3 Abafowabo bakanina base bekhuluma ngaye ezindlebeni zabo bonke abantu baseShekemi onke lawo mazwi; izinhliziyo zabo zathanda ukumlandela u-Abimeleki, ngokuba bathi: “Ungumfowethu.”
4 Bamnika amashekeli* angamashumi ayisikhombisa esiliva endlini kaBali Beriti, u-Abimeleki aqasha ngawo izidenga namayiyane, bamlandela.
5 Waya endlini kayise e-Ofira, wabulala abafowabo, amadodana kaJerubali,* abantu abangamashumi ayisikhombisa etsheni linye, kepha kwasala uJothamu indodana encinyane kaJerubali, ngokuba wacasha.
6 Bonke abantu baseShekemi bahlangana nabo bonke abaseBeti Milo, baya bambeka u-Abimeleki inkosi ngase-okini* letshe lesikhumbuzo elaliseShekemi.
7 Lapho kubikwa lokho kuJothamu, waya wema esiqongweni sentaba yaseGerizimu, waphakamisa izwi lakhe, wamemeza, wathi kubo: “Ngilaleleni nina bantu baseShekemi ukuba uNkulunkulu anilalele nina.
8 Imithi yake yaya ukuzigcobela inkosi, yathi kuwo umnqumo: ‘Yiba yinkosi yethu.’
9 “Kepha umnqumo wathi kuyo: ‘Ngiyakuwayeka yini amafutha ami abadunyiswa ngawo onkulunkulu nabantu, ngiye ngintengantenge phezu kwemithi, na?’