Abahluleli 3

1 Lalezi yizizwe iNkosi eyazitshiyayo ukuze ihlole uIsrayeli ngazo, bonke abangazazanga zonke izimpi zeKhanani;

Now these are the nations which the LORD left, to prove Israel by them, even as many as had not known all the wars of Canaan;

2 kuphela ukuze izizukulwana zabantwana bakoIsrayeli zazi, ukuzifundisa impi, kuphela abangazazanga phambili:

only that the generations of the children of Israel might know, to teach them war, at the least such as beforetime knew nothing thereof;

3 Amakhosi amahlanu amaFilisti, lawo wonke amaKhanani, lamaSidoni, lamaHivi ayehlala entabeni yeLebhanoni, kusukela entabeni yeBhali-Hermoni kuze kube sekungeneni kweHamathi.

namely, the five lords of the Philistines, and all the Canaanites, and the Zidonians, and the Hivites that dwelt in mount Lebanon, from mount Baal-hermon unto the entrance of Hamath.

4 Zazingezokuhlola uIsrayeli ngazo ukwazi ukuthi bazayilalela yini imilayo yeNkosi eyabalaya yona oyise ngesandla sikaMozisi.

And they were there, to prove Israel by them, to know whether they would hearken unto the commandments of the LORD, which He commanded their fathers by the hand of Moses.

5 Abantwana bakoIsrayeli bahlala-ke phakathi kwamaKhanani, amaHethi, lamaAmori, lamaPerizi, lamaHivi, lamaJebusi.

And the children of Israel dwelt among the Canaanites, the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites;

6 Basebethatha amadodakazi awo ukuba ngomkabo, lamadodakazi abo bawanika amadodana awo, bakhonza onkulunkulu bawo.

and they took their daughters to be their wives, and gave their own daughters to their sons, and served their gods.

7 Abantwana bakoIsrayeli basebesenza okubi emehlweni eNkosi, bayikhohlwa iNkosi uNkulunkulu wabo, bakhonza oBhali lezixuku.

And the children of Israel did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, and forgot the LORD their God, and served the Baalim and the Asheroth.

8 Ngakho ulaka lweNkosi lwavutha kuIsrayeli, yabathengisa esandleni sikaKushani-Rishathayimi inkosi yeMesopotamiya. Abantwana bakoIsrayeli basebeyisebenzela inkosi uKushani-Rishathayimi iminyaka eyisificaminwembili.

Therefore the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and He gave them over into the hand of Cushan-rishathaim king of Aram-naharaim; and the children of Israel served Cushan-rishathaim eight years.

9 Kwathi abantwana bakoIsrayeli bekhala eNkosini, iNkosi yabavusela abantwana bakoIsrayeli umkhululi owabakhululayo, uOthiniyeli indodana kaKenazi umfowabo kaKalebi ongumnawakhe.

And when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD, the LORD raised up a saviour to the children of Israel, who saved them, even Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother.

10 Njalo uMoya weNkosi wayephezu kwakhe, wahlulela uIsrayeli, waphuma impi, iNkosi yanikela esandleni sakhe uKushani-Rishathayimi inkosi yeSiriya, lesandla sakhe saba lamandla phezu kukaKushani-Rishathayimi.

And the spirit of the LORD came upon him, and he judged Israel; and he went out to war, and the LORD delivered Cushan-rishathaim king of Aram into his hand; and his hand prevailed against Cushan-rishathaim.

11 Lelizwe laba lokuthula iminyaka engamatshumi amane. UOthiniyeli indodana kaKenazi wasesifa.

And the land had rest forty years. And Othniel the son of Kenaz died.

12 Abantwana bakoIsrayeli basebebuya besenza okubi emehlweni eNkosi. INkosi yasimqinisa uEgiloni inkosi yakoMowabi ukumelana loIsrayeli, ngenxa yokuthi babenzile okubi emehlweni eNkosi.

And the children of Israel again did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD; and the LORD strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel, because they had done that which was evil in the sight of the LORD.

13 Wasezibuthela abantwana bakoAmoni loAmaleki, waya wamtshaya uIsrayeli, badla ilifa lomuzi wamalala.

And he gathered unto him the children of Ammon and Amalek; and he went and smote Israel, and they possessed the city of palm-trees.

14 Abantwana bakoIsrayeli basebesebenzela uEgiloni inkosi yakoMowabi iminyaka elitshumi leyisificaminwembili.

And the children of Israel served Eglon the king of Moab eighteen years.

15 Kwathi abantwana bakoIsrayeli bekhala eNkosini, iNkosi yabavusela umkhululi, uEhudi indodana kaGera, umBhenjamini owayelinxele. Abantwana bakoIsrayeli basebethumela ngesandla sakhe isipho kuEgiloni inkosi yakoMowabi.

But when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD, the LORD raised them up a saviour, Ehud the son of Gera, the Benjamite, a man left-handed; and the children of Israel sent a present by him unto Eglon the king of Moab.

16 UEhudi wasezenzela inkemba ebukhali inhlangothi ezimbili, ubude bayo buyingalo, wayibophela ngaphansi kwezigqoko zakhe ethangazini lakhe lokunene.

And Ehud made him a sword which had two edges, of a cubit length; and he girded it under his raiment upon his right thigh.

17 Wasondeza isipho kuEgiloni inkosi yakoMowabi. Njalo uEgiloni wayengumuntu okhulupheleyo kakhulu.

And he offered the present unto Eglon king of Moab — now Eglon was a very fat man.

18 Kwasekusithi eseqedile ukusondeza isipho, wasephelekezela abantu ababethwele isipho.

And when he had made an end of offering the present, he sent away the people that bore the present.

19 Kodwa yena wabuyela emuva ezithombeni ezibaziweyo ezaziseGiligali, wathi: Nkosi, ngilendaba eyimfihlo kuwe. Yasisithi: Thula. Bonke ababemi laye basebephuma.

But he himself turned back from the quarries that were by Gilgal, and said: 'I have a secret errand unto thee, O king.' And he said: 'Keep silence.' And all that stood by him went out from him.

20 UEhudi wasesiza kuye ehlezi endlini ephezulu epholileyo eyayingeyakhe yedwa. UEhudi wathi: Ngilendaba kaNkulunkulu kuwe. Wasesukuma esihlalweni.

And Ehud came unto him; and he was sitting by himself alone in his cool upper chamber. And Ehud said: 'I have a message from God unto thee.' And he arose out of his seat.

21 UEhudi waseselula isandla sakhe sokhohlo, wathatha inkemba ethangazini lakhe lokunene, wayithela esiswini sakhe,

And Ehud put forth his left hand, and took the sword from his right thigh, and thrust it into his belly.

22 kwaze kwangena lesilanda emva kobukhali, amahwahwa agubuzela ubukhali, ngoba kayingcothulanga inkemba esiswini sakhe, kwasekuphuma umswane.

And the haft also went in after the blade; and the fat closed upon the blade, for he drew not the sword out of his belly; and it came out behind.

23 UEhudi wasephuma ekhulusini, wavala iminyango yendlu ephezulu emva kwakhe, wayikhiya.

Then Ehud went forth into the porch, and shut the doors of the upper chamber upon him, and locked them.

24 Yena esephumile, kwafika izinceku zakhe; kwathi zibona, khangela-ke, iminyango yendlu ephezulu yayikhiyiwe, zathi: Sibili wembese inyawo zakhe endlini epholileyo.

Now when he was gone out, his servants came; and they saw, and, behold, the doors of the upper chamber were locked; and they said: 'Surely he is covering his feet in the cabinet of the cool chamber.'

25 Njalo zalinda zaze zaba lenhloni; khangela-ke kavulanga iminyango yendlu ephezulu; ngakho zathatha isihluthulelo zavula, khangela-ke, inkosi yazo yayiwele phansi ifile.

And they tarried till they were ashamed; and, behold, he opened not the doors of the upper chamber; therefore they took the key, and opened them; and, behold, their lord was fallen down dead on the earth.

26 UEhudi wasephunyuka zisalibele, yena wedlula ezithombeni ezibaziweyo, waphunyuka waya eSeyira.

And Ehud escaped while they lingered, having passed beyond the quarries, and escaped unto Seirah.

27 Kwasekusithi ekufikeni kwakhe wavuthela uphondo entabeni yakoEfrayimi. Abantwana bakoIsrayeli basebesehla laye ezintabeni, yena ephambi kwabo.

And it came to pass, when he was come, that he blew a horn in the hill-country of Ephraim, and the children of Israel went down with him from the hill-country, and he before them.

28 Wasesithi kibo: Landelani emva kwami, ngoba iNkosi inikele izitha zenu amaMowabi esandleni senu. Ngakho behla bamlandela, bathumba amazibuko eJordani aye koMowabi, kabavumelanga muntu ukuchapha.

And he said unto them: 'Follow after me; for the LORD hath delivered your enemies the Moabites into your hand.' And they went down after him, and took the fords of the Jordan against the Moabites, and suffered not a man to pass over.

29 Basebebulala amaMowabi ngalesosikhathi angaba zinkulungwane ezilitshumi, amadoda wonke aqatha lawo wonke amadoda alamandla, njalo kakuphunyukanga muntu.

And they smote of Moab at that time about ten thousand men, every lusty man, and every man of valour; and there escaped not a man.

30 Ngalokho uMowabi wehliselwa phansi mhlalokho ngaphansi kwesandla sikaIsrayeli. Lelizwe laba lokuthula iminyaka engamatshumi ayisificaminwembili.

So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. And the land had rest fourscore years.

31 Lemva kwakhe kwaba loShamigari indodana kaAnathi, owatshaya amaFilisti amadoda angamakhulu ayisithupha ngocijo lwenkabi; laye wasemkhulula uIsrayeli.

And after him was Shamgar the son of Anath, who smote of the Philistines six hundred men with an ox-goad; and he also saved Israel.