Judges 8
1 Abakwa-Efrayimi base bethi kuGideyoni: “Ukwenzeleni lokhu kithi, ukuba ungasibizi uma uyolwa nabakwaMidiyani, na?” Bamthethisa kakhulu.
2 Wathi kubo: “Ngenzeni mina manje okungaqhathaniswa nokwenziwe yini, na? Ngabe ukuvunwa kwamagilebhisi kwakwa-Efrayimi akungcono yini kunewayini elisha lakwa-Abhiyezeri, na?
3 UNkulunkulu unikele esandleni senu abakhuzi bempi yakwaMidiyani, u-Orebhi noZebhi; yini engiyenzile engaqhathaniswa nenikwenzile, na?” Lapho esho lokhu, ulaka lwabo lwabohla.
4 UGideyoni wafika eJordani waliwela namadoda angama-300 ayehamba nawo, bekhathele futhi befile yindlala.
5 Wayesethi kubantu baseSukhothi: “Ngiyanicela, ake ninike laba abangilandelayo izinkwa, ngokuba bakhathele, futhi ngisalandela uZebha noZalimuna, amakhosi akwaMidiyani.”
6 Kodwa izikhulu zaseSukhothi zathi: “Ngabe senibabambile yini oZebha noZalima ukuthi sesiyinganika impi yakho izinkwa, na?”
7 UGideyoni waziphendula wathi: “Kulungile-ke, uma uSimakade esebanikele esandleni sami oZebha noZalimuna, ngiyakuhlebhula inyama yenu emeveni nasemakhakhasini asehlane.”
8 Wenyuka lapho waya ePhenuweli, nakubo wabacela okufanayo, abantu basePhenuweli bamphendula njengabantu baseSukhothi.
9 Wayesethi kubantu basePhenuweli: “Uma sengibuya nginqobile ngiyakuwubhidliza lo mbhoshongo.”
10 Ngaleso sikhathi uZebha noZalimuna babeseKharikhori nebutho labo, elalingamadoda ayizi-15 000, ayesale empini yabantu basempumalanga, ngoba kwakufe ngenkemba amadoda ayizi-120 000 ayehlome ngenkemba.
11 UGideyoni wakhuphuka ngomzila walabo ababehlala emathendeni ngasempumalanga kwaseNobha, naseJogibheha, wayihlasela impi ngoba yayingazelele.
12 UZebha noZalimuna babaleka, kodwa wabahubha, wawabamba lawo makhosi amabili akwaMidiyani, amabutho wonke angenwa yingebhe.
13 Lapho uGideyoni, indodana kaJowashi, ebuya empini ngendlela enyukelayo eHereshi,
14 wabamba insizwa yaseSukhothi wayibuza; yamtshela ukuthi zingobani izikhulu namalunga baseSukhothi, nokuthi bangabantu abangama-77.
15 Wafika kubantu baseSukhothi, wathi kubo: “Nampa oZebha, noZalimuna enangichukuluza ngabo, nithi: ‘Usubathumbile yini oZebha noZalimuna, ukuba singanika amabutho akho akhathele izinkwa, na?’ ”
16 Wabamba amalunga omuzi, wathatha ameva asehlane, nogagane, wanenebula abantu baseSukhothi.
17 Wabhidliza umbhoshongo ePhenuweli, wabulala amadoda omuzi.
18 Wathi kuZebha noZalimuna: “Nithini ngamadoda enawabulala eThabhori, na?” Baphendula bathi: “Lawo madoda ayefana nawe, wonke ayefana namadodana enkosi.”
19 UGideyoni wathi: “Ayengabafowethu, sizalwa mfazi munye nawo. Ngiyafunga ngithi ukuba nawasindisa, nami bengingeke nginibulale.”
20 Wayesethi kuJetheri izibulo lakhe: “Hamba ubabulale.” Kepha indodana ayizange iyihoshe inkemba yayo, ngoba yayesaba, kwazise yayisengumfana.
21 UZebha noZalimuna bathi: “Woza usibulale, ngokuba njengoba injalo indoda, anjalo namandla ayo.” Ngakho-ke uGideyoni wasondela wababulala, wathatha imihlobiso eyayisezintanyeni zamakameli abo.
22 Abakwa-Israyeli bathi kuGideyoni: “Sibuse, wena nendodana yakho nomzukulu wakho, ngokuba usikhululile esandleni sabakwaMidiyani.”
23 UGideyoni wathi kubo: “Angizukunibusa, nendodana yami ayizukunibusa; nguSimakade ozonibusa.”
24 Wayesethi uGideyoni kubo: “Ngiyacela kini, makube yilowo nalowo anginike icici kulawo eniwaphangile.” Isitha besinamacici egolide ngokuba bekungesakwa-Ishmayeli.
25 Bathi: “Sizokunika wona ngokukhululeka.” Ngakho-ke bendlala ingubo, kwayilowo nalowo waphonsa icici ayelithathe njengempango.
26 Isisindo samacici egolide ayewacelile saba yi-1 700 amashekeli egolide, ngaphandle kwemihlobiso enhlobonhlobo nezingubo ezibukhwebezane ezazembathwa ngamakhosi akwaMidiyani, nemigexo eyayisezintanyeni zamakameli abo.
27 UGideyoni wenza ingubo yamahlombe, wayibeka emzini wakhe e-Ofira, bonke abakwa-Israyeli baphinga nayo lapho, yaba wugibe kuGideyoni nabomndeni wakhe.
28 AbakwaMidiyani bathotshiswa phansi kwabakwa-Israyeli, abaphindanga babavukela. Izwe laba nokuthula iminyaka engama-40 ngezinsuku zikaGideyoni.
29 UJerubhali, indodana kaJowashi, wahamba wayohlala endlini yakhe.
30 UGideyoni wayenamadodana angama-70 ayephume okhalo lwakhe, ngokuba wayenabafazi abaningi.
31 Isancinza sakhe esasiseShekhemi samzalela naso indodana, wayiqamba ngokuthi ngu-Abhimelekhi.
32 UGideyoni, indodana kaJowashi, wafa esekhulile, wangcwatshwa ethuneni likayise uJowashi e-Ofira kwa-Abhiyezeri.
33 Kwathi ukuba uGideyoni afe, abakwa-Israyeli babuye baphinga noBhali, benza uBhali Bherithi waba ngunkulunkulu wabo.
34 Abakwa-Israyeli abamkhumbulanga uSimakade uNkulunkulu wabo, owayebakhulule esandleni sazo zonke izitha zabo ezazibazungeze nxazonke.
35 Abakhombisanga ukwethembeka endlini kaJerubhali, okunguGideyoni, ngakho konke okuhle ayekwenzele u-Israyeli.