Verse 1: Emva kuka-Abimeleki kwavela uThola indodana kaPhuwa kaDodo, umuntu wakwa-Isakare, ukuba asindise u-Israyeli; wayehlala eShamiri ezintabeni zakwa-Efrayimi.
Verse 2: Wamahlulela u-Israyeli iminyaka engamashumi amabili nantathu, wafa, wembelwa eShamiri.
Verse 3: Emva kwakhe kwavela uJayire wakwaGileyadi, wamahlulela u-Israyeli iminyaka engamashumi amabili nambili.
Verse 4: Wayenamadodana angamashumi amathathu agibela amathole ezimbongolo angamashumi amathathu; ayenemizi engamashumi amathathu ethiwa iHavoti Jayire kuze kube namuhla, esezweni lakwaGileyadi.
Verse 5: UJayire wafa, wembelwa eKhamoni.
Verse 6: Abantwana bakwa-Israyeli babuye benza okubi emehlweni kaJehova, babakhonza oBali, no-Ashitaroti, nawonkulunkulu base-Aramu, nawonkulunkulu baseSidoni, nawonkulunkulu bakwaMowabi, nawonkulunkulu babantwana bakwa-Amoni, nawonkulunkulu bamaFilisti, bamshiya uJehova, kabamkhonza.
Verse 7: Intukuthelo kaJehova yamvuthela u-Israyeli, wathengisa ngabo esandleni samaFilisti nasesandleni sabantwana bakwa-Amoni.
Verse 8: Bakhathaza, bacindezela abantwana bakwa-Israyeli ngalowo mnyaka; iminyaka eyishumi nesishiyagalombili babacindezela bonke abantwana bakwa-Israyeli ababengaphesheya kweJordani ezweni lama-Amori elikwaGileyadi.
Verse 9: Abantwana bakwa-Amoni bawela iJordani ukuba balwe noJuda noBenjamini nendlu yakwa-Efrayimi; u-Israyeli wantula kakhulu.
Verse 10: Abantwana bakwa-Israyeli bakhala kuJehova, bathi: “Sonile kuwe, ngokuba simshiyile uNkulunkulu wethu, sakhonza oBali.”
Verse 11: UJehova wathi kubantwana bakwa-Israyeli: “Anginisindisanga yini kubo abaseGibithe, nakuwo ama-Amori, nakubo abantwana bakwa-Amoni, nakuwo amaFilisti, na?
Verse 12: Nacindezelwa ngamaSidoni, nama-Amaleki, namaMahoni, nakhala kimi, nganisindisa esandleni sawo.
Verse 13: Nokho ningishiyile, nakhonza abanye onkulunkulu; ngalokho angisayikunisindisa.
Verse 14: Hambani nikhale konkulunkulu enibakhethileyo; mabanisindise ngesikhathi sosizi lwenu.”
Verse 15: Abantwana bakwa-Israyeli bathi kuJehova: “Sonile; yenza kithi okuthandayo; kepha ake usophule kuphela namuhla.”
Verse 16: Base besusa onkulunkulu babezizwe phakathi kwabo, bamkhonza uJehova; umphefumulo wakhe wakhathazeka ngokuhlupheka kwabakwa-Israyeli.
Verse 17: Kwabuthwa abantwana bakwa-Amoni, bamisa kwaGileyadi. Kepha abantwana bakwa-Israyeli babuthana, bamisa eMispa.
Verse 18: Abantu, izikhulu zakwaGileyadi, bathi omunye komunye: “Ngumuphi umuntu oyakuqala ukulwa nabantwana bakwa-Amoni na? Yena uyakuba yinhloko yabo bonke abakhe kwaGileyadi.”