1 Zizo ke ezi iintlanga awaziyekayo uYehova, ukuze awalinge ngazo amaSirayeli, lawo angazazanga iimfazwe zonke zakwaKanan;
2 ukuze kodwa azazi izizukulwana zoonyana bakaSirayeli ngokuzifundisa imfazwe, zona ezo zangaphambili zazingazazi:
3 izikhulu zozihlanu zamaFilisti, namaKanan onke, namaTsidon, namaHivi ahleli ezintabeni zeLebhanon, ethabathela ezintabeni zeBhahali-hermon, ese ekuyeni eHamati.
4 Abo ke babengabokulinga amaSirayeli, ukuze kwazeke ukuba oyiphulaphula na imithetho kaYehova, awayiwisela ooyise ngesandla sikaMoses.
5 Bahlala ke oonyana bakaSirayeli phakathi kwamaKanan, namaHeti, nama-Amori, namaPerizi, namaHivi, namaYebhusi.
6 Bazizeka iintombi zawo zaba ngabafazi babo, bendisa iintombi zabo koonyana bawo, bakhonza oothixo bawo.
7 Oonyana bakaSirayeli benza ububi emehlweni kaYehova, bamlibala uYehova uThixo wabo, bakhonza ooBhahali* nooAshera.*
8 Wavutha ke umsindo kaYehova kumaSirayeli, wathengisa ngawo, wawanikela esandleni sikaKushanrishatayim, ukumkani wakwa-Aram* phakathi kweMilambo;* bamkhonza ke oonyana bakaSirayeli uKushan-rishatayim iminyaka esibhozo.
9 Bakhala oonyana bakaSirayeli kuYehova; wabavelisela uYehova oonyana bakaSirayeli umsindisi owabasindisayo, onguOteniyeli, unyana kaKenazi, umninawa kaKalebhi.
10 Wafikelwa nguMoya kaYehova, wawalawula amaSirayeli, waphuma waya kulwa. UYehova wamnikela esandleni sakhe uKushan-rishatayim, ukumkani wakwa-Aram; isandla sakhe saba namandla phezu koKushanrishatayim.
11 Lazola ke ilizwe iminyaka emashumi mané. Wafa uOteniyeli unyana kaKenazi.
12 Ke kaloku oonyana bakaSirayeli baphinda benza ububi emehlweni kaYehova; uYehova wamomeleza uEglon ukumkani wakwaMowabhi, ukuba awachase amaSirayeli, ngenxa yokuba enzé ububi emehlweni kaYehova.
13 Wabahlanganisela kuye oonyana baka-Amon nama-Amaleki, waya wawabulala amaSirayeli, wawuhlutha uMzi wamaSundu.
14 Oonyana bakaSirayeli bamkhonza uEglon, ukumkani wakwaMowabhi, iminyaka elishumi elinesibhozo.
15 Bakhala oonyana bakaSirayeli kuYehova; wabavelisela umsindisi onguEhude, unyana kaGera, umBhenjamin, umfo olinxele. Bathumela oonyana bakaSirayeli ngesandla sakhe umnikelo kuEglon, ukumkani wakwaMowabhi.
16 UEhude wazenzela ikrele elintlangothi mbini, liyikubhite* ubude balo, walinxiba phantsi kwengubo yakhe ethangéni lakhe lokunene.
17 Wawusondeza umnikelo kuEglon ukumkani wamaMowabhi: ke uEglon ebengumfo onengxeba.
18 Kwathi, akugqiba ukuwusondeza umnikelo, wabandulula abantu ababewuthwele umnikelo lowo.
19 Wabuya yena emifanekisweni eqingqiweyo eseGiligali, wathi, Ndinelizwi lasentsithelweni nawe, kumkani. Wathi, Yithini tu. Baphuma bemka kuye bonke ababemi ngakuye.
20 Weza uEhude kuye, ehleli egumbini eliphezulu elinempepho, elibe lilelakhe yedwa. Wathi uEhude, Ndinelizwi likaThixo eliza kuwe; wesuka esihlalweni.
21 UEhude wasolula isandla sakhe sokhohlo, walithabatha ikrele ethangéni lakhe lokunene, walifaka esiswini sakhe.
22 Watsho sangena nesiphatho, salandela intsimbi; inqatha layivingcela intsimbi, ngokuba akalirholanga ikrele esiswini sakhe; laphuma phakathi kweempundu.
23 Waphuma uEhude waya evarandeni,* wazivala iingcango zegumbi elo liphezulu, wamvalela, wazitshixa.
24 Ephumile ke yena, bangena abakhonzi, babona iingcango zegumbi eliphezulu zivaliwe; bathi, Fanel' ukuba ugubungela iinyawo zakhe egumbini lempepho.
25 Baphongoma bada baneentloni; nanko kungavuli mntu ezingcangweni zegumbi eliphezulu; bathabatha isitshixo, bavula: nantsi inkosi yabo iwe phantsi ifile.
26 UEhude wasaba, besazilazila bona; wagqitha emifanekisweni eqingqiweyo, wasaba, waya eSehira.
27 Kwathi, ukufika kwakhe, wavuthela ngesigodlo ekweleentaba lakwaEfrayim; behla naye oonyana bakaSirayeli kweleentaba, éphambi kwabo yena.
28 Wathi kubo, Ndilandeleni, ngokuba uYehova uzinikele iintshaba zenu, amaMowabhi, esandleni senu. Bamlandela ke, bawavingca amazibuko aseYordan angakwaMowabhi, àbavuma ukuba kuwele mntu.
29 Babulala amaMowabhi ngelo xesha, amadoda angáthi angamawaka alishumi, onke etyebile, onke engamadoda anobukroti; akwasinda nanye indoda.
30 Athotywa ke amaMowabhi loo mini aba phantsi kwesandla samaSirayeli; lazola ilizwe iminyaka emashumi asibhozo.
31 Emveni kwakhe yaba nguShamgare, unyana ka-Anati, owabulala kumaFilisti amadoda angamakhulu amathandathu ngoviko lweenkomo, wawasindisa naye amaSirayeli.