Abahluleli 3
1 Nanzi izizwe ezatshiywa nguThixo ukuze abahlole bonke abako-Israyeli ababengazibonanga izimpi eKhenani
Now these are the nations which Jehovah left, to prove Israel by them, even as many of Israel as had not known all the wars of Canaan;
2 (wenza lokhu ukuba azifundise izizukulwane zako-Israyeli ukulwiwa kwezimpi lezo ezazingazange zikubone ukulwa ngaphambilini):
only that the generations of the children of Israel might know, to teach them war, at the least such as before knew nothing of it:
3 ababusi abahlanu bamaFilistiya, amaKhenani wonke, amaSidoni, lamaHivi ahlala ezintabeni zaseLebhanoni kusukela eNtabeni iBhali-Hemoni kusiya eLebho Hamathi.
namely, the five lords of the Philistines, and all the Canaanites, and the Sidonians, and the Hivites who lived on Mount Lebanon, from Mount Baal Hermon to Lebo Hamath.
4 Babetshiyelwe ukuhlola abako-Israyeli ukuba kubonakale ukuthi bayayilalela na imilayo kaThixo, ayeyinike okhokho babo ngoMosi.
They were left, to prove Israel by them, to know whether they would listen to the commandments of Jehovah, which he commanded their fathers by the hand of Moses.
5 Abako-Israyeli babehlala phakathi kwamaKhenani, lamaHithi, lama-Amori, lamaPherizi, lamaHivi kanye lamaJebusi.
The children of Israel lived among the Canaanites, the Hethites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites:
6 Bathatha amadodakazi awo aba ngomkabo njalo bendisela amadodakazi abo emadodaneni awo, bakhonza labonkulunkulu bawo.
and they took their daughters to be their wives, and gave their own daughters to their sons and served their gods.
7 Abako-Israyeli benza okubi emehlweni kaThixo; bamkhohlwa uThixo uNkulunkulu wabo bakhonza oBhali labo-Ashera.
The children of Israel did that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah, and forgot Jehovah their God, and served the Baals and the Asheroth.
8 Ulaka lukaThixo lwavuthela abako-Israyeli waze wabanikela ezandleni zikaKhushani-Rishathayimi inkosi yase-Aramu Naharayimu, lapho abantu bako-Israyeli ababangaphansi kombuso wayo iminyaka eyisificaminwembili.
Therefore the anger of Jehovah was kindled against Israel, and he sold them into the hand of Cushan Rishathaim king of Aram Naharaim; and the children of Israel served Cushan Rishathaim eight years.
9 Kodwa ekukhaleni kwabo kuThixo, wabalethela umhlengi, u-Othiniyeli indodana kaKhenazi, umnawakhe kaKhalebi, owabakhululayo.
When the children of Israel cried to Jehovah, Jehovah raised up a savior to the children of Israel, who saved them, even Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother; and he obeyed him.
10 Umoya kaThixo wehlela kuye, wasesiba ngumahluleli wako-Israyeli waya empini. UThixo wanikela uKhushani-Rishathayimi inkosi ye-Aramu ezandleni zika-Othiniyeli, wamnqoba.
The Spirit of Jehovah came on him, and he judged Israel; and he went out to war, and Jehovah delivered Cushan Rishathaim king of Mesopotamia into his hand: and his hand prevailed against Cushan Rishathaim.
11 Ngakho ilizwe laba lokuthula iminyaka engamatshumi amane, u-Othiniyeli indodana kaKhenazi waze wafa.
The land had rest forty years. And Othniel the son of Kenaz died.
12 Abako-Israyeli baphinda benza okubi emehlweni kaThixo, kwathi ngenxa yokuthi babenze lobububi uThixo wanika u-Egiloni inkosi yaseMowabi amandla phezu kuka-Israyeli.
The children of Israel again did that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah: and Jehovah strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel, because they had done that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah.
13 Esenze ama-Amoni lama-Amaleki amanyana laye, u-Egiloni wayahlasela u-Israyeli, basebethumba idolobho laMalala.
He gathered to him the people of Ammon and Amalek; and he went and struck Israel, and they possessed the city of palm trees.
14 Abako-Israyeli babangaphansi kombuso ka-Egiloni inkosi yaseMowabi iminyaka elitshumi layisificaminwembili.
The children of Israel served Eglon the king of Moab eighteen years.
15 Abako-Israyeli bakhala futhi kuThixo, wasebapha umhlengi u-Ehudi, indoda eyayilinxele indodana kaGera owakoBhenjamini. Abako-Israyeli bamthuma lesipho ku-Egiloni inkosi yaseMowabi.
But when the children of Israel cried to Jehovah, Jehovah raised them up a savior, Ehud the son of Gera, the Benjamite, a man left-handed. The children of Israel sent tribute by him to Eglon the king of Moab.
16 U-Ehudi wayenze inkemba esika inxa zombili eyayingaba yingalo lengxenye ubude bayo, ayibophela ethangazini lakhe lwesokudla ngaphansi kwezigqoko zakhe.
Ehud made him a sword which had two edges, eighteen inches in length; and he girded it under his clothing on his right thigh.
17 Wasethula isipho ku-Egiloni inkosi yaseMowabi, owayengumuntu oqatha kakhulu.
He offered the tribute to Eglon king of Moab: now Eglon was a very fat man.
18 Emva kokuba u-Ehudi esesethule isipho, walaya abantu ababesithwele ukuba bazihambele.
When he had made an end of offering the tribute, he sent away the people who bore the tribute.
19 Ezithombeni eduze leGiligali yena uqobo wabuyela emuva, wathi, “Oh nkosi, ngilelizwi lakho eliyimfihlo.” Inkosi yathi, “Thula!” Zonke izikhonzi zayo zasuka kuyo.
But he himself turned back from the quarries that were by Gilgal, and said, "I have a secret message for you, O king." The king said, "Keep silence." All who stood by him went out from him.
20 U-Ehudi wayilanda isihlezi yodwa ekamelweni langaphezulu elipholileyo endlini yayo yobukhosi wathi, “Ngilelizwi lakho elivela kuNkulunkulu.” Kwathi inkosi isukuma esihlalweni sayo,
Ehud came to him; and he was sitting by himself alone in the cool upper room. Ehud said, "I have a message from God to you, O king." He arose out of his seat.
21 u-Ehudi wafinyelela ngesandla sakhe senxele, wahwatsha inkemba ethangazini lakhe kwesokudla wayithela esiswini senkosi.
And it happened as he rose up that Ehud put forth his left hand and took the sword from his right thigh and thrust it into his belly.
22 Inkemba yatshona yasala ngesilanda, amathumbu akhe agcwala phansi. U-Ehudi kayingcothulanga inkemba, idanga layemboza.
And the handle also went in after the blade; and the fat closed on the blade, for he didn't draw the sword out of his belly; and it came out behind.
23 U-Ehudi waphuma phandle, wavala iminyango yekamelo langaphezulu wayihluthulela.
Then Ehud went forth into the porch, and shut the doors of the upper room on him, and locked them.
24 Esehambile kweza izinceku zathola iminyango yekamelo langaphezulu ihluthulelwe. Zathi, “Kutsho ukuthi iye ngaphandle ekamelweni elingaphakathi kwendlu.”
Now when he was gone out, his servants came; and they saw, and look, the doors of the upper room were locked; and they said, "Surely he is covering his feet in the upper room."
25 Zalinda zaze zakhathazeka, kodwa ngoba ingasavulanga iminyango yekamelo lelo, zathatha ikhiye zayivula. Lapho-ke zabona inkosi yazo iwele phansi, isifile.
They waited until they were ashamed; and look, he did not open the doors of the upper room: therefore they took the key, and opened them, and look, their lord was fallen down dead on the earth.
26 Zisalindile, u-Ehudi wasuka wahamba. Wedlula eduzane lezithombe wabalekela eSeyira.
Ehud escaped while they waited, and passed beyond the quarries, and escaped to Seirah.
27 Esefike lapho wakhalisa icilongo elizweni lezintaba lako-Efrayimi, abako-Israyeli basebesehla laye ezintabeni, yena ebakhokhele.
It happened, when he had come, that he blew a trumpet in the hill country of Ephraim; and the children of Israel went down with him from the hill country, and he before them.
28 Wabalaya wathi, “Ngilandelani, ngoba uThixo usenikele uMowabi, isitha senu, ezandleni zenu.” Ngakho behlela laye phansi bemlandela, kwathi sebethumbe amazibuko eJodani ayewelela eMowabi, kabaze bavumela muntu ukuba achaphele ngaphetsheya.
He said to them, "Follow after me; for Jehovah has delivered your enemies the Moabites into your hand." They went down after him, and took the fords of the Jordan against the Moabites, and did not allow a man to pass over.
29 Ngalesosikhathi babulala amaMowabi ayengaba zinkulungwane ezilitshumi, wonke ayeqinile elamandla; akukho muntu owaphunyukayo.
They struck of Moab at that time about ten thousand men, every lusty man, and every man of valor; and there escaped not a man.
30 Ngalolosuku iMowabi yanqotshwa yi-Israyeli, ilizwe laselisiba lokuthula iminyaka engamatshumi ayisificaminwembili.
So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. Then the land had rest eighty years. And Ehud judged them until he died.
31 Emva kuka-Ehudi kwaba loShamigari indodana ka-Anathi owabulala amaFilistiya angamakhulu ayisithupha ngesijujo senkabi. Laye wamkhulula u-Israyeli.
And after him was Shamgar the son of Anath, who alone struck down six hundred men of the Philistines with an oxgoad. And he also saved Israel.
