Isizwana SakwaDani Sifuna Indawo Yokuhlala
1Ngalezo zinsuku kwakungenankosi kwa-Israyeli. Ngaleyo mihla futhi isizwana sakwaDani sazifunela enye indawo yokuhlala, ngokuba kuze kube yileso sikhathi sasingabelwanga indawo phakathi kwezizwana zakwa-Israyeli. 2Abozalo lukaDani bathumela amaqhawe amahlanu emele yonke imindeni yabo, kusukela eZora nase-Eshithawoli, ukuba ayohlola izwe, bathi kuwo: “Hambani nihlole izwe.”
Lapho efika kwelezintaba kwa-Efrayimi, endlini kaMikha, ahlala lapho. 3Esesendlini kaMikha ezwa izwi elijwayelekile lensizwa engumLevi, ayesephambukela kuyo, ayibuza athi: “Ngubani okulethe lapha? Wenzani kule ndawo? Ufunani lapha?”
4Yathi kuwo: “UMikha ungenzele lokhu nalokhu, wangiqasha, futhi sengaba ngumphristi wakhe.”
5Athi kuyo: “Ake usibuzele kuNkulunkulu ukuthi uhambo esiluthathile luzoba yimpumelelo yini, na?”
6Umphristi wathi kuwo: “Hambani ngokuthula. Uhambo eniluthathile luphansi kweso likaSimakade.”
Ukunqotshwa KweLayishi
7Amadoda amahlanu aqhubeka nohambo, kwathi lapho efika eLayishi, abona ukuthi abantu abalapho bahleli ngokuvikeleka, njengamaSidoniya, banokuthula, abaxwaye lutho, akukho lutho ezweni olwalungabajabhisa, futhi bacebile. Ngaphezu kwalokho babehlala kude namaSidoniya, futhi bengazihlanganise namuntu. 8Lapho esefika kwabakubo eZora nase-Eshithawoli, bathi kuwo: “Mbiko muni enisiphathele wona, na?”
9Athi: “Sukumani, senyuke, sibahlasele, ngokuba silibonile izwe ukuthi lihle kakhulu. Ningenqeni, ningahuduli izinyawo, kodwa ngenani nilidle. 10Uma nihamba, niyofica abantu abangaxwaye lutho. Izwe libanzi, uNkulunkulu ulinikele esandleni senu; indawo lapho kungasweleke lutho lwasemhlabeni.”
11Kwaphuma amadoda angama-600 esizwana sakwaDani, eZora nase-Eshithawoli, ehlome ngezikhali zokulwa. 12Enyuka, akanisa eKiriyathi Jeharimi kwaJuda; ngalokho bayibiza leyo ndawo ngokuthi yiMahane Dani kuze kube yinamuhla; isentshonalanga yeKiriyathi Jeharimi. 13Asuka lapho, aqhubekela kwelezintaba kwa-Efrayimi, aze afinyelela endlini kaMikha.
14Amadoda ayisihlanu ayekade ezohlola iLayishi athi kubafowabo: “Niyazi nje ukuthi kulezi zindlu kukhona ingubo yamahlombe, netherafimi nesithombe esibaziweyo nesibunjiweyo, na? Cabangisisani ukuthi nizokwenzenjani.”
15Baphambukela lapho, bafika endlini yensizwa yomLevi, endlini kaMikha, bayibuza impilo. 16Amadoda angama-600 akwaDani ayehlome ngezikhali ema ekungeneni kwesango. 17Lawo madoda ayisihlanu ayekade eyohlola izwe angena, athatha isithombe esibaziweyo, ingubo yamahlombe, itherafimi nesithombe esibunjiweyo. Umphristi wayemi ngasekungeneni kwesango namadoda angama-600 ayehlomile. 18Lawo madoda afika endlini kaMikha athatha isithombe esibaziweyo, ingubo yamahlombe, itherafimi nesithombe esibunjiweyo, umphristi wathi kuwo: “Nenzani, na?”
19Athi kuye: “Thula! Vala umlomo wakho ngesandla, uhambe nathi, ube ngubaba wethu nomphristi. Kuhle yini kuwe ukuba ngumphristi wendlu yomuntu oyedwa kunokuba ube ngumphristi wesizwana nomndeni kwa-Israyeli, na?”
20Inhliziyo yomphristi yathokoza, wathatha ingubo yamahlombe, netherafimi, nesithombe esibaziweyo, wangena emshungwini wabantu.
21Baphenduka bangena indlela, babeka phambili izingane, imfuyo, nempahla yabo. 22Kuthe sebekude nendlu kaMikha, amadoda ayesezindlini eziseduze nekaMikha abuthana, abalandela, abafica abakwaDani. 23Abamemeza abakwaDani, baphenduka, base bethi kuMikha: “Kwenzenjani, usilandelelani nalesi sixuku, na?”
24Wathi: “Nithathe onkulunkulu bami engazenzela bona, nomphristi, nahamba, ngisele nani-ke mina? Pho ningibuzelani ukuthi: ‘Kwenzenjani, na?’ ”
25AbakwaDani bathi kuye: “Izwi lakho malingezwakali kithi, funa amadoda abilelwa ngamakhanda akusoconge, ufe wena nabendlu yakho.”
26Abozalo lukaDani babamba ababeze ngayo; uMikha ebona ukuthi banamandla kunaye, waphenduka, wabuyela endlini yakhe.
27Bathatha okwakwenziwe nguMikha nomphristi wakhe, bafika eLayishi kubantu abanokuthula, belondekile, bababulala ngenkemba, bashisa nomuzi ngomlilo. 28Kwakungekho owayengabakhulula ngokuba babekude neSidoni, futhi bengazihlanganisile nabanye abantu. Umuzi wawusesigodini iBhethi Rehobhi. Bawakha kabusha lowo muzi, bahlala kuwo. 29Bawubiza ngokuthi kukwaDani, bawubiza ngegama likakhokho wabo uDani, owayezalwa ngu-Israyeli; umuzi owawubizwa phambilini ngokuthi yiLayishi. 30AbakwaDani bazimisela isithombe esibaziweyo. UJonathani, indodana kaGerishomi, indodana kaManase namadodana akhe, babengabaphristi besizwana sakwaDani, kwaze kwaba lusuku izwe elathunjwa ngalo. 31Bazimisela isithombe esibaziweyo esasenziwe nguMikha, ngaso sonke isikhathi indlu kaNkunkulu iseseShilo.
