Judges 9
1 Now Abimelech, the son of Jerubbaal, went to Shechem to his mother's family, and said to them and to all the family of his mother's father,
UAbhimeleki indodana kaJerubali wasesiya eShekema kubafowabo bakanina, wakhuluma kibo lakusendo lonke lwendlu kayise kanina, esithi:
2 Say now in the ears of all the townsmen of Shechem, Is it better for you to be ruled by all the seventy sons of Jerubbaal or by one man only? And keep in mind that I am your bone and your flesh.
Ake likhulume endlebeni zabo bonke abahlali beShekemalithi: Yikuphi okungcono kini ukuthi wonke amadodana kaJerubali amadoda angamatshumi ayisikhombisa alibuse, kumbe indoda eyodwa ilibuse? Khumbulani futhi ukuthi ngilithambo lenu lenyama yenu.
3 So his mother's family said all this about him in the ears of all the townsmen of Shechem: and their hearts were turned to Abimelech, for they said, He is our brother.
Labafowabo bakanina bamkhulumela ezindlebeni zabo bonke abahlali beShekema wonke la amazwi. Inhliziyo yabo yeyamela ukumlandela uAbhimeleki, ngoba bathi: Ungumfowethu.
4 And they gave him seventy shekels of silver from the house of Baal-berith, with which Abimelech got the support of a number of uncontrolled and good-for-nothing persons.
Bamnika inhlamvu zesiliva ezingamatshumi ayisikhombisa ezavela endlini kaBhali-Berithi; uAbhimeleki waseqhatsha ngazo abantu abayize labangakhathaliyo abamlandelayo.
5 Then he went to his father's house at Ophrah, and put his brothers, the seventy sons of Jerubbaal, to death on the same stone; however, Jotham, the youngest, kept himself safe by going away to a secret place.
Wasesiya endlini kayise eOfira, wabulala abafowabo amadodana kaJerubali, amadoda angamatshumi ayisikhombisa, phezu kwedwala elilodwa; kodwa uJothamu indodana elicinathunjana kaJerubali wasala, ngoba wacatsha.
6 And all the townsmen of Shechem and all Beth-millo came together and went and made Abimelech their king, by the oak of the pillar in Shechem.
Labo bonke abahlali beShekema labo bonke abeBeti-Milo babuthana, bahamba bamenza wabusa uAbhimeleki abe yinkosi, esihlahleni se-okhi esamiswa siseShekema.
7 Now Jotham, on hearing of it, went to the top of Mount Gerizim, and crying out with a loud voice said to them, Give ear to me, you townsmen of Shechem, so that God may give ear to you.
Lapho bemtshela uJothamu, wayakuma phezu kwengqonga yentaba yeGerizimi, waphakamisa ilizwi lakhe wamemeza wathi kibo: Ngizwani bahlali beShekema ukuze uNkulunkulu alizwe.
8 One day the trees went out to make a king for themselves; and they said to the olive-tree, Be king over us.
Izihlahla zahamba lokuhamba ukuzigcobela inkosi. Zathi esihlahleni somhlwathi: Sibuse.
9 But the olive-tree said to them, Am I to give up my wealth of oil, by which men give honour to God, and go waving over the trees?
Kodwa isihlahla somhlwathi sathi kuzo: Kambe ngizatshiya amafutha ami abadumisa ngawo uNkulunkulu labantu ngami, ukuze ngiyezunguza phezu kwezihlahla?
10 Then the trees said to the fig-tree, You come and be king over us.
Izihlahla zasezisithi esihlahleni somkhiwa: Woza wena usibuse.
11 But the fig-tree said to them, Am I to give up my sweet taste and my good fruit and go waving over the trees?
Kodwa isihlahla somkhiwa sathi kuzo: Kambe ngizatshiya ubumnandi bami lezithelo zami ezinhle, ukuze ngiyezunguza phezu kwezihlahla?
12 Then the trees said to the vine, You come and be king over us.
Izihlahla zasezisithi esihlahleni sevini: Woza wena usibuse.
13 But the vine said to them, Am I to give up my wine, which makes glad God and men, to go waving over the trees?
Kodwa isihlahla sevini sathi kuzo: Kambe ngizatshiya iwayini lami elitsha elithokozisa uNkulunkulu labantu, ukuze ngiyezunguza phezu kwezihlahla?
14 Then all the trees said to the thorn, You come and be king over us.
Izihlahla zonke zasezisithi embabazaneni: Woza wena usibuse.
15 And the thorn said to the trees, If it is truly your desire to make me your king, then come and put your faith in my shade; and if not, may fire come out of the thorn, burning up the cedars of Lebanon.
Imbabazane yasisithi ezihlahleni: Uba ngeqiniso lingigcoba ngibe yinkosi phezu kwenu, wozani lidinge ukuvikelwa emthunzini wami; uba kungenjalo-ke, umlilo uzaphuma embabazaneni udle izihlahla zemisedari zeLebhanoni.
16 So now, if you have done truly and uprightly in making Abimelech king, and if you have done well to Jerubbaal and his house in reward for the work of his hands;
Ngakho khathesi, uba likwenzile ngeqiniso langokuthembeka ukuthi libekile uAbhimeleki abe yinkosi, lokuthi uba lenzile okuhle ngoJerubali langendlu yakhe, lokuthi uba lenze kuye ngokufanele izandla zakhe;
17 (For my father made war for you, and put his life in danger, and made you free from the hands of Midian;
ngoba ubaba walilwela, walahlela khatshana impilo yakhe, walophula esandleni samaMidiyani;
18 And you have gone against my father's family this day, and have put to death his sons, even seventy men on one stone, and have made Abimelech, the son of his servant-wife, king over the townsmen of Shechem because he is your brother; )
kodwa lina seliyivukele indlu kababa lamuhla, labulala amadodana akhe, amadoda angamatshumi ayisikhombisa, phezu kwedwala elilodwa, labeka uAbhimeleki indodana yencekukazi yakhe ukuthi abe yinkosi yabahlali beShekema, ngoba engumfowenu;
19 If then you have done what is true and upright to Jerubbaal and his family this day, may you have joy in Abimelech, and may he have joy in you;
uba-ke ngeqiniso langokuthembeka lenzile ngoJerubali langendlu yakhe ngalolusuku, thokozani ngoAbhimeleki, laye athokoze ngani.
20 But if not, may fire come out from Abimelech, burning up the townsmen of Shechem and Beth-millo; and may fire come out from the townsmen of Shechem and Beth-millo, for the destruction of Abimelech.
Kodwa uba kungenjalo, kakuphume umlilo kuAbhimeleki udle abahlali beShekema leBeti-Milo, njalo kakuphume umlilo kubahlali beShekema leBeti-Milo udle uAbhimeleki.
21 Then Jotham straight away went in flight to Beer, and was living there for fear of his brother Abimelech.
UJothamu wasephunyuka wabaleka, waya eBeri, wahlala khona, ngenxa kaAbhimeleki umfowabo.
22 So Abimelech was chief over Israel for three years.
Kwathi uAbhimeleki esebuse uIsrayeli iminyaka emithathu,
23 And God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the townsmen of Shechem; and the townsmen of Shechem were false to Abimelech;
uNkulunkulu wathuma umoya omubi phakathi kukaAbhimeleki labahlali beShekema, njalo abahlali beShekema baziphatha ngokungathembeki kuAbhimeleki,
24 So that punishment for the violent attack made on the seventy sons of Jerubbaal, and for their blood, might come on Abimelech, their brother, who put them to death, and on the townsmen of Shechem who gave him their help in putting his brothers to death.
ukuze udlakela olwenziwa kumadodana kaJerubali angamatshumi ayisikhombisa lubuyele, legazi libekwe phezu kukaAbhimeleki umfowabo owawabulalayo, laphezu kwabahlali beShekema ababeqinise izandla zakhe ukubulala abafowabo.
25 And the townsmen of Shechem put secret watchers on the tops of the mountains, and they made attacks on all who went by on the road and took their goods; and word of this came to Abimelech.
Abahlali beShekema basebembekela abacathameli ezingqongeni zezintaba, baphanga bonke ababebedlula ngaleyondlela; uAbhimeleki wasekubikelwa.
26 Then Gaal, the son of Ebed, came with his brothers, and went over to Shechem; and the men of Shechem put their faith in him.
UGahali indodana kaEbedi wasesiza labafowabo, bedlulela eShekema; njalo abahlali beShekema bamthemba.
27 And they went out into their fields and got in the fruit of their vines, and when the grapes had been crushed, they made a holy feast and went into the house of their god, and over their food and drink they were cursing Abimelech.
Basebephuma baya emasimini, bakha izithelo zamavini ezivinini zabo, bazinyathela, benza indumiso, bangena endlini kankulunkulu wabo, badla banatha, bamthuka uAbhimeleki.
28 And Gaal, the son of Ebed, said, Who is Abimelech and who is Shechem, that we are to be his servants? Is it not right for the son of Jerubbaal and Zebul his captain to be servants to the men of Hamor, the father of Shechem? But why are we to be his servants?
UGahali indodana kaEbedi wasesithi: Ungubani uAbhimeleki njalo ungubani uShekema ukuthi simsebenzele? Kasindodana kaJerubali yini, loZebuli induna yayo? Sebenzelani amadoda kaHamori uyise kaShekema. Ngoba thina sizamsebenzelelani?
29 If only I had authority over this people! I would put Abimelech out of the way, and I would say to Abimelech, Make your army strong, and come out.
Sengathi ngabe lababantu bebesesandleni sami, bengizamkhupha-ke uAbhimeleki. Wasesithi kuAbhimeleki: Yandisa ibutho lakho, uphume.
30 Now Zebul, the ruler of the town, hearing what Gaal, the son of Ebed, had said, was moved to wrath.
Kwathi uZebuli umbusi womuzi esizwa amazwi kaGahali indodana kaEbedi, ulaka lwakhe lwavutha.
31 And he sent to Abimelech at Arumah, saying, See, Gaal, the son of Ebed, and his brothers have come to Shechem, and they are working up the town against you.
Wathuma izithunywa kuAbhimeleki ngobuqili, esithi: Khangela, uGahali indodana kaEbedi labafowabo bafikile eShekema, khangela-ke, sebeqinisa umuzi ukumelana lawe.
32 So now, get up by night, you and your people, and keep watch in the field secretly;
Khathesi-ke sukuma ebusuku wena labantu abalawe, uyecathama egangeni.
33 And in the morning, when the sun is up, get up early and make a rush on the town; and when he and his people come out against you, do to them whatever you have a chance to do.
Kuzakuthi-ke ekuseni ekuphumeni kwelanga, uvuke ngovivi uwuhlasele umuzi; khangela, lapho yena labantu abalaye bephuma ukumelana lawe, uzakwenza kuye njengalokho isandla sakho esikutholayo.
34 So Abimelech and the people with him got up by night, in four bands, to make a surprise attack on Shechem.
UAbhimeleki wasesukuma labo bonke abantu ababelaye, ebusuku, basebeyicathamela iShekema ngezigaba ezine.
35 And Gaal, the son of Ebed, went out, and took his place at the doorway into the town; then Abimelech and his people got up from the place where they had been waiting.
UGahali indodana kaEbedi wasephuma wema esikhaleni sesango lomuzi. UAbhimeleki wasesukuma labantu ababelaye ekucathameni.
36 And when Gaal saw the people, he said to Zebul, See! people are coming down from the tops of the mountains. And Zebul said to him, You see the shade of the mountains like men.
Kwathi uGahali ebona abantu, wathi kuZebuli: Khangela, abantu bayehla ezingqongeni zezintaba. Kodwa uZebuli wathi kuye: Ubona amathunzi ezintaba kungathi ngabantu.
37 And Gaal said again, See! people are coming down from the middle of the land, and one band is coming by way of the oak-tree of the Seers.
UGahali waqhubeka futhi ekhuluma wathi: Khangela, abantu bayehla bevela phakathi kwelizwe, lelinye ixuku livela endleleni yamagceke abavumisi.
38 Then Zebul said to him, Now where is your loud talk when you said, Who is Abimelech that we are to be his servants? Is this not the people whom you were rating so low? Go out now, and make war on them.
UZebuli wasesithi kuye: Usungaphi umlomo wakho owathi ngawo: Ungubani uAbhimeleki ukuthi simkhonze? Laba kayisibo abantu obadeleleyo yini? Ake uphume khathesi uyekulwa labo.
39 So Gaal went out at the head of the townsmen of Shechem and made war on Abimelech.
UGahali wasephuma phambi kwabahlali beShekema, walwa loAbhimeleki.
40 And Abimelech went after him and he went in flight before him; and a great number were falling by the sword all the way up to the town.
UAbhimeleki wamxotsha, wasebaleka phambi kwakhe; abanengi bawa belimele kwaze kwaba sekungeneni kwesango.
41 Then Abimelech went back to Arumah; and Zebul sent Gaal and his brothers away and would not let them go on living in Shechem.
UAbhimeleki wasehlala eAruma. UZebuli wasemxotsha uGahali labafowabo, ukuze bangahlali eShekema.
42 Now the day after, the people went out into the fields; and news of it came to Abimelech.
Kwasekusithi kusisa abantu baphuma baya egangeni; bamtshela uAbhimeleki.
43 And he took his people, separating them into three bands, and was waiting secretly in the field; and when he saw the people coming out of the town, he went up and made an attack on them.
Wasethatha abantu, wabehlukanisa baba ngamaxuku amathathu, wacathama egangeni, wabona, khangela-ke, abantu bephuma emzini, wabasukela wabatshaya.
44 And Abimelech with his band made a rush, and took up their position at the doorway into the town; and the other two bands made a rush on all those who were in the fields, and overcame them.
UAbhimeleki lexuku elalilaye basebebahlasela bema ekungeneni kwesango lomuzi, lamaxuku amabili ahlasela bonke ababesegangeni, abatshaya.
45 And all that day Abimelech was fighting against the town; and he took it, and put to death the people who were in it, and had the town pulled down and covered with salt.
UAbhimeleki wasesilwa emelene lomuzi lolosuku lonke, wawuthumba umuzi, wabulala abantu ababekiwo, wadilizela phansi umuzi, wawuhlanyela ngetshwayi.
46 Then all the townsmen of the tower of Shechem, hearing of it, went into the inner room of the house of El-berith.
Lapho bonke abahlali bomphotshongo weShekema bekuzwa, bangena enqabeni yendlu kaEli-Berithi.
47 And word was given to Abimelech that all the men of the tower of Shechem were there together.
Kwabikelwa uAbhimeleki ukuthi bonke abahlali bemphotshongweni weShekema babuthene ndawonye.
48 Then Abimelech went up to Mount Zalmon, with all his people; and Abimelech took an axe in his hand and, cutting down branches of trees, took them and put them on his back. And he said to the people who were with him, Be quick and do as you have seen me do.
UAbhimeleki wasesenyukela entabeni yeZalimoni, yena labo bonke abantu ababelaye; uAbhimeleki wathatha ihloka esandleni sakhe, wagamula ugatsha lwezihlahla, waluthatha walwetshata ehlombe lakhe, wathi ebantwini ababelaye: Lokhu elibona ngikwenza, phangisani likwenze njengami.
49 So all the people got branches, every man cutting down a branch, and they went with Abimelech at their head and, massing the branches against the inner room, put fire to the room over them; so all those who were in the tower of Shechem, about a thousand men and women, were burned to death with it.
Ngakho bonke abantu labo bagamula, ngulowo ugatsha lwakhe, bamlandela uAbhimeleki bazibeka enqabeni, bathungela inqaba ngomlilo phezu kwabo, kwaze kwathi bonke abantu bomphotshongo weShekema labo bafa, phose abesilisa labesifazana abayinkulungwane.
50 Then Abimelech went to Thebez, and put his army in position against Thebez and took it.
UAbhimeleki wasesiya eThebezi, wamisa inkamba maqondana leThebezi wayithumba.
51 But in the middle of the town there was a strong tower, to which all the men and women of the town went in flight and, shutting themselves in, went up to the roof of the tower.
Kodwa kwakulomphotshongo oqinileyo phakathi komuzi, labo bonke abesilisa labesifazana babalekela kuyo, labo bonke abahlali bomuzi, babavalela phakathi; benyukela ephahleni lomphotshongo.
52 And Abimelech came to the tower and made an attack on it, and got near to the door of the tower for the purpose of firing it.
UAbhimeleki wasefika emphotshongweni, walwa lawo, wasondela emnyango womphotshongo ukuze awutshise ngomlilo.
53 But a certain woman sent a great stone, such as is used for crushing grain, on to the head of Abimelech, cracking the bone.
Owesifazana othile wasephosa ucezu lwelitshe lokuchola ekhanda likaAbhimeleki, wadabula ukhakhayi lwakhe.
54 Then quickly crying out to his body-servant, he said to him, Take out your sword and put an end to me straight away, so that men may not say of me, His death was the work of a woman. So the young man put his sword through him, causing his death.
Wasebiza masinyane ijaha elalithwala izikhali zakhe, wathi kilo: Hwatsha inkemba yakho ungibulale, hlezi bathi ngami: Owesifazana wambulala. Ijaha lakhe laselimgwaza, wafa-ke.
55 And when the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, they went away, every man to his place.
Kwathi amadoda akoIsrayeli ebona ukuthi uAbhimeleki usefile, ahamba, ngulowo waya endaweni yakhe.
56 In this way Abimelech was rewarded by God for the evil he had done to his father in putting his seventy brothers to death;
Ngokunjalo uNkulunkulu wabuyisela ububi bukaAbhimeleki ayebenze kuyise, ngokubulala abafowabo abangamatshumi ayisikhombisa.
57 And God sent back on to the heads of the men of Shechem all the evil they had done, and the curse of Jotham, the son of Jerubbaal, came on them.
Labo bonke ububi bamadoda eShekema uNkulunkulu wabubuyisela phezu kwamakhanda awo; kwasekusehlela phezu kwabo isiqalekiso sikaJothamu indodana kaJerubali.
