< Abahluleli 8 >

1 Amadoda akoEfrayimi asesithi kuye: Iyini linto oyenze kithi ukuthi awusibizanga nxa usiyakulwa lamaMidiyani? Amsola ngamandla.
Zvino vaEfuremu vakabvunza Gidheoni vakati, “Makatibatireiko zvakadai? Makaregerei kutidana pamakaenda kundorwa navaMidhiani?” Uye vakamutsoropodza zvikuru.
2 Wasesithi kiwo: Ngenzeni khathesi uba kulinganiswa lokwenu? Ukukhothozwa kwezithelo zevini koEfrayimi kakukuhle yini kulesivuno sevini sakoAbiyezeri?
Asi akavapindura akati, “Ko, chii chandaita kuti ndizvienzanise nemi? Handiti zvakanongwa zvamazambiringa aEfuremu zviri nani kupfuura mukohwo uzere wamazambiringa aAbhiezeri?
3 UNkulunkulu unikele esandleni senu iziphathamandla zeMidiyani, uOrebi loZebi; ngangingenzani njengani? Kwasekudeda kuye ukuthukuthela kwabo lapho ekhuluma lelilizwi.
Mwari akaisa Orebhi naZeebhi, vatungamiri vavaMidhiani mumaoko enyu. Ko, ini ndaizokwanisa kuitei kuti ndienzaniswe nemi?” Ipapo, kutsamwa kwavo pamusoro pake kwakaserera.
4 Lapho uGidiyoni efika eJordani wachapha, yena lamadoda angamakhulu amathathu ayelaye, bediniwe kodwa bexotsha.
Gidheoni navanhu vake mazana matatu, vakaramba vachingotevera, vakasvika kurwizi Jorodhani uye vakaruyambuka havo, asi vakanga vaneta kwazvo.
5 Wasesithi emadodeni eSukothi: Ake liphe abantu abangilandelayo amaqebelengwana ezinkwa, ngoba badiniwe, ngixotshana loZeba loZalimuna amakhosi eMidiyani.
Akati kuvarume veSukoti, “Ipai henyu mauto angu chingwa; vaneta, uye ndichiri kutevera Zebha naZarumuna, madzimambo eMidhiani.”
6 Lenduna zeSukothi zathi: Intende yesandla sikaZeba loZalimuna isisesandleni sakho yini, ukuthi siphe ibutho lakho isinkwa?
Asi machinda eSukoti akati, “Matova namaoko aZebha naZarumuna mumaoko enyu here? Ko, tingapirei chingwa kumauto enyu?”
7 UGidiyoni wasesithi: Ngakho nxa iNkosi isinikele uZeba loZalimuna esandleni sami, ngizabhula inyama yenu ngameva enkangala langokhula oluhlabayo.
Ipapo Gidheoni akapindura akati, “Nokuda kwaizvozvo, Jehovha paanongoisa Zebha naZarumuna muruoko rwangu, ini ndichabvambura nyama yenyu neminzwa yomurenje uye norukato.”
8 Wasesenyuka lapho waya ePenuweli, wakhuluma labo ngokufananayo; lamadoda ePenuweli amphendula njengamadoda eSukothi emphendulile.
Kubva ipapo akaenda kuPenieri vakaita chikumbiro chimwe chetecho, asi naivowo vakapindura sezvakaita varume veSukoti.
9 Wasekhuluma futhi emadodeni ePenuweli esithi: Ekubuyeni kwami ngokuthula ngizadiliza lo umphotshongo.
Saka iye akati kuvarume vePenieri, “Pandinodzoka ndakunda, ndichakoromora shongwe iyi.”
10 Njalo uZeba loZalimuna babeseKarikori lenkamba yabo ilabo, phose inkulungwane ezilitshumi lanhlanu, bonke ababesele ebuthweni lonke labantwana bempumalanga, ngoba ababewile babengamadoda azinkulungwane ezilikhulu lamatshumi amabili abahwatsha inkemba.
Zvino Zebha naZarumuna vakanga vari muKarikori vaine hondo yavarume zviuru gumi nezvishanu, vose vakanga vasara pahondo yavanhu vokumabvazuva; varume vomunondo zviuru makumi maviri vakanga vafa.
11 UGidiyoni wasesenyuka ngendlela yabahlala emathenteni empumalanga kweNoba leJogibeha, wayitshaya inkamba, ngoba inkamba yayilibele.
Gidheoni akakwidza nenzira yavaigara mumatende kumabvazuva kweNobha neJogibheha vakandokunda hondo yakanga isina chayakatarisira.
12 UZeba loZalimuna basebebaleka, wasexotshana labo, wathumba amakhosi amabili eMidiyani, uZeba loZalimuna, wethusa inkamba yonke.
Zebha naZarumuna, madzimambo maviri eMidhiani, vakatiza, asi akavatevera akavabata, akakunda hondo yavo yose.
13 Lapho uGidiyoni indodana kaJowashi esebuya evela empini phambi kokuphuma kwelanga,
Gidheoni mwanakomana waJoashi akadzoka kubva kuhondo napaMupata weHeresi.
14 wabamba ijaha emadodeni eSukothi, walibuza; laselimbhalela iziphathamandla zeSukothi labadala bayo, amadoda angamatshumi ayisikhombisa lesikhombisa.
Akabata jaya rokuSukoti uye akaribvunza, uye jaya rikanyora pasi mazita amachinda makumi manomwe navanomwe vokuSukoti, vakuru veguta.
15 Wasefika emadodeni eSukothi, wathi: Khangelani oZeba loZalimuna elalingiklolodela ngabo lisithi: Intende yesandla sikaZeba loZalimuna isisesandleni sakho yini, ukuthi siphe amadoda akho asediniwe isinkwa?
Ipapo Gidheoni akasvika akati kuvarume veSukoti, “Havano vanaZebha naZarumuna, vaya vamakandiseka muchiti, ‘Ko, watova namaoko aZebha naZarumuna kare here? Tinopireiko chingwa kuvanhu vako vaneta ava?’”
16 Wasethatha abadala bomuzi, lameva enkangala lokhula oluhlabayo, wenza amadoda eSukothi aqedisise ngawo.
Akatora vakuru veguta akadzidzisa varume veSukoti chidzidzo nenzira yokuvaranga neminzwa yomurenje uye norukato.
17 Lomphotshongo wePenuweli wawudiliza, wabulala amadoda omuzi.
Akakoromorawo shongwe yePenieri uye akauraya varume vomuguta.
18 Wasesithi kuZeba lakuZalimuna: Ngamadoda anjani elawabulala eThabhori? Basebesithi: Njengawe babenjalo, ngulowo njengesimo sendodana yenkosi.
Ipapo akabvunza Zebha naZarumuna akati, “Varume vamakauraya paTabhori vakanga vakadiniko?” Vakapindura vakati, “Varume vakaita semi, mumwe nomumwe airatidzika somwanakomana wamambo.”
19 Wasesithi: Babengabafowethu, abantwana bakamama. Kuphila kukaJehova, uba belibayekele baphila, bengingayikulibulala.
Gidheoni akati, “Ivavo vakanga vari vanunʼuna vangu vanakomana vamai vangu chaivo. Zvirokwazvo naJehovha mupenyu, dai makanga mavaponesa, ini handaizokuurayai.”
20 Wasesithi kuJetheri izibulo lakhe: Sukuma ubabulale. Kodwa umfana kayihwatshanga inkemba yakhe, ngoba wayesesaba ngoba esesengumfana.
Akatendeukira kuna Jeta mwanakomana wake mukuru, akati, “Vauraye!” Asi Jeta haana kuvhomora munondo wake, nokuti akanga achiri mukomana uye aitya.
21 UZeba loZalimuna basebesithi: Sukuma wena uwele phezu kwethu, ngoba njengoba injalo indoda, anjalo amandla ayo. Wasesukuma uGidiyoni wabulala uZeba loZalimuna. Wasethatha izinyangana ezazisentanyeni zamakamela abo.
Zebha naZarumuna vakati, “Uyai muzviite imi. ‘Munhu sezvaari ndizvo zvakaita simba rake.’” Saka Gidheoni akaswedera akavauraya, uye akatora zvishongo kubva mumitsipa yengamera dzavo.
22 Amadoda akoIsrayeli asesithi kuGidiyoni: Sibuse, wena-ke, lendodana yakho, lendodana yendodana yakho, ngoba usisindisile esandleni samaMidiyani.
VaIsraeri vakati kuna Gidheoni, “Titonge iwe, mwanakomana wako nomuzukuru wako nokuti wakatiponesa kubva muruoko rwavaMidhiani.”
23 Kodwa uGidiyoni wathi kibo: Mina kangiyikulibusa, lendodana yami kayiyikulibusa; iNkosi izalibusa.
Asi Gidheoni akati kwavari, “Ini handingakutongei, uye mwanakomana wangu haangakutongei. Jehovha ndiye achakutongai.”
24 UGidiyoni wasesithi kibo: Ake ngicele isicelo kini; nginikani ngamunye icici lempango yakhe. Ngoba babelamacici egolide, ngoba babengamaIshmayeli.
Uye akati, “Ndine chikumbiro chimwe chete, chokuti mumwe nomumwe wenyu andipe mhete yomunzeve kubva pamugove wezvamakapamba.” (Yakanga iri tsika yavaIshumaeri yokushonga mhete dzegoridhe dzomunzeve.)
25 Basebesithi: Sizanika lokunika. Basebesendlala isembatho, baphosela lapho ngamunye icici lempango yakhe.
Vakapindura vakati, “Tichafara kudzipa kwamuri.” Saka vakawaridza nguo pasi, uye murume mumwe nomumwe akakanda mhete yezvaakapamba pamusoro payo.
26 Lesisindo samacici egolide ayewacelile sasingamashekeli egolide ayinkulungwane lamakhulu ayisikhombisa, ngaphandle kwezinyangana, leziceciso ezilengayo, lezembatho eziyibubende ezazisemakhosini eMidiyani, langaphandle kwamaketane ayesezintanyeni zamakamela awo.
Uremu hwemhete dzegoridhe dzaakakumbira hwakasvika mashekeri chiuru chimwe namazana manomwe, pasingaverengwi zvishongo, uketani, nguo dzepepuru dzaipfekwa namadzimambo eMidhiani kana uketani hwakanga huri pamitsipa yengamera dzavo.
27 UGidiyoni wasesenza i-efodi ngakho, wayibeka emzini wakhe, eOfira. LoIsrayeli wonke waphinga lapho ngokuyilandela; yasisiba ngumjibila kuGidiyoni lendlu yakhe.
Gidheoni akaita nazvo efodhi yegoridhe iyo yaakaisa muOfira, guta rake. VaIsraeri vose vakaita ufeve nokuinamata ipapo, uye yakava musungo kuna Gidheoni nokumhuri yake.
28 Ngokunjalo amaMidiyani ehliselwa phansi phambi kwabantwana bakoIsrayeli, kawaphindanga aphakamisa ikhanda lawo. Lelizwe laba lokuthula iminyaka engamatshumi amane ensukwini zikaGidiyoni.
Naizvozvo vaMidhiani vakakundwa pamberi pavaIsraeri uye havana kuzosimudzazve musoro wavo. Pamazuva okurarama kwaGidheoni, nyika yakava norugare kwamakore makumi mana.
29 UJerubali indodana kaJowashi wayahlala-ke endlini yakhe.
Jerubhi-Bhaari mwanakomana waJoashi akadzokerazve kundogara kumusha kwake.
30 Njalo uGidiyoni wayelamadodana angamatshumi ayisikhombisa aphuma okhalweni lwakhe, ngoba wayelabafazi abanengi.
Akanga ana vanakomana vake chaivo makumi manomwe, nokuti akanga ana vakadzi vazhinji.
31 Lomfazi wakhe omncane owayeseShekema laye wamzalela indodana, wayitha ibizo lokuthi nguAbhimeleki.
Murongo wake, aigara muShekemu, akamuberekerawo mwanakomana, akamutumidza kuti Abhimereki.
32 UGidiyoni indodana kaJowashi wasesifa eseluphele kuhle, wangcwatshelwa engcwabeni likaJowashi uyise, eOfira yamaAbiyezeri.
Gidheoni mwanakomana waJoashi akafa akwegura zvikuru uye akavigwa muguva rababa vake Joashi muOfira ravaAbhiezeri.
33 Kwasekusithi lapho uGidiyoni esefile, abantwana bakoIsrayeli baphenduka, baphinga ngokulandela oBhali, bazimisela uBhali-Berithi waba ngunkulunkulu.
Gidheoni akati achangofa, vaIsraeri vakafevazve vakatevera vaBhaari. Vakamisa Bhaari Bheriti samwari wavo uye
34 Njalo abantwana bakoIsrayeli kabayikhumbulanga iNkosi uNkulunkulu wabo eyabophula esandleni sezitha zabo zonke inhlangothi zonke.
havana kurangarira Jehovha Mwari wavo, akanga avanunura kubva mumaoko avavengi vavo kumativi ose.
35 Kabenzanga umusa endlini kaJerubali, onguGidiyoni, njengakho konke okuhle akwenza kuIsrayeli.
Vakatadza kuitira mhuri yaJerubhi-Bhaari (iye Gidheoni) zvakanaka pazvinhu zvose zvakanaka zvaakanga avaitira.

< Abahluleli 8 >