17. UGidiyon waphendula wathi: “Ukuba ungakum, nceda undenzele umqondiso wokuba nguwe Ndikhoyo lo uthetha nam.
18. Nceda, sukumka de ndibuye nomnikelo, ndiwubeke phambi kwakho.”Saphendula sathi: “Hayi ke, ndiza kuhlala apha ude ubuye.”
19. UGidiyon ke waya kuxhela ibhokhwe esencinci, wayipheka. Wenza nesonka ngomgubo oziikhilogram ezilishumi. Intlama leyo zange ayidibanise nagwele. Inyama leyo wayifaka ebhaskitini, waza wawuphatha ngembiza umhluzi; waya nazo ezo zinto kwisithunywa sikaNdikhoyo esasiphantsi komthi wom-oki.
20. Ke sona sathi kuye: “Inyama leyo nesonka zibeke phezu kweli litye, uzigalele umhluzi.” Wenjenjalo ke uGidiyon.
21. Ke sona isithunywa eso sachukumisa inyama leyo nesonka ngentonga esasiyiphethe. Kwaqhambuka umlilo elityeni, wayilenya inyama leyo kunye nesonka eso. Emva koko isithunywa saphel' emehlweni.
22. Waqonda ke uGidiyon ukuba sisithunywa sikaNdikhoyo esi asibonileyo. Wavakala esithi: “Yhuu, Ndikhoyo, Ngangalala! Isithunywa sikaNdikhoyo ndisibone ubuso ngobuso!”
23. Waphendula ke uNdikhoyo wathi: “Xola, ungatatazeli; awuzukufa.”
24. Ke uGidiyon wakhela uNdikhoyo iqonga lamadini kuloo ndawo, wathi igama lalo nguNdikhoyo-uluxolo. (Lisekhona ke nangoku eOfra, engumhlaba womzi ka-Abhiyezere.)
25. Ngobo busuku ke uNdikhoyo wayalela uGidiyon wathi: “Thatha inkunzi yenkomo kwezikayihlo, nditsho le yesibini, le inesixhenxe seminyaka. Uzulidilize ke iqonga likayihlo elakhelwe uBhali, unqunqe nomfanekiso womthi wesithixokazi uAshera osecaleni kweqonga elo.
26. Yakhela uNdikhoyo iqonga encotsheni yale nqaba, wenze idini elitshiswayo ngenkunzi yesibini leyo, ubase ngalaa mfanekiso ka-Ashera uwunqunqileyo.”
27. UGidiyon wathatha amadoda alishumi kwizicaka zakhe, wenza ngokomlomo kaNdikhoyo. Lo msebenzi ke wawenza ngobusuku, kuba esoyika amawabo nabamelwana.
28. Bavuka ngentsasa elandelayo abantu baloo lali: nâlo iqonga likaBhali lidiliziwe, nomfanekiso ka-Ashera unqunqiwe, kwaza kwenziwa idini ngenkunzi yenkomo yesibini kwelo qonga lakhiwe kuloo ndawo!
29. Babuzana ke bathi: “Ngubani na owenze le nto?” Bawuphanda ke lo mcimbi, beva kusithiwa: “NguGidiyon unyana kaJowashe owenze le nto!”
30. Bathetha noJowashe ke, bathi: “Mkhuphe unyana wakho, simbulale! Udilize iqonga likaBhali, wawunqunqa umfanekiso ka-Ashera obungakulo.”
31. UJowashe wathi kuloo madoda ayemrharhamela: “Kanti ngoku seningakuBhali? Nini abamkhuselayo? Wonke umntu ongakuBhali uza kufa kungekasi. Ukuba uBhali nguthixo makazilwele; kaloku kudilizwe iqonga lakhe.”