Ngemuva kwekuhola bantfu baNkulunkulu sikhatsi lesidze, Joshuwa wafa sekaneminyaka lengu-110. Nakasaphila, ema-Israyeli bekakhonta Jehova. Kodvwa ngemuva kwekufa kwaJoshuwa, ema-Israyeli acala kukhonta titfombe njengobe bekwenta emaKhenani. Ngenca yekutsi ema-Israyeli besekangasamlaleli, Jehova wavumela inkhosi yemaKhenani lenguJabhini kutsi ibaphatse kabi. Ema-Israyeli ancenga Jehova acela lusito. Ngako Jehova wawaniketa umholi lomusha lobekunguBharaki, lobekatawasita abuyele kuye.

Debhora umphrofethikati watfumela kutsi kulandvwe Bharaki. Bekafuna kumtjela umlayeto lobuya kuJehova lotsi: ‘Tsatsa emadvodza langu-10 000, niyohlangana nelibutfo laJabini esihosheni saseKhishoni. Lapho ngitawunikela Sisera sikhulu selibutfo laJabini esandleni sakho.’ Bharaki watsi kuDebhora: ‘Nangabe uhamba nami, ngitawuhamba.’ Yena watsi: ‘Ngitawuhamba nawe. Kodvwa kufanele wati kutsi Sisera angeke abulawe nguwe. Jehova utawunikela Sisera esandleni semfati.’

Debhora wahamba naBharaki nelibutfo lakhe baya entsabeni iThabori kuyolungiselela imphi. Ngekushesha nje Sisera nakeva ngaloku, wahlanganisa ndzawonye emabutfo kanye netincola takhe temphi kute ayokulwa naBharaki. Debhora watsi kuBharaki: ‘Leli lilanga Jehova latawunikela ngalo Sisera esandleni sakho.’ Bharaki nalamadvodza langu-10 000 behla lentsaba bayohlangana nemasotja lanemandla aSisera.

Jehova wabangela kutsi umfula iKhishoni ugcwale uze ucitseke. Tincola temphi taSisera tabisha eludzakeni. Sisera wayishiya incola yakhe wabaleka. Bharaki nemasotja akhe balincoba libutfo laSisera, kepha Sisera yena wabaleka. Wabalekela ethendeni lalomunye umfati lokutsiswa nguJayeli wafike wabhaca khona. Lomfati wamnatsisa lubisi wabese ummbonya ngengubo yekulala. Lelichawe lebelidziniwe lalala butfongo. Jayeli walinyonyobela lelichawe ngesikhatsi lisetumekile lilele, wafike walihlaba ngentfo lecijile enhloko lafa.

Bharaki wafika atofuna Sisera. Jayeli waphuma ethendeni lakhe watsi kubo: ‘Wota lapha ngitekukhombisa lendvodza loyifunako.’ Bharaki wangena ngekhatsi wabona Sisera afile. Bharaki naDebhora badvumisa Jehova ngengoma ngenca yekusindzisa ema-Israyeli etitseni tawo. Eminyakeni lengu-40 leyalandzela, ema-Israyeli bekahlala ngekuthula.

Ngesikhatsi sendlala lenkhulu ka-Israyeli, lomunye make lokutsiwa nguNawomi wahamba nendvodza yakhe kanye nemadvodzana abo lamabili baya eveni lakaMowabi. Ngekuhamba kwesikhatsi indvodza yaNawomi yafa. Lamadvodzana aNawomi agcine atitsatsele bafati eveni lakaMowabi, lebekuboRuthe na-Opha. Lokubuhlungu kutsi ngemuva kwesikhatsi emadvodzana aNawomi afa.

Nakeva kutsi indlala beseyiphelile ka-Israyeli, Nawomi wabuyela emuva. BoRuthe na-Opha bahamba naye, kodvwa nabasendleleni Nawomi watsi kubo: ‘Benibafati labakahle emadvodzaneni ami futsi nibomakoti labakahle nakimi. Ngifuna kutsi niphindze nishade. Buyelani ekhaya kaMowabi.’ Labomakoti bakhe batsi: ‘Siyakutsandza futsi asifuni kukushiya.’ Nawomi bekasolo abancenga kutsi bajike. Ekugcineni, Opha wajika kepha Ruthe wala kujika. Nawomi watsi kuye: ‘Opha sewubuyele kubantfu bakubo nakubonkulunkulu bakhe. Ncandzeka naye, ubuyele endlini yamake wakho.’ Kodvwa Ruthe watsi: ‘Ngeke ngikushiye. Bantfu bakini batawuba bantfu bakitsi futsi Nkulunkulu wakho utawuba nguNkulunkulu wami.’ Ucabanga kutsi wativa njani Nawomi ngesikhatsi Ruthe asho njalo?

Ruthe naNawomi befika ka-Israyeli ngesikhatsi kucalwa kuvunwa ibhali. Ngalelinye lilanga, Ruthe wahamba wayobutsa lobekusele nakuvunwa emasimini alenye indvodza lokutsiwa nguBhowazi, lobekayindvodzana yaRahabi. Bekati kutsi Ruthe uvela kaMowabi futsi bekamhlonipha maketala wakhe Nawomi. Watjela tisebenti takhe kutsi nativuna tiboshiya lokuncane kuze kube khona lakutfolako naRuthe.

Ebusuku bangalelo langa Nawomi wabuta Ruthe watsi: ‘Usebente emasimini abani lamuhla?’ Ruthe watsi: ‘Emasimini endvodza lebitwa ngekutsi nguBhowazi.’ Nawomi watsi kuye: ‘Bhowazi usihlobo setfu. Chubeka usebenta emasimini akhe kanye naletincekukati takhe. Utawuvikeleka nawulapho.’

Ruthe wachubeka asebenta emasimini aBhowazi baze bacedza kuvuna. Bhowazi wabona kutsi Ruthe ukhutsele futsi ungumfati lohloniphako. Ngesikhatsi sabo, nangabe indvodza ifa ite bantfwana, sihlobo sayo besibese sishada lomfati wayo. Bhowazi wase ushada naRuthe. Batala indvodzana labayetsa batsi ngu-Obedi, leyagcine ingumkhulu weNkhosi Davide. Bangani baNawomi bajabula kakhulu. Batsi: ‘Kwekucala, Jehova wakupha Ruthe longumakoti lokutsandzako, futsi nyalo ukubusise ngemtukulu. Akadvunyiswe Jehova.’