Vatongi 7
1 Mangwanani-ngwanani, Jerubhi-Bhaari (ndiye Gidheoni) navanhu vose vaiva naye vakadzika matende avo patsime raHarodhi. Musasa wavaMidhiani wakanga uri nechokumusoro kwavo mumupata waiva pedyo nechikomo cheMore.
Ekuseni kakhulu uJerubhi-Bhali (lowo nguGidiyoni) labantu bakhe bonke bamisa emthonjeni waseHarodi. Izihonqo zamaMidiyani zazingasenyakatho kwabo esigodini eduzane lentaba yaseMore.
2 Jehovha akati kuna Gidheoni, “Varume vaunavo vakawandisa kuti ini ndiise vaMidhiani mumaoko avo. Kuti vaIsraeri varege kuzvikudza pamberi pangu vachiti, simba ravo ndiro ravaponesa,
UThixo wathi kuGidiyoni, “Abantu olabo banengi kakhulu ukuba nginikele amaMidiyani ezandleni zabo. Ukuze u-Israyeli angazincomi kimi esithi amandla akhe amsindisile,
3 zivisa vanhu izvozvi kuti, ‘Ani naani ari kudedera nokutya ngaadzoke hake abve paGomo reGireadhi.’” Saka varume vanosvika zviuru makumi maviri nezviviri vakabva, kukasara zviuru gumi.
memezela ebantwini khathesi nje uthi, ‘Lowo othuthumelayo ngenxa yokwesaba angabuyela emuva asuke eNtabeni iGiliyadi.’” Ngakho abantu abazinkulungwane ezingamatshumi amabili lambili babuyela, kwathi abazinkulungwane ezilitshumi basala.
4 Asi Jehovha akati kuna Gidheoni, “Vanhu vachakangowandisa. Enda navo kumvura, uye ini ndichavasanangurira ikoko. Kana ndikati, ‘Uyu achaenda newe,’ ndiye achaenda; asi kana ndikati, ‘Uyu haafaniri kuenda newe,’ iyeye haaendi.”
Kodwa uThixo wathi kuGidiyoni, “Abantu balokhu bebanengi kakhulu. Behlisele emanzini, ngizakuhlolela bona khonale. Ngingathi, ‘Lo uzahamba lawe,’ uzahamba; kodwa ngingathi, ‘Lo kazukuhamba lawe,’ akayikuhamba.”
5 Saka Gidheoni akatora varume akaburuka navo kumvura. Jehovha akamuudza ikoko kuti, “Paradzanisa avo vanonwa mvura vachikapa norurimi rwavo sezvinoita imbwa kubva kuna avo vanonwa vakapfugama.”
Ngakho uGidiyoni wabathatha abantu wabasa ngasemanzini. Khonapho uThixo wathi kuGidiyoni, “Yehlukanisa labo abaxhapha amanzi ngolimi lwabo njengenja kulabo abaguqa phansi ukuba banathe.”
6 Zvino uwandu hweavo vakanwa vachikapa, vachiisa maoko kumiromo yavo, hwakasvika mazana matatu. Vamwe vose vakanwa vakapfugama namabvi avo.
Abantu abangamakhulu amathathu bakhaphazela amanzi emilonyeni yabo ngezandla zabo. Abanye bonke baguqa phansi ngamadolo abo ukuba banathe.
7 Jehovha akati kuna Gidheoni, “Namazana matatu avarume vanwa mvura vachikapa ava, ndichakuponesai uye ndichaisa vaMidhiani mumaoko enyu. Vamwe vanhu vose ngavaende zvavo, mumwe nomumwe kunzvimbo yake.”
UThixo wasesithi kuGidiyoni, “Ngamadoda angamakhulu amathathu anathe equthile ngizakusindisa nginikele amaMidiyani ezandleni zakho. Amanye wonke adedele aye emizini yabo.”
8 Saka Gidheoni akaendesa vamwe vose vavaIsraeri kumatende avo asi akasara namazana matatu, avo vakazotora mbuva nehwamanda dzavaya vamwe. Zvino musasa wavaMidhiani wakanga uri nechezasi mumupata.
Ngakho uGidiyoni wabuyisela inengi labako-Israyeli emathenteni abo wasala labangamakhulu amathathu, abayibo abathatha ukudla lamacilongo abanye. Izihonqo zamaMidiyani zazingaphansi kwakhe esigodini.
9 Usiku ihwohwo, Jehovha akati kuna Gidheoni, “Simuka, buruka uende kumusasa, nokuti ndiri kuzouisa mumaoko ako.
Ngalobobusuku uThixo wathi kuGidiyoni, “Vuka, yehla uyehlasela izihonqo ngoba ngizazinikela ezandleni zakho.
10 Asi kana uchitya kuenda, buruka uende kumusasa naPura muranda wako.
Nxa usesaba ukuhlasela, yehlela ezihonqweni lenceku yakho uPhura
11 Uchanzwa zvavanotaura. Shure kwaizvozvo uchanzwa kukurudzirwa kuti urwise musasa.” Saka iye naPura muranda wake vakaburuka vakasvika kuvarindi vokunze kwomusasa.
ulalele abakutshoyo. Emva kwalokho uzakuba lesibindi sokuhlasela izihonqo.” Ngakho yena loPhura inceku yakhe behlela emaphethelweni ezihonqo.
12 VaMidhiani, vaAmareki navamwe vanhu vose vokumabvazuva vakanga vagara mumupata, vakawanda semhashu. Ngamera dzavo dzakanga dzisingaverengeki, dzakawanda sejecha remahombekombe egungwa.
AmaMidiyani lama-Amaleki kanye labanye bonke abasempumalanga babemise esigodini, bebanengi njengentethe. Amakamela abo ayengeke abalwe njengetshebetshebe okhunjini lolwandle.
13 Gidheoni akasvika mumwe munhu achiri kurondedzera shamwari yake kurota kwake, achiti, “Ndarota chingwa chakaurungana chichikungurukira mumusasa wavaMidhiani. Charova tende nesimba guru zvokuti tende rakudubuka rikawa.”
UGidiyoni wafika omunye umuntu esatshela umngane wakhe iphupho lakhe. Wathi, “Ngiphuphe iphupho. Isinkwa sebhali esiyindilinga size sigiqikela ezihonqweni zamaMidiyani. Sitshaye ithente ngamandla amakhulu ithente lagenquka lawohlokela phansi.”
14 Shamwari yake yakapindura ikati, “Hachingavi chimwe chinhu kunze kwomunondo waGidheoni mwanakomana waJoashi, muIsraeri. Mwari aisa vaMidhiani nomusasa wose mumaoko ake.”
Umngane wakhe waphendula wathi, “Lokhu akungeke kube ngolunye ulutho ngaphandle kwenkemba kaGidiyoni indodana kaJowashi, umʼIsrayeli. UNkulunkulu usenikele amaMidiyani lezihonqo zonke ezandleni zakhe.”
15 Gidheoni akati anzwa kurota uku nokududzirwa kwokurota kwacho, akanamata Mwari. Akadzoka kumusasa wavaIsraeri akadanidzira achiti, “Simukai! Jehovha aisa musasa wavaMidhiani mumaoko enyu.”
Kwathi uGidiyoni esezwe iphupho lelo lengcazelo yalo, wakhonza. Wabuyela ezihonqweni zako-Israyeli wamemeza esithi, “Vukani! UThixo usenikele izihonqo zamaMidiyani ezandleni zenu!”
16 Akakamura varume mazana matatu akavaisa mumapoka matatu, akaisa hwamanda nezvirongo zvisina chinhu, asi mwenje mukati, mumaoko avo.
Esehlukanise abantu abangamakhulu amathathu baba ngamaviyo amathathu, bonke wabanika amacilongo lezimbizanyana ezingelalutho, zilezibane phakathi.
17 Akati kwavari, “Mutarise kwandiri uye mutevedzere zvandinoita. Pandinosvika kumucheto kwomusasa, mubve maita sezvandinoita.
Wathi kubo, “Ngikhangelani. Lingilandele. Lapho sengifike emaphethelweni ezihonqo, lenze engizabe ngikwenza.
18 Kana ini navose vandinavo tikaridza hwamanda dzedu, ipapo imi mose makapoteredza musasa muridzewo dzenyu mugodanidzira muchiti, ‘Rwirai Jehovha naGidheoni!’”
Nxa mina labo bonke abalami sesitshaya amacilongo ethu, lina ezindaweni zonke zezihonqo likhalise awenu limemeza lisithi, ‘NgekaThixo lekaGidiyoni.’”
19 Gidheoni navarume zana vaiva naye vakasvika kumucheto kwomusasa pakutanga kwenguva yapakati pousiku yokurinda, pachangoiswa mumwe murindi. Vakaridza hwamanda dzavo uye vakaputsa zvirongo zvaiva mumaoko avo.
UGidiyoni lamadoda alikhulu ayelaye bafika emaphethelweni ezihonqo ekuqaliseni komlindo waphakathi, besanda kuntshintsha abalindi. Bakhalisa amacilongo abo babulala lenkonxa ababeziphethe.
20 Mapoka matatu akaridza hwamanda uye akaputsawo zvirongo. Vakabata mwenje mumaoko avo oruboshwe uye vakabata noruoko rworudyi hwamanda dzavaizoridza, vakadanidzira vachiti, “Munondo waJehovha nowaGidheoni!”
Amaviyo amathathu akhalisa amacilongo abulala inkonxa. Bephethe izibane ngezandla zabo zenxele, ezandleni zokudla bephethe amacilongo ababezawakhalisa, bamemeza bathi, “Inkemba kaThixo lekaGidiyoni!”
21 Murume mumwe nomumwe akaramba ari panzvimbo yake vakapoteredza musasa, vaMidhiani vose vakamhanya vachiridza mhere, vachitiza.
Umuntu munye ngamunye wayemi endaweni yakhe behanqe izihonqo, amaMidiyani wonke agijima, ehlaba umkhosi ebaleka.
22 Vane mazana matatu pavakaridza hwamanda, Jehovha akaita kuti varume vose mumusasa vapandukirane, vabayane neminondo yavo. Hondo yakatizira kuBheti Shita yakananga kuZerera kusvikira kumuganhu weAbheri Mehora pedyo neTabhati.
Kwathi amacilongo angamakhulu amathathu esekhala, uThixo wenza ukuthi abantu ababesezindaweni zonke ezihonqweni bahlaselane ngezinkemba zabo. Ibutho labalekela eBhethi-Shitha ngokuya eZerera kusiyafika emngceleni we-Abheli-Mehola eduzane leThabathi.
23 VaIsraeri vakadanwa kubva kuNafutari, Asheri neManase yose, uye vakatevera vaMidhiani.
Abako-Israyeli labakoNafithali, labako-Asheri labo bonke abakoManase babizwa, baxotshana lamaMidiyani.
24 Gidheoni akatuma nhume munyika yose yezvikomo yaEfuremu achiti, “Burukai tindorwa navaMidhiani titore mvura zhinji dzeJorodhani mberi kwavo kusvikira kuBheti Bhara.” Saka varume vose veEfuremu vakadanwa uye vakatora mvura zhinji dzeJorodhani kusvikira kuBheti Bhara.
UGidiyoni wathuma izithunywa kulolonke ilizwe lamaqaqa elako-Efrayimi, esithi, “Yehlani lihlasele amaMidiyani lithumbe iziziba zaseJodani phambi kwawo kusiyafika eBhethi-Bhara.” Ngakho bonke abantu bako-Efrayimi babizwa bazithumba iziziba zaseJodani kusiyafika eBhethi-Bhara.
25 Vakatapawo vatungamiri vaviri vavaMidhiani, Orebhi naZeebhi. Vakauraya Orebhi paruware rwaOrebhi, uye Zeebhi vakamuurayira pachisviniro chewaini chaZeebhi. Vakatevera vaMidhiani uye vakauya nemisoro yaOrebhi naZeebhi kuna Gidheoni, akanga ari paJorodhani.
Bathumba labakhokheli bamaMidiyani ababili, u-Orebhi loZebhi. U-Orebhi bambulalela edwaleni lika-Orebhi, uZebhi esikhamelweni sewayini sikaZebhi. Baxotshana lamaMidiyani, amakhanda ka-Orebhi loZebhi bawasa kuGidiyoni owayeseJodani.
