1Nazi izizwe uSimakade azishiya ukuze avivinye ngazo bonke abakwa-Israyeli ababengenalwazi ngempi eKhanani,
2ukuze lezo zizukulwane zabakwa-Israyeli ezilandelayo zikwazi ukulwa, kufundiswe lezo ezingakaze ziyazi impi phambilini.
3Kwakuyilezi izizwe: amakhosi ayisihlanu amaFilisti, nawo wonke amaKhanani, amaSidoni, amaHivi ayehlala entabeni iLebhanoni, kusukela entabeni iBhali Hermoni kuze kube seHamathi.
4Zazishiyelwe ukuvivinywa ngabakwa-Israyeli, ukuze kwazeke ukuthi bayoyilalela yini imiyalelo kaSimakade abayala ngayo okhokho babo ngoMose.
5Ngakho-ke abantu bakwa-Israyeli bahlala phakathi kwamaKhanani, amaHithi, ama-Amori, amaPherizi, amaHivi, namaJebusi,
6baganwa ngamadodakazi alezi zizwe, aba ngamakhosikazi abo, amadodana abo aganwa ngamadodakazi azo, base bekhonza onkulunkulu bazo.
7Abantu bakwa-Israyeli benza okubi emehlweni kaSimakade, bakhohlwa nguSimakade uNkulunkulu wabo, bakhonza oBhali no-Ashera.
8Ngakho-ke intukuthelo kaSimakade yamvuthela u-Israyeli, wamthengisa esandleni senkosi uKhushani Rishathayimi wase-Aramu Naharayimi, abakwa-Israyeli bamkhonza uKhushani Rishathayimi iminyaka eyisishiyagalombili.
9Kodwa lapho abantu bakwa-Israyeli bekhala kuSimakade, wabavusela umkhululi abakwa-Israyeli, owabakhulula, u-Othiniyeli indodana kaKhenazi, umnawabo kaKhalebhu.
10UMoya kaSimakade wehlela phezu kwakhe, wabehlulela abakwa-Israyeli; waphuma waya empini, uSimakade wayinikela esandleni sakhe inkosi uKhushani Rishathayimi yase-Aramu, wamehlula uKhushani Rishathayimi.
11Izwe laba nokuthula iminyaka engama-40. U-Othiniyeli, indodana kaKhenazi, wafa.
12Abantu bakwa-Israyeli babuye benza okubi emehlweni kaSimakade, uSimakade waqinisa u-Egiloni wakwaMowabi wamelana nabakwa-Israyeli, ngokuba babenzile okubi emehlweni kaSimakade.
13U-Egiloni ehlangene nabakwa-Amoni nabase-Amaleki bamhlasela, bamehlula u-Israyeli, badla uMuzi Wamasundu.
14Abantu bakwa-Israyeli bamkhonza u-Egiloni, inkosi yakwaMowabi, iminyaka eli-18.
15Lapho abantu bakwa-Israyeli bekhala kuSimakade, uSimakade wabavusela omunye umkhululi, u-Ehudi indodana kaGera wakwaBhenjamini, owayeyinxele. Abakwa-Israyeli bathumela umnikelo enkosini u-Egiloni wakwaMowabi ngesandla sika-Ehudi.
16U-Ehudi wazenzela inkemba ebukhali nhlangothi zombili, ubude bayo buyikhubhithi, wayibophela ethangeni lakhe lakwesokunene ngaphansi kwezingubo zakhe.
17Wahambisa umnikelo ku-Egiloni, inkosi yakwaMowabi. U-Egiloni wayekhuluphele kakhulu.
18U-Ehudi eseqedile ukwethula umnikelo ku-Egiloni, wabamukisa abantu ababethwele umnikelo.
19Kepha yena waphenduka eduze nesithombe setshe esasiqoshwe eduze neGiligali, wabuyela emuva, wathi: “Nginombiko oyimfihlo engimele ngikutshele wona, nkosi.” Inkosi yathi: “Thulani.” Zonke izinceku zayo zaphuma lapho yayikhona.
20U-Ehudi weza kuyo ngesikhathi ihleli yodwa ophahleni ekamelweni layo elipholile, wathi: “Nginomyalezo wakho ovela kuNkulunkulu.” Yayisisukuma esihlalweni sayo.
21U-Ehudi wayeselula isandla sakhe sasekhohlo wahosha inkemba yakhe eyayisethangeni lakhe lesokunene, wamgwaza ngayo u-Egiloni esiswini;
22inkemba yangena nesibambo sayo yaze yayophumela emhlane. Yambozeka emafutheni ngokuba u-Ehudi wayengazange ayikhiphe esiswini sika-Egiloni.
23U-Ehudi waphumela emhubheni wavala iminyango yekamelo eliphezulu, wayihluthulela.
24Esehambile u-Ehudi, izinceku zangena, lapho zithola ukuthi iminyango yekamelo eliphezulu ihluthulelwe, zathi: “Mhlawumbe inkosi iyazikhulula ekamelweni layo elipholile.”
25Zalinda zaze zakhathala. Kwathi ukuba zibone ukuthi ayiyivuli iminyango yekamelo eliphezulu, zathatha isihluthulelo zavula. Bheka, zayithola inkosi yazo iwele phansi ifile.
26U-Ehudi waphulukundlela ngesikhathi zisalindile, wedlula ezithombeni ezibaziweyo, wabalekela eSeyiri.
27Kwathi ukuba afike lapho, washaya icilongo ekwelezintaba kwa-Efrayimi. Abantu bakwa-Israyeli behla naye kwelezintaba, ebahola.
28Wathi kubo: “Ngilandeleni, ngokuba uSimakade uzinikele esandleni senu izitha zenu zakwaMowabi.” Behla bemlandela, bavimba emazibukweni omfula iJordani awelela kwaMowabi, abaze bavumela muntu ukuba awele kuwo.
29Ngaleso sikhathi babulala abakwaMowabi abayizi-10 000 abanamandla, amadoda ayizidlakela, akuzange kuphunyuke namunye.
30Kusukela ngalolo lusuku abakwaMowabi baba ngaphansi kwesandla sabakwa-Israyeli. Izwe laba nokuthula, iminyaka engama-80.
31Emva kwakhe kwalandela uShamgari, indodana ka-Anathi, owabulala amaFilisti angama-600 ngomcijo wokuhlokoloza izinkomo. Naye futhi wamkhulula u-Israyeli.