1Emva kuka-Abimeleki kwavela uThola indodana kaPhuwa kaDodo, umuntu wakwa-Isakare, ukuba asindise u-Israyeli; wayehlala eShamiri ezintabeni zakwa-Efrayimi.
2Wamahlulela u-Israyeli iminyaka engamashumi amabili nantathu, wafa, wembelwa eShamiri.
3Emva kwakhe kwavela uJayire wakwaGileyadi, wamahlulela u-Israyeli iminyaka engamashumi amabili nambili.
4Wayenamadodana angamashumi amathathu agibela amathole ezimbongolo angamashumi amathathu; ayenemizi engamashumi amathathu ethiwa iHavoti Jayire kuze kube namuhla, esezweni lakwaGileyadi.
5UJayire wafa, wembelwa eKhamoni.
6Abantwana bakwa-Israyeli babuye benza okubi emehlweni kaJehova, babakhonza oBali, no-Ashitaroti, nawonkulunkulu base-Aramu, nawonkulunkulu baseSidoni, nawonkulunkulu bakwaMowabi, nawonkulunkulu babantwana bakwa-Amoni, nawonkulunkulu bamaFilisti, bamshiya uJehova, kabamkhonza.
7Intukuthelo kaJehova yamvuthela u-Israyeli, wathengisa ngabo esandleni samaFilisti nasesandleni sabantwana bakwa-Amoni.
8Bakhathaza, bacindezela abantwana bakwa-Israyeli ngalowo mnyaka; iminyaka eyishumi nesishiyagalombili babacindezela bonke abantwana bakwa-Israyeli ababengaphesheya kweJordani ezweni lama-Amori elikwaGileyadi.
9Abantwana bakwa-Amoni bawela iJordani ukuba balwe noJuda noBenjamini nendlu yakwa-Efrayimi; u-Israyeli wantula kakhulu.
10Abantwana bakwa-Israyeli bakhala kuJehova, bathi: “Sonile kuwe, ngokuba simshiyile uNkulunkulu wethu, sakhonza oBali.”
11UJehova wathi kubantwana bakwa-Israyeli: “Anginisindisanga yini kubo abaseGibithe, nakuwo ama-Amori, nakubo abantwana bakwa-Amoni, nakuwo amaFilisti, na?
12Nacindezelwa ngamaSidoni, nama-Amaleki, namaMahoni, nakhala kimi, nganisindisa esandleni sawo.
13Nokho ningishiyile, nakhonza abanye onkulunkulu; ngalokho angisayikunisindisa.
14Hambani nikhale konkulunkulu enibakhethileyo; mabanisindise ngesikhathi sosizi lwenu.”
15Abantwana bakwa-Israyeli bathi kuJehova: “Sonile; yenza kithi okuthandayo; kepha ake usophule kuphela namuhla.”
16Base besusa onkulunkulu babezizwe phakathi kwabo, bamkhonza uJehova; umphefumulo wakhe wakhathazeka ngokuhlupheka kwabakwa-Israyeli.
17Kwabuthwa abantwana bakwa-Amoni, bamisa kwaGileyadi. Kepha abantwana bakwa-Israyeli babuthana, bamisa eMispa.
18Abantu, izikhulu zakwaGileyadi, bathi omunye komunye: “Ngumuphi umuntu oyakuqala ukulwa nabantwana bakwa-Amoni na? Yena uyakuba yinhloko yabo bonke abakhe kwaGileyadi.”