Ama-Israyeli avusela amaBhenjamini imizi
1Amadoda wakwa-Israyeli afunga eMitsipha athi: “Akukho noyedwa phakathi kwethu ozakwendisela indodakazakhe kumBhenjamini.” 2Nje-ke abantu baya eBhethe-Eli, bahlala lapho bekwahlwa baphambi kwakaZimu. Barhahlawula babibitheka 3bathi: “Maye Somnini, Zimu wakwa-Israyeli! Kubayini sehlelwe yinto enje kobanyana namhlanje silahlekelwe yikoro enye kwa-Israyelapha na?” 4Kwathi ekuseni ngakusasa abantu bavuka ngovivi bakha i-aldari lapho, benza umhlabelo wokutjhiswa newetjhebiswano. 5Yeke ama-Israyeli athi: “Ngubani phakathi kwazo zoke iinkoro zakwa-Israyeli ongazange eze ehlanganweni phambi kwakaSomnini?” Bebafunge ngokuqinisileko bonyana ongeze eza phambi kwakaSomnini eMitsipha, uzakubulawa. 6Ama-Israyeli adabuka ngoBhenjamini umfowawo, athi: “Ikoro enye isuliwe kwa-Israyeli namhlanjesi. 7Sizokwenzani ngalabo abaseleko bakwaBhenjamini? Bazobathathaphi abafazi ngombana safunga phambi kwakaSomnini bonyana angeze sabendisela amadodakazethu?”
8Kungebangelo abuza athi: “Ngiyiphi yeenkoro zakwa-Israyeli engazange ize phambi kwakaSomnini eMitsipha?” Afumana bonyana azange kuze namunye weJabetjhi yeGiliyadi ehlanganweni, 9ngombana kwathi nakubalwa abantu, azange kufunyanwe namunye umhlali weJabetjhi yeGiliyadi. 10Yeke umkhambathi wathumela iinkulungwana ezilitjhumi nambili zamadoda anesibindi ukudlula woke, wawalayela wathi: “Khambani nifese nimadlhe abahlali beJabetjhi yeGiliyadi ngesabula, ningatjhiyi mfazi namntwana. 11kodwana yenzani ngalendlela: Bulalani nya woke omduna nabo boke besifazana asele bazi indoda.” 12Phakathi kwabahlali beJabetjhi yeGiliyadi amadoda lawo afumana amakhulu amane wamatlawana angazange alale nendoda. Eza nawo ekampeni eTjhilo esenarheni yeKanana.
13Nje-ke umkhambathi woke wathumela ilizwi kumaBhenjamini agade asemadwaleni weRimoni, wamemezela ukuthula kiwo. 14AmaBhenjamini abuya-ke ngesikhatheso, ama-Israyeli awanikela amatlawana ebegade awasindise eJabetjhi yeGiliyadi, kodwana azange abanele. 15Abantu bakhathazeka ngoBhenjamini ngombana uSomnini gade enze isikhala eenkorweni zakwa-Israyeli.
16Yeke abaphathi bomkhambathi bathi: “Alo, sizokuthini ngalabo abangakafumani abafazi ngombana babulewe boke abafazi kwaBhenjamini?” 17Godu bathi: “Ilifa labasindileko kufanele lidlulele eenzukulwaneni zakwaBhenjamini. U-Israyeli akakwazi ukulahlekelwa yikoro enye. 18Nanyana kunjalo, asikwazi ukubanikela amadodakazethu bona abe bafazi babo ngombana thina bantu bakwa-Israyeli safunga sathi akanikelelwe ozakunikela umBhenjamini umfazi.”
19Yeke bakhumbula bonyana kunomnyanya kaSomnini qobe mnyaka eTjhilo engetlhagwini yeBhethe-Eli, ngepumalanga yendlela ekulu esuka eBhethe-Eli eya eTjhekemu nangesewula yeLebona. 20Bayala amaBhenjamini bathi: “Nina khambani niyokubadalala esidiribeni, 21nilinde lapho, kuzakuthi lokha amadodakazi weTjhilo naphumako bona ayogida emnyanyeni lo, nina-ke nivumbuke esidiribenapho enye nenye indoda izibambele umfazi emadodakazini weTjhilo bese niya enarhenenu kwaBhenjamini. 22Kuzakuthi abomayise namkha abomnakwabo nabazonghonghoyila kithi, sizakuthi kibo: ‘Sibawa nibe nomusa kithi ngombana azange sibamuke abafazi lokha nasilwa namaBhenjamini. Nani azange nibanikele amadodakazenu, ngalokho aninamlandu wamanikelela lawo.’ ”
23Yeke amaBhenjamini enza njalo, azithathela abafazi emadodakazini agade agida ukuya ngesibalo sawo. Abuyela enarhenawo, afese avuselela amadorobhawo, ahlala lapho. 24Ama-Israyeli aphadlhalala, kwaba ngiloyo naloyo waya ekorweni yekhabo nemndenini wekhabo. Iye, omunye nomunye waziyela endawenakhe.
25Emihleni leyo gade kunganakosi kwa-Israyeli. Omunye nomunye umuntu gade azenzela umathanda.
