AbaHluleli
3 Yilezi izizwe uJehova azivumela ukuba zisale ukuze zivivinye bonke abakwa-Israyeli ababengakaze balwe kunoma iyiphi impi yaseKhanani + 2 (lokhu wayekwenzela ukuba izizukulwane zakwa-Israyeli ezazizolandela ziyazi impi, labo ababengakaze baye empini): 3 amakhosi amahlanu amaFilisti + nawo wonke amaKhanani, abaseSidoni + namaHivi + ahlala eNtabeni iLebhanoni, + kusukela eNtabeni iBhali-hermoni kuze kufike eLebo-hamati. *+ 4 Zazisetshenziselwa ukuvivinya u-Israyeli ukuze kubonakale ukuthi wayezoyilalela yini imiyalo kaJehova ayeyale ngayo oyise esebenzisa uMose. + 5 Ngakho ama-Israyeli ahlala phakathi kwamaKhanani, + amaHeti, ama-Amori, amaPherizi, amaHivi namaJebusi. 6 Ama-Israyeli ayethatha amadodakazi alezi zizwe ukuze abe abafazi bawo, athathe amadodakazi awo awanike amadodana alezi zizwe, aqala nokukhonza onkulunkulu bazo. +
7 Ngakho ama-Israyeli enza okubi emehlweni kaJehova, amkhohlwa uJehova uNkulunkulu wawo akhonza oBhali + nezigxobo ezingcwele. *+ 8 Ngenxa yalokho intukuthelo kaJehova yamvuthela u-Israyeli, wamnikela* esandleni sikaKushani-rishatayimi inkosi yaseMesophothamiya.* Ama-Israyeli akhonza uKushani-rishatayimi iminyaka engu-8. 9 Lapho ama-Israyeli ecela usizo kuJehova, + uJehova wawamisela umsindisi ukuze awasindise, + u-Otheniyeli + indodana kaKhenazi, umfowabo kaKalebi omncane. 10 Umoya kaJehova wehlela kuye, + waba umahluleli ka-Israyeli. Lapho ephuma eyokulwa, uJehova wanikela uKushani-rishatayimi inkosi yaseMesophothamiya* esandleni sakhe, wamnqoba uKushani-rishatayimi. 11 Ngemva kwalokho izwe laba nokuthula* iminyaka engu-40. U-Otheniyeli indodana kaKhenazi wabe esefa.
12 Ama-Israyeli aphinda enza okubi emehlweni kaJehova. + Ngakho uJehova wavumela u-Egiloni inkosi yakwaMowabi + ukuba awanqobe ama-Israyeli, ngoba ayenze okubi emehlweni kaJehova. 13 Ngaphezu kwalokho, wawalethela ama-Amoni + nama-Amaleki. + Ahlasela u-Israyeli, adla idolobha lezihlahla zesundu. + 14 Ama-Israyeli akhonza u-Egiloni inkosi yakwaMowabi iminyaka engu-18. + 15 Ama-Israyeli acela usizo kuJehova, + ngakho uJehova wawamisela umsindisi, + u-Ehudi + indodana kaGera, umBhenjamini, + owayeyinxele. + Ngemva kwesikhathi ama-Israyeli amthuma ukuba ahambise intela ku-Egiloni inkosi yakwaMowabi. 16 Phakathi naleso sikhathi u-Ehudi wazenzela inkemba esika nhlangothi zombili, ubude bayo buyingalo,* wayifaka ngaphansi kwengubo yakhe ethangeni lakhe lesokudla. 17 Wabe eseyiletha ku-Egiloni inkosi yakwaMowabi leyo ntela. U-Egiloni lona wayekhuluphele kakhulu.
18 Lapho u-Ehudi eseqedile ukwethula intela, wahamba nabantu ababeyithwele. 19 Lapho befika ezithombeni ezibaziwe* eGiligali, + yena wabuyela emuva, wathi: “Nkosi, kunomyalezo oyimfihlo engikuphathele wona.” Ngakho inkosi yathi ezikhonzini: “Phumani!” Ngakho zonke izikhonzi zayo zaphuma. 20 U-Ehudi waya kuyo njengoba yayihlezi yodwa ekamelweni layo elipholile eliphezulu ophahleni. U-Ehudi wayesethi: “Ngikuphathele umyalezo ovela kuNkulunkulu.” Ngakho yasukuma esihlalweni sayo sobukhosi.* 21 U-Ehudi wabe esekhipha inkemba ethangeni lakhe langakwesokudla ngesandla sakhe sobunxele wayigwaza esiswini. 22 Inkemba yangena yonke kanye nesibambo sayo, yambozwa amanoni, ngoba akazange ayikhiphe inkemba esiswini sayo, futhi kwaphuma nendle. 23 U-Ehudi waphumela ngaphandle,* wayesevala iminyango yekamelo elisophahleni, wayihluthulela. 24 Ngemva kokuba esehambile, izinceku zabuya zathola ukuthi iminyango yekamelo elisophahleni ihluthulelwe. Ngakho zathi: “Kumele ukuba inkosi iyazikhulula* ekamelweni elipholile elingaphakathi.” 25 Zaqhubeka zilindile zaze zaba namahloni, kodwa lapho zibona ukuthi yayilokhu ingayivuli iminyango yekamelo elisophahleni, zathatha isihluthulelo zayivula, zathola inkosi yazo idindilizile ifile!
26 U-Ehudi wabaleka ngesikhathi zisabambezelekile, wadlula ngasezithombeni ezibaziwe *+ waze wayofika eSeyira. 27 Lapho efika, washaya uphondo + ezintabeni zakwa-Efrayimi; + ama-Israyeli ehla ezintabeni, amlandela. 28 Wathi kuwo: “Ngilandeleni, ngoba uJehova unikele izitha zenu, abakwaMowabi, esandleni senu.” Ngakho amlandela afike avimba emazibukweni* aseJordani ukuze abakwaMowabi bangaweli. 29 Ngaleso sikhathi abulala abakwaMowabi abangaba ngu-10 000, + bonke bengamadoda anamandla, angamaqhawe; akekho noyedwa owaphunyuka. + 30 Ngakho ama-Israyeli abanqoba abakwaMowabi ngalolo suku; izwe laba nokuthula* iminyaka engu-80. +
31 Ngemva kuka-Ehudi kwalandela uShamgari + indodana ka-Anati, owabulala amaFilisti angu-600 + ngobhoko; *+ naye wamsindisa u-Israyeli.