9 Lokha naniphuma ipi bona nilwe nabajamelani benu enarhenenu, popozisani iimporompita. Nanenza njalo nizakukhumbuleka phambi kwakaSomnini uZimenu, nje-ke nizakusindiswa ezitheni zenu.
Nje-ke uZimu wakhumbula uNowa neenyamazana zommango kanye nefuyo yoke egade inaye ngemkhunjini. Wathumela ummoya ebusweni bephasi bonyana uvunguze ukuze amanzi athome ukubohla.
“Yelelani la, uZimu umrholethu unathi. Abaphristi bakhe bazakuhlaba umkhosi weemporompita zepi ngokujamelana nani. Madoda wakwa-Israyeli, kahleni ngokulinga ukulwa noSomnini uZimu waboyihlomkhulu ngombana angeze naphumelela.”
AmaJuda athi nakathi ajikisa iinhloko abona kunepi ebasahlela ngemuva nangaphambili. Yeke abiza uSomnini. Abaphristi bavuthela iimporompita zabo,
Somnini, ungikhumbule lokha nawuba nomusa ebantwini bakho; ungitjheje nawubasindisako
Izitha zabo zabagandelela, baguqiswa ngaphasi kwesandla sazo.
Nguye owasikhumbulako nasisabogabogako – ukwethembeka kwakhe kujame isiphelani –
Noke nina zakhamuzi zelizwe, nina enihlala ephasini, yeniqale lokha nakuphakanyiswa iphawu eentabeni! Lalelani lokha nakuvuthelwa ipalapala!
USomnini uthi: “Rhuwelela, ungazibambi! Phakamisa ilizwi lakho njengepalapala. Memezela ebantwini bami iimphambeko zabo nekumbeni kaJakopo izono zayo.
Maye iinsizi zami, iinsizi zami! Ngisebuhlungwini! Maye, ukubethela eduze kwehliziywami! Iye, ihliziywami iyathukuza angikwazi ukuthula. Ngizwile ukulila kwepalapala, ngezwa nengoma yepi.
Kuzabe kube nini ngibona iphawu ngizwe netjhada lepalapala na?
Bikani kwaJuda, nimemezele eJerusalema nithi: “Vuthelani ipalapala enarheni! Rhuwelelani nithi, ‘Yenibuthane ndawonye! Asibalekeleni emadorobheni anemithangala!’
USomnini uthi: “Qalani isikhathi siyeza lapha ngizokubangela khona kobana kuzwakale umkhosi wepi phezu kweRabha yama-Amoni. Lizakuba yintundu yeququ nemizi elibhodileko itjhiswe ngomlilo. Nje-ke, u-Israyeli uzakuqotjha labo abamqotjhako.” Kutjho uSomnini.
Nina bantu bakwaBhenjamini, balekani phakathi kweJerusalema! Vuthelani ipalapala eTekhowa! Yenzani itshwayo lentuthu liphakame ngehla kweBhethe-Hakeremu! Nasi ihlekelele iphayiza ivela ngetlhagwini, ngitjho nokurhayilwa okukhulu!
Ngibeke abalindi phezu kwabo ngathi, ‘Lalelani itjhada lepalapala!’ Kodwana bona bathi, ‘Abe asizokulalela.’
“ ‘Bavuthele ipalapala, balungisa koke ukuya epini kodwana akakho oya epinapho ngombana ilaka lami liphezu komnotho woke wenarha.
Vuthelani ipalapala eGibiya! Nivuthele iporompita eRama! Hlabani umkhosi eBhethe-Aveni! UBhenjamini useenthendeni zakho Efrayimu.
akakhulume nama-Israyeli athi: “Elangeni lokuthoma enyangeni yekhomba akube liSabatha elikhethekileko, isikhumbuzo sokubetha iimporompita zomhlangano okhethekileko.
Nakulila ipalapala edorobheni, abantu abathuthumeli na? Lokha idorobho nalivelelwa yihlekelele, vane kungasi nguSomnini olinikeleleko na?
Kuzakuba lilanga lepalapala nelokuhlaba umkhosi, wokugasela amadorobho anemithangala nemibhotjhongo yamajika.
UMosi wathumela ibuthwelo epini, kwaba yikulungwana ekorweni ngayinye. Gade likhamba noFiniyasi umsa ka-Elazara umphristi aphethe izitja ezicwengileko neemporompita.
Godu nakube iporompita ayizwakali kuhle bona ibiza abantu bonyana baye epini, ngubani ozazilungiselela ipi na?
Lokha naniya epini niyokulwa nezitha zenu bese nibona iinjomani neenkarana nebutho elikhulu kunelenu, ningesabi ngombana uSomnini uZimenu owanikhupha enarheni yeGibhide unani.
Bazakuvuthela iimpalapala ihlandla elide. Kuzakuthi nanizwa ukuvuthelokho bese abantu bahlaba umkhosi wepi. Umthangala wedorobho uzakubhusuka phasi bese abantu bazingenele, omunye nomunye lapha akhona.”
Godu nagandelelwa maTsidoni, ama-Amalekhi namaMawoni nangililela, nganitjhaphulula esandleni sawo.
AmaFilista nama-Amoni agandelela abe agadangela ama-Israyeli umnyaka lowo. Kwaba minyaka elitjhumi nobumnane izizwezi zigandelela woke ama-Israyeli angaphetjheya kweJordani eGiliyadi, enarheni ebegade ingeyama-Amori.
Njalo lokha uSomnini navusela ama-Israyeli abakhokheli, bekasekela umkhokheli wesikhatheso. Umkhokheli loyo bekasindisa ama-Israyeli ezandleni zezitha zawo emihlenakhe yoke ngombana uSomnini bekarhawuka ngokububula kwawo ngebanga labagandeleli nabahlunguphazi bawo.
Kwathi nafikako wavuthela ipalapala ngeentatjaneni zakwa-Efrayimu. Ama-Israyeli asuka ngeentatjanenapho ehla naye, yena wakhamba phambi kwawo.
Kodwana uMoya kaSomnini wehlela kuGidiyoni, wavuthela ipalapala, wabiza ama-Abiyezeri bonyana amlandele.
nganenyela esandleni samaGibhide nesandleni sabo boke abanigandelelako, ngabaqotjha phambi kwenu, nganinikela inarhabo.
Wathi kibo: “Nakhu okwatjhiwo nguSomnini uZimu wakwa-Israyeli, ‘Ngimi enganyula u-Israyeli eGibhide. Nganihlenga emandleni wamaGibhide nemandleni wayo yoke imibuso eyanigandelelako.’