Ama-Israyeli ayeleliswa bona angabi mahlongandlebe
1Ingilozi kaSomnini yakhuphuka isuka eGiligali yaya eBhokimu, yathi kuma-Israyeli: “Nganikhupha eGibhide nganisa enarheni engafunga bonyana ngizayipha aboyihlo. Ngathembisa bonyana angeze ngephula isivumelwano sami nani. 2Nina-ke ningenzi isikhozi nabahlali benarha le, ngalokho bhuruzani ama-aldarabo. Kodwana azange nilalele umyalwami. Nikwenzeleni lokho na? 3Yeke, gadesi ngithi angeze ngaziqotjha izizwezi phambi kwenu kodwana zizakuba sithiyo kini, nabozinyana bazo babe sisifu.”
4Lokha ingilozi kaSomnini nayikhuluma amezwi la kiwo woke ama-Israyeli, ama-Israyeli arhahlawula. 5Athiya indawo leyo bona yiBhokimu. Enzela uSomnini umhlabelo khonapho.
6Lokha uJotjhuwa natjhaphulula abantu bonyana bakhambe, omunye nomunye waya esabelweni sakhe kobana athumbe inarha ibe lilifa lakhe. 7Abantu balotjha uSomnini emihleni yoke yokuphila kwakaJotjhuwa, nemihleni yoke yabaphathi abasala ngemva kwakaJotjhuwa, ababone yoke imisebenzi emikhulu uSomnini ayenzela ama-Israyeli. 8UJotjhuwa umsa kaNuni, inceku kaSomnini, wahlongakala aneminyaka elikhulu netjhumi. 9Bambulungela emkhawulweni welifa lakhe eTimnathi-Rheresi ngeentatjaneni zakwa-Efrayimu ngetlhagwini yentaba yeGatjhi. 10Soke isizukulwaneso naso sahlongakala, kwavuka esinye ngemva kwaso ebesingamazi uSomnini namkha imisebenzi uSomnini ayenzela ama-Israyeli.
Izono zama-Israyeli ngemva kokuhlongakala kwakaJotjhuwa
11Ama-Israyeli enza ubumbi phambi kwakaSomnini ngokulotjha aboBhali. 12Afulathela uSomnini uZimu waboyisemkhulu owabakhupha enarheni yeGibhide, adlhemadlhema ngemva kwabosingazimu babantu ebebahlala hlangana nabo, abakhothamela. Ngokwenza njalo athukuthelisa uSomnini. 13Iye, afulathela uSomnini, alotjha aboBhali nabo-Atjhitarothi. 14Yeke itukuthelo kaSomnini yavutha phezu kwama-Israyeli, wawanikela esandleni sabaphangi, bawaphanga. Godu wawathengisela izitha zawo ebeziwazombelezile kangangobana azange akghone ukujamelana nazo. 15Njalo lokha naya epini, isandla sakaSomnini besijamelana nawo siwehlisele ubumbi njengombana uSomnini bekawayelelisile bewafunga kiwo. Aba sembandezelekweni ekulu.
16USomnini wavusa abakhokheli abasindisa ama-Israyeli ezandleni zalabo ebegade bawaphanga. 17Khonapho ama-Israyeli azange alalele abakhokheli bawo ngombana adlhemadlhema ngemva kwabosingazimu abakhothamela. Aphambuka msinyana eendleleni ezakhanjwa boyisemkhulu ebegade balalela imiyalo kaSomnini, wona azange enze njalo. 18Njalo 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. 19Kodwana njalo lokha nakuhlongakala umkhokheli, ama-Israyeli gade abuyela emuva aziphathe kumbi ukudlula aboyise, adlhemadlheme ngemva kwabosingazimu, abalotjhe abe abakhothamele. Azange alahle imikhuba namkha iindlela zawo zokudaza ikani. 20Yeke itukuthelo kaSomnini yavutha phezu kwaka-Israyeli, bewathi: “Ngebanga lokobana abantwaba baphambukile esivumelwaneni sami engayala ngaso aboyise, bangalalela ilizwi lami, 21angeze bengisaqotjha phambi kwabo ngitjho nasinye sezizwe ezatjhiywa nguJotjhuwa nahlongakalako.”
22-23Ngebangelo uSomnini waliselela izizwezo wangaziqotjha khonokho, azange azinikele esandleni sakaJotjhuwa ukuze azizinye ama-Israyeli ukubona bonyana azakutjheja abe akhambe endlelenakhe njengombana kwenza aboyise, namkha njani.
