42. Kwathi ngangomuso abantu baya endle, bamtshela u-Abimeleki.
43. Wathatha abantu, wabahlukanisela izigaba ezintathu, waqamekela endle; wabheka, nampa abantu bephuma emzini; wabavukela, wababulala.
44. U-Abimeleki nezigaba ezazinaye zadumela, zema esikhaleni sesango lomuzi; izigaba zombili zadumela bonke abasendle, zababulala.
45. U-Abimeleki walwa nomuzi lonke lolo suku; wawuthatha umuzi, wabulala abantu ababekuwo, wawubhidliza umuzi, wahlwanyela usawoti kuwo.
46. Lapho bezwa lokho bonke abasembhoshongweni waseShekemi, bangena enqabeni yendlu yase-Eli Beriti.
47. Kwabikwa ku-Abimeleki ukuthi bonke abasembhoshongweni waseShekemi babehlangene ndawonye.
48. U-Abimeleki wenyukela entabeni yaseSalimoni, yena nabantu bonke ababenaye; u-Abimeleki wathatha izembe ngesandla, wagawula igatsha emithini, walithatha, walibeka ehlombe, wathi kubantu ababenaye: “Lokho eningibone ngikwenza, sheshani nikwenze njengami.”
49. Bonke abantu bagawula, kwaba yilowo nalowo igatsha lakhe kanjalo, bamlandela u-Abimeleki, bawabeka enqabeni, bayithungela inqaba ngomlilo phezu kwabo; bafa bonke abantu abasembhoshongweni waseShekemi, kungathi abayinkulungwane, abesilisa nabesifazane.
50. U-Abimeleki wayeseya eThebesi, wamisa malungana neThebesi, walithatha.
51. Kepha phakathi komuzi wawukhona umbhoshongo oqinileyo; babalekela khona bonke abesilisa nabesifazane, nabo bonke abomuzi, bazivalela phakathi, benyukela ophahleni lombhoshongo.
52. U-Abimeleki wafika embhoshongweni, walwa nawo, wasondela emnyango wombhoshongo ukuba awushise ngomlilo.
53. Owesifazane othile waphonsa imbokodwe ekhanda lika-Abimeleki, wachimiza ikhanda lakhe.
54. Wayeseshesha ebiza udibi olwaluphethe izikhali zakhe, wathi kulo: “Hosha inkemba yakho, ungibulale ukuba abantu bangasho ngami ukuthi: ‘Wabulawa ngowesifazane.’ ” Udibi lwakhe lwase lumgwaza, wafa.
55. Kwathi abantu bakwa-Israyeli bebonile ukuthi u-Abimeleki ufile, bamuka baya, kwaba yilowo nalowo endaweni yakhe.
56. Kanjalo uNkulunkulu wabuyisela ububi buka-Abimeleki abebenzile kuyise ngokubulala abafowabo abangamashumi ayisikhombisa.
57. UNkulunkulu wabuyisela bonke ububi babantu baseShekemi emakhanda abo, behlelwa yisiqalekiso sikaJothamu indodana kaJerubali.*