Tikhulu 9:1-57
9 Ngemuva kwesikhatsi, Abimeleki+ indvodzana yaJerubhali waya kubomalume bakhe eShekhemu futsi wakhuluma nabo kanye nawo wonkhe umndeni wamkhulu wakhe* watsi:
2 “Ngicela nibute bonkhe baholi* baseShekhemu nitsi: ‘Ngukuphi lokuncono kini emkhatsini wekutsi nibuswe ngemadvodzana langu-70 aJerubhali+ nobe nibuswe yindvodza yinye? Khumbulani kutsi ngilitsambo lenu nenyama yenu.’”*
3 Ngako bomalume bakhe bamkhulumela kubo bonkhe baholi baseShekhemu, futsi tinhlitiyo tabo tavuma kulandzela Abimeleki, ngobe batsi: “Ungumnaketfu.”
4 Base bamnika tinhlavu telisiliva letingu-70 labatitsatsa ethempelini* laBhali-bherithi,+ futsi Abimeleki watisebentisela kucasha emadvodza langasebenti naledzelelako kuze ahambe naye.
5 Ngemuva kwaloko, waya endlini yababe wakhe lebeyise-Ofra+ wefike wabulala bomnakabo,+ lokungemadvodza langu-70, wababulalela etikwelitje linye. Kwasindza Jothamu kuphela lobekayindvodzana lencane yaJerubhali ngobe bekabhacile.
6 Ngemuva kwaloko, bonkhe baholi baseShekhemu nebaseBhethi-milo bahlangana ndzawonye eceleni kwesihlahla lesikhulu, ngasensikeni lebeyiseShekhemu, bagcoba Abimeleki kutsi abe yinkhosi.+
7 Ngesikhatsi babikela Jothamu ngaloko, wavele wakhuphuka wafike wema esicongweni seNtsaba iGerizimu+ futsi wamemeta ngelivi lelikhulu watsi: “Ngilaleleni nine baholi baseShekhemu futsi naNkulunkulu utanilalela.
8 “Kwake kwaba netihlahla letahamba tayogcoba inkhosi kutsi itibuse. Tefike tatsi esihlahleni semncumo: ‘Bani yinkhosi yetfu.’+
9 Kodvwa sihlahla semncumo satiphendvula satsi: ‘Kufanele ngilahlekelwe ngemafutsa* ami yini, labawasebentisela kukhatimulisa Nkulunkulu kanye nebantfu, ngihambe ngicengetela etikwaletinye tihlahla?’
10 Ngemuva kwaloko, letihlahla tatsi esihlahleni semkhiwa: ‘Buya utosibusa.’
11 Kodvwa sihlahla semkhiwa satiphendvula satsi: ‘Kufanele ngilahlekelwe kunongotela kwami yini kanye netitselo tami letimnandzi bese ngicengetela etikwaletinye tihlahla?’
12 Ngemuva kwaloko letihlahla tatsi esihlahleni semagilebisi: ‘Buya utosibusa.’
13 Sihlahla semagilebisi satiphendvula satsi: ‘Kufanele yini ngiyekele kukhicita liwayini lelijabulisa Nkulunkulu kanye nebantfu bese ngicengetela etikwaletinye tihlahla?’
14 Ekugcineni tonkhe leletinye tihlahla tatsi esihlahleni semagungumence esiganga: ‘Buya utosibusa.’+
15 Lesihlahla semagungumence esiganga saphendvula leletinye tihlahla satsi: ‘Nangabe ningigcoba mbamba kutsi ngibe yinkhosi yenu, wotani nikhosele emtfuntini wami. Kodvwa nangabe kungasinjalo, akuvele umlilo kimi ushise imisedari yaseLebanoni.’
16 “Nikhombise kuba cotfo nekwetsembeka yini ngekubeka Abimeleki kutsi abe yinkhosi?+ Nimentele umusa yini Jerubhali kanye nendlu yakhe, futsi nimphetse ngendlela lobekufanele nimphatse ngayo yini?
17 Ngesikhatsi babe anilwela,+ wabeka kuphila kwakhe engotini kuze anisindzise esandleni sebakaMidiyani.+
18 Kodvwa lamuhla nimelene nendlu yababe futsi nabulala emadvodzana akhe, lokungemadvodza langu-70, etikwelitje linye.+ Nibese nibeka Abimeleki indvodzana yesigcilakati sakhe+ kutsi abe yinkhosi kubaholi baseShekhemu ngobe nje angumnakenu.
19 Nangabe nente ngebucotfo nangekwetsembeka kuJerubhali kanye nendlu yakhe lamuhla, jabulani nga-Abimeleki futsi naye akajabule ngani.
20 Kodvwa nangabe kungasinjalo, shengatsi kungachamuka umlilo ku-Abimeleki ushise baholi baseShekhemu nebaseBhethi-milo,+ futsi shengatsi kungachamuka umlilo kubaholi baseShekhemu nebaseBhethi-milo ushise Abimeleki.”+
21 Ngemuva kwaloko Jothamu+ wabaleka futsi wabhaca eBheyeri, wahlala lapho ngenca ya-Abimeleki umnakabo.
22 Abimeleki wabusa* ka-Israyeli iminyaka lemitsatfu.
23 Ngako Nkulunkulu wabese ubangela* kutsi kube nekungevani emkhatsini wa-Abimeleki nebaholi baseShekhemu futsi abetsembekanga ku-Abimeleki.
24 Loku kwenteka ngenjongo yekuphindzisela budlova lobebentiwe emadvodzaneni langu-70 aJerubhali, kuze ingati yawo ibe setikwa-Abimeleki umnakabo ngekuwabulala,+ futsi ibe setikwebaholi baseShekhemu ngobe balekelela Abimeleki nakabulala bomnakabo.
25 Kodvwa baholi baseShekhemu batfumela emadvodza kutsi ayobhaca esicongweni sentsaba futsi bekababamba inkunzi bonkhe lebebendlula ngemgwaco. Ngemuva kwesikhatsi, lombiko wetfulwa ku-Abimeleki.
26 Gali indvodzana ya-Ebedi kanye nabomnakabo bewelela eShekhemu+ futsi baholi bakuleyo ndzawo betsembela kuye.
27 Bahamba baya emasimini, bakha emagilebisi, bawahluta baphindze baba nelidzili. Ngemuva kwaloko, baya endlini yankulunkulu+ wabo badla baphindze banatsa base bacalekisa Abimeleki.
28 Gali indvodzana ya-Ebedi wabese utsi: “Ungubani Abimeleki futsi ungubani Shekhemu kutsi singabuswa nguye? Akasiyo yini indvodzana yaJerubhali+ futsi Zebuli akasilo yini lincusa lakhe? Sebentelani emadvodzana aHamori longubabe waShekhemu! Kudzingeke ngani kutsi siholwe ngu-Abimeleki?
29 Kube mane labantfu bebangephansi kwami, bengitamsusa Abimeleki.” Ngemuva kwaloko watsi ku-Abimeleki: “Yengeta libutfo lakho futsi uphume nalo.”
30 Zebuli umholi welidolobha watfukutsela wagana lunwabu ngesikhatsi eva emavi lashiwo nguGali indvodzana ya-Ebedi.
31 Ngako watfumela titfunywa ngasense* ku-Abimeleki, watsi: “Lalela lapha! Gali indvodzana ya-Ebedi kanye nabomnakabo sebaseShekhemu kuze bente bantfu bakulelidolobha bamelane nawe.
32 Khuphukelani lapha nasekusebusuku, wena kanye nelibutfo lakho futsi nibhace ngephandle kwelidolobha.
33 Kubotsi nje nakuphuma lilanga nisheshe nivuke futsi nihlasele lelidolobha. Nakwenteka Gali nelibutfo lakhe banihlasela, yenta konkhe lokusemandleni akho kuze umncobe.”*
34 Ngako Abimeleki kanye nabo bonkhe bantfu labebanaye bavuka ebusuku, baba ngemacembu lamane, babhacela bantfu baseShekhemu.
35 Ngesikhatsi Gali indvodzana ya-Ebedi aphuma futsi ema egedeni lelidolobha, Abimeleki kanye nebantfu bakhe bavumbuka lapho bebabhace khona.
36 Ngesikhatsi Gali abona labantfu, watsi kuZebuli: “Buka! Kunebantfu labetako labesuka esicongweni sentsaba.” Kodvwa Zebuli wamphendvula watsi: “Ubona titfunti tetintsaba letibonakala ngatsi bantfu.”
37 Ngekuhamba kwesikhatsi Gali watsi: “Buka! Kuchamuka bantfu kusukela enkhabeni yelive futsi lelinye licembu lichamuka ngendlela lengasesihlahleni lesikhulu saseMeyonenimu.”
38 Zebuli wamphendvula watsi: “Sekushonephi kutishaya kwakho sifuba, utsi: ‘Ungubani Abimeleki kutsi singabuswa nguye?’+ Laba akusibo yini bantfu lobalahlile? Phuma uyokulwa nabo.”
39 Ngako Gali wahamba embili kwebaholi baseShekhemu wayokulwa na-Abimeleki.
40 Abimeleki wamcosha futsi Gali wambalekela. Kwafa bantfu labanyenti kuze kuyofika egedeni lelidolobha.
41 Abimeleki wachubeka ahlala e-Aruma kantsi Zebuli+ wacosha Gali nabomnakabo eShekhemu.
42 Ngelilanga lelilandzelako, bantfu baphuma kulelidolobha futsi Abimeleki watjelwa ngaloko.
43 Ngako watsatsa labantfu bakhe wabehlukanisa baba ngemacembu lamatsatfu futsi babhaca ngephandle kwalelidobha. Watsi nakabona labantfu baphuma kulelidolobha, wabahlasela futsi wababulala.
44 Abimeleki kanye nalamacembu akhe bagijimela embili futsi bema egedeni lalelidolobha. Ngesikhatsi lesifanako emacembu lamabili ahlasela bonkhe lebebangephandle kwalelidolobha futsi ababulala.
45 Abimeleki walwa nalelidolobha lilanga lonkhe futsi walincoba. Wabulala bantfu labakulo, walibhidlita+ wase ulivuvutela ngeluswayi.
46 Ngesikhatsi bonkhe baholi lebebahlala embhoshongweni waseShekhemu beva ngaloku, ngekushesha babalekela endzaweni yekubhaca* lesendlini* ya-Eli-bherithi.+
47 Ngekushesha nje nasekutfunyelwe umbiko ku-Abimeleki wekutsi bonkhe baholi bembhoshongo waseShekhemu sebahlangene ndzawonye,
48 Abimeleki kanye nalo lonkhe libutfo lebelinaye bakhuphukela eNtsabeni iSalmoni. Abimeleki watsatsa lizembe ngesandla sakhe wajuba ligala, waliphakamisa wabese ulibeka ecebeni, futsi watsi kulelibutfo: “Loko leningibone ngikwenta, nani kwenteni ngekushesha!”
49 Ngako lonkhe lelibutfo lajuba emagala futsi lalandzela Abimeleki, ngemuva kwaloko labeka lamagala etikwalendzawo yekubhaca futsi layokhela ngemlilo. Bonkhe bantfu lebebakulombhoshongo waseShekhemu bafa, lokungemadvodza nebafati labacishe babe ngu-1 000.
50 Abimeleki wabese uya eThebesi, wamisa khona emathende futsi wayivimbetela.
51 Bekunembhoshongo locinile lobewusemkhatsini walelidolobha futsi onkhe emadvodza, bafati kanye nabo bonkhe baholi belidolobha babalekela lapho. Bativalela lapho futsi bakhuphukela eluphahleni lwalombhoshongo.
52 Abimeleki waya kulombhoshongo futsi wawuhlasela. Waya ekungeneni kwawo kute awokhele ngemlilo.
53 Ngako lomunye umfati wehlisela litje lekusila ku-Abimeleki futsi lamshaya enhloko.+
54 Ngekushesha Abimeleki wabita sisebenti lebesiphetse tikhali takhe, watsi kuso: “Hoshula inkemba yakho futsi ungibulale kuze bangatewukusho batsi: ‘Wabulawa ngumfati.’” Ngako lesisebenti samgwaza futsi wafa.
55 Ngesikhatsi onkhe emadvodza aka-Israyeli abona kutsi Abimeleki sewufile, abuyela emakhaya.
56 Ngaleyo ndlela Nkulunkulu wabuyisela Abimeleki ngebubi labekabente kubabe wakhe ngobe bekabulele bomnakabo labangu-70.+
57 Nkulunkulu waphindze wabangela kutsi bubi lobebentiwe ngemadvodza aseShekhemu bube setinhloko tawo. Ngako sicalekiso saJothamu+ indvodzana yaJerubhali+ sawela etinhloko tawo.
Imibhalo lengentansi
^ NgesiHebheru kutsi, “umndeni wendlu yamkhulu lotala make wakhe.”
^ Kungaphindze kubekwe ngekutsi, “banikati bendzawo.”
^ Nobe “ngisihlobo senu sengati.”
^ Nobe “indlu.”
^ Nobe “umkhicito wami.”
^ Nobe “waba ngumholi.”
^ NgesiHebheru kutsi, “watfumela umoya lomubi.”
^ Nobe “ngebucili.”
^ Nobe “yenta nobe yini sandla sakho lesikhona kuyenta.”
^ Nobe “indzawo levikelekile.”
^ Nobe “lesethempelini.”
