Abahluleli 21:1-25
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UBhenjamini wasindiswa njengesitjhaba (1-25)
21 Amadoda wakwa-Israyeli bewenze isifungo nasi eMitsipha:+ “Akekho namunye wethu ozokunikela indoda yakwaBhenjamini indodakazakhe bona ibe mkayo.”+
2 Yeke abantu beza eBhetheli,+ bahlala lapho phambi kwakaZimu weqiniso bekwaba ntambama, bebarhahlawula begodu balila kabuhlungu.
3 Bebathi: “Maye Jehova Zimu ka-Israyeli, kubayini kwenzeke lokhu kwa-Israyeli? Kubayini kutlhayela ikoro yinye kwa-Israyeli namhlanjesi?”
4 Ngelanga elilandelako abantu bavuka ekuseni khulu bakha i-aldara lapho bona benze iminikelo etjhiswako neminikelo yetjhebiswano.+
5 Ngemva kwalokho, abantu bakwa-Israyeli bathi: “Ngubani hlangana neenkoro zakwa-Israyeli ongakakhuphuki bona azokuhlangana phambi kwakaJehova?” Ngombana bebenze isifungo esikhulu sokuthi nanyana ngubani ongakakhuphukeli eMitsipha kuJehova uzokubulawa nakanjani.
6 Yeke abantu bakwa-Israyeli bezwa ubuhlungu ngalokho okwenzeke kuBhenjamini umfowabo. Bathi: “Namhlanjesi kugawulwe ikoro yinye kwa-Israyeli.
7 Kufuze senzeni bona sifumanele laba abaseleko abafazi, njengombana sifunge ngoJehova+ ukuthi angeze sibanikele amadodakazethu bona abe bomkabo?”+
8 Babuza: “Ngubani hlangana neenkoro zakwa-Israyeli ongakakhuphukeli eMitsipha+ kuJehova?” Bafumana ukuthi ekampeni lapho ibandla elihlangene khona akunamuntu ovela eJabetjhi-Giliyadi.
9 Kwathi nakubalwa abantu, babona ukuthi akekho namunye wezakhamuzi zeJabetjhi-Giliyadi obekalapho.
10 Yeke ihlangano yathumela amadoda anamandla khulu azii-12 000 khona. Yawayala yathi: “Khambani niyokurhayila izakhamuzi zeJabetjhi-Giliyadi ngesabula, ngitjho nabafazi nabantwana.+
11 Nakhu ekufuze nikwenze: Woke amadoda nabo boke abafazi abakhe baya emabhayini nendoda, kufuze batjhatjalaliswe.”
12 Hlangana nezakhamuzi zeJabetjhi-Giliyadi, afumana abantazana abama-400 abangakathintwa, abangakhange baye emabhayini nendoda. Yeke abaletha ekampeni eTjhilo,+ esenarheni yeKanana.
13 Ngemva kwalokho, ihlangano yoke yathumela umlayezo kebakwaBhenjamini ebebasedwaleni leRimoni,+ yabathembisa ukuthula.
14 Yeke bakwaBhenjamini babuya ngesikhatheso. Yabanikela abafazi beJabetjhi-Giliyadi+ ebeyingakababulali kodwana akhenge ibafumanele abafazi abaneleko.
15 Abantu bezwa ubuhlungu ngalokho okwenzeke kuBhenjamini+ ngombana uJehova bekabangele ukuhlukana hlangana neenkoro zakwa-Israyeli.
16 Abadala behlangano bathi: “Kufuze senzeni bona sifumanele amadoda aseleko la abafazi, njengombana boke abafazi batjhatjalalisiwe kwaBhenjamini?”
17 Baphendula bathi: “Kufuze kube nelifa labantu abasindileko bakwaBhenjamini bona kungatjhatjalaliswa ikoro kwa-Israyeli.
18 Nanyana kunjalo asikavunyelwa ukubanikela amadodakazethu bona abe bomkabo ngombana abantu bakwa-Israyeli bafungile bathi: ‘Uqalekisiwe umuntu onikela uBhenjamini+ umfazi.’”
19 Yeke bathi: “Qala! Qobe mnyaka kunomnyanya kaJehova eTjhilo,+ esetlhagwini yeBhetheli nepumalanga yendlela ekulu ekhuphuka ivela eBhetheli itjhinga eTjhekemu nesewula yeLebona.”
20 Ngalokho bayala amadoda wakwaBhenjamini bathi: “Khambani niyokubhaca esimini yamadiribe.
21 Nanibona iintombi zeTjhilo ziphuma ziyokuhlanganyela emijidweni yokuzomba, omunye nomunye wenu kufuze aphume esimini yamadiribe, adzwebule umfazi eentombini zeTjhilo, ngemva kwalokho kufuze nibuyele enarheni yakwaBhenjamini.
22 Nakungenzeka aboyise namkha abafowabo beze bazokunghonghoyila kithi, sizokuthi kibo, ‘Yibani nomusa ngebanga labo, ngombana akhenge sikghone ukufumanela omunye nomunye wabo umfazi ebantazaneni abathunjwe epini+ begodu nani bengekhe nikghone ukubanikela umfazi ningabi mlandu.’”+
23 Yeke amadoda wakwaBhenjamini enza njalo, omunye nomunye wazidzwebulela umfazi eentombini ebezijida. Ngemva kwalokho, abuyela elifeni lawo, avuselela amadorobhawo+ begodu ahlala kiwo.
24 Ama-Israyeli aphadlhalala lapho ngesikhatheso, omunye nomunye waya ekorwenakhe nemndeninakhe, akhamba lapho, ngamunye watjhinga elifeni lakhe.
25 Emihleni leyo bekunganakosi kwa-Israyeli.+ Omunye nomunye bekenza okulungileko emehlwenakhe.*
Imitlolo Ephasi
^ Namkha “acabanga bona kulungile.”
