Abahluleli 7:6-17 Ibhayibheli Elingcwele (ZUL59)

6. Umumo wabaxhaphayo bebeka isandla emlonyeni wawungamadoda angamakhulu amathathu, kepha bonke abanye abantu baguqa ngamadolo ukuba baphuze amanzi.

7. Wayesethi uJehova kuGideyoni: “Ngalawo madoda amakhulu amathathu axhaphayo ngizakunisindisa, ngibanikele abakwaMidiyani esandleni sakho; bonke abanye abantu mabahambe, yilowo nalowo aye endaweni yakhe.”

8. Abantu base bethatha umphako ngesandla sabo namacilongo abo; bonke abanye abakwa-Israyeli wabathuma, kwabayilowo nalowo etendeni lakhe, wagcina lawo madoda amakhulu amathathu; ikamu* lakwaMidiyani laliphansi kwakhe esigodini.

9. Kwathi ngalobo busuku uJehova wathi kuye: “Vuka wehlele ekamu, ngokuba sengilinikele esandleni sakho.

10. Kepha uma wesaba ukwehla, yehla noPhura udibi lwakho, niye ekamu;

11. uzakuzwa ukuthi bathini, andukuba kuqiniswe izandla zakho ukuba wehlele ekamu.” Khona wehla noPhura udibi lwakhe emaphethelweni abahlomileyo abasekamu.

12. AbakwaMidiyani nama-Amaleki nabo bonke abasempumalanga bahlala esigodini njengesikhonyane ngobuningi; amakamela abo ayengenakubalwa, engangesihlabathi esisogwini lolwandle ngobuningi.

13. Lapho efika uGideyoni, bheka, umuntu wayelandisa umngane wakhe iphupho, wathi: “Ngaphupha iphupho; bheka, iqebelengwane lesinkwa sebhali* lagingqikela ekamu lakwaMidiyani, lafika etendeni, lalishaya laze lawa, laligumbuqela, labhadalala.”

14. Umngane wakhe waphendula wathi: “Lokhu akulutho ngaphandle kwenkemba kaGideyoni indodana kaJowashi, umuntu wakwa-Israyeli; uNkulunkulu unikele esandleni sakhe uMidiyani nempi yonke.”

15. Kwathi uGideyoni ekuzwa ukulandwa kwephupho nokuchazwa kwalo, wakhuleka; wabuyela ekamu lakwa-Israyeli, wathi: “Vukani, ngokuba uJehova unikele esandleni senu impi yakwaMidiyani.”

16. Wahlukanisela amadoda angamakhulu amathathu izigaba ezintathu, wawanika, kwaba yileyo naleyo amacilongo ezandleni zawo, nezitsha ezingenalutho, nezimbaqa zisezitsheni.

17. Wathi kuwo: “Ngibukeni, nenze kanjalo; bhekani, nxa nifika emaphethelweni ekamu, kuyakuthi njengalokho kwenza mina, nenze nani.

Abahluleli 7