Abahluleli 3
1 Lalezi yizizwe iNkosi eyazitshiyayo ukuze ihlole uIsrayeli ngazo, bonke abangazazanga zonke izimpi zeKhanani;
Now these are the nations which the LORD left, to test Israel by them, even as many as had not known all the wars of Canaan;
2 kuphela ukuze izizukulwana zabantwana bakoIsrayeli zazi, ukuzifundisa impi, kuphela abangazazanga phambili:
only that the generations of the children of Israel might know, to teach them war, at least those who knew nothing of it before:
3 Amakhosi amahlanu amaFilisti, lawo wonke amaKhanani, lamaSidoni, lamaHivi ayehlala entabeni yeLebhanoni, kusukela entabeni yeBhali-Hermoni kuze kube sekungeneni kweHamathi.
the five lords of the Philistines, all the Canaanites, the Sidonians, and the Hivites who lived on Mount Lebanon, from Mount Baal Hermon to the entrance of Hamath.
4 Zazingezokuhlola uIsrayeli ngazo ukwazi ukuthi bazayilalela yini imilayo yeNkosi eyabalaya yona oyise ngesandla sikaMozisi.
They were left to test Israel by them, to know whether they would listen to the LORD’s commandments, which he commanded their fathers by Moses.
5 Abantwana bakoIsrayeli bahlala-ke phakathi kwamaKhanani, amaHethi, lamaAmori, lamaPerizi, lamaHivi, lamaJebusi.
The children of Israel lived amongst the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites.
6 Basebethatha amadodakazi awo ukuba ngomkabo, lamadodakazi abo bawanika amadodana awo, bakhonza onkulunkulu bawo.
They took their daughters to be their wives, and gave their own daughters to their sons and served their gods.
7 Abantwana bakoIsrayeli basebesenza okubi emehlweni eNkosi, bayikhohlwa iNkosi uNkulunkulu wabo, bakhonza oBhali lezixuku.
The children of Israel did that which was evil in the LORD’s sight, and forgot the LORD their God, and served the Baals and the Asheroth.
8 Ngakho ulaka lweNkosi lwavutha kuIsrayeli, yabathengisa esandleni sikaKushani-Rishathayimi inkosi yeMesopotamiya. Abantwana bakoIsrayeli basebeyisebenzela inkosi uKushani-Rishathayimi iminyaka eyisificaminwembili.
Therefore the LORD’s anger burnt against Israel, and he sold them into the hand of Cushan Rishathaim king of Mesopotamia; and the children of Israel served Cushan Rishathaim eight years.
9 Kwathi abantwana bakoIsrayeli bekhala eNkosini, iNkosi yabavusela abantwana bakoIsrayeli umkhululi owabakhululayo, uOthiniyeli indodana kaKenazi umfowabo kaKalebi ongumnawakhe.
When the children of Israel cried to the LORD, the LORD raised up a saviour to the children of Israel, who saved them, even Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother.
10 Njalo uMoya weNkosi wayephezu kwakhe, wahlulela uIsrayeli, waphuma impi, iNkosi yanikela esandleni sakhe uKushani-Rishathayimi inkosi yeSiriya, lesandla sakhe saba lamandla phezu kukaKushani-Rishathayimi.
The LORD’s Spirit came on him, and he judged Israel; and he went out to war, and the LORD delivered Cushan Rishathaim king of Mesopotamia into his hand. His hand prevailed against Cushan Rishathaim.
11 Lelizwe laba lokuthula iminyaka engamatshumi amane. UOthiniyeli indodana kaKenazi wasesifa.
The land had rest forty years, then Othniel the son of Kenaz died.
12 Abantwana bakoIsrayeli basebebuya besenza okubi emehlweni eNkosi. INkosi yasimqinisa uEgiloni inkosi yakoMowabi ukumelana loIsrayeli, ngenxa yokuthi babenzile okubi emehlweni eNkosi.
The children of Israel again did that which was evil in the LORD’s sight, and the LORD strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel, because they had done that which was evil in the LORD’s sight.
13 Wasezibuthela abantwana bakoAmoni loAmaleki, waya wamtshaya uIsrayeli, badla ilifa lomuzi wamalala.
He gathered the children of Ammon and Amalek to himself; and he went and struck Israel, and they possessed the city of palm trees.
14 Abantwana bakoIsrayeli basebesebenzela uEgiloni inkosi yakoMowabi iminyaka elitshumi leyisificaminwembili.
The children of Israel served Eglon the king of Moab eighteen years.
15 Kwathi abantwana bakoIsrayeli bekhala eNkosini, iNkosi yabavusela umkhululi, uEhudi indodana kaGera, umBhenjamini owayelinxele. Abantwana bakoIsrayeli basebethumela ngesandla sakhe isipho kuEgiloni inkosi yakoMowabi.
But when the children of Israel cried to the LORD, the LORD raised up a saviour for them: Ehud the son of Gera, the Benjamite, a left-handed man. The children of Israel sent tribute by him to Eglon the king of Moab.
16 UEhudi wasezenzela inkemba ebukhali inhlangothi ezimbili, ubude bayo buyingalo, wayibophela ngaphansi kwezigqoko zakhe ethangazini lakhe lokunene.
Ehud made himself a sword which had two edges, a cubit in length; and he wore it under his clothing on his right thigh.
17 Wasondeza isipho kuEgiloni inkosi yakoMowabi. Njalo uEgiloni wayengumuntu okhulupheleyo kakhulu.
He offered the tribute to Eglon king of Moab. Now Eglon was a very fat man.
18 Kwasekusithi eseqedile ukusondeza isipho, wasephelekezela abantu ababethwele isipho.
When Ehud had finished offering the tribute, he sent away the people who carried the tribute.
19 Kodwa yena wabuyela emuva ezithombeni ezibaziweyo ezaziseGiligali, wathi: Nkosi, ngilendaba eyimfihlo kuwe. Yasisithi: Thula. Bonke ababemi laye basebephuma.
But he himself turned back from the stone idols that were by Gilgal, and said, “I have a secret message for you, O king.” The king said, “Keep silence!” All who stood by him left him.
20 UEhudi wasesiza kuye ehlezi endlini ephezulu epholileyo eyayingeyakhe yedwa. UEhudi wathi: Ngilendaba kaNkulunkulu kuwe. Wasesukuma esihlalweni.
Ehud came to him; and he was sitting by himself alone in the cool upper room. Ehud said, “I have a message from God to you.” He arose out of his seat.
21 UEhudi waseselula isandla sakhe sokhohlo, wathatha inkemba ethangazini lakhe lokunene, wayithela esiswini sakhe,
Ehud put out his left hand, and took the sword from his right thigh, and thrust it into his body.
22 kwaze kwangena lesilanda emva kobukhali, amahwahwa agubuzela ubukhali, ngoba kayingcothulanga inkemba esiswini sakhe, kwasekuphuma umswane.
The handle also went in after the blade; and the fat closed on the blade, for he didn’t draw the sword out of his body; and it came out behind.
23 UEhudi wasephuma ekhulusini, wavala iminyango yendlu ephezulu emva kwakhe, wayikhiya.
Then Ehud went out onto the porch, and shut the doors of the upper room on him, and locked them.
24 Yena esephumile, kwafika izinceku zakhe; kwathi zibona, khangela-ke, iminyango yendlu ephezulu yayikhiyiwe, zathi: Sibili wembese inyawo zakhe endlini epholileyo.
After he had gone, his servants came and saw that the doors of the upper room were locked. They said, “Surely he is covering his feet in the upper room.”
25 Njalo zalinda zaze zaba lenhloni; khangela-ke kavulanga iminyango yendlu ephezulu; ngakho zathatha isihluthulelo zavula, khangela-ke, inkosi yazo yayiwele phansi ifile.
They waited until they were ashamed; and behold, he didn’t open the doors of the upper room. Therefore they took the key and opened them, and behold, their lord had fallen down dead on the floor.
26 UEhudi wasephunyuka zisalibele, yena wedlula ezithombeni ezibaziweyo, waphunyuka waya eSeyira.
Ehud escaped while they waited, passed beyond the stone idols, and escaped to Seirah.
27 Kwasekusithi ekufikeni kwakhe wavuthela uphondo entabeni yakoEfrayimi. Abantwana bakoIsrayeli basebesehla laye ezintabeni, yena ephambi kwabo.
When he had come, he blew a trumpet in the hill country of Ephraim; and the children of Israel went down with him from the hill country, and he led them.
28 Wasesithi kibo: Landelani emva kwami, ngoba iNkosi inikele izitha zenu amaMowabi esandleni senu. Ngakho behla bamlandela, bathumba amazibuko eJordani aye koMowabi, kabavumelanga muntu ukuchapha.
He said to them, “Follow me; for the LORD has delivered your enemies the Moabites into your hand.” They followed him, and took the fords of the Jordan against the Moabites, and didn’t allow any man to pass over.
29 Basebebulala amaMowabi ngalesosikhathi angaba zinkulungwane ezilitshumi, amadoda wonke aqatha lawo wonke amadoda alamandla, njalo kakuphunyukanga muntu.
They struck at that time about ten thousand men of Moab, every strong man and every man of valour. No man escaped.
30 Ngalokho uMowabi wehliselwa phansi mhlalokho ngaphansi kwesandla sikaIsrayeli. Lelizwe laba lokuthula iminyaka engamatshumi ayisificaminwembili.
So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. Then the land had rest eighty years.
31 Lemva kwakhe kwaba loShamigari indodana kaAnathi, owatshaya amaFilisti amadoda angamakhulu ayisithupha ngocijo lwenkabi; laye wasemkhulula uIsrayeli.
After him was Shamgar the son of Anath, who struck six hundred men of the Philistines with an ox goad. He also saved Israel.
