< Judges 6 >

1 And the children of Israel did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD: and the LORD delivered them into the hand of Midian seven years.
Abantwana bakoIsrayeli basebesenza okubi emehlweni eNkosi; iNkosi yasibanikela esandleni sikaMidiyani iminyaka eyisikhombisa.
2 And the hand of Midian prevailed against Israel: and because of Midian the children of Israel made them the dens which are in the mountains, and the caves, and the strong holds.
Lesandla sikaMidiyani saba lamandla phezu kukaIsrayeli. Ngenxa kaMidiyani abantwana bakoIsrayeli bazenzela imihume esezintabeni, lembalu, lezinqaba.
3 And so it was, when Israel had sown, that the Midianites came up, and the Amalekites, and the children of the east; they came up against them;
Kwasekusithi uIsrayeli esehlanyele, enyuka amaMidiyani lamaAmaleki labantwana bempumalanga, benyuka bamelana labo,
4 and they encamped against them, and destroyed the increase of the earth, till thou come unto Gaza, and left no sustenance in Israel, neither sheep, nor ox, nor ass.
bamisa inkamba maqondana labo, bachitha izithelo zelizwe, uze ufike eGaza, njalo kabatshiyanga okondlayo koIsrayeli loba imvu loba inkabi loba ubabhemi.
5 For they came up with their cattle and their tents, they came in as locusts for multitude; both they and their camels were without number: and they came into the land to destroy it.
Ngoba bona benyuka lezifuyo zabo lamathente abo, bafika njengokugcwala kwentethe ngobunengi, okokuthi bona lamakamela abo babengelanani; basebengena elizweni ukulichitha.
6 And Israel was brought very low because of Midian; and the children of Israel cried unto the LORD.
UIsrayeli wasesiba ngumyanga kakhulu ngenxa yamaMidiyani, labantwana bakoIsrayeli bakhala eNkosini.
7 And it came to pass, when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD because of Midian,
Kwasekusithi lapho abantwana bakoIsrayeli bekhala eNkosini ngenxa yamaMidiyani,
8 that the LORD sent a prophet unto the children of Israel: and he said unto them, Thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel, I brought you up from Egypt, and brought you forth out of the house of bondage;
iNkosi yathuma umprofethi kubantwana bakoIsrayeli, owathi kibo: Itsho njalo iNkosi, uNkulunkulu wakoIsrayeli: Mina ngalenyusa lisuka eGibhithe ngalikhupha endlini yobugqili,
9 and I delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of all that oppressed you, and drave them out from before you, and gave you their land;
ngalihluthuna esandleni samaGibhithe, lesandleni sabo bonke abalicindezelayo, ngabaxotsha phambi kwenu, ngalinika ilizwe labo,
10 and I said unto you, I am the LORD your God; ye shall not fear the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but ye have not hearkened unto my voice.
ngathi kini: NgiyiNkosi uNkulunkulu wenu; lingesabi onkulunkulu bamaAmori elihlala elizweni lawo. Kodwa kalililalelanga ilizwi lami.
11 And the angel of the LORD came and sat under the oak which was in Ophrah, that pertained unto Joash the Abiezrite: and his son Gideon was beating out wheat in the winepress, to hide it from the Midianites.
Kwasekufika ingilosi yeNkosi, yahlala ngaphansi kwesihlahla se-okhi esiseOfira, esasingesikaJowashi umAbiyezeri, lendodana yakhe uGidiyoni yayibhula ingqoloyi esikhamelweni sewayini, ukuze iyifihlele amaMidiyani.
12 And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him, and said unto him, The LORD is with thee, thou mighty man of valour.
Ingilosi yeNkosi yasibonakala kuye, yathi kuye: INkosi ilawe, qhawe elilamandla.
13 And Gideon said unto him, Oh my lord, if the LORD be with us, why then is all this befallen us? and where be all his wondrous works which our fathers told us of, saying, Did not the LORD bring us up from Egypt? but now the LORD hath cast us off, and delivered us into the hand of Midian.
UGidiyoni wasesithi kuyo: Hawu Nkosi yami, uba iNkosi ilathi, kungani konke lokhu kusehlele? Kanti zingaphi zonke izimangaliso zayo abasitshela zona obaba besithi: INkosi kayisenyusanga siphuma eGibhithe yini? Kodwa khathesi iNkosi isidelile, yasinikela esandleni samaMidiyani.
14 And the LORD looked upon him, and said, Go in this thy might, and save Israel from the hand of Midian: have not I sent thee?
INkosi yasiphendukela kuye yathi: Hamba ngalamandla akho, ukhulule uIsrayeli esandleni samaMidiyani. Kangikuthumanga yini?
15 And he said unto him, Oh Lord, wherewith shall I save Israel? behold, my family is the poorest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house.
Wasesithi kuyo: Hawu Nkosi yami, ngizamkhulula ngani uIsrayeli? Khangela, usendo lwami lungumyanga koManase, njalo ngingomncinyane endlini kababa.
16 And the LORD said unto him, Surely I will be with thee, and thou shalt smite the Midianites as one man.
INkosi yasisithi kuye: Ngoba ngizakuba lawe, uzawatshaya-ke amaMidiyani njengendodanye.
17 And he said unto him, If now I have found grace in thy sight, then shew me a sign that it is thou that talkest with me.
Wasesithi kuyo: Uba khathesi ngithole umusa emehlweni akho, ngenzela isibonakaliso sokuthi nguwe okhuluma lami.
18 Depart not hence, I pray thee, until I come unto thee, and bring forth my present, and lay it before thee. And he said, I will tarry until thou come again.
Ake ungasuki lapha, ngize ngibuye kuwe, ngikhuphe isipho sami, ngisibeke phambi kwakho. Yasisithi: Mina ngizahlala uze uphenduke.
19 And Gideon went in, and made ready a kid, and unleavened cakes of an ephah of meal: the flesh he put in a basket, and he put the broth in a pot, and brought it out unto him under the oak, and presented it.
UGidiyoni wasengena, walungisa izinyane lembuzi, lezinkwa ezingelamvubelo nge-efa lempuphu, inyama wayifaka esitsheni, lomhluzi wawufaka embizeni, wakukhuphela kuyo ngaphansi kwesihlahla se-okhi, wakusondeza.
20 And the angel of God said unto him, Take the flesh and the unleavened cakes, and lay them upon this rock, and pour out the broth. And he did so.
Ingilosi kaNkulunkulu yasisithi kuye: Thatha inyama lezinkwa ezingelamvubelo, ukubeke phezu kwalelidwala, ubusuthela umhluzi. Wasesenza njalo.
21 Then the angel of the LORD put forth the end of the staff that was in his hand, and touched the flesh and the unleavened cakes; and there went up fire out of the rock, and consumed the flesh and the unleavened cakes; and the angel of the LORD departed out of his sight.
Ingilosi yeNkosi yasiselula isihloko somqwayi owawusesandleni sayo, yathinta inyama lezinkwa ezingelamvubelo; kwasekusenyuka umlilo uphuma edwaleni, wadla inyama lezinkwa ezingelamvubelo. Lengilosi yeNkosi yasuka emehlweni akhe.
22 And Gideon saw that he was the angel of the LORD; and Gideon said, Alas, O Lord GOD! forasmuch as I have seen the angel of the LORD face to face.
UGidiyoni wasebona ukuthi yayiyingilosi yeNkosi. UGidiyoni wathi: Maye, Nkosi Jehova! Ngenxa yokuthi ngibone ingilosi yeNkosi ubuso ngobuso.
23 And the LORD said unto him, Peace be unto thee; fear not: thou shalt not die.
Kodwa iNkosi yathi kuye: Ukuthula kakube kuwe, ungesabi, kawuyikufa.
24 Then Gideon built an altar there unto the LORD, and called it Jehovah-shalom: unto this day it is yet in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.
UGidiyoni waseyakhela iNkosi ilathi lapho, walibiza ngokuthi uJehova-shalomi. Kuze kube lamuhla lisesekhona eOfira lamaAbiyezeri.
25 And it came to pass the same night, that the LORD said unto him, Take thy father’s bullock, even the second bullock of seven years old, and throw down the altar of Baal that thy father hath, and cut down the Asherah that is by it:
Kwasekusithi ngalobobusuku iNkosi yathi kuye: Thatha ijongosi lenkunzi engekayihlo, ngitsho ijongosi lesibili elileminyaka eyisikhombisa, udilize ilathi likaBhali elingelikayihlo, lesixuku esiphansi kwalo usigamule;
26 and build an altar unto the LORD thy God upon the top of this strong hold, in the orderly manner, and take the second bullock, and offer a burnt offering with the wood of the Asherah which thou shalt cut down.
wakhele iNkosi uNkulunkulu wakho ilathi phezu kwengqonga yalinqaba, njengokwejwayelekileyo; ubusuthatha ijongosi lesibili, unikele umnikelo wokutshiswa ngenkuni zesixuku ozasigamula.
27 Then Gideon took ten men of his servants, and did as the LORD had spoken unto him: and it came to pass, because he feared his father’s household and the men of the city, so that he could not do it by day, that he did it by night.
UGidiyoni wasethatha amadoda alitshumi ezincekwini zakhe, wenza njengokutsho kweNkosi kuye; kodwa kwathi ngenxa yokuthi wayesesaba indlu kayise lamadoda omuzi ukukwenza emini, wakwenza ebusuku.
28 And when the men of the city arose early in the morning, behold, the altar of Baal was broken down, and the Asherah was cut down that was by it, and the second bullock was offered upon the altar that was built.
Lapho amadoda omuzi evuka ekuseni kakhulu, khangela, ilathi likaBhali lalidiliziwe, lesixuku esasiphansi kwalo sesiganyuliwe, lejongosi lesibili lanikelwa phezu kwelathi elaselakhiwe.
29 And they said one to another, Who hath done this thing? And when they inquired and asked, they said, Gideon the son of Joash hath done this thing.
Basebesithi omunye komunye: Ngubani owenze loludaba? Nxa sebedingile bebuza bathi: UGidiyoni indodana kaJowashi wenze loludaba.
30 Then the men of the city said unto Joash, Bring out thy son, that he may die: because he hath broken down the altar of Baal, and because he hath cut down the Asherah that was by it.
Amadoda omuzi asesithi kuJowashi: Khupha indodana yakho ukuze ife, ngoba idilizile ilathi likaBhali, langoba igamule isixuku esasiphansi kwalo.
31 And Joash said unto all that stood against him, Will ye plead for Baal? or will ye save him? he that will plead for him, let him be put to death whilst [it is yet] morning: if he be a god, let him plead for himself, because one hath broken down his altar.
Kodwa uJowashi wathi kubo bonke ababemi ngakuye: Lina lizamlwela uBhali yini, kumbe lina limsindise? Omlwelayo uzabulawa kusesekuseni. Uba engunkulunkulu, kazilwele, ngoba ilathi lakhe lidiliziwe.
32 Therefore on that day he called him Jerubbaal, saying, Let Baal plead against him, because he hath broken down his altar.
Ngakho ngalolosuku wambiza ngokuthi nguJerubali, esithi: UBhali kalwe laye, ngoba ulidilizile ilathi lakhe.
33 Then all the Midianites and the Amalekites and the children of the east assembled themselves together; and they passed over, and pitched in the valley of Jezreel
Lawo wonke amaMidiyani lamaAmaleki labantwana bempumalanga babuthana ndawonye, bachapha, bamisa inkamba esigodini seJizereyeli.
34 But the spirit of the LORD came upon Gideon; and he blew a trumpet; and Abiezer was gathered together after him.
LoMoya weNkosi wembesa uGidiyoni; wavuthela uphondo, lamaAbiyezeri abizwa emva kwakhe.
35 And he sent messengers throughout all Manasseh; and they also were gathered together after him: and he sent messengers unto Asher, and unto Zebulun, and unto Naphtali; and they came up to meet them.
Wasethuma izithunywa kuye wonke uManase, labo futhi babizwa emva kwakhe. Wasethuma izithunywa koAsheri lakoZebuluni lakoNafithali; basebesiza ukubahlangabeza.
36 And Gideon said unto God, If thou wilt save Israel by mine hand, as thou hast spoken,
UGidiyoni wasesithi kuNkulunkulu: Uba uzasindisa uIsrayeli ngesandla sami njengokutsho kwakho,
37 behold, I will put a fleece of wool on the threshing-floor; if there be dew on the fleece only, and it be dry upon all the ground, then shall I know that thou wilt save Israel by mine hand, as thou hast spoken.
khangela, ngizabeka uboya bezimvu obugundiweyo ebaleni lokubhulela; uba amazolo ezakuba phezu koboya obugundiweyo kuphela, lokoma emhlabathini wonke, ngizakwazi-ke ukuthi uzamsindisa uIsrayeli ngesandla sami, njengokutsho kwakho.
38 And it was so: for he rose up early on the morrow, and pressed the fleece together, and wringed the dew out of the fleece, a bowlful of water.
Kwasekusiba njalo. Lapho evuka ngovivi kusisa, wacindezela uboya obugundiweyo, wakhama amazolo eboyeni obugundiweyo, umganu ogcwele amanzi.
39 And Gideon said unto God, Let not thine anger be kindled against me, and I will speak but this once: let me prove, I pray thee, but this once with the fleece; let it now be dry only upon the fleece, and upon all the ground let there be dew.
UGidiyoni wasesithi kuNkulunkulu: Ulaka lwakho lungangivutheli, ngizakhuluma khathesi kuphela; ake ngihlole khathesi kuphela ngoboya obugundiweyo; ake kube lokoma eboyeni obugundiweyo kuphela, lemhlabathini wonke kakube lamazolo.
40 And God did so that night: for it was dry upon the fleece only, and there was dew on all the ground.
UNkulunkulu wasesenza njalo ngalobobusuku; ngoba kwaba lokoma eboyeni obugundiweyo kuphela, kodwa emhlabathini wonke kwaba lamazolo.

< Judges 6 >