1 Lezi ziyizizwe aziyekile uJehova ukuze amvivinye ngazo u-Israyeli, bonke abakwa-Israyeli ababengazi mpi eKhanani,
2 kuphela ukuba izizukulwane zabantwana bakwa-Israyeli zazi, zifundiswe impi, ikakhulu labo ababengayazi ngaphambili.
3 Amakhosi ayisihlanu amaFilisti, nawo onke amaKhanani, namaSidoni, namaHivi ahlala entabeni yaseLebanoni, kusukela entabeni yaseBali Hermoni kuze kube sekuyeni eHamati.
4 Zazingezokuba u-Israyeli avivinywe ngazo, kwazeke uma beyakulalela imiyalo kaJehova abayala ngayo oyise ngesandla sikaMose.
5 Abantwana bakwa-Israyeli bahlala phakathi kwamaKhanani, namaHeti, nama-Amori, namaPherizi, namaHivi, namaJebusi,
6 bathatha amadodakazi awo aba ngomkabo, banika amadodana awo amadodakazi abo, bakhonza onkulunkulu bawo.
7 Abantwana bakwa-Israyeli benza okubi emehlweni kaJehova, bamkhohlwa uJehova uNkulunkulu wabo, bakhonza oBali no-Ashitaroti.
8 Ngalokho intukuthelo kaJehova yavuthela u-Israyeli, wathengisa ngabo esandleni sikaKushani Rishatayimi inkosi yase-Aramu Naharayimi; abantwana bakwa-Israyeli bamkhonza uKushani Rishatayimi iminyaka eyisishiyagalombili.
9 Kepha abantwana bakwa-Israyeli bakhala kuJehova; uJehova wabavusela abantwana bakwa-Israyeli umsindisi owabasindisa, u-Otheniyeli indodana kaKenazi, umnawe kaKalebi.
10 UMoya kaJehova wayephezu kwakhe, wahlulela u-Israyeli, waphuma impi, uJehova wanikela uKushani Rishatayimi inkosi yase-Aramu Naharayimi esandleni sakhe; isandla sakhe samahlula uKushani Rishatayimi.
11 Izwe lase liba nokuthula iminyaka engamashumi amane. Wafa u-Otheniyeli indodana kaKenazi.
12 Abantwana bakwa-Israyeli babuye benza okubi emehlweni kaJehova; uJehova wamnika u-Egiloni inkosi yakwaMowabi amandla phezu kuka-Israyeli, lokhu benze okubi emehlweni kaJehova.
13 Wazibuthela abantwana bakwa-Amoni nabakwa-Amaleki, waya wachitha u-Israyeli, badla umuzi wamasundu.
14 Abantwana bakwa-Israyeli bamkhonza u-Egiloni inkosi yakwaMowabi iminyaka eyishumi nesishiyagalombili.
15 Kepha abantwana bakwa-Israyeli bakhala kuJehova, uJehova wabavusela umsindisi, u-Ehudi indodana kaGera, umBenjamini, umuntu oyinxele; abantwana bakwa-Israyeli bathuma isipho ngaye ku-Egiloni inkosi yakwaMowabi.
16 U-Ehudi wazenzela inkemba ebukhali izinsiko zombili, ubude bayo buyingalo, wayibhinca phansi kwengubo yakhe ethangeni lokunene.
17 Wamnika u-Egiloni inkosi yakwaMowabi isipho, kepha u-Egiloni wayengumuntu okhulupheleyo kakhulu.
18 Kwathi eseqedile ukumnika isipho, wamukisa abantu ababesithwele isipho.
19 Kepha yena wabuya endaweni yezithombe ezibaziweyo engaseGiligali, wathi: “Nginendaba eyisifuba kuwe nkosi.”Wathi: “Thulani.” Base bephuma bonke ababemi ngakuye.
20 U-Ehudi wasondela kuye; wayehlezi ekamelweni eliphezulu elipholileyo; wayesethi u-Ehudi: “Nginodaba oluvela kuNkulunkulu kuwe.” Wasukuma esihlalweni sakhe.
21 U-Ehudi wayeselula isandla sakhe sokhohlo, wabamba inkemba ethangeni lakhe lokunene, wamgwaza esiswini sakhe;
22 kwangena nesibambo emva kwenkemba, amanoni azungeza inkemba, ngokuba akayikhiphanga inkemba esiswini sakhe; yaphumela emuva.
23 U-Ehudi wayesephumela ekamelweni eliphambili, wazivalela iminyango yekamelo eliphezulu, wayihluthulela.
24 Nxa esephumile yena, kwafika izinceku zakhe; zabona, bheka, iminyango yekamelo eliphezulu yayihluthulelwe; zathi: “Mhlawumbe uyembesa ezinyawo zakhe ekamelweni lakhe elipholileyo.”
25 Zalinda zaze zajabha; bheka, akayivulanga iminyango yekamelo eliphezulu; ngalokho zathatha ukhiye, zayivula; bheka, inkosi yazo yayiwele phansi ifile.
26 U-Ehudi waphunyuka zisalinda, wadlula endaweni yezithombe ezibaziweyo, wabalekela eSeyiri.
27 Kwathi esefikile, wabetha icilongo ezintabeni zakwa-Efrayimi, abantwana bakwa-Israyeli behla naye ezintabeni, yena ephambi kwabo.
28 Wathi kubo: “Ngilandeleni, ngokuba uJehova unikele izitha zenu abakwaMowabi esandleni senu!” Behla emva kwakhe, bavimba amazibuko aseJordani ababewela ngawo abakwaMowabi, abavumanga ukuba kuwele muntu.
29 Babulala kwabakwaMowabi ngaleso sikhathi kungathi abantu abayizinkulungwane eziyishumi abayizidlakela namajaha, akwaphunyuka muntu.
30 UMowabi wathotshiswa kanjalo ngalolo suku phansi kwesandla sakwa-Israyeli. Izwe laba nokuthula iminyaka engamashumi ayisihiyagalombili.
31 Emva kwakhe kwafika uShamgari indodana ka-Anati owabulala kuwo amaFilisti abantu abangamakhulu ayisithupha ngocijo lwenkabi; naye wasindisa u-Israyeli.