ABahluleli 20:1-48
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Abako-Israyeli balwa labakoBhenjamini (1-48)
20 Ngakho bonke abantu bako-Israyeli basuka emadolobheni abo kusukela koDani+ kusiya eBheri-shebha laseGiliyadi+ bayabuthana phambi kukaJehova eMizipha,+ baba njengomuntu munye.
2 Izinduna zabantu lezizwana zonke zako-Israyeli zama ezindaweni zazo ebandleni likaNkulunkulu. Kwakulamabutho angu-400 000 ayehlome ngezinkemba.+
3 AbakoBhenjamini bezwa ukuthi abako-Israyeli babebuthene eMizipha.
Amadoda ako-Israyeli abuzana athi: “Kanti into embi kangaka yenzakale njani?”+
4 UmLevi,+ indoda yowesifazana owayebulewe waphendula wathi: “Ngafika eGibheya+ ngihamba lomkami, sasesingena khona sidinga indawo yokulala.
5 Kodwa ebusuku abantu beGibheya bafika bahanqa indlu esasikuyo basihlasela. Babefuna ukungibulala kodwa bacina bethethe umkami bambamba iganyavu, wacina efile.+
6 Yikho ngathatha isidumbu sakhe ngasiqumaquma saba yiziqa ngasengizithumela kuzo zonke izabelo zako-Israyeli+ ngoba babenze ihlazo elikhulu ko-Israyeli.
7 Ngakho lonke lina bantu bako-Israyeli hlanganisani amakhanda licebisane+ ukuthi kwenziweni.”
8 Bonke abantu basukuma angathi ngumuntu oyedwa bathi: “Kakho phakathi kwethu ozabuyela etendeni lakhe loba endlini yakhe.
9 Sizakwenza inkatho+ sikhethe phakathi kwethu abazahlasela iGibheya.
10 Sizakhetha amadoda kuzo zonke izizwana zako-Israyeli, kwangu-100 sizathatha angu-10, kwangu-1 000 sithathe angu-100, besekusithi kwangu-10 000 sithathe angu-1 000. Yiwo azadinga ukudla kwamabutho azahlasela iGibheya yakoBhenjamini ngoba likhulu ihlazo abalenze ko-Israyeli.”
11 Yikho wonke amadoda ako-Israyeli amanyana avumelana ukuyahlasela abakoBhenjamini.
12 Izizwana zako-Israyeli zasezithumela izithunywa ebantwini bakoBhenjamini zathi: “Kambe lihlazo bani leli elenziwe ngabanye benu?
13 Khathesi-ke aletheni lapha amadoda axhwalileyo aseGibheya+ siwabulale, kususwe ububi lobu obenzakale ko-Israyeli.” Kodwa abakoBhenjamini abazange babalalele abafowabo bako-Israyeli.+
14 AbakoBhenjamini basuka emadolobheni abo bayabuthana eGibheya ukuze balwe labantu bako-Israyeli.
15 Mhlalokho kwaqoqana amadoda akoBhenjamini angu-26 000 evela emadolobheni atshiyeneyo. Ayehlome ngezinkemba njalo kwakulamanye amadoda aseGibheya angu-700 ayengamaqhawe.
16 Lonke ibutho lelo lalilamadoda angu-700 ayesebenzisa isandla senxele futhi ayeyazi kuhle impi. Amadoda la ayephosa ilitshe ngesavutha angakhuthi ngitsho lonwele.
17 Abako-Israyeli baqoqa amadoda ayengamaqhawe angu-400 000 ayehlome ngezinkemba.+
18 Basuka baya eBhetheli besiyabuza kuNkulunkulu.+ Bafika babuza bathi: “Ngubani phakathi kwethu ozaqala ukuyahlasela abakoBhenjamini?” UJehova wasesithi: “Kuzaqala abakoJuda.”
19 Abako-Israyeli bavuka ekuseni bayamisa inkamba yabo eduze kweGibheya.
20 Ngemva kwalokho baphuma besiyakulwa labakoBhenjamini eGibheya, basondela edolobheni lelo belungele ukuhlasela.
21 AbakoBhenjamini baphuma eGibheya balwa labako-Israyeli. Mhlalokho babulala amadoda ako-Israyeli angu-22 000.
22 Loba kunjalo amadoda ako-Israyeli aqunga isibindi abuyela empini, alungela ukulwa esendaweni ayekuyo ngelanga lokuqala.
23 Abako-Israyeli basuka bayakhala phambi kukaJehova kwaze kwaba ntambama njalo babuza uJehova bathi: “Sibuyele yini siyekulwa labafowethu bakoBhenjamini?”+ UJehova wathi: “Hambani liyekulwa labo.”
24 Ngakho ngelanga lesibili abako-Israyeli basondela bayahlasela abakoBhenjamini.
25 AbakoBhenjamini basebephuma eGibheya bayadibana labo empini. Mhlalokho babulala amadoda ako-Israyeli angu-18 000+ ayehlome ngezinkemba.
26 Wonke amadoda ako-Israyeli athi ekubona lokhu asuka aya eBhetheli, afika akhala phambi kukaJehova+ njalo ahlala khona ezile ukudla+ kwaze kwaba ntambama. Anikela kuJehova imihlatshelo yokutshiswa+ leminikelo yobudlelwano.+
27 Ngemva kwalokho abako-Israyeli babuza kuJehova+ ngoba ngalezonsuku ibhokisi lesivumelwano likaNkulunkulu weqiniso lalilapho.
28 UFiniyasi+ indodana ka-Eliyazari indodana ka-Aroni nguye owayekhonza* phambi kwebhokisi lesivumelwano ngalezonsuku. Ngakho babuza bathi: “Sihambe yini siyekulwa labafowethu bakoBhenjamini kumbe siyekele?”+ UJehova wasephendula wathi: “Hambani ngoba kusasa ngizabanikela esandleni senu.”
29 Abako-Israyeli basebethuma amadoda ukuthi ayecathama+ eduze kweGibheya ayihanqe.
30 Basuka ngelanga lesithathu besiyakulwa labakoBhenjamini. Bafika bama ezindaweni zabo belungele ukuhlasela iGibheya njengakuqala.+
31 AbakoBhenjamini bathi bekubona lokhu baphuma besiyakulwa lamabutho ako-Israyeli, wona abuyela emuva ebadonsela khatshana ledolobho.+ Bawahlasela amabutho ako-Israyeli njengenjayelo bawabulala emgwaqweni omkhulu owawusiya eBhetheli lalowo owawusiya eGibheya. Batshiya amadoda ako-Israyeli angaba ngu-30 ethe daca phansi efile.+
32 Yikho abakoBhenjamini bathi: “Siyabanqoba njengakuqala.”+ Kodwa babengazi ukuthi abako-Israyeli babevele bathi: “Sizabuyela emuva sibadonse baze bafike emigwaqweni emikhulu khatshana ledolobho.”
33 Ngakho wonke amadoda ako-Israyeli asuka ezindaweni zawo aya eBhali-thamari elungele ukulwa, kwathi lawo ayecatheme eduze kweGibheya aphuma ezindaweni zawo ahlasela.
34 Ngakho amadoda ako-Israyeli angu-10 000 ayiqonda iGibheya ayihlasela, kwaliwa kwathunqa uthuli. Kodwa abakoBhenjamini babengazi ukuthi kukhulu okuzayo.
35 UJehova wabalwela abako-Israyeli futhi wabanqoba abakoBhenjamini.+ Ngalelolanga abako-Israyeli babulala amadoda akoBhenjamini angu-25 100 ayehlome ngezinkemba.+
36 AbakoBhenjamini babezitshela ukuthi bazabanqoba abako-Israyeli ngesikhathi bebabona bebuyela emuva.+ Kodwa babengazi ukuthi abako-Israyeli babethembe amabutho abo ayecatheme eduze kweGibheya.+
37 Amabutho la aphuma masinyane ezindaweni zawo ayihlasela iGibheya, asabalala kulo lonke idolobho ebulala bonke abantu ababephakathi.
38 Amadoda ako-Israyeli ayevumelene ukuthi labo ababecatheme eduze kweGibheya babezayithungela ngomlilo ukuze abanye babo babone ngentuthu ukuthi sebelithethe idolobho.
39 Abako-Israyeli bathi sebebaleka, abakoBhenjamini babulala amadoda angaba ngu-30+ besithi: “Sesibabhuqa njengakuqala.”+
40 Kodwa idolobho lathi selithungelwe ngomlilo amadoda akoBhenjamini atshibilika abona intuthu iphakama, idolobho lonke selisitsha.
41 Amadoda akoBhenjamini ahle aphela amandla ngoba ayesebona ukuthi asenqotshiwe, abako-Israyeli batshibilika bawahlasela.
42 Abaleka eqonda enkangala, abako-Israyeli bawaxotshanisa. Kwasekuphuma lamanye amadoda ayehlala emadolobheni akulowomango ahlasela abakoBhenjamini.
43 Abavimbezela abakoBhenjamini abaxotshanisa engabaniki ithuba lokuphumula. Abulala abanengi babo phambi kweGibheya ngasempumalanga.
44 Kwafa amadoda akoBhenjamini angu-18 000 njalo wonke ayengamaqhawe alamandla.+
45 AbakoBhenjamini batshibilika babaleka beqonda enkangala besiyacatsha edwaleni elikhulu laseRimoni.+ Kodwa abanye babo abangu-5 000 babulawa ngabako-Israyeli emigwaqweni emikhulu. Amadoda ako-Israyeli aqhubeka ebaxotshanisa baze bayafika eGidomu, abulala abanye futhi abangu-2 000.
46 Ngalelolanga kwafa amaqhawe akoBhenjamini angu-25 000 njalo wonke ayehlome ngezinkemba.+
47 Kodwa angu-600 abaleka aqonda enkangala ayacatsha edwaleni elikhulu laseRimoni, ahlala khona okwenyanga ezine.
48 Amadoda ako-Israyeli abuyela emuva abulala bonke ababesemadolobheni akoBhenjamini, engatshiyi muntu loba isifuyo. Ayethungela ngomlilo wonke amadolobho ayefika kuwo.
Amabala angaphansi
^ NgesiHebheru, “owayesima.”
