Beginning

Gideoni

6 Aisraeli anachitanso zinthu zoyipira Yehova, choncho Yehova anawapereka mʼmanja mwa Amidiyani kwa zaka zisanu ndi ziwiri. ² Amidiyani anapondereza Aisraeli. Tsono chifukwa cha Amidiyaniwa, Aisraeli anakonza malo obisalamo mʼmapiri ndi mʼmapanga. Anamanganso malinga. ³ Aisraeli amati akadzala mbewu, Amidiyani, Aamaleki ndi anthu ena akummawa amabwera ndi kudzawathira nkhondo. ⁴ Iwo anamanga misasa mʼdzikomo ndi kuwononga zokolola zawo zonse mpaka ku Gaza, ndipo sanawasiyireko chamoyo chilichonse Aisraeliwo, kaya nkhosa kapena ngʼombe ndi bulu yemwe. ⁵ Iwo ankabwera ndi zoweta zawo ndi matenti awo omwe. Ankabwera ambiri ngati dzombe, motero kuti kunali kovuta kuwawerenga anthuwo ndi ngamira zawo. Tsono iwo ankabwera ndi kuwononga dziko lonse. ⁶ Aisraeli anasauka chifukwa cha Amidiyani ndipo analirira kwa Yehova kuti awathandize.

⁷ Pamene Aisraeli analirira kwa Yehova chifukwa cha Amidiyaniwo, ⁸ Iye anawatumizira mneneri amene anati, “Yehova Mulungu wa Israeli akuti, ‘Ndine amene ndinakutsogolerani kuchokera ku Igupto. Ndinakutulutsani mʼdziko la ukapolo. ⁹ Ine ndinakupulumutsani ku ulamuliro wa Igupto komanso mʼmanja mwa amene amakuzunzani. Ndinawathamangitsa adani anu inu mukufika, ndikukupatsani dziko lawo.’ ¹⁰ Ndipo ndinakuwuzani kuti, ‘Ine ndine Yehova Mulungu wanu; musapembedze Milungu ya Aamori amene mukukhala mʼdziko lawo.’ Koma inu simunandimvere.”

¹¹ Tsiku lina mngelo wa Yehova anabwera ku Ofura ndi kukhala pansi pa tsinde pa mtengo wa thundu umene unali wa Yowasi Mwabiezeri. Tsono Gideoni, mwana wake nʼkuti pa nthawiyo akupuntha tirigu mʼmalo ofinyira mphesa mowabisalira Amidiyani. ¹² Tsono mngelo wa Yehova uja anamuonekera Gideoni nati kwa iye, “Yehova ali nawe, iwe munthu wamphamvu ndi wolimba mtima.”

¹³ Gideoni anayankha, “Koma mbuye wanga, ngati Yehova ali nafedi, nʼchifukwa chiyani zonsezi zationekera? Nanga ntchito zake zodabwitsa zimene makolo athu anatiwuza pamene anati, ‘Yehova anatitulutsa ku dziko la Igupto,’ zili kuti? Koma tsopano Yehova watitaya ndi kutipereka mʼmanja mwa Amidiyani.”

¹⁴ Yehova anamuyangʼana namuwuza kuti, “Pita ndi mphamvu zomwe uli nazo, ukapulumutse Aisraeli mʼmanja mwa Amidiyani. Kodi si ndine amene ndakutuma?”

¹⁵ Koma Gideoni anafunsa kuti, “Kodi Ambuye anga ine ndingapulumutse bwanji Israeli? Mbumba yanga ndi yopanda mphamvu mu fuko la Manase, ndiponso ine ndine wamngʼono kwambiri mʼbanja mwa abambo anga.”

¹⁶ Yehova anamuyankha kuti, “Ine ndidzakhala nawe, ndipo Amidiyaniwo udzawagonjetsa ngati munthu mmodzi.”

¹⁷ Gideoni anati, “Ngati tsopano mwandikomera mtima, ndionetseni chizindikiro kusonyeza kuti ndinudi mukuyankhula ndi ine. ¹⁸ Chonde musachoke msanga mpaka nditabwerera kwa inu ndi chopereka changa cha chakudya kudzachipereka kwa inu.”

Ndipo Yehova anamuwuza kuti, “Ine ndikudikira mpaka utabweranso.”

¹⁹ Gideoni analowa mʼnyumba, ndipo anakakonza mwana wambuzi, nakonzanso makeke wopanda yisiti a ufa wa makilogalamu khumi. Nayika nyamayo mʼdengu ndipo msuzi wake anawuthira mu mʼphika. Anabwera nazo ndi kukazipereka kwa mngelo uja pa tsinde pa mtengo wa thundu paja.

²⁰ Mngelo wa Mulungu anamuwuza iye kuti, “Tenga nyamayi pamodzi ndi makekewa, uziyike pa mwala uwu ndi kuthirapo msuziwu.” Ndipo Gideoni anatero. ²¹ Mngelo wa Yehova anatenga msonga ya ndodo imene inali mʼmanja mwake nakhudza nayo nyama ndi makeke aja. Nthawi yomweyo moto unabuka pa thanthwepo ndi kupsereza nyama yonse ndi makeke aja. Ndipo mngelo wa Yehova sanaonekenso. ²² Apo Gideoni anazindikira kuti analidi mngelo wa Ambuye, ndipo anati, “Kalanga ine Yehova Wamphamvuzonse! Ine ndaona mngelo wa Yehova ndi maso!”

²³ Koma Yehova anamuwuza kuti, “Mtendere ukhale ndi iwe! Usachite mantha, sufa ayi.”

²⁴ Choncho Gideoni anamanga guwa lansembe la Yehova pamenepo ndipo analitcha kuti, Yehova ndiye mtendere. Kufikira lero lino guwali lilipo ku Ofura wa Mwabiezeri.

²⁵ Usiku womwewo Yehova anati kwa Gideoni, “Tenga ngʼombe ya mphongo ya abambo ako, ngʼombe ina yachiwiri ya zaka zisanu ndi ziwiri ndipo ugwetse guwa la Baala limene abambo ako ali nalo, ndi kugwetsanso fano la Asera limene lili pafupi pake. ²⁶ Kenaka umangire Yehova Mulungu wako guwa lansembe ndi miyala yoyala bwino pamwamba pa chiwunda chimenecho. Utenge ngʼombe ya mphongo yachiwiri ija ndipo uyipereke ngati nsembe yopsereza pogwiritsa ntchito mitengo ya fano la Asera imene udule ngati nkhunizo.”

²⁷ Choncho Gideoni anatenga antchito ake khumi nachita monga Yehova anamuwuzira. Ndipo popeza ankaopa anthu a pa banja lake ndiponso anthu a mʼmudzimo sanachite zimenezi masana koma usiku.

²⁸ Anthu a mu mzindamo atadzuka mʼmamawa anangoona guwa la Baala litagwetsedwa ndi fano la Asera limene linali pamwamba pake litadulidwa ndiponso ngʼombe yamphongo yachiwiri ija itaperekedwa ngati nsembe yopsereza pa guwa limene linamangidwa lija.

²⁹ Iwo anafunsana wina ndi mnzake, “Wachita zimenezi ndani?”

Atafufuza ndi kufunsafunsa, analingalira kuti, “Gideoni mwana wa Yowasi ndiye wachita zimenezi.”

³⁰ Ndipo anthuwo anawuza Yowasi kuti, “Tulutsa mwana wako, ayenera kufa chifukwa wagumula guwa lansembe la Baala ndipo wadula fano la Asera lomwe linali pamwamba pake.”

³¹ Koma Yowasi anawuza anthu amene anamuzungulirawo kuti, “Kodi inu mukuti mukhale woyankhulira Baala mlandu? Kodi ndinu amene mukuti mumupulumutse? Amene akufuna kumumenyera nkhondo Baala akhala atafa pofika mmawa! Ngati Baalayo ndi mulungudi, musiyeni adzimenyere yekha nkhondo popeza munthu wina wamugwetsera guwa lansembe lake.” ³² Choncho tsiku limenelo Gideoni anatchedwa, Yeru-Baala, kutanthauza kuti, “Baala alimbana naye, popeza anagwetsa guwa lake la nsembe.”

³³ Tsopano Amidiyani, Amaleki ndi anthu ena akummawa anasonkhana ndipo atawoloka Yorodani anakamanga zinthando za nkhondo ku chigwa cha Yezireeli. ³⁴ Ndipo Mzimu wa Yehova unatsikira pa Gideoni, ndipo anayimba lipenga kuyitana Abiezeri kuti amutsatire iye. ³⁵ Iye anatumiza amithenga mʼdziko lonse la Manase kuti akamenye nkhondo ndipo Amanase anayitanidwanso kuti amutsate. Anatumanso amithenga kwa Aseri, Azebuloni ndi Anafutali, ndipo onsewo anapita kukakumana naye.

³⁶ Gideoni anati kwa Mulungu, “Ngati mudzapulumutsa Israeli ndi dzanja langa monga mwalonjezeramu, ³⁷ onani, ine ndiyala ubweya wankhosa pa malo opunthira tirigu. Ngati mame adzagwera pa ubweya wankhosa pokhapa, pa nthaka ponse pakhala powuma, ndiye ndidziwa kuti mudzapulumutsadi Israeli ndi dzanja langa monga mwanenera.” ³⁸ Ndipo zimenezi zinachitikadi. Gideoni atadzuka mʼmamawa ndi kuwufinya ubweya uja, anafinya madzi odzaza mtsuko.

³⁹ Kenaka Gideoni anati kwa Mulungu, “Musandikwiyire. Mundilole ndiyankhule kamodzi kokhaka. Ndiyeseko kamodzi kokha ndi ubweyawu kuti pa ubweya pokhapa pakhale powuma koma pa nthaka ponse pakhale ponyowa ndi mame.” ⁴⁰ Ndipo Mulungu anachita zomwezo usiku umenewo. Pa ubweya pokha panali powuma, koma pa nthaka ponse panagwa mame.

Gideoni Agonjetsa Amidiyani

7 Yeru-Baala (Gideoni) ndi anthu ake onse anadzuka mʼmamawa nakamanga misasa pambali pa kasupe ku Harodi. Misasa ya Amidiyani inali mʼchigwa kumpoto kwa phiri la More. ² Yehova anati kwa Gideoni, “Anthu uli nawowa andichulukira kwambiri kuti ndigonjetse Amidiyani chifukwa Aisraeli angamadzitukumule pamaso panga ndi kumanena kuti, ‘Tadzipulumutsa ndi mphamvu zathu.’ ³ Tsono lengeza kwa anthu kuti, ‘Aliyense amene akuchita mantha ndi kunjenjemera abwerere kwawo, ndipo achoke kuno ku phiri la Giliyadi.’ ” Choncho anthu 22,000 anachoka, ndipo anatsalira anthu 10,000.

⁴ Koma Yehova anawuza Gideoni kuti, “Anthuwa achulukabe. Uwatenge upite nawo ku mtsinje ndipo ndikawayesa kumeneko mʼmalo mwako. Ndikadzanena kuti, ‘Uyu apite nawe’ adzapita nawe; koma ndikanena kuti ‘Uyu asapite nawe,’ sadzapita nawe.”

⁵ Choncho Gideoni anatenga anthuwo ndi kupita nawo ku madzi. Kumeneko Yehova anamuwuza kuti, “Amene amwe madzi mokhathira ndi manja ngati galu uwayike pawokha, ndipo amene amwe atagwada pansi uwayikenso pawokha.” ⁶ Ndipo anthu 300 anamwa mokhathira, pamene ena onse anagwada pansi pakumwa.

⁷ Yehova anati kwa Gideoni, “Ndi anthu 300 amene anamwa madzi mokhathira ndi manja awo ndidzakupulumutsani ndipo ndidzapereka Amidiyani mʼmanja mwanu. Koma anthu ena onse apite ku nyumba kwawo.” ⁸ Choncho analola anthu ena onse kuti apite ku nyumba zawo kupatula anthu 300 osankhika aja. Iwowa anatenga zakudya ndi malipenga a anthuwo.

Ndipo misasa ya ankhondo Amidiyani inali kumunsi kwa chigwa. ⁹ Usiku umenewo Yehova anati kwa Gideoni, “Dzuka, pita kachite nkhondo ku misasayo, chifukwa ndayipereka mʼmanja mwako. ¹⁰ Ngati ukuopa, upite ku msasako ndi Pura wantchito wako, ¹¹ ndipo ukamvere zimene akunena ndipo pambuyo pake udzalimba mtima ndi kupita kukayithira nkhondo misasayo.” Choncho iye ndi wantchito wake Pura anapita kumbali ina ya msasawo kumene kunali ankhondo. ¹² Amidiyani, Aamaleki ndi anthu ena onse akummawa anadzaza chigwa chonse ngati dzombe. Ngamira zawo zinali zambiri zosawerengeka ngati mchenga wa mʼmbali mwa nyanja.

¹³ Gideoni atafika anangomva munthu wina akuwuza mnzake maloto ake kuti, “Ine ndinalota nditaona dengu la buledi wa barele likugubuduzika kupita ku misasa ya Amidiyani. Litafika linawomba tenti moti inagwa ndi kuphwasukaphwasuka.”

¹⁴ Ndipo mnzakeyo anamuyankha kuti, “Iyi ndi nkhondo ya Gideoni mwana wa Yowasi, wa ku Israeli. Mulungu wapereka Amidiyani pamodzi ndi ankhondo ake onse mʼdzanja mwake.”

¹⁵ Gideoni atamva za malotowo ndi kumasulira kwake, anapembedza Mulungu. Kenaka anabwerera ku msasa wa Israeli nawawuza kuti, “Dzukani popeza Yehova wapereka msasa wa Midiyani mʼmanja mwanu.” ¹⁶ Anawagawa anthu 300 aja magulu atatu, nawapatsa malipenga mʼmanja mwawo ndi mbiya zimene mʼkati mwake munali nsakali zoyaka.

¹⁷ Anawuza anthuwo kuti, “Muzikayangʼana ine ndi kuchita zimene ndizikachita. Ndikakafika kumalire a msasa, mukachite zomwe ndikachita ine. ¹⁸ Ndikadzaliza lipenga ndi onse amene ali ndi ine, inunso mukalize malipenga kumbali zonse za misasa yonse ndi kufuwula kuti, ‘Lupanga la Yehova ndi la Gideoni.’ ”

¹⁹ Choncho Gideoni pamodzi ndi amuna 100 omwe anali nawo anafika ku malire a msasa pakati pa usiku, alonda atangosinthana kumene. Iwo analiza malipenga awo ndi kuphwanya mbiya zimene zinali mʼmanja mwawo. ²⁰ Magulu awiri ena aja anayimbanso malipenga ndi kuswa mbiya zawo. Aliyense ananyamula nsakali ya moto ku dzanja lamanzere ndi lipenga ku dzanja lamanja ndipo anafuwula kuti, “Lupanga la Yehova ndi la Gideoni.” ²¹ Aliyense anayima pa malo pake kuzungulira misasa. Ankhondo a mʼmisasa muja anadzuka nayamba kuthawa akufuwula.

²² Anthu 300 aja ataliza malipenga, Yehova anawasokoneza ankhondo a Midiyani aja motero kuti ankamenyana okhaokha. Ankhondowo anathawira ku Beti-Sita cha ku Zerera mpaka ku malire a Abeli-Mehola pafupi ndi Tabati. ²³ Aisraeli a fuko la Nafutali, fuko la Aseri, ndi fuko lonse la Manase anayitanidwa, ndipo iwo anathamangitsa Amidiyaniwo. ²⁴ Gideoni anatumiza amithenga ku dziko lonse la ku mapiri la Efereimu kukanena kuti, “Tsikani mumenyane ndi Amidiyani ndipo mulande madooko awo owolokera mpaka ku Beti-Bara.”

Choncho anthu onse a fuko la Efereimu anasonkhana ndipo analanda madooko awo owolokera mpaka ku Betibaala. ²⁵ Iwo anagwiranso atsogoleri awiri a nkhondo a Amidiyani, Orebu ndi Zeebu. Anapha Orebu ku thanthwe la Orebu, koma Zeebu anamuphera ku malo ofinyira mphesa ku Zeebu pothamangitsa Amidiyani. Mitu ya Orebu ndi Zeebu anabwera nayo kwa Gideoni kutsidya kwa Yorodani.