Abahluleli 12

1 Abantu bakoEfrayimi basebebizelwa ndawonye, bachaphela enyakatho, bathi kuJefitha: Wachaphelani ukuyakulwa umelene labantwana bakoAmoni, lathi ungasibizanga ukuthi sihambe lawe? Sizatshisa ngomlilo indlu yakho phezu kwakho.

2 UJefitha wathi kibo: Mina labantu bami sasilengxabano enkulu labantwana bakoAmoni; sathi silibiza, kalingikhululanga esandleni sabo.

3 Kwathi lapho ngibona ukuthi kalisizanga, ngabeka impilo yami esandleni sami, ngachaphela ebantwaneni bakoAmoni, iNkosi yabanikela esandleni sami. Pho, lenyukeleleni kimi lamuhla ukulwa limelene lami?

4 UJefitha wasebutha wonke amadoda eGileyadi walwa loEfrayimi; amadoda eGileyadi asemtshaya uEfrayimi, ngoba athi: Lingababalekileyo bakoEfrayimi, lina beGileyadi, phakathi kukaEfrayimi loManase.

5 AbeGileyadi basebethumba amazibuko eJordani aya koEfrayimi. Kwakusithi lapho iziphepheli zakoEfrayimi zisithi: Ake ngichaphe; amadoda eGileyadi athi kuye: UngumEfrayimi yini? Lapho esithi: Hatshi;

6 basebesithi kuye: Ake uthi: Shibolethi. Athi: Sibolethi; ngoba engelakulikhuluma kuhle. Basebembamba, bemhlaba emazibukweni eJordani. Kwasekusiwa ngalesosikhathi kwabakoEfrayimi abazinkulungwane ezingamatshumi amane lambili.

7 UJefitha wasesahlulela uIsrayeli iminyaka eyisithupha. Wasesifa uJefitha umGileyadi, wangcwatshelwa komunye wemizi yeGileyadi.

8 Emva kwakhe-ke uIbizani weBhethelehema wahlulela uIsrayeli.

9 Njalo wayelamadodana angamatshumi amathathu, wathumela ngaphandle amadodakazi angamatshumi amathathu, wangenisela amadodana akhe amadodakazi angamatshumi amathathu evela ngaphandle; wahlulela uIsrayeli iminyaka eyisikhombisa.

10 Wasesifa uIbizani, wangcwatshelwa eBhethelehema.

11 Njalo emva kwakhe uEloni umZebuloni wahlulela uIsrayeli; wahlulela uIsrayeli iminyaka elitshumi.

12 Wasesifa uEloni umZebuloni, wangcwatshelwa eAjaloni, elizweni lakoZebuluni.

13 Emva kwakhe-ke uAbidoni indodana kaHileli umPirathoni wahlulela uIsrayeli.

14 Wayelamadodana angamatshumi amane, lamadodana amadodana angamatshumi amathathu, ayegada amathole abobabhemi angamatshumi ayisikhombisa; wahlulela uIsrayeli iminyaka eyisificaminwembili.

15 Wasesifa uAbidoni indodana kaHileli umPirathoni, wangcwatshelwa ePirathoni elizweni lakoEfrayimi entabeni zamaAmaleki.