ABahluleli

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.