9 ngombana ababusi bakhona bafuna isizo e-Asiriya. Kodwana u-Efrayimu ufana nodumbana ozulazula emmangweni afuna abangani.
Nje-ke uPhuli ikosi ye-Asiriya wasahlela inarha. UMenarhemu wamnikela isiliva elimakhilogremu aziinkulungwana ezimatjhumi amathathu nane azincengela bona amsekele ukuze anzinze ebukhosini bakhe.
Ngaphandle kokukhombela indlela kimi bayaphuma, behlele eGibhide, kobana bayokukhosela ebuphephelweni bakaFaro, baphephele emthunzini weGibhide.
Umthwalo obotjhelwe eenlwaneni sewungesewula, iye, enarheni yamahlungu nesizi, lapha kunamabhubezi asikazi naduna abhodlako, iye, inarha yeenqandani neenyoka ezimsinya inga ziyaphapha. Bathwele umnothwabo emhlana wabodumbana namagugwabo emalundeni wamakamela, baya esizweni esinganabubhadekelo.
iphundlukela erhalawumbeni ifamula iimpumulo inukelele ummoya. Ngubani ongayivimba nasele ibilelwa ziingazi na? Zoke eziduna eziyifunako azidingi ukuzikhathaza: Ngesikhathi sayo sokuzekwa ziyifunyana ngobuduze.
“U-Efrayimu uzondla ngommoya, udlhemadlhema ngemva kommoya wepumalanga imini yoke. Ngamangakazakhe amanengi uzibangela ukubhujiswa: Wenza isikhozi ne-Asiriya, khibe ngapha ukhungana neGibhide ngamafutha we-oliva.”
USomnini umangalela uJuda; uzokuhlunguphaza uJakopo ukuya ngeendlela zakhe, ambethe ngeentonga zakhe.
“Nje-ke ngizomhlubulisa phambi kweenthandwa zakhezo, abe atlhoge nomenyeli.
Lokha u-Efrayimu nakezwa ukugula kwakhe, noJuda nakabona inceba lakhe, yeke u-Efrayimu waphendukela e-Asiriya, wabawa isizo ekosini ekulu. Kodwana abe ayinamandla wokunelapha, nokunipholisa emancebenenu.
“U-Efrayimu sese anjengezuba, uyengeka lula, uthithibele: Balilela iGibhide, kodwana babalekela e-Asiriya!