¹ Bantu ba Izilayeli bakachita bubi mumenso a Jehova, alimwi wakabaaba mujanza lyaba Midiyani kwamyaaka iili musanu ayibili. ² Nguzu zyaba Midiyani zyakadyamizya Izilayeli, akambo kaba Midiyani, bantu ba Izilayeli bakalipangila misasa kuzwa kumapako mutulundu, mumalyango abasinguzu. ³ Chakachitika nkuti kufumbwa chiindi ba Izilayeli mpubakali kuzikkila zilimwa zyabo, ba Midiyani aba Ameleki abantu bazwa kujwe bakali kulwiisya ba Izilayeli. ⁴ Balikubamba basilumamba babo anyika akunyonyoona zilimwa zyabo, nzila yoonse kusika ku Gaza. Tebalikusiya chakulya pe mu Izilayeli, nikuba mbelele niziba ng'ombe niziba mbongolo. ⁵ Kufumbwa ooko lwabo azivuubwa zyabo azilawu zyabo mpozibede, balikuza mbuli bbomu lyansozi, alimwi tekwakali kukonzeka kubala nikuba kuchitila kuti bayinyonyoone. ⁶ Midiyani wakazunda ba Izilayeli kapati kwakuti bantu ba Izilayeli bakoongolola kuli Jehova. ⁷ Bantu ba Izilayeli nibakoongolola kuli Jehova akambo kaba Midiyani, ⁸ Jehova wakatuma musinsimi kubantu ba Izilayeli. Musinsimi wakamba kuti kulimbabo, ''Ncheechi Jehova, Leza wa Izilayeli, nchawamba; 'Ndakamugwisya kuzwa mu Ijiputi; Ndakamugwisya kuzwa mung'anda yabuzike. ⁹ Ndakamuvuna kuzwa kujanza lyaba Ijiputi, alimwi kuzwa kujanza lyaboonse abo bali kumudyaamizya. Ndakabatanda kunembo lyanu, alimwi ndakamupa nyika yabo. ¹⁰ Ndakaamba kuti kuli ndinywwe, ''Ndime Jehova Leza wanu; Ndakamulayilila kutakomba baleza baba Amoli, balaanyika njimukkede.'' Pesi temwakaswilila ijwi lyangu.''' ¹¹ Lino angelo wa Jehova wakeza akuzokkala ansi lyamunsamu wamubanga mu Ofila, wakali wa Jowasyi (mu Abbiyezi), eelyo Gidiyoni, mwana mulombe wa Jowasyi, wakali kuuma wiiti mung'anda, muzikandilo - kusisa ba Midiyani. ¹² Mungelo wa Jehova wakaboneka kulinguwe akwaamba kuti kulinguwe, ''Jehova ulanduwe, silumamba mukozu!'' ¹³ Gidiyoni wakaamba kuti kuli nguwe, ''Ikaaka, simalelo wangu, naa Jehova ulaswebo, nkamboonzi zyonseezi nizyachitika kuli ndiswe? Zilikuli nchito zigambya ezyo bamataatesu nzibaka tulwiida nzizyo, nibakali kuti, ''Tewakatugwisya na Jehova kuzwa mu Ijiputi?'Pesi lino Jehova watutakata akutwaaba mujanza lyaba Midiyani.'' ¹⁴ Jehova wakamulanga akwaamba kuti, ''Koya munguzu nzolazyo kale. Kapozye Izilayeli kuzwa kujanza lyaba Midiyani. Sena nsikutumide? ¹⁵ Gidiyoni wakaamba kuti kulinguwe, ''Ndakomba, Mwami, ndilipozya biyeni Izilayeli? Bona, mukowa wangu muniini loko muli Manase, alimwi imebo tandikwepe nchindibede mung'anda yataata.''' ¹⁶ Jehova wakati kuli nguwe, ''Ndiyoba anduwe, alimwi uyozunda basilumamba boonse baba Midiya mbuli mwalumi omwe.'' ¹⁷ Gidiyoni wakati kuli nguwe, ''Naa ulikondedwe andime, undipe chitondezyo kuti nduwe oyo ulikwaambula kuli ndime. ¹⁸ Weenche, utazwi aano, kusikila ndize kuli nduwe ndilete chipo changu akuchibika kunembo lyako.'' Jehova wakaamba kuti, ''Ndiyolindila kusikila ukaboole.'' ¹⁹ Gidiyoni wakinka akubamba kapongo ankankamanza yabusu bunante achinkwa chitakwe bumena. Wakabika nyama muchizuma, alimwi wakabikka musinza mumpoto akuzileta kuli nguwe munsi lyamunsamu mubanga akuzipeda. ²⁰ Mungelo wa Leza wakati kuli nguwe, ''Bweza nyama achinkwa chitakwe bumena akuzibika aabbwe eeli, alimwi utile musinza alinzizyo.'' Ezyo Gidiyoni nzyakachita. ²¹ Mpawo mungelo wa Jehova wakasompokela wakagumya kumamanino kwamusako wakali mujanza lyakwe. Anguwe wakaguma nyama achinkwa chitakwe bumena; mulilo wakazwa kuzwa mubbwe akulya nyama achinkwa chitakwe bumena. Mpawo mungelo wa Jehova wakeenda mpawo Gidiyoni takachili kumubona lubo pe. ²² Gidiyoni wakaziba kuti oyu wali mungelo wa Jehova. Gidiyoni wakati, ''Akaaka, mwami Jehova! Nkambo ndabona mungelo wa Jehova kubusyu akubusyu!'' ²³ Jehova wakati kulinguwe, ''Lumuno kulinduwe! Utayoowi, tokoofwa pe.'' ²⁴ Aboobo Gidiyoni wakayaka chipayililo awo kuli Jehova. Wakachuulika kuti, ''Jehova ngu Luumuno.'' Kusikila asunu chichiimvwiku Ofula kumukowa wa Abbiyeza. ²⁵ Mubusiku obo Jehova wakaamba kuti kulinguwe, ''Bweza sipule wang'ombe wawuso, alimwi asipule wabili ulamyaaka ilimusanu ayibili, alimwi wandula chipayililo cha Bbaala chawuso, akugonka Asyela ulikumbali lyacho. ²⁶ Uyake chipayililo kuli Jehova Leza wako aatala abusena obuno bwakuyubila, alimwi uchiyake munzila ilinjenjiyo. Payila sipule wang'ombe wabili mbuli chipayililo chakutenta, kubelesya nkuni zizwa kuli Asyela ngwagonkweeda ansi.''' ²⁷ Aboobo Gidiyoni wakabweza kkumi lyabalanda bakwe akuchita mbubonya Jehova mbwakamwambila. Pesi akambo kakuyoowa kapati bang'anda yawisi abaalumi bamudolopo kuti azichite sikati, wakazichita mansiku. ²⁸ Chifumo baalumi bamudolopo nibakabuka, chipayililo chaBbaala chakali mwaywiidwe ansi, alimwi Asyela wakali kumbali lyacho wakali wagonkelwa aansi, alimwi sipule wang'ombe wabili wakali wapayililwa achipayililo echo chakali chayakwa. ²⁹ Baalumi bamumuunzi bakati kuli umwi awumwi, ''Ngwani wachita eechi?'' Nibakaambuula abamwi akuyanduula nsandulo, bakamba kuti, ''Gidiyoni mwana mulombe wa Jowasyi nguwachita echi chintu.'' ³⁰ Mpawo ibaalumi bamudolopo bakati kuli Jowasyi, ''Koyeta mwana wako mulombe kuti ajiigwe, nkambo wamwaya chipayililo cha Bbaala, alimwi akambo kakuti wagonkweda ansi Asyela wali kumbali lyacho.'' ³¹ Jowasyi wakati kuli baabo balikumukazya, ''Sena muyoyiminina mulandu wa Bbaala? Sena muyomubelekela? Kufumbwa uyoyiminina mulandu wakwe, mumuleke ajiigwe ndilyonya kakuchili chifumo. Naa Bbaala ngu Leza, mumuleke alyiminine umwi namwaya chipayililo chakwe.'' ³² Nkinkaako mubuzuba obo bakawulika Gidiyoni ''Jelubbu Bbaala,'' nkambo wakati, ''Muleke Bbaala alyiminine kuli oyo umulwisya,'' nkambo Gidiyoni wakamwayila ansi chipayililo cha Bbaala. ³³ Lino boonse ba Midiya, ba Ameleki, alimwi abantu bakujwe bakabungana antomwe. Bakazubuka Jolodani akukkala mumusena wa Jezili. ³⁴ Pesi Muuya wa Jehova wakeza ali Gidiyoni. Gidiyoni wakasiba mweembo, kayita mukowa wa Abbiyezeli, kuti bamutobele. ³⁵ Wakatumina batumwa kuli Manase yoonse, alimwi ambabo, bakiitwa kuti bamutobele. Wakatuma alimwi batumwa kuli Asya, Zebbuloni, antomwe a Nefutali, alimwi bakeenda kukuyomuchinga. ³⁶ Gidiyoni wakamba kuti kuli Leza, ''Naa wayanda kubelesya ndime kukufutula Izilayeli, mbuli mbwakaamba -- ³⁷ Langa, ndabikka boya bwambeelele alubuwa lwakupolela. Naa kulaba muume biyo aboya bwambelele alimwi kakuyumide aanyika yoonse, elyo iyoziba kuti uyobelesya ndime kufutula Izilayeli, mbuli mbwawamba.'' ³⁸ 'Ncheechi chakachitika -- Gidiyoni wakabuka chifumo chakatobela, wakavunga boya bwambelele antomwe, alimwiwakadina muume kuzwa kuboya bwambelele, lwalikuzuzya mumutiba amanzi. ³⁹ Mpawo Gidiyoni wakati kuli Leza, ''Utakandinyemeni, ndiyowambuula alimwi lumwi. Weenche ndizumizye ndikakweezye lumwi aboya bwambelele. Kwalino kachite kuti boya bwambelele bukayume, alimwi ukaleke kukabe muume anyika yoonse ibuzyungulukide.'' ⁴⁰ Leza wakachita echo nchakalomba kubusiku oobo. Boya bwambelele bwakali buyumu, alimwi kwakali muume anyika yoonse ibuzyungulukide.