ABahluleli
21 Abako-Israyeli babefungile beseMizipha+ bathi: “Kakho phakathi kwethu ozakwendisela indodakazi yakhe endodeni yakoBhenjamini.”+ 2 Ngakho baya eBhetheli+ bafika bahlala phambi kukaNkulunkulu weqiniso kwaze kwaba ntambama, bekhala kabuhlungu 3 besithi: “Awu Jehova Nkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, kungani lokhu kwenzakele? Kungani esinye isizwana singekho lamuhla ko-Israyeli?” 4 Ngelanga elilandelayo abantu bavuka kusesele bakha i-alithare ukuze banikele iminikelo yokutshiswa leminikelo yobudlelwano.+
5 Abantu bako-Israyeli babenze isifungo esiqakathekileyo sokuthi loba ngubani ongasoze abuye phambi kukaJehova eMizipha kwakumele abulawe, yikho bathi: “Yisiphi isizwana sako-Israyeli esingazange sibuye sizobuthana labanye phambi kukaJehova?” 6 Abantu bako-Israyeli bezwa ubuhlungu ngenxa yalokho okwakwenzakale kuBhenjamini umfowabo. Ngakho bathi: “Lamuhla kuqunywe isizwana esisodwa ko-Israyeli. 7 Manje sizakwenzani ukuze labo abaseleyo bathole abafazi ngoba thina sifunge ngoJehova+ ukuthi kasisoze sibendisele amadodakazi ethu?”+
8 Babuzana bathi: “Yisiphi isizwana sako-Israyeli esingabuyanga phambi kukaJehova eMizipha?”+ Basebenanzelela ukuthi kwakungelamuntu weJabheshi-giliyadi owayebuye ezihonqweni lapho abantu ababebuthene khona. 9 Lakanye kwathi sekubalwa abantu kwatholakala ukuthi kwakungela loyedwa owaseJabheshi-giliyadi owayebuyile. 10 Ngakho abako-Israyeli ababebuthene lapho bathuma amadoda angamaqhawe angu-12 000 bawatshela bathi: “Hambani liyebulala bonke abantu baseJabheshi-giliyadi ngenkemba, libulale ngitsho labafazi labantwana.+ 11 Nanku okumele likwenze: Lifike libulale bonke abesilisa labo bonke abesifazana abangasizo zintombi ezigcweleyo.” 12 Phakathi kwabantu ababehlala eJabheshi-giliyadi bathola izintombi ezingu-400 ezazingakaze zilale lendoda. Ngakho bazithatha bahamba lazo ezihonqweni ezaziseShilo+ elizweni laseKhenani.
13 Abako-Israyeli ababebuthene bathumela ilizwi emadodeni akoBhenjamini ayesedwaleni elikhulu laseRimoni+ basebesenza lawo ukuthula. 14 Yikho abakoBhenjamini baphenduka, abako-Israyeli basebebanika izintombi ezazisele ngesikhathi kubulawa abesifazana baseJabheshi-giliyadi,+ kodwa kazibenelanga. 15 Abantu bako-Israyeli bezwa ubuhlungu ngenxa yalokho okwakwenzakele kwabakoBhenjamini+ ngoba uJehova wayesebehlukanise lezinye izizwana zako-Israyeli. 16 Abadala bako-Israyeli basebesithi: “Manje sizakwenzani ukuze sitholele amadoda la abafazi ngoba bonke abesifazana bakoBhenjamini babulawa?” 17 Abanye baphendula bathi: “Abaseleyo bakoBhenjamini kumele babuyele endaweni elilifa labo ukuze kungabi lesizwana esitshabalalayo ko-Israyeli. 18 Kodwa thina asingeke sibendisele amadodakazi ethu ngoba abantu bako-Israyeli bafunga bathi: ‘Uqalekisiwe umuntu ozakwendisela indodakazi yakhe kwabakoBhenjamini.’”+
19 Basebesithi: “Minyaka yonke kuba lomkhosi kaJehova edolobheni leShilo+ elisenyakatho kweBhetheli ngasempumalanga komgwaqo omkhulu osuka eBhetheli usiya eShekhemu ngaseningizimu kweLebhona.” 20 Ngakho batshela amadoda akoBhenjamini bathi: “Hambani liyecathama emasimini amagilebisi. 21 Nxa lingabona izintombi zaseShilo* ziphuma zizogida, lani lihle liphume lapho elicatshe khona, ngamunye wenu azibambele umfazi ezintombini zaseShilo, beselibuyela elizweni lakoBhenjamini. 22 Nxa oyise labafowabo bengeza kithi bezosibeka icala sizathi kubo, ‘Sicela libe lomusa kithi ngenxa yabantu laba ngoba abesifazana esibathumbe empini ukuze babe ngomkabo kabazange benele+ njalo lani belizabekwa icala nxa belingabanika amadodakazi enu ukuthi abe ngomkabo.’”+
23 Amadoda akoBhenjamini enza lokho ayekutsheliwe, azibambela abesifazana ababegida ahamba labo. Abuyela endaweni eyayililifa lawo, afika akha kutsha amadolobho awo+ asehlala kuwo.
24 Abako-Israyeli bachitheka ngamunye wabo wabuyela esizwaneni sakibo lasemulini yakhe. Bonke basuka baya ezindaweni ababezabelwe ukuthi zibe lilifa labo.
25 Ngalezonsuku kwakungelankosi ko-Israyeli.+ Bonke abantu babezenzela ababekubona kulungile.