2. Isandla sakwaMidiyani samahlula u-Israyeli; ngenxa yakwaMidiyani abantwana bakwa-Israyeli bazenzela imihume yasezintabeni, nemigede, nezinqaba.
3. Kwathi nxa abakwa-Israyeli sebelimile, abakwaMidiyani benyuka nama-Amaleki nabasempumalanga, bakhuphukela kubo,
4. bamisa mayelana nabo, bachitha izithelo zomhlaba kwaze kwaba seGaza, abashiyanga kudla kwa-Israyeli, nazimvu, nazinkomo, nazimbongolo.
5. Ngokuba benyuka nezinkomo zabo namatende abo, bafika njengesikhonyane ngobuningi; babengenakubalwa bona namakamela abo; bafika ezweni ukuba baliqede.
6. Abakwa-Israyeli baphela amandla ngenxa yakwaMidiyani; base bekhala abantwana bakwa-Israyeli kuJehova.
7. Kwathi lapho abantwana bakwa-Israyeli besakhala kuJehova ngenxa yakwaMidiyani,
8. uJehova wathuma umprofethi kubantwana bakwa-Israyeli, wathi kubo: “Usho kanje uJehova uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, uthi: ‘Ngakukhuphula eGibithe, ngakukhipha endlini yobugqila,
9. nganophula esandleni sabaseGibithe nasesandleni sabo bonke abanicindezelayo, ngabaxosha phambi kwenu, nganinika izwe labo,
10. ngathi kini: “NginguJehova uNkulunkulu wenu; aniyikwesaba onkulunkulu bama-Amori enihlala ezweni lawo,” kepha kanilalelanga izwi lami.’ ”
11. Kwafika ingelosi kaJehova, yahlala phansi kwe-oki* lase-Ofira likaJowashi umAbiyezeri; indodana yakhe uGideyoni yayibhula ukolweni esikhamweni sewayini ukuba amthukusele abakwaMidiyani.
12. Ingelosi kaJehova yabonakala kuye, yathi kuye: “UJehova unawe wena qhawe elinamandla.”
13. UGideyoni wathi kuyo: “O nkosi yami, uma uJehova enathi, konke lokhu kusehlele ngani na? Ziphi izimangaliso zakhe abasitshela ngazo obaba, bathi: ‘UJehova akasikhuphulanga eGibithe na?’ Kepha manje uJehova usilahlile, wasinikela esandleni sakwaMidiyani.”
14. UJehova wambheka, wathi: “Hamba ngalawa mandla akho, umsindise u-Israyeli esandleni sakwaMidiyani; angikuthumanga na?”
15. Wathi kuye: “O Nkosi, ngiyakumsindisa u-Israyeli ngantoni na? Bheka, umndeni wami umpofu kwaManase, mina ngingomncinyane endlini kababa.”