7. Lapho kubikwa lokho kuJothamu, waya wema esiqongweni sentaba yaseGerizimu, waphakamisa izwi lakhe, wamemeza, wathi kubo: “Ngilaleleni nina bantu baseShekemi ukuba uNkulunkulu anilalele nina.
8. Imithi yake yaya ukuzigcobela inkosi, yathi kuwo umnqumo: ‘Yiba yinkosi yethu.’
9. “Kepha umnqumo wathi kuyo: ‘Ngiyakuwayeka yini amafutha ami abadunyiswa ngawo onkulunkulu nabantu, ngiye ngintengantenge phezu kwemithi, na?’
10. “Imithi yayisithi kuwo umkhiwane: ‘Woza wena, ube yinkosi yethu.’
11. “Kepha umkhiwane wathi kuyo: ‘Ngiyakubuyeka yini ubumnandi bami nezithelo zami ezinhle, ngiye ngintengantenge phezu kwemithi, na?’
12. “Yayisithi imithi kuwo umvini: ‘Woza wena, ube yinkosi yethu.’
13. “Umvini wathi kuyo: ‘Ngiyakuliyeka yini iwayini lami elithokozisa onkulunkulu nabantu, ngiye ngintengantenge phezu kwemithi, na?’
14. “Yonke imithi yayisithi kuso isihlahla somkhaya: ‘Woza wena, ube yinkosi yethu.’
15. “Isihlahla somkhaya sathi kuyo imithi: ‘Uma ningigcoba impela ngibe yinkosi yenu, wozani niphephele emthunzini wami; uma kungenjalo, makuphume umlilo kuso isihlahla somkhaya, uqede imisedari* yaseLebanoni.’
16. “Ngalokho uma nenzile ngeqiniso nangobuqotho lapho nimbeka u-Abimeleki inkosi, uma nimphathile kahle uJerubali* nendlu yakhe, nenza kuye njengokufanele izandla zakhe
17. ngokuba ubaba wanilwela wazidela, wanophula esandleni sabakwaMidiyani;