8 UJehova wasesithi kuJoshuwa: “Ungabesabi+ ngoba bonke sengibanikele esandleni sakho.+ Akula loyedwa wabo ozamelana lawe.”+ 9 UJoshuwa lamabutho akhe basuka eGiligali bahamba ubusuku bonke, batheleka kubo besalibele. 10 UJehova wabaphithanisa amakhanda phambi kwama-Israyeli.+ Ngakho ama-Israyeli abulala abanengi kakhulu eGibhiyoni, axotshana labo emqansweni weBhethi-horoni ebabulala umango wonke baze bayafika e-Azekha leMakheda. 11 Bathe besabaleka besehla ngomgwaqo weBhethi-horoni uJehova wabehlisela isiqhotho esikhulu kwaze kwayafika e-Azekha, bafa baphela bonke. Isiqhotho sabulala abantu abanengi kakhulu ukwedlula labo ababulawa ngabako-Israyeli ngenkemba.

12 UJehova wawatshaya wawabhuqa ama-Amori phambi kwabako-Israyeli. Kungalelolanga lapho uJoshuwa akhuluma khona loJehova phambi kwabako-Israyeli wathi:

“Langa, mana mpo+ phezu kweGibhiyoni!+

Lawe nyanga, ume phezu kwesigodi se-Ayijaloni!”

13 Ngakho ilanga lama mpo lenyanga kayizange itshede, abako-Israyeli baze baphindisela ezitheni zabo. Ilanga lama phakathi laphakathi kwesibhakabhaka, laqhubeka likhanya esibhakabhakeni okosuku lonke. Konke lokhu kubhaliwe ebhukwini likaJashari.+ 14 Alukaze lube khona usuku olunjalo ngoba mhlalokho uJehova walalela ayekutshelwe ngumuntu,+ into ayengakaze ayenze futhi angazange aphinde ayenze. UJehova wayebalwela sibili abako-Israyeli!+

20 Ngakho uDavida wasuka waya eBhali-pherazimi wafika wawabulala amaFilisti wasesithi: “UJehova uhambe phambi kwami wazehlula izitha zami,+ kwaba angathi ngamanzi ediliza umduli.” Yikho wabiza indawo leyo ngokuthi yiBhali-pherazimi.*+

10 UDavida wasebuza uNkulunkulu wathi: “Ngihambe yini ngiyekulwa lamaFilisti? Uzawanikela yini esandleni sami?” UJehova wasesithi kuye: “Hamba, ngizawanikela esandleni sakho.”+ 11 Ngakho uDavida wasuka waya eBhali-pherazimi+ wafika wawabulala amaFilisti wasesithi: “UNkulunkulu weqiniso uhambe phambi kwami wazehlula izitha zami, kwaba angathi ngamanzi ediliza umduli.” Yikho babiza indawo leyo ngokuthi yiBhali-pherazimi.* 12 AmaFilisti alahlela onkulunkulu bawo khonapho, uDavida wasesithi kabatshiswe ngomlilo.+

13 Ngemva kwesikhathi amaFilisti aphinda ahlasela esigodini seRefayimi.+ 14 UDavida waphinda wabuza kuNkulunkulu weqiniso, yena wamphendula wathi: “Ungathutshi phambi kwawo kodwa bhoda uye ngemva kwawo, ubusuwahlasela phambi kwezihlahla zamabhakha.+ 15 Nxa ungezwa izisinde ezingathi ngezamabutho ahambayo zizwakalela phezu kwezihlahla zamabhakha, uhle uwahlasele amaFilisti ngoba uNkulunkulu weqiniso uyabe ehamba phambi kwakho ewabulala.”+ 16 UDavida wenza khona kanye ayekutshelwe nguNkulunkulu weqiniso.+ Ngakho bawabulala amaFilisti kusukela eGibhiyoni kwaze kwayafika eGezeri.+