1. Unyana kaJerubhali uAbhimeleki waya eShekem kooninalume, wafika wathetha nabo nemizalwana yonke yendlu kayise nonina, wathi:
2. “Khanithethe nabemi baseShekem xa bebonke, nithi: ‘Nikhetha ntoni na: kukho ukuphathwa ngabo bonke oonyana bakaJerubhali abangamashumi asixhenxe, okanye ukulawulwa nguye abe mnye?’ Khumbulani ukuba ndingumntakwenu.”
3. Ooninalume ke bamthethelela kubemi baseShekem, baza ke nabo bavuma, kuba babesithi: “Ngumntakwethu.”
4. Bamnika amashumi asixhenxe eesiliva ababeyithathe endlwini ekunqulelwa kuyo uBhali womnqophiso, waza yena waqesha ngayo iindlavini ukuba zibe ngamahlakani akhe.
5. Waya nazo kowabo eOfra, waza ke wababulala bonke oonyana bakayise, ebabulalela phezu kwelitye elinye. Kambe ke yona inci kaJerubhali uYotam yazimela yaza yasinda.
6. Baphuma ke abemi baseShekem nabo bonke abaseBhete-milo, bahlanganisana baya kumthi omkhulu wom-oki oseShekem, bammisela khona uAbhimeleki waba ngukumkani wabo.
7. Akuyiva le nto uYotam waqabela kwintaba iGerizim, wakhwaza wathi: “Inzwi! Ndiphulaphuleni, maShekem! NoThixo mhlawumbi anganiphulaphula!
8. Imithi yazimisela ukuzithambisela ukumkani. Yathetha nomnquma, yathi: ‘Yiba ngukumkani wethu.’
9. Ke wona waphendula wathi: ‘Ngaba nifuna ndiyeke ngoku ukuvelisa amafutha abadunyiswa ngawo uThixo nabantu, khon' ukuze ndiyongamele eminye imithi?’
10. Yaza ke imithi yathetha nomkhiwane, yathi kuwo: ‘Yiza ube ngukumkani wethu.’
11. Ke wona waphendula wathi: ‘Ngaba nifuna ndiyeke ukuvelisa ezi ziqhamo zimnandi kunene, khon' ukuze ndiyongamele eminye imithi?’
12. Yaza ke ngoku imithi yathi kumdiliya: ‘Yiba ngukumkani wethu.’
13. Wona ke wathi: ‘Ngaba nifuna ndiyeke ukuvelisa iwayini le yonwabisa uThixo nabantu, khon' ukuze ndiyongamele eminye imithi?’
14. Ngoku ke imithi yabhekisa kumnga, yathi: ‘Yiba ngukumkani wethu.’