9Judges 9

1UAbhimeleki indodana kaJerubali wasesiya eShekema kubafowabo bakanina, wakhuluma kibo lakusendo lonke lwendlu kayise kanina, esithi:Select Judges 9:1

2Ake likhulume endlebeni zabo bonke abahlali beShekemalithi: Yikuphi okungcono kini ukuthi wonke amadodana kaJerubali amadoda angamatshumi ayisikhombisa alibuse, kumbe indoda eyodwa ilibuse? Khumbulani futhi ukuthi ngilithambo lenu lenyama yenu.Select Judges 9:2

3Labafowabo bakanina bamkhulumela ezindlebeni zabo bonke abahlali beShekema wonke la amazwi. Inhliziyo yabo yeyamela ukumlandela uAbhimeleki, ngoba bathi: Ungumfowethu.Select Judges 9:3

4Bamnika inhlamvu zesiliva ezingamatshumi ayisikhombisa ezavela endlini kaBhali-Berithi; uAbhimeleki waseqhatsha ngazo abantu abayize labangakhathaliyo abamlandelayo.Select Judges 9:4

5Wasesiya endlini kayise eOfira, wabulala abafowabo amadodana kaJerubali, amadoda angamatshumi ayisikhombisa, phezu kwedwala elilodwa; kodwa uJothamu indodana elicinathunjana kaJerubali wasala, ngoba wacatsha.Select Judges 9:5

6Labo bonke abahlali beShekema labo bonke abeBeti-Milo babuthana, bahamba bamenza wabusa uAbhimeleki abe yinkosi, esihlahleni se-okhi* esamiswa siseShekema.Select Judges 9:6

7Lapho bemtshela uJothamu, wayakuma phezu kwengqonga yentaba yeGerizimi, waphakamisa ilizwi lakhe wamemeza wathi kibo: Ngizwani bahlali beShekema ukuze uNkulunkulu alizwe.Select Judges 9:7

8Izihlahla zahamba lokuhamba ukuzigcobela inkosi. Zathi esihlahleni somhlwathi: Sibuse.Select Judges 9:8

9Kodwa isihlahla somhlwathi sathi kuzo: Kambe ngizatshiya amafutha ami abadumisa ngawo uNkulunkulu labantu ngami, ukuze ngiyezunguza phezu kwezihlahla?Select Judges 9:9

10Izihlahla zasezisithi esihlahleni somkhiwa: Woza wena usibuse.Select Judges 9:10

11Kodwa isihlahla somkhiwa sathi kuzo: Kambe ngizatshiya ubumnandi bami lezithelo zami ezinhle, ukuze ngiyezunguza phezu kwezihlahla?Select Judges 9:11

12Izihlahla zasezisithi esihlahleni sevini: Woza wena usibuse.Select Judges 9:12

13Kodwa isihlahla sevini sathi kuzo: Kambe ngizatshiya iwayini lami elitsha elithokozisa uNkulunkulu labantu, ukuze ngiyezunguza phezu kwezihlahla?Select Judges 9:13

14Izihlahla zonke zasezisithi embabazaneni: Woza wena usibuse.Select Judges 9:14

15Imbabazane yasisithi ezihlahleni: Uba ngeqiniso lingigcoba ngibe yinkosi phezu kwenu, wozani lidinge ukuvikelwa emthunzini wami; uba kungenjalo-ke, umlilo uzaphuma embabazaneni udle izihlahla zemisedari zeLebhanoni.Select Judges 9:15

16Ngakho khathesi, uba likwenzile ngeqiniso langokuthembeka ukuthi libekile uAbhimeleki abe yinkosi, lokuthi uba lenzile okuhle ngoJerubali langendlu yakhe, lokuthi uba lenze kuye ngokufanele izandla zakhe;Select Judges 9:16

17ngoba ubaba walilwela, walahlela khatshana impilo yakhe, walophula esandleni samaMidiyani;Select Judges 9:17

18kodwa lina seliyivukele indlu kababa lamuhla, labulala amadodana akhe, amadoda angamatshumi ayisikhombisa, phezu kwedwala elilodwa, labeka uAbhimeleki indodana yencekukazi yakhe ukuthi abe yinkosi yabahlali beShekema, ngoba engumfowenu;Select Judges 9:18

19uba-ke ngeqiniso langokuthembeka lenzile ngoJerubali langendlu yakhe ngalolusuku, thokozani ngoAbhimeleki, laye athokoze ngani.Select Judges 9:19

20Kodwa uba kungenjalo, kakuphume umlilo kuAbhimeleki udle abahlali beShekema leBeti-Milo, njalo kakuphume umlilo kubahlali beShekema leBeti-Milo udle uAbhimeleki.Select Judges 9:20

21UJothamu wasephunyuka wabaleka, waya eBeri, wahlala khona, ngenxa kaAbhimeleki umfowabo.Select Judges 9:21

22Kwathi uAbhimeleki esebuse uIsrayeli iminyaka emithathu,Select Judges 9:22

23uNkulunkulu wathuma umoya omubi phakathi kukaAbhimeleki labahlali beShekema, njalo abahlali beShekema baziphatha ngokungathembeki kuAbhimeleki,Select Judges 9:23

24ukuze udlakela olwenziwa kumadodana kaJerubali angamatshumi ayisikhombisa lubuyele, legazi libekwe phezu kukaAbhimeleki umfowabo owawabulalayo, laphezu kwabahlali beShekema ababeqinise izandla zakhe ukubulala abafowabo.Select Judges 9:24

25Abahlali beShekema basebembekela abacathameli ezingqongeni zezintaba, baphanga bonke ababebedlula ngaleyondlela; uAbhimeleki wasekubikelwa.Select Judges 9:25

26UGahali indodana kaEbedi wasesiza labafowabo, bedlulela eShekema; njalo abahlali beShekema bamthemba.Select Judges 9:26

27Basebephuma baya emasimini, bakha izithelo zamavini ezivinini zabo, bazinyathela, benza indumiso, bangena endlini kankulunkulu wabo, badla banatha, bamthuka uAbhimeleki.Select Judges 9:27

28UGahali indodana kaEbedi wasesithi: Ungubani uAbhimeleki njalo ungubani uShekema ukuthi simsebenzele? Kasindodana kaJerubali yini, loZebuli induna yayo? Sebenzelani amadoda kaHamori uyise kaShekema. Ngoba thina sizamsebenzelelani?Select Judges 9:28

29Sengathi ngabe lababantu bebesesandleni sami, bengizamkhupha-ke uAbhimeleki. Wasesithi kuAbhimeleki: Yandisa ibutho lakho, uphume.Select Judges 9:29

30Kwathi uZebuli umbusi womuzi esizwa amazwi kaGahali indodana kaEbedi, ulaka lwakhe lwavutha.Select Judges 9:30

31Wathuma izithunywa kuAbhimeleki ngobuqili, esithi: Khangela, uGahali indodana kaEbedi labafowabo bafikile eShekema, khangela-ke, sebeqinisa umuzi ukumelana lawe.Select Judges 9:31

32Khathesi-ke sukuma ebusuku wena labantu abalawe, uyecathama egangeni.Select Judges 9:32

33Kuzakuthi-ke ekuseni ekuphumeni kwelanga, uvuke ngovivi uwuhlasele umuzi; khangela, lapho yena labantu abalaye bephuma ukumelana lawe, uzakwenza kuye njengalokho isandla sakho esikutholayo.Select Judges 9:33

34UAbhimeleki wasesukuma labo bonke abantu ababelaye, ebusuku, basebeyicathamela iShekema ngezigaba ezine.Select Judges 9:34

35UGahali indodana kaEbedi wasephuma wema esikhaleni sesango lomuzi. UAbhimeleki wasesukuma labantu ababelaye ekucathameni.Select Judges 9:35

36Kwathi uGahali ebona abantu, wathi kuZebuli: Khangela, abantu bayehla ezingqongeni zezintaba. Kodwa uZebuli wathi kuye: Ubona amathunzi ezintaba kungathi ngabantu.Select Judges 9:36

37UGahali waqhubeka futhi ekhuluma wathi: Khangela, abantu bayehla bevela phakathi kwelizwe, lelinye ixuku livela endleleni yamagceke abavumisi.Select Judges 9:37

38UZebuli wasesithi kuye: Usungaphi umlomo wakho owathi ngawo: Ungubani uAbhimeleki ukuthi simkhonze? Laba kayisibo abantu obadeleleyo yini? Ake uphume khathesi uyekulwa labo.Select Judges 9:38

39UGahali wasephuma phambi kwabahlali beShekema, walwa loAbhimeleki.Select Judges 9:39

40UAbhimeleki wamxotsha, wasebaleka phambi kwakhe; abanengi bawa belimele kwaze kwaba sekungeneni kwesango.Select Judges 9:40

41UAbhimeleki wasehlala eAruma. UZebuli wasemxotsha uGahali labafowabo, ukuze bangahlali eShekema.Select Judges 9:41

42Kwasekusithi kusisa abantu baphuma baya egangeni; bamtshela uAbhimeleki.Select Judges 9:42

43Wasethatha abantu, wabehlukanisa baba ngamaxuku amathathu, wacathama egangeni, wabona, khangela-ke, abantu bephuma emzini, wabasukela wabatshaya.Select Judges 9:43

44UAbhimeleki lexuku elalilaye basebebahlasela bema ekungeneni kwesango lomuzi, lamaxuku amabili ahlasela bonke ababesegangeni, abatshaya.Select Judges 9:44

45UAbhimeleki wasesilwa emelene lomuzi lolosuku lonke, wawuthumba umuzi, wabulala abantu ababekiwo, wadilizela phansi umuzi, wawuhlanyela ngetshwayi.Select Judges 9:45

46Lapho bonke abahlali bomphotshongo weShekema bekuzwa, bangena enqabeni yendlu kaEli-Berithi.Select Judges 9:46

47Kwabikelwa uAbhimeleki ukuthi bonke abahlali bemphotshongweni weShekema babuthene ndawonye.Select Judges 9:47

48UAbhimeleki wasesenyukela entabeni yeZalimoni, yena labo bonke abantu ababelaye; uAbhimeleki wathatha ihloka esandleni sakhe, wagamula ugatsha lwezihlahla, waluthatha walwetshata ehlombe lakhe, wathi ebantwini ababelaye: Lokhu elibona ngikwenza, phangisani likwenze njengami.Select Judges 9:48

49Ngakho bonke abantu labo bagamula, ngulowo ugatsha lwakhe, bamlandela uAbhimeleki bazibeka enqabeni, bathungela inqaba ngomlilo phezu kwabo, kwaze kwathi bonke abantu bomphotshongo weShekema labo bafa, phose abesilisa labesifazana abayinkulungwane.Select Judges 9:49

50UAbhimeleki wasesiya eThebezi, wamisa inkamba maqondana leThebezi wayithumba.Select Judges 9:50

51Kodwa kwakulomphotshongo oqinileyo phakathi komuzi, labo bonke abesilisa labesifazana babalekela kuyo, labo bonke abahlali bomuzi, babavalela phakathi; benyukela ephahleni lomphotshongo.Select Judges 9:51

52UAbhimeleki wasefika emphotshongweni, walwa lawo, wasondela emnyango womphotshongo ukuze awutshise ngomlilo.Select Judges 9:52

53Owesifazana othile wasephosa ucezu lwelitshe lokuchola ekhanda likaAbhimeleki, wadabula ukhakhayi lwakhe.Select Judges 9:53

54Wasebiza masinyane ijaha elalithwala izikhali zakhe, wathi kilo: Hwatsha inkemba yakho ungibulale, hlezi bathi ngami: Owesifazana wambulala. Ijaha lakhe laselimgwaza, wafa-ke.Select Judges 9:54

55Kwathi amadoda akoIsrayeli ebona ukuthi uAbhimeleki usefile, ahamba, ngulowo waya endaweni yakhe.Select Judges 9:55

56Ngokunjalo uNkulunkulu wabuyisela ububi bukaAbhimeleki ayebenze kuyise, ngokubulala abafowabo abangamatshumi ayisikhombisa.Select Judges 9:56

57Labo bonke ububi bamadoda eShekema uNkulunkulu wabubuyisela phezu kwamakhanda awo; kwasekusehlela phezu kwabo isiqalekiso sikaJothamu indodana kaJerubali.Select Judges 9:57