Abehluleli 3:15-30

Lapho abantu bakwa-Israyeli bekhala kuSimakade, uSimakade wabavusela omunye umkhululi, u-Ehudi indodana kaGera wakwaBhenjamini, owayeyinxele. Abakwa-Israyeli bathumela umnikelo enkosini u-Egiloni wakwaMowabi ngesandla sika-Ehudi. U-Ehudi wazenzela inkemba ebukhali nhlangothi zombili, ubude bayo buyikhubhithi, wayibophela ethangeni lakhe lakwesokunene ngaphansi kwezingubo zakhe. Wahambisa umnikelo ku-Egiloni, inkosi yakwaMowabi. U-Egiloni wayekhuluphele kakhulu. U-Ehudi eseqedile ukwethula umnikelo ku-Egiloni, wabamukisa abantu ababethwele umnikelo. Kepha yena waphenduka eduze nesithombe setshe esasiqoshwe eduze neGiligali, wabuyela emuva, wathi: “Nginombiko oyimfihlo engimele ngikutshele wona, nkosi.” Inkosi yathi: “Thulani.” Zonke izinceku zayo zaphuma lapho yayikhona. U-Ehudi weza kuyo ngesikhathi ihleli yodwa ophahleni ekamelweni layo elipholile, wathi: “Nginomyalezo wakho ovela kuNkulunkulu.” Yayisisukuma esihlalweni sayo. U-Ehudi wayeselula isandla sakhe sasekhohlo wahosha inkemba yakhe eyayisethangeni lakhe lesokunene, wamgwaza ngayo u-Egiloni esiswini; inkemba yangena nesibambo sayo yaze yayophumela emhlane. Yambozeka emafutheni ngokuba u-Ehudi wayengazange ayikhiphe esiswini sika-Egiloni. U-Ehudi waphumela emhubheni wavala iminyango yekamelo eliphezulu, wayihluthulela. Esehambile u-Ehudi, izinceku zangena, lapho zithola ukuthi iminyango yekamelo eliphezulu ihluthulelwe, zathi: “Mhlawumbe inkosi iyazikhulula ekamelweni layo elipholile.” Zalinda zaze zakhathala. Kwathi ukuba zibone ukuthi ayiyivuli iminyango yekamelo eliphezulu, zathatha isihluthulelo zavula. Bheka, zayithola inkosi yazo iwele phansi ifile. U-Ehudi waphulukundlela ngesikhathi zisalindile, wedlula ezithombeni ezibaziweyo, wabalekela eSeyiri. Kwathi ukuba afike lapho, washaya icilongo ekwelezintaba kwa-Efrayimi. Abantu bakwa-Israyeli behla naye kwelezintaba, ebahola. Wathi kubo: “Ngilandeleni, ngokuba uSimakade uzinikele esandleni senu izitha zenu zakwaMowabi.” Behla bemlandela, bavimba emazibukweni omfula iJordani awelela kwaMowabi, abaze bavumela muntu ukuba awele kuwo. Ngaleso sikhathi babulala abakwaMowabi abayizi-10 000 abanamandla, amadoda ayizidlakela, akuzange kuphunyuke namunye. Kusukela ngalolo lusuku abakwaMowabi baba ngaphansi kwesandla sabakwa-Israyeli. Izwe laba nokuthula, iminyaka engama-80.