17. ngokuba ubaba wanilwela wazidela, wanophula esandleni sabakwaMidiyani;
18. kepha niyivukele namuhla indlu kababa, nibulele amadodana akhe, abantu abangamashumi ayisikhombisa etsheni linye, nimbekile u-Abimeleki indodana yesigqilakazi sakhe inkosi yabaseShekemi ngokuba engumfowenu;
19. uma nimphathile kahle uJerubali* nendlu yakhe namuhla, thokozani ngo-Abimeleki, naye athokoze ngani;
20. kepha uma kungenjalo, makuphume umlilo ku-Abimeleki, uqede abantu baseShekemi neBeti Milo, umlilo uphume nakubantu baseShekemi naseBeti Milo, umqede u-Abimeleki.”
21. UJothamu wayesebaleka, weqa, waya eBeri, wahlala khona ngenxa ka-Abimeleki umfowabo.
22. U-Abimeleki wayeyisikhulu phezu kuka-Israyeli iminyaka emithathu.
23. UNkulunkulu wathuma umoya omubi phakathi kuka-Abimeleki nabantu baseShekemi; abaseShekemi bambhumbuluza u-Abimeleki
24. ukuba ubudlova obenziwe kuwo amadodana angamashumi ayisikhombisa kaJerubali* bufike, negazi labo libekwe phezu kuka-Abimeleki umfowabo owababulala, naphezu kwabaseShekemi abaqinisa izandla zakhe ukuba abulale abafowabo.
25. AbaseShekemi bambekela abaqamekeli eziqongweni zezintaba, baphanga bonke ababedlula kubo ngaleyo ndlela; kwabikwa ku-Abimeleki.
26. Kwafika uGali indodana ka-Ebedi nabafowabo, waya eShekemi; abaseShekemi bamethemba.
27. Baya endle, bavuna izivini zabo, banyathela imivini, bagubha umkhosi, bangena endlini kankulunkulu wabo, badla, baphuza, bamqalekisa u-Abimeleki.
28. UGali indodana ka-Ebedi wathi: “Ngubani u-Abimeleki, ngubani uShekemi, ukuba simkhonze, na? Akasiyo indodana kaJerubali,* noZebule yinduna yakhe na? Khonzani abantu bakaHamori uyise kaShekemi. Thina siyakumkhonzelani yena na?
29. Sengathi laba bantu nga besesandleni sami; bengiyakumsusa u-Abimeleki.” Wathi ku-Abimeleki: “Yandisa impi yakho, uphume.”
30. Lapha uZebule umphathi womuzi ezwa amazwi kaGali indodana ka-Ebedi, kwavutha ulaka lwakhe.