UBawo Ukhetha Amakhulu Amathathu

Ngenxa yokuba umkhosi omkhulu ubungenza amaSirayeli azigwagwise esithi sisindiswe sisandla sawo, uBawo wethu uncipha amawaka kaGidiyon abe ngamakhulu amathathu ngoloyiko nangendlela amadoda asela ngayo. UGidiyon uva iphupha lotshaba, aqubude, aze oyise ngezigodlo nezibane ezivuthayo njengoko iminquba ijika amakrele ayo kuyo.

Isahluko 7.

UYerubhahali (uGidiyon) nabantu bakhe bonke bavuka kusasa, bamisa iintente ngasemthonjeni waseHarodi; iminquba yamaMidiyan yayingasentla kwabo, endulini yaseMore entilini.

UBawo wethu wathi kuGidiyon: “Baninzi kakhulu abantu onabo ukuba ndinganikela amaMidiyan ezandleni zabo, hleze amaSirayeli azigwagwise kum, esithi, ‘Sindisindisile isandla sam.’ Ngoko ke yazisa ebantwini, uthi: ‘Osukuba esoyika engcangcazela, makabuye emke entabeni yaseGiliyadi.’” Babuya abantu abangamawaka angamashumi amabini anamabini; kwasala amawaka alishumi.

UBawo wethu wathi kuGidiyon: “Abantu basabaninzi. Bahlisele emanzini; ndoba ndibahlelela khona. Lowo ndithi kuwe uya kuhamba nawe, uya kuhamba; lowo ndithi kuwe akayi kuhamba nawe, akayi kuhamba.” Wabahlisela abantu emanzini, waza uBawo wethu wathi kuGidiyon: “Wohlula wodwa wonke umntu okhotha amanzi ngolwimi lwakhe njengenja; wenjenjalo nangawo wonke umntu oguqa ngamadolo esela.”

Amadoda angamakhulu amathathu akhotha, esisa isandla emlonyeni; bonke abaseleyo baguqa ngamadolo besela amanzi.

UBawo wethu wathi kuGidiyon: “Ngala madoda angamakhulu amathathu akhothileyo ndoba ndinisindise, ndiwanikele amaMidiyan esandleni sakho. Bandulule bonke abanye baye kowabo, elowo endaweni yakhe.”

Abantu bathabatha umphako nezigodlo; uGidiyon wawandulula onke amanye amaSirayeli aya kowawo, elowo ententeni yakhe, wawagcina amakhulu omathathu. Iminquba yamaMidiyan yayingaphantsi kwakhe entilini.

Ngobo busuku uBawo wethu wathi kuye: “Vuka, uhlele eminqubeni, kuba ndiyinikele esandleni sakho. Kodwa ukuba uyoyika ukuhla, hlela eminqubeni noPura umkhonzi wakho,

“Weve oko bathethayo, zandule ke ukomelezwa izandla zakho, uhle uye eminqubeni.” Wehla nomkhonzi wakhe uPura, waya enyeleni yamadoda axhobileyo aseminqubeni.

AmaMidiyan, nama-Amaleki, nabo bonke abasempumalanga babethe dwe entilini, benjengeenkumbi ukuba baninzi; iinkamela zabo zazingenakubalwa, zinjengentlabathi eselunxwemeni lolwandle. Wathi uGidiyon akufika, nanko indoda ibalisela umlingane wayo iphupha. Yathi: “Khawuve, ndiphuphe iphupha: nantso isonka serhasi esiyinqila sigingqika singena eminqubeni yamaMidiyan, safika sayibetha intente, yawa—yabhukuqeka yathi caba.”

Waphendula umlingane wayo wathi: “Oku akunto yimbi ngaphandle kwekrele likaGidiyon unyana kaYowashe, umSirayeli. UThixo uwanikele esandleni sakhe amaMidiyan neminquba yonke.”

Wathi uGidiyon akuliva iphupha nokutyhilwa kwalo, waqubuda, wabuyela eminqubeni yamaSirayeli, wathi: “Vukani, kuba uBawo wethu uyinikele esandleni senu iminquba yamaMidiyan.” Wawahlula amadoda angamakhulu amathathu aba maqela mathathu, elowo enesigodlo, nomphanda oze, nesikhuni esivuthayo phakathi.

Wathi kuwo: “Ndikhangeleni; nenze njengoko ndisenza. Xa ndifika enyeleni yeminquba, nenze njengoko ndisenza.”

Xa mna nabo bonke endinabo sivuthela izigodlo, nani vuthelani ngazo ngeenxa zonke zeminquba, nidanduluke, nisithi: “Ngenxa kaBawo wethu nangenxa kaGidiyon!”

UGidiyon namadoda akhe alikhulu bafika enyeleni yeminquba ekuqaleni komlindo waphakathi, emva nje kokutshintshwa kwabalindi. Bavuthela izigodlo, bayaphula imiphanda eyayisezandleni zabo. Amaqela omathathu avuthela izigodlo zawo, ayaphula imiphanda, iinkuni ezivuthayo zisezandleni zawo zasekhohlo, izigodlo esezandleni zokunene zilungele ukuvuthela, edanduluka esithi: “Ikrele, ngenxa kaBawo wethu nangenxa kaGidiyon!” Elowo wema endaweni yakhe ngeenxa zonke zeminquba, waza wona wonke umkhosi wabaleka, wakhala, wasaba. Bakuvuthela izigodlo ezingamakhulu amathathu, uBawo wethu wenza ukuba ikrele lomntu ngamnye libe ngakummelwane wakhe kuyo yonke iminquba. Umkhosi wasaba usiya eBhete-shita, usinga eTserera, wada wesa emdeni waseAbhele-mehola ngaseTabhati. Ahlatyelwa umkhosi amaSirayeli avela kwaNafetali, nakwa-Ashere, nakuManase wonke, aza awasukela amaMidiyan. UGidiyon wathuma abathunywa kulo lonke ilizwe leentaba lakwaEfrayim, esithi: “Hlani niye kulwa namaMidiyan—niwahluthe amanzi phambi kwawo, nithabathele khona nise eBhete-bhara neYordan.” Ahlanganisana ke onke amadoda akwaEfrayim, awahlutha amanzi, athabathela khona esa eBhete-bhara neYordan. Abathimba abathetheli bamaMidiyan ababini, uOrebhe noZebhe. Wambulala uOrebhe eliweni likaOrebhe, waza uZebhe wambulala esixovulelweni sikaZebhe. Aza awasukela amaMidiyan, azisa iintloko zikaOrebhe nezikaZebhe kuGidiyon phesheya kweYordan.