17. Khumbulani kaloku, utata wanilwela. Ubomi bakhe wabubeka esichengeni enihlangula kumaMidiyan.
18. Kodwa ke namhlanje niyivukele inzala kabawo. Nibabulele oonyana bakhe, amashumi asixhenxe onke, phezu kwelitye elinye. Nithe uAbhimeleki unyana awamfumana enkazaneni ezalana nani, namenza ukumkani waseShekem.
19. Kambe ke ukuba esi senzo senu sinenyani saye simsulwa, yonwabisanani noAbhimeleki.
20. Ukuba ke akunjalo, ngamana angadangazela umlilo uAbhimeleki, abatshise abemi baseShekem nabaseBhete-milo; ngamana nabemi baseShekem nabaseBhete-milo bangamlenya ngomlilo noAbhimeleki.”
21. Wathi ke, kuba emoyika umntakwabo uAbhimeleki, wasuka wabaleka uYotam, waya kuhlala eBhere.
22. Ke uAbhimeleki wabamba iintambo iminyaka emithathu kwaSirayeli.
23. UThixo wadala umoya ombi phakathi koAbhimeleki nabemi baseShekem, baza bona benza ubuqhetseba ngakuAbhimeleki.
24. Le nto ke yenzeka ukuze uAbhimeleki nabemi baseShekem abamkhuthazileyo ekugwinteni amashumi asixhenxe oonyana bakaJerubhali, bajike badliwe yinja yabo.
25. Abemi baseShekem bafuna abantu, bababeka ezintabeni, ukuze balalele uAbhimeleki; suka bona baphanga wonke umntu ogqithayo. Ke uAbhimeleki wayixelelwa yonke le nto.
26. Ke kaloku kwafika uGali unyana kaEbhede eShekem enabantakwabo. Abemi baseShekem ke babethembele kuye.
27. Baphuma ke baya kukha iidiliya ezidiliyeni zabo, baza baxovula benza iwayini, babhiyoza. Baphuma baya kwindlu yesithixo sabo, batya basela bamqalekisa uAbhimeleki.
28. Wathi uGali unyana kaEbhede: “Xa engubani yena uAbhimeleki inzala kaShekem, ukuba sibe phantsi kwakhe? Akanyana kaJerubhali na? AsinguZebhule na ihlakani lakhe? Hayi bo! Masibuse amadoda akwaHamori usoShekem!
29. Akwaba ibindim okhokela esi sizwe; bendiya kumsusa uAbhimeleki lo! Bendiya kumxelela ndithi: ‘Mawube ngathi uyaqina umkhosi wakho, uphume, khe sidibane.’ ”
30. Akuyiva into ethethwe nguGali wacaphuka uZebhule usibonda weso sixeko.