1Emva kuka-Abhimelekhi kwavela uThola, indodana kaPhuwa kaDodo, umuntu wakwa-Isakhare ukuba akhulule u-Israyeli, owayehlala eShamiri kwelezintaba kwa-Efrayimi.
2Wehlulela u-Israyeli iminyaka engama-23. Wayesefa, wangcwatshwa eShamiri.
3Emva kwakhe kwalandela uJayiri, umGileyadi, wehlulela u-Israyeli iminyaka engama-22.
4Wayenamadodana angama-30 ayegibela izimbongolo ezingama-30, enemizi engama-30 kwaGileyadi elibizwa ngokuthi yiHavothi Jayiri kuze kube namuhla.
5UJayiri wafa, wangcwatshwa eKhamoni.
6Abakwa-Israyeli babuye benza okubi emehlweni kaSimakade, bakhonza oBhali no-Ashitharothi, onkulunkulu bama-Aramu, nonkulunkulu bamaSidoni, nonkulunkulu bakwaMowabi, nonkulunkulu bama-Amoni, nonkulunkulu bamaFilisti. Bamshiya kanjalo uSimakade, ababe besamkhonza.
7Ngakho-ke ulaka lukaSimakade lwamvuthela u-Israyeli, wabanikela esandleni samaFilisti, nasesandleni sabakwa-Amoni,
8babahlukumeza, babacindezela abantu bakwa-Israyeli ngalowo nyaka. Kwaphela iminyaka eli-18 bebacindezele bonke abantu bakwa-Israyeli ababehlala phesheya kweJordani, ezweni lama-Amori, kwaGileyadi.
9Abakwa-Amoni bawela iJordani ukuyolwa noJuda, noBhenjamini, nabendlu ka-Efrayimi, u-Israyeli wakhathazeka kakhulu.
10Abakwa-Israyeli base bekhala kuSimakade, bathi: “Sonile kuwe, ngokuba simshiyile uNkulunkulu wethu, sayokhonza oBhali.”
11USimakade wathi kubantu bakwa-Israyeli: “Anginihlenganga yini kwabaseGibhithe, nabakwa-Amori, nabakwa-Amoni, nakumaFilisti, na?
12AmaSidoni, ama-Amaleki, nabakwaMahoni banicindezela, nakhala kimi, nganikhulula esandleni sabo.
13Nokho ningishiyile, nayokhonza abanye onkulunkulu, ngakho-ke angisayukubuye nginikhulule.
14Hambani niyokhala konkulunkulu enizikhethele bona; mabanikhulule ngezikhathi zobunzima benu.”
15Abakwa-Israyeli bathi kuSimakade: “Sonile; yenza kithi noma yini obona ukuthi kufanele uyenze, kodwa sikhulule namhlanje.”
16Base besusa onkulunkulu babezizwe ababephakathi kwabo, bakhonza uSimakade; akakwazanga ukukubekezelela ukubona u-Israyeli ehlupheka.
17Kwase kubizwa abakwa-Amoni ukuba bahlome, bakanise kwaGileyadi; abakwa-Israyeli bahlangana, bakanisa eMizpha.
18Abakhuzi bempi yakwaGileyadi bathi omunye komunye: “Ngubani ozoqala impi nabakwa-Amoni, na? Uyokuba yinhloko phezu kwazo zonke izakhamuzi zakwaGileyadi.”