Ngemva kokudosa phambili abantu bakaJehova iminyaka eminengi, uJotjhuwa wahlongakala aneminyaka eli-110. Nakusaphila uJotjhuwa, ama-Israyeli bekalotjha uJehova. Kodwana ngemva kokuhlongakala kwakhe, athoma ukulotjha iinthombe njengamaKanana. Ngebanga lokobana ama-Israyeli bekangasalaleli, uJehova wavumela uJabhini, ikosi emKanana bona ibagandelele, ibenze badose budisi. Abantu barabhela uJehova bona abasize. Ngalokho uJehova wabapha umdosi phambili omutjha, uBharaki. Nguye ebekazokusiza abantu babuyele kuJehova.

UDibhora, umphorofidikazi wanikela uBharaki umlayezo ovela kuJehova othi: ‘Thatha amadoda azii-10 000, ukhambe nawo uyokuhlangana nebutho lakaJabhini emlanjeni weKhitjhoni. Kulapho uzokuhlula khona uSisera induna kaJabhini nebutho lakhe.’ UBharaki wathi kuDibhora: ‘Ngizokukhamba kwaphela nange nawe uzokukhamba nami.’ Waphendula wathi: ‘Ngizokukhamba nawe. Kodwana kufuze wazi bona akusuwe ozokubulala uSisera. UJehova uthe uzokubulawa mfazi.’

UDibhora wakhamba noBharaki nebutho lakhe baya eNtabeni iTabori balungiselela ipi. Msinyana ngemva kokuzwa lokho, uSisera wathatha iinkoloyana zepi nebutho lakhe batjhinga emlanjeni. UDibhora wathi kuBharaki: ‘Namhlanjesi uJehova uzokwenza uhlule uSisera.’ UBharaki namadoda ebekakhamba nawo azii-10 000, behla bagijima entabeni bayokuhlangana noSisera nebutho lakhe elinamandla.

UJehova wabangela bona kube nesirhurhula esivela emlanjeni iKhitjhoni. Iinkoloyana zepi zakaSisera zabhajwa edakeni. USisera wehla ekoloyanenakhe wathoma wagijima. UBharaki nebutho lakhe bahlula ibutho lakaSisera kodwana yena wadla phasi! Wabaleka wayozifihla ngetendeni lomma igama lakhe elinguJayeli. Umma lo wapha uSisera ibisi wasela bewamembesa nangengubo. Ikakaramba ediniweko le yabanjwa buthongo. UJayeli warhaba wamnanabela wamvula ihloko ngesikhonkhwani setende, wambulala.

UBharaki wafika azokufuna uSisera. UJayeli waphuma ngetendenakhe wathi: ‘Yewungene ngaphakathi. Ngizokukhombisa indoda oyifunako.’ UBharaki wangena ngetendeni, wabona uSisera arabhalele phasi, afile. UBharaki noDibhora babhinela uJehova ngokuthi usindise ama-Israyeli emanabenawo. Iminyaka ema-40 eyalandela, ama-Israyeli aba nokuthula.

Ngesikhathi kunendlala kwa-Israyeli, uNawomi umfazi omIsrayeli wafudukela enarheni yakwaMowabi nendodakhe, namadodanakhe amabili. Nakukhamba isikhathi, indoda kaNawomi yahlongakala. Amadodanakhe atjhada uRute no-Oripa, abafazaba ngebakwaMowabi. Ngokudanisako, amadodana kaNawomi nawo ahlongakala.

UNawomi nakezwa bona indlala iphelile kwa-Israyeli, waqunta ukubuyela ekhaya. URute no-Oripa bakhamba naye kodwana kuthe nabasendleleni, uNawomi wathi kibo: ‘Nibe bafazi abahle emadodanenami, naba bomakoti abahle nakimi. Ngifuna nobabili nitjhade godu. Yeke khambani nibuyele ekhaya kwaMowabi.’ Bathi kuye: ‘Siyakuthanda! Asifuni ukukutjhiya.’ UNawomi bekasolo abatjela ukuthi bakhambe. Emaswapheleni, u-Oripa wabuyela emuva kodwana uRute wahlala. UNawomi wathi kuye: ‘U-Oripa ubuyela emuva ebantwini bekhenu nakibozimu bekhenu. Khamba naye.’ Kodwana uRute wathi: ‘Angekhe ngikutjhiye. Abantu bekhenu bazakuba babantu bami, noZimakho uzokuba nguZimami.’ Ucabanga bona uNawomi wazizwa njani uRute nakatjho njalo?

URute noNawomi bafika kwa-Israyeli kusikhathi sokuvuna ibhali. Ngelinye ilanga uRute wakhamba wayokuburuja iinsalela zekoroyi emasimini wendoda ekuthiwa nguBhowazi, indodana kaRarhabu. UBhowazi wezwa ukuthi uRute ngewakwaMowabi begodu bekahlala noNawomi kamnandi nangokuthula. Watjela iinsebenzi zakhe bona zitjhiye iinsalela ezinengana khona noRute azakudobhadobha.

Ngobusukobo, uNawomi wabuza uRute wathi: ‘Ngewakabani amasimu ebewusebenza kiwo namhlanjesi?’ URute wathi: ‘Ngewenye indoda ibizo layo nguBhowazi.’ UNawomi wathi kuye: ‘UBhowazi sihlobo sendodami. Raga nokusebenza emasiminakhe nabanye abafazi. Uzokuvikeleka lapho.’

URute waragela phambili nokusebenza emasimini kaBhowazi bekwaba kulapho isikhathi sokuvuna siphela khona. UBhowazi wayelela ukuthi uRute usebenza ngokuzikhandla nokuthi ukhuthele. Ngeenkhathezo, indoda nayingahlongakala ingakabi namadodana, isihlobo sayo besitjhada nomfelokazi loyo. Yeke, uBhowazi watjhada noRute. Baba nendodana bayithiya bona ngu-Obede, ngokukhamba kwesikhathi waba ngubamkhulu weKosi uDavida. Abangani bakaNawomi bebathabile. Bathi kuye: ‘Kokuthoma, uJehova ukuphe uRute begodu bekamuhle kuwe, njenganje ukunikele umzukulu. Akadunyiswe uJehova.’