Abahluleli 8
1 Abako-Efrayimi babuza uGidiyoni bathi, “Kungani usiphathe kanje na? Kungani ungasibizanga lapho ususiyakulwa lamaMidiyani?” Bamsola kakhulu.
And the men of Ephraim said to Gedeon, What [is] this [that] you have done to us, in that you did not call us when you went to fight with Madiam? and they chode with him sharply.
2 Kodwa yena wabaphendula wathi, “Kuyini mina engikufezileyo okulingana lokwenu na? Amagrebisi ako-Efrayimi aseleyo ekuvuneni kawangcono kulamagrebisi esivuno esipheleleyo sako-Abhiyezeri na?
And he said to them, What have I now done in comparison of you? [is] not the gleaning of Ephraim better than the vintage of Abiezer?
3 UNkulunkulu unikele u-Orebhi loZebhi, abakhokheli bamaMidiyani, ezandleni zenu. Kuyini lokho engikwenzileyo lapho ngiqathaniswa lani?” Ngalokhu ukuthukuthela kwabo kwadeda.
The Lord has delivered into your hand the princes of Madiam, Oreb and Zeb; and what could I do in comparison of you? Then was their spirit calmed toward him, when he spoke this word.
4 UGidiyoni labantu bakhe abangamakhulu amathathu sebediniwe kodwa belokhu bexotshana lawo, bafika eJodani bayichapha.
And Gedeon came to Jordan, and went over, himself and the three hundred with him, hungry, yet pursuing.
5 Wasesithi ebantwini baseSukhothi, “Phanini amabutho ami izinkwa; akhathele, njalo ngisaxotshana loZebha kanye loZalimuna, amakhosi aseMidiyani.”
And he said to the men of Socchoth, Give, I pray you, bread to feed this people that follow me; because they are faint, and behold, I am following after Zebee and Salmana, kings of Madiam.
6 Kodwa izikhulu zaseSukhothi zathi, “Usulazo mathupha yini izandla zikaZebha loZalimuna? Kungani amabutho akho kumele siwanike izinkwa?”
And the princes of Socchoth said, [Are] the hands of Zebee and Salmana now in your hand, that we should give bread to your host?
7 UGidiyoni waphendula wathi, “Ngenxa yalokho, lapho uThixo esenikele uZebha loZalimuna esandleni sami, ngizaklaya imizimba yenu ngameva asenkangala.”
And Gedeon said, Therefore when the Lord gives Zebee and Salmana into my hand, then will I tear your flesh with the thorns of the wilderness, and the Barkenim.
8 Esuka lapho waya ePheniweli, wenza isicelo esifanayo kubo, kodwa baphendula njengabantu beSukhothi.
And he went up thence to Phanuel, and spoke to them likewise: and the men of Phanuel answered him as the men of Socchoth [had] answered him.
9 Ngakho wathi ebantwini basePheniweli, “Ekuphendukeni kwami senginqobile, ngizawudiliza umphotshongo lo.”
And Gedeon said to the men of Phanuel, When I return in peace, I will break down this tower.
10 Ngalesosikhathi uZebha loZalimuna babeseKhakhori lebutho labantu ababephosa babe zinkulungwane ezilitshumi lanhlanu, ababesele emabuthweni asempumalanga; izinkulungwane ezilikhulu lamatshumi amabili zababesilwa ngenkemba zasezifile.
And Zebee and Salmana [were] in Carcar, and their host [was] with them, about fifteen thousand, all that were left of all the host of the aliens; and they that fell [were] a hundred and twenty thousand men that drew the sword.
11 UGidiyoni wahamba ngendlela yamasili empumalanga kweNobha leJogibheha wahlasela ibutho elalilibele.
And Gedeon went up by the way of them that lived in tents, eastward of Nabai and Jegebal; and he struck the host, and the host was secure.
12 UZebha loZalimuna, amakhosi womabili aseMidiyani, babaleka, kodwa waxotshana labo wababamba, wawachitha wonke amabutho abo.
And Zebee and Salmana fled; and he pursued after them, and took the two kings of Madiam, Zebee and Salmana, and discomfited all the army.
13 Emva kwalokho uGidiyoni indodana kaJowashi wabuyela evela empini ngoKhalo lwaseHeresi.
And Gedeon the son of Joas returned from the battle, down from the battle of Ares.
14 Wabamba ijaha laseSukhothi walibuzabuza, ijaha lelo lamlobela amabizo eziphathamandla zaseSukhothi ezingamatshumi ayisikhombisa, abadala bomuzi.
And he took prisoner a young lad of the men of Socchoth, and questioned him; and he wrote to him the names of the princes of Socchoth and of their elders, seventy-seven men.
15 UGidiyoni wafika wathi ebantwini baseSukhothi, “Nangu uZebha loZalimuna elalingichothoza ngabo lisithi, ‘Usulazo yini izandla zikaZebha loZalimuna? Kungani amabutho akho akhatheleyo kumele siwanike izinkwa na?’”
And Gedeon came to the princes of Socchoth, and said, Behold Zebee and Salmana, about whom you reproached me, saying, [Are] the hands of Zebee and Salmana now in your hand, that we should give bread to your men that are faint?
16 Wathatha abadala bomuzi wasefundisa amadoda aseSukhothi isifundo ngokubajezisa ngameva asenkangala.
And he took the elders of the city with the thorns of the wilderness and the Barkenim, and with them he tore the men of the city.
17 Wadiliza lomphotshongo wasePheniweli wabulala amadoda akulowomuzi.
And he overthrew the tower of Phanuel, and killed the men of the city.
18 Wabuza uZebha loZalimuna wathi, “Ngabantu abanjani labo elababulalayo eThabhori?” Baphendula bathi, “Ngabantu abanjengawe, lowo lalowo efana lenkosana.”
And he said to Zebee and Salmana, Where [are] the men whom you killed in Thabor? and they said, As you, so [were] they, according to the likeness of the son of a king.
19 UGidiyoni waphendula wathi, “Labobantu babengabafowethu, amadodana kamama. Ngeqiniso njengoba uThixo ephila, aluba labayekela bephila, kade bengingeyikulibulala.”
And Gedeon said, They were my brethren and the sons of my mother: [as] the Lord lives, if you had preserved them alive, I would not have slain you.
20 Wasephendukela kuJetha, indodana yakhe endala, wathi, “Babulale!” Kodwa uJetha kayihwatshanga inkemba yakhe, ngoba wayengumfanyana esesaba.
And he said to Jether his firstborn, Rise and kill them; but the lad drew not his sword, for he was afraid, for he was yet very young.
21 UZebha loZalimuna bathi, “Woza, usibulale wena ngokwakho. ‘Njengoba indoda injalo, anjalo lamandla ayo.’” Ngakho uGidiyoni wasondela phambili wababulala, wasethatha imiceciso entanyeni zamakamela abo.
And Zebee and Salmana said, Rise you and fall upon us, for your power [is] as that of a man; and Gedeon arose, and killed Zebee and Salmana: and he took the round ornaments that were on the necks of their camels.
22 Abako-Israyeli bathi kuGidiyoni, “Sibuse wena, lendodana yakho kanye lendodana yendodana yakho ngoba usisindisile ezandleni zamaMidiyani.”
And the men of Israel said to Gedeon, Rule, [my] lord, over us, both you, and your son, and your son's son; for you have saved us out of the hand of Madiam.
23 Kodwa uGidiyoni wathi kubo, “Mina kangiyikulibusa, lendodana yami kayiyikulibusa. UThixo uzalibusa.”
And Gedeon said to them, I will not rule, and my son shall not rule among you; the Lord shall rule over you.
24 Wabuya wathi, “Ngilesicelo esisodwa, ukuthi omunye lomunye wenu angiphe icici esabelweni sempango yenu.” (Ukufaka amacici egolide kwakungumkhuba wama-Ishumayeli.)
And Gedeon said to them, I will make a request of you, and do you give me every man an earring out of his spoils: for they had golden earrings, for they were Ismaelites.
25 Baphendula bathi, “Sizathaba ukukunika wona.” Ngakho bendlala ingubo, kwathi umuntu ngamunye waphosela kuyo icici lempango yakhe.
And they said, We will certainly give them: and he opened his garment, and each man cast therein an earring of his spoils.
26 Isisindo samacici egolide ayewacelile saba ngamashekeli angamakhulu alitshumi lesikhombisa, kungabalwa izigqizo lemigaxo lezembatho eziyibubende ezigqokwa ngamakhosi aseMidiyani loba amaketane ayesezintanjeni zamakamela awo.
And the weight of the golden earrings which he asked, was a thousand and seven hundred pieces of gold, besides the crescents, and the chains, and the garments, and the purple cloths that were on the kings of Madiam, and besides the chains that were on the necks of their camels.
27 UGidiyoni wenza isithombe ngegolide lelo, wasibeka e-Ofira, umuzi wakibo. Bonke abako-Israyeli bazingcolisa ngokusikhonza khonapho, njalo saba ngumjibila kuGidiyoni labendlu yakhe.
And Gedeon made an ephod of it, an set it in his city in Ephratha; and all Israel went there a whoring after it, and it became a stumbling block to Gedeon and his house.
28 IMidiyani yanqotshwa kanjalo ngabako-Israyeli njalo kayizange ivuse ikhanda futhi. Ngezinsuku zokuphila kukaGidiyoni ilizwe laba lokuthula iminyaka engamatshumi amane.
And Madiam, was straitened before the children of Israel, and they did not lift up their head any more; and the land had rest forty years in the days of Gedeon.
29 UJerubhi-Bhali indodana kaJowashi wabuyela ekhaya ukuyahlala khona.
And Jerobaal the son of Joas went and sat in his house.
30 Wayelamadodana angamatshumi ayisikhombisa angawakhe ngoba wayelabafazi abanengi.
And Gedeon had seventy sons begotten of his body, for he had many wives.
31 Umkakhe weceleni, owayehlala eShekhemu, laye wamzalela indodana ayithi ngu-Abhimelekhi.
And his concubine was in Sychem, and she also bore him a son, and gave him the name Abimelech.
32 UGidiyoni indodana kaJowashi wafa eseluphele kakhulu wangcwatshwa ethuneni likayise uJowashi e-Ofira yama-Abhiyezeri.
And Gedeon son of Joas died in his city, and he was buried in the sepulchre of Joas his father in Ephratha of Abi-Esdri.
33 Masinyane nje uGidiyoni esanda kufa abako-Israyeli bazingcolisa njalo ngokukhonza oBhali. Bamisa uBhali-Bherithi njengonkulunkulu wabo
And it came to pass when Gedeon was dead, that the children of Israel turned, and went a whoring after Baalim, and made for themselves a covenant with Baal that he should be their god.
34 kabaze bamkhumbula uThixo uNkulunkulu wabo owayebahlenge ezandleni zezitha zabo ezinhlangothini zonke.
And the children of Israel remembered not the Lord their God who had delivered them out of the hand of all that afflicted them round about.
35 Njalo kababanga lomusa kwabendlu kaJerubhi-Bhali (uGidiyoni) ngezinto zonke ezinhle ayebenzele zona.
And they did not deal mercifully with the house of Jerobaal, (the same is Gedeon) according to all the good which he did to Israel.
