1 *UNdikhoyo washiya izizwe ezithile ukuze zibe luvavanyo kumaSirayeli awayengekangeni ezimfazweni kwelaseKanana.
2 Le nto ke wayenza kuba efuna ukuzifundisa ngemfazwe zonke izizukulwana zamaSirayeli ezivelayo, ngakumbi ke ezo zazingazange zibe semadabini ngaphambili.
3 Iintlanga ezasala kwelo lizwe ke yaba ngamaFilistiya neenkosi zawo ezintlanu, namaKanana ephela, namaSidon, namaHivi awayehlala kwiintaba zeLebhanon ukusuka kwintaba iBhali-hermon ukuya kuthi xhaxhe ngenkalo yeHamati.
4 Zashiyelwa ukuba kuvavanywe amaSirayeli, khon' ukuze acace ukuba azimisele na ukuyithobela imimiselo eyanikezelwa nguNdikhoyo kookhokho bawo ngoMosis.
5 Ngoko ke amaSirayeli ema phakathi kwamaKanana, amaHiti, ama-Amori, amaPerezi, amaHivi, namaJebhusi.
6 AmaSirayeli endiselana nazo ezi ntlanga, anqula *nezithixo zazo.
7 AmaSirayeli amlibala *uNdikhoyo uThixo wawo, akreqa kuye, anqula ooBhali nooAshera.
8 Ngoko ke uNdikhoyo waba nomsindo, waza wawayekela ngokumkani uKushan-rishatayim waseAram-naharayim, wawoyisa, aba phantsi kwakhe iminyaka esibhozo.
9 Ke kaloku amaSirayeli adanduluka akhala kuNdikhoyo, waza ke yena wawathumela umkhululi. Lowo ke yayinguOteniyeli unyana kaKenazi umninawe omncinci kaKalebhi.
10 Ke kaloku uOteniyeli wonganyelwa nguMoya kaNdikhoyo, waza waba yinkokheli yamaSirayeli. UOteniyeli waya emfazweni, wathiwa jize ngoloyiso nguNdikhoyo, wamoyisa ukumkani uKushan-rishatayim waseAram.
11 Kwalandela amashumi amane eminyaka yoxolo ke apho, wada wafa uOteniyeli unyana kaKenazi.
12 Aphinda amaSirayeli akreqa *kuNdikhoyo. Ngenxa yeso sizathu ke uNdikhoyo womeleza uEglon ukumkani wamaMowabhi, waqina kunawo.
13 UEglon ke wadibana nama-Amon nama-Amaleki, baza bawahlasela amaSirayeli, basithatha isiXeko samaSundu.
14 AmaSirayeli ke aba phantsi koEglon ukumkani wamaMowabhi iminyaka elishumi elinesibhozo.
15 Aphinda amaSirayeli akhala kuNdikhoyo, waza ke yena wawathumela umkhululi uEhudi, inxele, unyana kaGera wendlu kaBhenjamin. AmaSirayeli athumela uEhudi kukumkani uEglon waseMowabhi, emphathele umrhumo.
16 Ke uEhudi wazenzela isabile ebazwe macala, ingamashumi amahlanu eesentimitha ubude. Wayibophelela kwithangá lakhe lasekunene phantsi kwempahla.
17 Wawuthatha ke umrhumo lowo, waya nawo kuEglon, umfo owayemkhulu ngesiqu, etyebile.
18 Wathi ke, akuba ewunikezele umrhumo lowo, uEhudi wawandulula loo madoda ayemphathisile, agoduka.
19 Kambe ke yena wajika ngakwimifanekiso yezithixo ekufuphi neGiligali, wabuya waya kuEglon, wafika wathi kuye: “Mhlekazi, ndicela khe sihlinz' impuku.”Ngoko ke ukumkani wathi: “Shenxani!” Zaphuma ke izicaka zakhe.
20 Wathi ke esahleli apho kwelo gumbi lakhe lokuphola, likumgangatho ophezulu, suka uEhudi wonda ngaye, wathi: “Ndinomyalezo wakho ovela kuThixo.” Ke yena ukumkani wema ngenyawo.
21 Ngesandla sasekhohlo uEhudi warhola isabile yakhe apho wayeyifihle khona ethangéni lakhe lokunene, wayimilisela kweso sisu sikakumkani.
22 Yatshona yonke nywam nesiphatho sayo, yawagramza ayifihla loo mateketeke amanqatha. UEhudi wayiyeka apho, waza ke yena waya kuphuma ngasemva,
23 waluvala ucango, watshixa,
24 wemka. Izicaka ke zeza, zaza zakusondela zabona tyhini iingcango zitshixiwe, zacinga ukuba fana ukumkani ulapho ngaphakathi, ese.
25 Zakha zalinda umzuzu omde ucango lungavulwa. Zada zancama, zathatha izitshixo, zavula. Tyhini! Nanko umhlekazi ethe gangalala apho phantsi, itshoba lilel' umbethe.
26 Zathi zisathingaza izicaka zikakumkani, wesuka wemka yena uEhudi, waya kugqitha kuloo mifanekiso yezithixo, waya kutsho eSeyira.
27 Wathi akufika kweleentaba lakwaEfrayim wavuthela isigodlo, ahlangana amaSirayeli, wawakhokela wehla nawo kwezo nduli.
28 Wathi kuwo: “Yizani! UNdikhoyo uzinikele ezandleni zenu iintshaba zenu amaMowabhi.” Ngoko ke amaSirayeli ehla, ekhokelwa nguEhudi, aza awalalela amaMowabhi emazibukweni ayeza kuyiwela ngawo iJordan; avala ke apho, akwawela nendoda enye le.
29 Ngaloo mihla ke abulala kwisithuba seshumi lamawaka awona majoni omeleleyo anobukroti omkhosi wamaMowabhi; zange kusinde nelinye.
30 Ewe, ngaloo mihla amaSirayeli awoyisa amaMowabhi, kwaza ke kwalandela iminyaka yenzolo engamashumi asibhozo.
31 UEhudi walandelwa nguShamgare unyana ka-Anati. Naye ke wawakhulula amaSirayeli. Wabulala amaFilistiya angamakhulu amathandathu ngesixhobo sokuqhuba iinkomo esifana nomkhonto.