Judges - Chapter 4

Verse 1: Abantwana bakwa-Israyeli babuye benza okubi emehlweni kaJehova, esefile u-Ehudi.

Verse 2: UJehova wathengisa ngabo esandleni sikaJabini inkosi yaseKhanani, owabusa eHasori, onduna yempi yakhe yayinguSisera owahlala eHarosheti labezizwe.

Verse 3: Abantwana bakwa-Israyeli bakhala kuJehova, ngokuba wayenezinqola ezingamakhulu ayisishiyagalolunye zensimbi; wacindezela kakhulu abantwana bakwa-Israyeli iminyaka engamashumi amabili.

Verse 4: UDebora umprofethikazi, umkaLapidoti, wahlulela u-Israyeli ngaleso sikhathi.

Verse 5: Wayehlala phansi kwesundu likaDebora phakathi kweRama neBethele ezintabeni zakwa-Efrayimi; abantwana bakwa-Israyeli bakhuphukela kuye ukuba bahlulelwe.

Verse 6: Wathuma wabiza uBaraki indodana ka-Abinohama waseKedeshi Nafetali, wathi kuye: “UJehova uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli akayalanga yini ngokuthi: ‘Hamba usondele entabeni yaseThabori, uye nabantu abayizinkulungwane eziyishumi babantwana bakwaNafetali nabantwana bakwaZebuloni, na?

Verse 7: Ngiyakusondeza kuwe emfudlaneni iKishoni uSisera induna yempi kaJabini, nezinqola zakhe, nesixuku sakhe, ngimnikele esandleni sakho.’ ”

Verse 8: UBaraki wathi kuye: “Uma uhamba nami, ngiyakuhamba; kepha uma ungahambi nami, angiyikuhamba.”

Verse 9: Wathi kuye: “Impela ngiyakuhamba nawe, kodwa indlela oyakuhamba ngayo ayiyikuba ngeyodumo lwakho, ngokuba uJehova uyakumthengisa uSisera esandleni sowesifazane.” Wayesesuka uDebora, wahamba noBaraki, baya eKedeshi.

Verse 10: UBaraki wabiza oZebuloni noNafetali ukuba beze eKedeshi; kwakhuphuka abantu abayizinkulungwane eziyishumi ezinyathelweni zakhe; naye uDebora wakhuphuka naye.

Verse 11: Kepha uHebere umKheni wayezahlukanisile namaKheni, abantwana bakwaHobabi umukhwe kaMose, wamisa itende lakhe kwaze kwaba se-okini laseShananimi eliseduze neKedeshi.

Verse 12: Bamtshela uSisera ukuthi uBaraki indodana ka-Abinohama ukhuphukele entabeni yaseThabori.

Verse 13: USisera wayesebutha zonke izinqola zakhe, izinqola ezingamakhulu ayisishiyagalolunye zensimbi, nabantu bonke ababenaye, kusukela eHarosheti labezizwe kuze kube semfudlaneni iKishoni.

Verse 14: UDebora wathi kuBaraki: “Vuka, ngokuba yilolu suku uJehova anikele ngalo uSisera esandleni sakho; uJehova akaphumanga phambi kwakho na?” UBaraki wehla entabeni yaseThabori nabantu abayizinkulungwane eziyishumi emva kwakhe.

Verse 15: UJehova wamngquzula uSisera nazo zonke izinqola zakhe nempi yakhe yonke ngosiko lwenkemba phambi kukaBaraki; uSisera wehlika enqoleni yakhe, wabaleka ngezinyawo.

Verse 16: Kepha uBaraki waxosha izinqola nempi kwaze kwaba seHarosheti labezizwe; yonke impi kaSisera yawa ngosiko lwenkemba, akwasala muntu.

Verse 17: Kepha uSisera wabaleka ngezinyawo, wafika etendeni likaJayeli umkaHebere umKheni, ngokuba kwakukhona ukuthula phakathi kukaJabini inkosi yaseHasori nendlu kaHebere umKheni.

Verse 18: UJayeli waphuma ukumhlangabeza uSisera, wathi kuye: “Phambuka, nkosi yami; phambukela kimi, ungesabi.” Waphambukela kuye etendeni, wamembesa ingubo.

Verse 19: Wayesethi kuye: “Ake ungiphuzise ingcosana yamanzi, ngokuba ngomile.” Wavumbulula igabha lobisi, wamphuzisa, wamembesa.

Verse 20: Wathi kuye: “Yima emnyango wetende; kuyakuthi nxa kufika umuntu abuze kuwe athi: ‘Kukhona muntu lapha na?’ uthi: ‘Qha.’ ”

Verse 21: UJayeli umkaHebere wayesethatha isikhonkwane setende, waphatha isando ngesandla, wanyonyobela kuye, wambethela esikhaleni sendlebe ngesikhonkwane, sagqobhoza, saphumela emhlabathini, ngokuba wayelele ubuthongo obukhulu ediniwe; wafa kanjalo.

Verse 22: Bheka, uBaraki esamxosha uSisera, uJayeli waphuma ukumhlangabeza, wathi kuye: “Woza, ngikubonise omfunayo.” Waya kuye; bheka, uSisera wayelele efile, isikhonkwane sisesikhaleni sendlebe yakhe.

Verse 23: Ngalolo suku uNkulunkulu wamnqoba uJabini inkosi yaseKhanani phambi kwabantwana bakwa-Israyeli.

Verse 24: Isandla sabantwana bakwa-Israyeli saqhubeka saba namandla njalo phezu kukaJabini inkosi yaseKhanani, baze bamqeda uJabini inkosi yaseKhanani.