¹ Abantu bakwa Israeli bacitile ifyali ifyabubi mu menso yakwa Yahweh, elo alibapele muminwe yabena Midian pamyaka cine lubali. ² Amaka yakwa Midian yacushishe Israeli. Pmulandu wakwa Midiani, abantu bakwa Isareli baiipangile umwakwikala abene ukufuma muncengo sha mumpili, incengo, elo nomobashintilile. ³ Icalicitika cakwebati inshia yonse iyo abena Israeli babyala imbuto, abena Midiani nabena Amaleki nabantu abalefuma kukabanga balikwisa mukusansa abena Israeli. ⁴ Balikubika nabashilika babo mucalo nokubonawila ifyo balikulima, ukufikafye naku Gasa. Tabalikusha nefilyo mu Israeli, nangu nimpanga nangula ingombe nangu bapunda. ⁵ Ulo lonse baleisa nefitekwa fyabo elo nama tenti, balikwisa ngamakanta mu bwingi, elo calikuba icayafya ukupenda nangufye bantu nangu ingamali shabo. Balikwandalila icalo pakuti bengacolaula. ⁶ Midian apwishishe abena Israeli amaka icibi calengele abena Israeli ukulilila kuli Yahweh. ⁷ Uluntu abantu bakwa Israeli balilile kuli Yahweh pamulandu wakwa Midian, ⁸ Yahweh atumine kasesema kubantu bakwa Israeli. Kasesema alandile kulibo atiu, ''fi efyo Yahweh, Lesa wakwa Israeli alanda: 'Namifunishe mulya mu Egypto; naliminfunishe mulya mu nganda ya busha. ⁹ Nalimipuswishe ukufuma muminwe yabena Egypto, nokwisakumifumya muminwe yabonse abalikumicusha. Nalibafumishe nakucinso cenu, namipele necalo cabo. ¹⁰ Nalimyebele ukwebati, ''Ninebo Yahweh Lesa wenu; nalimikonkomeshe ukukanapepa tulesa twabena Amore, abo muleikalila mucalo cabo.'' Nomba mwebo tamwaumfwile kwishiwi lyandi.''' ¹¹ Nomba malaika wakwa Yahweh alishile nokwikala mwisamba lya Oaki mu Ofera, uwaliwakwa Yoashi (umwina Abiesere), ninshi Gideon, umwana mwaume wakwa Yoashi, alepatulula ingano mukupuma panshi, mucakukaminamo imyangashi--kukucifisa ukufuma kubena Midan. ¹² Malaika wakwa Yahweh alimonekele kuliye nokulanda kuliye ati, ''Yahweh alina webo, wempalume yabulamba!'' ¹³ Gideon alandile kuliye ati, ''Yangu, mweshikulu wandi, nga Yahweh alinafwebo, nindo ifi fyonse filecitikila kuli fwebo? Filikwisa fyonse ifyafisungusho ifya milimo yakwe ifyo bashifwe baletwebapo, uluntu balikulanda ati, 'Bushe te Yahweh atuletele ukufuma ku Egypto?' Lelo nomba Yahweh acitulekelesha nokupela fwebo muminwe yabena Midiani.'' ¹⁴ Yahweh aloleshe paliye nokulanda ati, ''Kabiye mumaka ayowakwatila calimo. Pususha Israeli ukufuma mumaka tyakwa Midiani. Bushe nshikutumine?'' ¹⁵ Gideon alandile kuliye ati, ''Napapata shikulu, kuti napususha shani Israeli? Moneni, ulupwa lwandi elwatompokesha muli Manase, elo nanebo ninebo nacepesha mu ng'anda yakwa tata.'' ¹⁶ Yahweh alandile kuliye ati, ''Nebo nkesakuba nobe, elo ukes kucimfya ifita fyonse ifya bena Midiani ngo muntu umo.'' ¹⁷ Gideon alandile kuliye ati, ''ngaccakwebati webo ulintemenwe, knshi mpela icishibilo icakwebati niwebo ukulanda nanebo. ¹⁸ Napapata, witelapo pano, npaka mbwele kuliwe nokuleta icabupe candi nokuciteka kucinso cobe. ''Yahweh epakwebati, ''Nalakupembela mpaka ubweluluke.'' ¹⁹ Gideon aile nokupekanya akana kambushi nokufuma kucipimo ca Efa wabunga apangileko umukate iishatutumuka. Alibikile inama muli basgiketi, elo abikile umuto mumpoto nokufileta kuliye mwisamba lya cimuti camu Oaki, nokumupalamikila. ²⁰ Malaika wakwa Lesa alandile kuliye ati, ''Bula inama nemikate iishitutumuka ufibike pali ici cilibwe, elo witulwilepo nomuto palifyo.'' Ifyo efyo Gideon acitile. ²¹ Eluntu malaika wakwa Yahweh atambikishe imela yankonto iyali mu minwe yakwe. kuli iyi akumishemo inama mumikate iishitutumuka; umulilo walimine ukufuma mucilibwe nokoca inama nemikate iishitutumuka. Eluntu malaika wakwa Yahweh afuminepo elo na Gideon tamubwene nakabili. ²² Gideon alishilekwishiba ukwebati uyu aciba nimalaika wakwa Yahweh. Gideon alilandile ati, ''Iyee, mweshikulu Yahweh! pantu nimbona amenso namenso!'' ²³ Yahweh alandile kuliye ati, ''Umutende ube nawebo! witina, tawafwe.'' ²⁴ Eico Gideon akulile ubulambo kulya kuli Yahweh. Alicinikile ati, ''Yahweh mutende.'' ukufika kuli buno bushiku cicili icaiminina mu Ofera wamukowa wabena Abiesere. ²⁵ Bulya bwine bushiku Yahweh alilandile kuliye ati, ''Abula ingombe yakwa wiso iilume, ne ng'ombe iilume iyakonkapo iya myaka cine lubali, elo utobolole nobulambo bwakwa Baali ubwaba bwakwa wiso, nokuputaula Ashera uwaba lubali lwaciko, ²⁶ kuula ubulambo kuli Yahweh Lesa obe pamulu wacakushinamo, nokucikula mumusango uwabune. Bikapo neng'obe yabubili ngobupe bwaca koca, obemfye inkuni ukufma kuli Ashere untu waputawile.'' ²⁷ Eico Gideon apitile ababomfi bakwe ikumi nokucita ifyo Yahweh amwebele. Nomba pantu aletina sana abaunganda yakwa wishi nabaume bamumushi ukucita ic akasuba, acitile ubushiku. ²⁸ Muliucelo mabaume ba mumushi baalamukile, ubulambo bwakwa Baali nabubongoloka, na Ashere uwali lubali aliputawilwemo, ne ng'ombe yabubili iilume alibikile pabulabo ubo ubwakulilwe. ²⁹ Abaume bamu mushi balanshenye umo nomunankwe nokwebati, ''Gedion umwana mwaume wakwa Yoashi eucitile ici cintu.'' ³⁰ Eluntu abame bamumushi baebele Yoashi ati, ''Leta kuno umwana obe umwaume pakwebati epaiwe, pantu natoba ubulambo bwakwa Baali, elo kabili naputaula Ashere kulubali lwaici.'' ³¹ Yoashi alandile kuli bonse abamwiminine ati, ''Bushe nimwebo mulelubulwila Baali? Bushe nimwebo mulemupususha? Onse uulemulubulwila akepaiwa ulucelo. Ngacakwebati Baali mulungu, lekeni umwine aipokolole ulo umo atobolola ubulambo bwakwe.'' ³² Eico pali ubu bushiku bakutile Gideon ati, ''Yelubi Baali,'' pantu alandile ati, ''Leka Baali aipokolole umwine.'' Pantu Gideon abongolwele ubulambo bwakwa Baali. ³³ Nomba bonse abena Midian nabena Amaleki, nabantu bakukabanga akolongene capomo. Batapukile nomulonga wa Yordan nokucita lubali mumupokapoka wa Yesreeli. ³⁴ Lelo umupahsi wakwa Yahweh walishile pali Gideon. Gideon aliishishe ipenga, kukwita abena Abiesere, pakuti bengamukonka. ³⁵ Alitumine intumi monse mubena Manase, nabena balikutilwe nokumukonka. Alitumine nentumi nakokwine kuli Asha, Zebuluni, nakuli Naftali, nabo balile kukumukumanya. ³⁶ Gideon alandile kuli Lesa ati, ''Ngacakwebati mukabomfya nebo mukupususha Israeli, ngefyo mwalandile- ³⁷ Moneni, nebo nebika umukana wamasako yambushi palubansa lwakusokwelapo. ngacakwebati paleba umume pankama, elo napa mushili ponse pauma, eluntu ndeishiba ukwebati mulembofya mukupususha Israeli, ngefyomwalandile.'' ³⁸ Ifi efyacitikile-aimine ulucelo lwa konkelepo, afinine umukama capamo, nokufumyamo mumukama wa masako yampanga umume, uwalinga uwingesula ibakuli lya menshi. ³⁹ Eluntu Gideon alandile kuli Lesa ati, ''Mwimfulilwa, nalalandafye umuku umo. Napapata nsumunisheni ukweshafye ukubomfya umukana. Ino nshita lengeni pamukana pome, elo lekeni pampanga ponse pabe umume.'' ⁴⁰ Lesa acitile ifyo aipwishe bulya bushiku, umukama walyumine, elo pali umume pampanga yonse iyashingulukako.