTjhekemu babuthene ndawonye, 48 u-Abimeleki nabo boke abantu abanaye bakhuphukela eNtabeni iTsalimoni. U-Abimeleki wathatha izembe wagawula ipande wayitjatha ehlombe, wathi ebantwini abanaye: “Lokhu eningibone ngikwenza, rhabani nenze khona nani!” 49 Yeke boke abantu bagawula iimpande balandela u-Abimeleki. Ngemva kwalokho, bathatha iimpande bazisamisa endaweni evikelekileko bayithungelela ngomlilo. Nje-ke boke abantu bombhotjhongo weTjhekemu bahlongakala, bekungaba madoda nabafazi abayi-1 000.

50 Ngemva kwalokho, u-Abimeleki waya eThebezi; wahloma ikampa walwa neThebezi wayithumba. 51 Bekunombhotjhongo oqinileko ekabeni yedorobho, woke amadoda nabafazi nabo boke abarholi bedorobho babalekela lapho. Bazivalela ngaphakathi, bakhuphukela ephahleni lombhotjhongo. 52 U-Abimeleki watjhinga embhotjhongweni wawusahlela. Watjhidela ebungenweni bombhotjhongo bona awutjhise. 53 Ngemva kwalokho, omunye wabafazi waphosa ilitje lokusila ehloko ka-Abimeleki, wamphahlaza ikhakhayi.+ 54 Wabiza msinya isisebenzi esiphatha iinkhali zakhe, wathi kiso: “Khupha isabulakho ungibulale, bona kungathiwa ngami, ‘Ubulewe mfazi.’” Yeke isisebenzi sakhe samhlaba, wahlongakala.

55 Kwathi abantu bakwa-Israyeli nabalemuka bona u-Abimeleki uhlongakele, boke babuyela ekhaya. 56 Ngokunjalo uZimu wabuyiselela u-Abimeleki ngobumbi abenze kuyise ngokubulala abafowabo abama-70.+ 57 UZimu wenza nokuthi boke ubumbi bamadoda weTjhekemu bubuyele phezu kweenhloko zawo. Yeke ukuqalekisa kwakaJothamu+ indodana kaJerubhali+ kweza phezu kwawo.