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.’
15. Kodwa ke wona wathi: ‘Xa ngaba nizimisele ngenene ukundithambisa ndibe ngukumkani wenu, yizani kuzikhusela emthunzini wam; kungenjalo ke makuvele umlilo kula meva am, uyitshise imisedare yaseLebhanon.’ ”
16. Waqhuba wathi ke uYotam: “Ngaba niyenze ngokunyaniseka na into yokummisela uAbhimeleki abe ngukumkani wenu? Ngaba nenziwe kukumxabisa nokumhlonipha uJerubhali? Ngaba esi senzo nisenza kwinzala yakhe siyifanele na imisebenzi yakhe?
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.