1 Amadoda akwa-Efrayimi abuthana, aya ngasenyakatho; athi kuJefta: “Uwelelani ukulwa nabantwana bakwa-Amoni, ungasibizanga ukuba sihambe nawe, na? Siyakushisa ngomlilo indlu yakho phezu kwakho.”
2 UJefta wathi kubo: “Mina nabantu bami sasilwa kakhulu nabantwana bakwa-Amoni; nganibiza, aningisindisanga esandleni sabo.
3 Nxa sengibonile ukuthi aningisindisanga, ngabeka ukuphila kwami esandleni sami, ngadlulela kubantwana bakwa-Amoni, uJehova wabanikela esandleni sami; ngalokho nikhuphukeleni kimi namuhla ukulwa nami na?”
4 UJefta wayesebutha bonke abantu bakwaGileyadi, walwa no-Efrayimi; abantu bakwaGileyadi bamahlula u-Efrayimi, ngokuba bathi: “Ningababalekileyo bakwa-Efrayimi nina bakwaGileyadi phakathi kwabakwa-Efrayimi naphakathi kwabakwaManase.”
5 AbakwaGileyadi bavimba amazibuko aseJordani phambi kwabakwa-Efrayimi; kwathi lapho ababalekileyo bakwa-Efrayimi bethi: “Mangiwele,” abantu bakwaGileyadi bathi kuye: “Ungowakwa-Efrayimi na?” Uma ethi: “Cha,”
6 bathi kuye: “Shono uthi: ‘Shiboleti,’ ” abesethi: “Siboleti,” ngokuba engaqaphelanga ukuliphimisa kahle; base bembamba, bambulala ngasemazibukweni aseJordani; kwawa ngaleso sikhathi abakwa-Efrayimi abayizinkulungwane ezingamashumi amane nambili.
7 UJefta wamahlulela u-Israyeli iminyaka eyisithupha. Wafa uJefta wakwaGileyadi, wambelwa komunye wemizi yakwaGileyadi.
8 Emva kwakhe u-Ibisani waseBetlehema wahlulela u-Israyeli.
9 Wayenamadodana angamashumi amathathu; amadodakazi angamashumi amathathu wawendisa, wathathela amadodana akhe izintombi ezingamashumi amathathu. Wamahlulela u-Israyeli iminyaka eyisikhombisa.
10 U-Ibisani wafa, wembelwa eBetlehema.
11 Emva kwakhe u-Eloni wakwaZebuloni wahlulela u-Israyeli; wamahlulela u-Israyeli iminyaka eyishumi.
12 U-Eloni wakwaZebuloni wafa, wembelwa e-Ajaloni ezweni lakwaZebuloni.
13 Emva kwakhe u-Abidoni indodana kaHileli wasePirathoni wahlulela u-Israyeli.
14 Wayenamadodana angamashumi amane namadodana amadodana akhe angamashumi amathathu agibela amathole ezimbongolo angamashumi ayisikhombisa; wamahlulela u-Israyeli iminyaka eyisishiyagalombili.
15 U-Abidoni indodana kaHileli wasePirathoni wafa, wembelwa ePirathoni ezweni lakwa-Efrayimi ezintabeni zama-Amaleki.