1 Emva kuka-Abimeleki kwavela uThola indodana kaPhuwa kaDodo, umuntu wakwa-Isakare, ukuba asindise u-Israyeli; wayehlala eShamiri ezintabeni zakwa-Efrayimi.
2 Wamahlulela u-Israyeli iminyaka engamashumi amabili nantathu, wafa, wembelwa eShamiri.
3 Emva kwakhe kwavela uJayire wakwaGileyadi, wamahlulela u-Israyeli iminyaka engamashumi amabili nambili.
4 Wayenamadodana angamashumi amathathu agibela amathole ezimbongolo angamashumi amathathu; ayenemizi engamashumi amathathu ethiwa iHavoti Jayire kuze kube namuhla, esezweni lakwaGileyadi.
5 UJayire wafa, wembelwa eKhamoni.
6 Abantwana bakwa-Israyeli babuye benza okubi emehlweni kaJehova, babakhonza oBali, no-Ashitaroti, nawonkulunkulu base-Aramu, nawonkulunkulu baseSidoni, nawonkulunkulu bakwaMowabi, nawonkulunkulu babantwana bakwa-Amoni, nawonkulunkulu bamaFilisti, bamshiya uJehova, kabamkhonza.
7 Intukuthelo kaJehova yamvuthela u-Israyeli, wathengisa ngabo esandleni samaFilisti nasesandleni sabantwana bakwa-Amoni.
8 Bakhathaza, bacindezela abantwana bakwa-Israyeli ngalowo mnyaka; iminyaka eyishumi nesishiyagalombili babacindezela bonke abantwana bakwa-Israyeli ababengaphesheya kweJordani ezweni lama-Amori elikwaGileyadi.
9 Abantwana bakwa-Amoni bawela iJordani ukuba balwe noJuda noBenjamini nendlu yakwa-Efrayimi; u-Israyeli wantula kakhulu.
10 Abantwana bakwa-Israyeli bakhala kuJehova, bathi: “Sonile kuwe, ngokuba simshiyile uNkulunkulu wethu, sakhonza oBali.”
11 UJehova wathi kubantwana bakwa-Israyeli: “Anginisindisanga yini kubo abaseGibithe, nakuwo ama-Amori, nakubo abantwana bakwa-Amoni, nakuwo amaFilisti, na?
12 Nacindezelwa ngamaSidoni, nama-Amaleki, namaMahoni, nakhala kimi, nganisindisa esandleni sawo.
13 Nokho ningishiyile, nakhonza abanye onkulunkulu; ngalokho angisayikunisindisa.
14 Hambani nikhale konkulunkulu enibakhethileyo; mabanisindise ngesikhathi sosizi lwenu.”
15 Abantwana bakwa-Israyeli bathi kuJehova: “Sonile; yenza kithi okuthandayo; kepha ake usophule kuphela namuhla.”
16 Base besusa onkulunkulu babezizwe phakathi kwabo, bamkhonza uJehova; umphefumulo wakhe wakhathazeka ngokuhlupheka kwabakwa-Israyeli.
17 Kwabuthwa abantwana bakwa-Amoni, bamisa kwaGileyadi. Kepha abantwana bakwa-Israyeli babuthana, bamisa eMispa.
18 Abantu, izikhulu zakwaGileyadi, bathi omunye komunye: “Ngumuphi umuntu oyakuqala ukulwa nabantwana bakwa-Amoni na? Yena uyakuba yinhloko yabo bonke abakhe kwaGileyadi.”