Abahluleli 12
1 Abantu bakoEfrayimi basebebizelwa ndawonye, bachaphela enyakatho, bathi kuJefitha: Wachaphelani ukuyakulwa umelene labantwana bakoAmoni, lathi ungasibizanga ukuthi sihambe lawe? Sizatshisa ngomlilo indlu yakho phezu kwakho.
Gulu la nkhondo la fuko la Efereimu linayitanidwa ndipo anawolokera ku Zafoni nakafunsa Yefita kuti, “Nʼchifukwa chiyani unawoloka kukachita nkhondo ndi Aamoni osatiyitana kuti tipite nawe? Ife tikutenthera mʼnyumba mwakomu.”
2 UJefitha wathi kibo: Mina labantu bami sasilengxabano enkulu labantwana bakoAmoni; sathi silibiza, kalingikhululanga esandleni sabo.
Yefita anayankha kuti, “Ine ndi anthu anga tinakangana kwambiri ndi Aamoni. Ndinakuyitanani koma inu simunandipulumutse mʼmanja mwawo.
3 Kwathi lapho ngibona ukuthi kalisizanga, ngabeka impilo yami esandleni sami, ngachaphela ebantwaneni bakoAmoni, iNkosi yabanikela esandleni sami. Pho, lenyukeleleni kimi lamuhla ukulwa limelene lami?
Nditaona kuti simundithandiza, ndinayika moyo wanga pa chiswe ndipo ndinawoloka kukachita nkhondo ndi a Aamoni. Yehova anandithandiza ndipo ndinawagonjetsa. Nanga nʼchifukwa chiyani mwabwera kwa ine lero kuti muchite nane nkhondo?”
4 UJefitha wasebutha wonke amadoda eGileyadi walwa loEfrayimi; amadoda eGileyadi asemtshaya uEfrayimi, ngoba athi: Lingababalekileyo bakoEfrayimi, lina beGileyadi, phakathi kukaEfrayimi loManase.
Choncho Yefita anasonkhanitsa anthu a ku Giliyadi ndi kuchita nkhondo ndi Aefereimu. Ndipo Agiliyadi anagonjetsa Aefereimu chifukwa Aefereimuwo amati, “Inu a Giliyadi ndinu othawa kuchokera ku Efereimu ndi pakati pa Amanase.”
5 AbeGileyadi basebethumba amazibuko eJordani aya koEfrayimi. Kwakusithi lapho iziphepheli zakoEfrayimi zisithi: Ake ngichaphe; amadoda eGileyadi athi kuye: UngumEfrayimi yini? Lapho esithi: Hatshi;
Choncho Agiliyadi analanda Aefereimu madooko a mtsinje wa Yorodani. Munthu aliyense wothawa ku Efereimu amati akanena kuti, “Ndiloleni ndiwoloke,” Agaliyadi ankafunsa kuti, “Kodi ndiwe mu Efurati?” Ngati iye ayankha kuti, “Ayi”
6 basebesithi kuye: Ake uthi: Shibolethi. Athi: Sibolethi; ngoba engelakulikhuluma kuhle. Basebembamba, bemhlaba emazibukweni eJordani. Kwasekusiwa ngalesosikhathi kwabakoEfrayimi abazinkulungwane ezingamatshumi amane lambili.
Ndiye amamuwuza kuti, “Nena kuti ‘Shiboleti.’” Tsono munthuyo akanena kuti Siboleti popeza samatha kutchula bwino mawuwa, ankamugwira ndi kumupha pomwepo pa madooko a mtsinje wa Yorodani. Nthawi imeneyo anaphedwa Aefereimu 42,000.
7 UJefitha wasesahlulela uIsrayeli iminyaka eyisithupha. Wasesifa uJefitha umGileyadi, wangcwatshelwa komunye wemizi yeGileyadi.
Yefita anatsogolera Israeli zaka zisanu ndi chimodzi. Kenaka Yefita wa ku Giliyadi anamwalira, ndipo anayikidwa mu mzinda wake ku Giliyadi.
8 Emva kwakhe-ke uIbizani weBhethelehema wahlulela uIsrayeli.
Atamwalira Yefita, Ibizani wa ku Betelehemu anatsogolera Israeli.
9 Njalo wayelamadodana angamatshumi amathathu, wathumela ngaphandle amadodakazi angamatshumi amathathu, wangenisela amadodana akhe amadodakazi angamatshumi amathathu evela ngaphandle; wahlulela uIsrayeli iminyaka eyisikhombisa.
Iye anali ndi ana aamuna makumi atatu ndi ana aakazi makumi atatu. Anakwatitsa ana ake akaziwo kwa anthu a fuko lina, ndipo ana ake aamuna aja anawabweretsera atsikana makumi atatu kuti awakwatire amenenso anali a fuko lina. Ibizani anatsogolera Israeli kwa zaka zisanu ndi ziwiri.
10 Wasesifa uIbizani, wangcwatshelwa eBhethelehema.
Kenaka Ibizani anamwalira, ndipo anayikidwa mu Betelehemu.
11 Njalo emva kwakhe uEloni umZebuloni wahlulela uIsrayeli; wahlulela uIsrayeli iminyaka elitshumi.
Iye atamwalira, Eloni wa fuko la Zebuloni anakhala mtsogoleri wa Aisraeli, ndipo anatsogolera Aisraeli kwa zaka khumi.
12 Wasesifa uEloni umZebuloni, wangcwatshelwa eAjaloni, elizweni lakoZebuluni.
Kenaka Eloni anamwalira ndipo anayikidwa ku Ayaloni mʼdziko la Zebuloni.
13 Emva kwakhe-ke uAbidoni indodana kaHileli umPirathoni wahlulela uIsrayeli.
Iye atamwalira, Abidoni mwana wa Hilelo wochokera ku Piratoni, anatsogolera Israeli.
14 Wayelamadodana angamatshumi amane, lamadodana amadodana angamatshumi amathathu, ayegada amathole abobabhemi angamatshumi ayisikhombisa; wahlulela uIsrayeli iminyaka eyisificaminwembili.
Iye anali ndi ana aamuna makumi anayi ndi zidzukulu makumi atatu, amene ankakwera pa abulu 70. Iye anatsogolera Israeli kwa zaka zisanu ndi zitatu.
15 Wasesifa uAbidoni indodana kaHileli umPirathoni, wangcwatshelwa ePirathoni elizweni lakoEfrayimi entabeni zamaAmaleki.
Ndipo Abidoni mwana wa Hilelo Mpiratoni uja anamwalira, nayikidwa ku Piratoni, mʼdziko la Efereimu, dziko lamapiri la Aamaleki.
