AbaHluleli
12 Amadoda akwa-Efrayimi abizelwa ndawonye, awelela eZafoni* athi kuJefta: “Kungani ungasibizanga ukuba sihambe nawe lapho uyolwa nabakwa-Amoni? + Sizokushisela endlini yakho.” 2 Kodwa uJefta wathi kuwo: “Mina nabantu bakithi besisempini enkulu nabakwa-Amoni. Ngalucela usizo kini, kodwa anizange ningisindise esandleni sabo. 3 Lapho ngibona ukuthi anizimisele ukungisindisa, nganquma ukubeka ukuphila kwami engozini,* ngahamba ngayolwa nabakwa-Amoni. + UJehova wabanikela esandleni sami. Pho kungani nizolwa nami namuhla?”
4 UJefta wabe eseqoqela ndawonye wonke amadoda aseGileyadi, + balwa no-Efrayimi; amadoda aseGileyadi amnqoba u-Efrayimi, owayethe: “Ningababaleki abasuka kwa-Efrayimi, nina bantu baseGileyadi enihlala kwa-Efrayimi nakwaManase.” 5 AbaseGileyadi bavimba u-Efrayimi emazibukweni aseJordani; + kwakuthi lapho amadoda akwa-Efrayimi ezama ukubaleka, athi: “Ngicela ukuwela”; amadoda aseGileyadi ayebuza ngamunye athi: “Ingabe ungumEfrayimi?” Lapho ethi, “Cha!” 6 ayethi kuye: “Sicela uthi Shiboleti.” Kodwa yena wayethi, “Siboleti,” njengoba ayengakwazi ukulibiza kahle leli gama. Ayebe esembamba ambulale emazibukweni aseJordani. Ngakho kwafa abakwa-Efrayimi abangu-42 000 ngaleso sikhathi.
7 UJefta wahlulela u-Israyeli iminyaka eyisithupha, okwathi ngemva kwalokho uJefta waseGileyadi wafa wangcwatshwa edolobheni lakubo eGileyadi.
8 Ngemva kwakhe u-Ibhizani waseBhetlehema wahlulela u-Israyeli. + 9 Wayenamadodana angu-30 namadodakazi angu-30. Wavumela amadodakazi akhe ukuba ayoshada namadoda esinye isizwe, wathathela amadodana akhe abafazi abangu-30 abavela kwesinye isizwe. Wahlulela u-Israyeli iminyaka eyisikhombisa. 10 U-Ibhizani wayesefa, wangcwatshwa eBhetlehema.
11 Ngemva kwakhe u-Eloni wakwaZebhuloni wahlulela u-Israyeli; wahlulela u-Israyeli iminyaka eyishumi. 12 U-Eloni wakwaZebhuloni wayesefa wangcwatshwa e-Ajaloni ezweni lakwaZebhuloni.
13 Ngemva kwakhe u-Abhidoni indodana kaHileli umPirathoni wahlulela u-Israyeli. 14 Wayenamadodana angu-40 nabazukulu babafana abangu-30 ababegibela izimbongolo ezingu-70. Wahlulela u-Israyeli iminyaka engu-8. 15 U-Abhidoni indodana kaHileli umPirathoni wafa, wangcwatshwa ePirathoni ezweni lakwa-Efrayimi entabeni yomAmaleki. +