UGideyoni Unqoba AbakwaMidiyani

Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, ama-Israyeli aphinde amshiya uJehova akhonza onkulunkulu bamanga. Kwaphela iminyaka engu-7, abakwaMidiyani bentshontsha imfuyo yakwa-Israyeli futhi bemosha namasimu abo. Ukuze abalekele abakwaMidiyani, ama-Israyeli ayecasha emihumeni nasezintabeni. Ancenga uJehova ukuba awasize. Ngakho uJehova wathumela ingelosi kwenye insizwa ebizwa ngokuthi uGideyoni. Ingelosi yathi: ‘UJehova ukukhethile ukuba ube yiqhawe elinamandla.’ UGideyoni wabuza: ‘Ngingawasindisa kanjani ama-Israyeli? Anginamandla.’

UGideyoni wayeyokwazi kanjani ukuthi uJehova umkhethile? Wabeka iwuli phansi emhlabathini wabe esethi kuJehova: ‘Kusasa ekuseni, uma iwuli imanziswe amazolo kodwa umhlabathi womile, ngizobona ukuthi ufuna kube yimi ozosindisa ama-Israyeli.’ Ngakusasa ekuseni, iwuli yayimanzi nte kodwa umhlabathi womile! UGideyoni waphinde wacela ukuba ngosuku olulandelayo ekuseni iwuli yome kodwa umhlabathi ube manzi. Lapho lokho kwenzeka, ekugcineni uGideyoni waqiniseka ngempela ukuthi uJehova ukhethe yena. Waqoqa amasosha akhe ukuze ayolwa nabakwaMidiyani.

UJehova wathi kuGideyoni: ‘Ngizokwenza u-Israyeli anqobe. Kodwa ngenxa yokuthi u-Israyeli unamasosha amaningi, angase acabange ukuthi unqobe ngenxa yawo. Tshela noma ubani osabayo ukuba abuyele ekhaya.’ Ngakho amasosha angu-22 000 aphindela ekhaya, kwasala angu-10 000. UJehova wabe esethi: ‘Namanje asemaningi la masosha. Wayise emfuleni uwatshele ukuthi aphuze amanzi. Khetha ukuba kusale kuphela labo okuthe ngesikhathi bephuza amanzi baqapha isitha.’ Angu-300 kuphela amadoda ayeqaphile lapho ephuza. UJehova wathembisa ukuthi la madoda ambalwa azokwehlula amasosha akwaMidiyani angu-135 000.

Phakathi nalobo busuku, uJehova wathi kuGideyoni: ‘Manje yisikhathi sokuba nihlasele abakwaMidiyani!’ UGideyoni wanika amadoda izimpondo nezimbiza ezinkulu ezinezibani. Wawatshela: ‘Nibuke mina bese nenza lokho engizokwenza.’ UGideyoni wafutha uphondo lwakhe, waphahlaza imbiza, wazulisa isibani wabe esememeza: ‘Inkemba kaJehova nekaGideyoni!’ Wonke amadoda angu-300 enza okufanayo. AbakwaMidiyani besaba kakhulu futhi babaleka basakazekela yonke indawo. Bedidekile, babulalana bodwa. Nalapha, uJehova wawasiza ama-Israyeli anqoba izitha zawo.