ABagwebi

9 Ethubeni uAbhimeleki+ unyana kaYerubhahali waya koomalume bakhe kwaShekem waza wathi kubo nakuyo yonke intsapho katatomkhulu wakhe:* 2 “Ndicela nithi kuzo zonke iinkokheli zakwaShekem,* ‘Yeyiphi into ebhetele, ukulawulwa ngabo bonke oonyana abayi-70 bakaYerubhahali,+ okanye ngumntu omnye? Nikhumbule ke ukuba ndilithambo lenu nenyama yenu.’”*

3 Ngoko oomalume bakhe bamthethela kuzo zonke iinkokheli zakwaShekem, ibe iintliziyo zazo zafuna ukumlandela uAbhimeleki, kuba zathi: “Ngumntakwethu.” 4 Zamnika amaqhosha esilivere ayi-70 avela endlini* kaBhahali-bheriti,+ waza uAbhimeleki waqesha ngawo amadoda angoongantweni nasileyo ukuba amkhaphe. 5 Emva koko waya endlini katata wakhe eOfra+ waza wabulala abantakwabo,+ oonyana bakaYerubhahali, amadoda ayi-70, kwilitye elinye. Kwasinda uYotham kuphela, oyena mncinci koonyana bakaYerubhahali, kuba wazimela.

6 Zonke iinkokheli zakwaShekem nayo yonke iBhete-milo zadibana kufutshane nomthi omkhulu, ngakwintsika eyayikwaShekem, zaza zamenza ukumkani uAbhimeleki.+

7 Wathi akuyixelelwa le nto uYotham, ngoko nangoko wayokuma encotsheni yeNtaba YeGerizim+ waza wakhwaza esithi: “Ndimameleni, nina zinkokheli zakwaShekem, ukuze noThixo animamele.

8 “Ngenye imini kwakukho imithi eyaya kuzikhethela* ukumkani. Yathi kumthi womnquma, ‘Silawule.’+ 9 Kodwa umthi womnquma wathi kuyo, ‘Ndiyiyeke na ioli yam,* ekuzukiswa ngayo uThixo nabantu, ndiyokujinga phezu kweminye imithi?’ 10 Emva koko imithi yathi kumthi wamafiya,* ‘Sicela uzokusilawula.’ 11 Kodwa umthi wamafiya wathi kuyo, ‘Ndibuncame na ubuswiti bam neziqhamo zam ezihle, ndiyokujinga phezu kweminye imithi?’ 12 Emva koko imithi yathi kumthi weediliya, ‘Sicela uzokusilawula.’ 13 Umthi weediliya wathi kuyo, ‘Ndincame iwayini yam entsha na eyenza uThixo nabantu bonwabe, ndiyokujinga phezu kwemithi?’ 14 Ekugqibeleni yonke eminye imithi yathi kumnga, ‘Sicela uzokusilawula.’+ 15 Umnga wathi emithini, ‘Ukuba nindinyula nyhani ukuba ndibe ngukumkani wenu, yizani kufuna indawo yokuzimela phantsi komthunzi wam. Kodwa ukuba aniyenzi loo nto, makuphume umlilo kumnga uyidle imithi yomsedare yaseLebhanon.’

16 “Nicinga ukuba yinto entle nefanelekileyo na ukuba nenze uAbhimeleki ukumkani?+ Nicinga ukuba nimenzele into elungileyo na uYerubhahali nendlu yakhe? Khona, nicinga ukuba niye namphatha ngendlela emfaneleyo? 17 Xa utata wanilwelayo,+ wabeka ubomi bakhe engozini ukuze anisindise kuMidiyan.+ 18 Kodwa namhlanje nina niye nayijikela indlu katata nabulala oonyana bakhe, amadoda ayi-70, kwilitye elinye.+ Emva koko uAbhimeleki, unyana wekhobokazana lakhe,+ niye namenza ukumkani phezu kweenkokheli zakwaShekem kuba nje engumntakwenu. 19 Ukuba ke ninyanisekile yaye nimphatha ngesidima uYerubhahali nendlu yakhe namhlanje, vuyisanani noAbhimeleki, naye avuyiswe nini. 20 Kodwa ukuba aniyenzi loo nto, makuphume umlilo kuAbhimeleki uzidle iinkokheli zakwaShekem neBhete-milo,+ kuphume umlilo nakwiinkokheli zakwaShekem naseBhete-milo udle uAbhimeleki.”+

21 Emva koko, wabaleka uYotham+ waya eBhere, wahlala apho kuba esoyika uAbhimeleki umntakwabo.

22 UAbhimeleki walawula* iminyaka emithathu kwaSirayeli. 23 Emva koko, uThixo wavumela ukuba kubekho ingxabano* phakathi koAbhimeleki neenkokheli zakwaShekem, zaza zona zamphekela iqhinga uAbhimeleki. 24 Le nto wayenza ukuze kuphindezelwe ubundlobongela obabenziwe koonyana bakaYerubhahali abayi-70, nokuze abekwe ityala uAbhimeleki umntakwabo ngenxa yokubabulala,+ neenkokheli zakwaShekem ngenxa yokumncedisa abulale abantakwabo. 25 Ngoko iinkokheli zakwaShekem zathuma amadoda ukuba amlalele phezu kweentaba, yaye ayekhuthuza wonke umntu owayedlula ngakuwo. Ethubeni le nto yaxelwa kuAbhimeleki.

26 UGahali unyana kaEbhedi nabantakwabo bawelela kwaShekem,+ zaza iinkokheli zakwaShekem zathembela ngaye. 27 Zaphuma zaya entsimini yazo, zavuna iidiliya, zazixovula, zenza itheko, zaza emva koko zaya endlini yothixo wazo+ zatya, zasela, zamthuka uAbhimeleki. 28 UGahali unyana kaEbhedi wathi: “Ngubani uAbhimeleki, engubani yena uShekem le nto simele sibe zizicaka zakhe? Akangonyana kaYerubhahali+ na, ayingoZebhule na iphakathi lakhe? Yibani zizicaka zamadoda akwaHamore, utata kaShekem! Kodwa kutheni simele sibe zizicaka zika-Abhimeleki? 29 Ukuba nje esi sizwana besiphantsi kwam, bendiza kumbhukuqa uAbhimeleki.” Emva koko wathi kuAbhimeleki: “Yandisa umkhosi wakho, uzokulwa nam.”

30 Wathi uZebhule inkosana yesixeko akuyiva into ethethwe nguGahali unyana kaEbhedi, wanomsindo. 31 Ngoko wathumela abantu ngokufihlakeleyo* kuAbhimeleki, esithi: “Jonga! UGahali unyana kaEbhedi nabantakwabo bakwaShekem ngoku, ibe bantyontyela isixeko ukuba sikujikele. 32 Yiza ebusuku, wena namadoda akho, nibalalele. 33 Ukuphuma nje kwelanga, vuka uhlasele eso sixeko; xa yena namadoda akhe bezama ukulwa nawe, uze wenze nantoni na onokuyenza ukuze umoyise.”*

34 Ngoko uAbhimeleki nabo bonke abantu ababekunye naye bavuka ngobusuku, baza balalela iShekem bengamaqela amane. 35 Xa uGahali unyana kaEbhedi waphuma waza wema kwigeyithi yesixeko, uAbhimeleki nabantu ababekunye naye baphakama. 36 Xa uGahali wababonayo, wathi kuZebhule: “Jonga! Kukho abantu abehlayo bevela phezulu ezintabeni.” Kodwa uZebhule wathi kuye: “Ubona nje izithunzi zeentaba.”

37 Ethubeni uGahali wathi: “Jonga! Naba abantu besihla phakathi elizweni, ibe elinye iqela liza ngendlela yomthi omkhulu weMeyonenim.” 38 UZebhule wathi kuye: “Kuphelele phi ke ngoku ukuqhayisa kwakho usithi, ‘Ngubani uAbhimeleki ukuba sibe zizicaka zakhe?’+ Ayingabo na aba bantu ububagezela? Hamba ke uyokulwa nabo.”

39 Ngoko uGahali waphuma ekhokela iinkokheli zakwaShekem waza walwa noAbhimeleki. 40 UAbhimeleki waya kuye, waza uGahali wabaleka, ibe kwabulawa abantu abaninzi ukuya kutsho egeyithini yesixeko.

41 UAbhimeleki waqhubeka ehlala eAruma, kwaye uZebhule+ wamgxotha uGahali nabantakwabo kwaShekem. 42 Ngosuku olulandelayo abantu baphuma baya ngaphandle kwesixeko, waza uAbhimeleki waxelelwa ngaloo nto. 43 Wabahlula-hlula abantu bangamaqela amathathu baza balalela ngaphandle kwesixeko. Wathi xa ebona abantu bephuma esixekweni, wabahlasela wababulala. 44 UAbhimeleki namaqela awayekunye naye bahamba bengxamile bayokuma egeyithini yesixeko, ngoxa amaqela amabini ahlasela bonke abantu ababengaphandle kwesixeko, ababulala. 45 UAbhimeleki walwa neso sixeko yonke loo mini waza wasithimba. Wababulala abantu baso, wasidiliza+ waza wasasaza ityiwa kuso.

46 Zathi zakuyiva loo nto iinkokheli zenqaba yakwaShekem, ngoko nangoko zaya kwigumbi elingaphantsi komhlaba* endlini* kaEle-bheriti.+ 47 Wathi akuxelelwa uAbhimeleki ukuba zonke iinkokheli zenqaba yakwaShekem ziye zaqokelelana, 48 ngoko nangoko wenyuka namadoda awayekunye naye baya kwiNtaba YeTsalmon. UAbhimeleki wathatha izembe, wagawula isebe lomthi, walibeka egxeni waza wathi ebantwini ababekunye naye: “Khawulezisani nenze le nto ndiyenzileyo!” 49 Ngoko bonke abantu bazigawulela amasebe baza balandela uAbhimeleki. Bawabeka ngakwigumbi eliphantsi komhlaba baza balitshisa. Ngoko bafa bonke abantu benqaba yakwaShekem, kwafa amadoda nabafazi abamalunga ne-1 000.

50 Emva koko, uAbhimeleki waya eTebhetse, wamisa inkampu ngaseTebhetse waza wayithimba. 51 Kwakukho inqaba eyomeleleyo phakathi esixekweni, ibe onke amadoda, abafazi nazo zonke iinkokheli zesixeko zabalekela kuyo. Bonke bazivalela baza benyukela eluphahleni lwaloo nqaba. 52 UAbhimeleki waya kuhlasela inqaba, wasondela kumnyango wayo ukuze ayitshise. 53 Omnye umfazi waphosa ilitye lokuguba kwintloko ka-Abhimeleki,+ wamtyumza ukakayi. 54 Wakhawuleza wabiza isicaka esasithwele izixhobo zakhe wathi kuso: “Rhola ikrele lakho undibulale, ukuze bangathi, ‘Ubulewe ngumfazi.’” Ngoko isicaka sakhe samhlaba, wafa.

55 Athi akubona ukuba u­Abhimeleki ufile, agoduka onke amadoda akwaSirayeli. 56 Ngaloo ndlela uThixo wabuphindezela ububi obenziwa nguAbhimeleki kutata wakhe ngokubulala abantakwabo abayi-70.+ 57 Wenza nokuba amadoda akwaShekem ehlelwe zizo zonke izinto ezimbi awayezenzile. Ngoko yenzeka yonke into uYotham+ unyana kaYerubhahali+ awayethe iza kwenzeka xa wayewaqalekisa.