Tikhulu
21 Emadvodza aka-Israyeli abente sifungo eMispa+ atsi: “Kute ngisho munye kitsi lotawendzisela indvodza yakaBhenjamini indvodzakati yakhe.”+ 2 Ngako bantfu baya eBetheli+ bahlala lapho embikwaNkulunkulu weliciniso kwaze kwaba nguntsambama, bakhala kakhulu nakabuhlungu. 3 Bebatsi: “Awu Jehova Nkulunkulu wema-Israyeli, kwentekeleni loku ka-Israyeli? Kungani kunesive lesesishoda ka-Israyeli lamuhla?” 4 Ngelilanga lelilandzelako, labantfu bavuka ekuseni kakhulu futsi bakha li-al’thare lapho kute bente iminikelo yekushiswa neminikelo yekuthula.+
5 Ngemuva kwaloko, bantfu baka-Israyeli batsi: “Ngusiphi sive kuto tonkhe tive taka-Israyeli lesingaketi kute sihlangane embikwaJehova?” ngobe bebente sifungo lesibalulekile sekutsi nobe ngubani longeke akhuphukele kuJehova eMispa utawubulawa nakanjani. 6 Ngako ema-Israyeli eva buhlungu kakhulu ngaloko lebekwenteke kubakaBhenjamini lababomnakabo. Atsi: “Lamuhla sekususwe sive sinye ka-Israyeli. 7 Nyalo sesitakwenta njani kute sitfolele lamadvodza akaBhenjamini lasele bafati, njengobe sesifunge ngaJehova+ satsi angeke siwendzisele emadvodzakati etfu?”+
8 Abuta atsi: “Ngusiphi sive saka-Israyeli lesingaketi embikwaJehova eMispa?”+ Kwatfolakala kutsi kute ngisho namunye waseJabeshi-gileyadi lobekaye kulendzawo lokuhlalwa kuyo lapho lelibandla belihlangene khona. 9 Ngesikhatsi labantfu babalwa, kwabonakala kutsi kute ngisho namunye waseJabeshi-gileyadi lobekakhona. 10 Ngako lesive satfumela emadvodza lanemandla langu-12 000. Satsi kuwo: “Hambani, nifike nibulale bantfu baseJabeshi-gileyadi ngenkemba, nibulale ngisho nebafati kanye nebantfwana.+ 11 Nguloku lokufanele nikwente: Nibobanikela ekubhujisweni bonkhe bantfu labadvuna kanye nabo bonkhe bafati labake baya ecansini.” 12 Kubantfu labahlala eJabeshi-gileyadi atfola emantfombatane langu-400 labekatintfombi ntfo, labengakake aye ecansini. Ngako awaletsa endzaweni lebekuhlalwa kuyo leseShilo,+ eveni laseKhenani.
13 Ngemuva kwaloko sonkhe lesive satfumela umlayeto kulamadvodza akaBhenjamini labekasedvwaleni laseRimona+ futsi sacela kwakha kuthula nawo. 14 Ngaleso sikhatsi emadvodza akaBhenjamini abese ayabuya. Bantfu baka-Israyeli bawanika letintfombi lebebangazange batibulale eJabeshi-gileyadi.+ Kodvwa abazange batfole lebetingawenela onkhe lamadvodza. 15 Labantfu beva buhlungu kakhulu ngaloko lobekwenteke kubakaBhenjamini+ ngobe Jehova abente kutsi kube nemkhatsi etiveni taka-Israyeli. 16 Emadvodza lamadzala alesive atsi: “Sitakwenta njani kute sitfole bafati lesitabanika lalamanye emadvodza lasele, njengobe babulewe bonkhe bafati bakaBhenjamini?” 17 Aphendvula atsi: “Bantfu labasele bakaBhenjamini kufanele bachubeke baligcina lifa labo kuze kungabi khona sive lesesulwako ka-Israyeli. 18 Kodvwa asikavumeleki kutsi sibendzisele emadvodzakati etfu ngobe bantfu baka-Israyeli bafunge batsi: ‘Ucalekisiwe umuntfu lotawendzisela indvodza yakaBhenjamini umfati.’”+
19 Ngemuva kwaloko atsi: “Kunemkhosi waJehova loba khona njalo ngemnyaka eShilo,+ lesenyakatfo yeBetheli nasemphumalanga yemgwaco lomkhulu lokhuphuka usuke eBetheli uye eShekhemu uchubekele naseningizimu yeLebona.” 20 Ngako atjela emadvodza akaBhenjamini atsi: “Hambani nifike nibhace emasimini emagilebisi. 21 Nanibona tintfombi* taseShilo tingena tijayiva,* ngamunye wenu abophuma kulamasimu emagilebisi atibambele umfati kuletintfombi taseShilo, bese-ke nibuyela eveni lakaBhenjamini. 22 Nakutakwenteka bobabe bato nabomnakabo beta batosimangalela, sitawubese siyabatjela sitsi: ‘Sicela nentele tsine kanye nalamadvodza umusa, ngobe asikakhoni kutfolela ngamunye wawo umfati kulesibatsetse emphini,+ kantsi nani beningeke nikhone kubaniketa bafati futsi ningabi nelicala.’”+
23 Ngako emadvodza akaBhenjamini enta njengobe abetjeliwe, futsi ngamunye wawo watibambela umfati kuletintfombi lebetijayiva. Ngemuva kwaloko abuyela endzaweni lelifa lawo, akha kabusha emadolobha awo+ ase ahlala kuwo.
24 Ngaleso sikhatsi ema-Israyeli ehlukana, ngamunye kuwo waya esiveni sakhe nasemndenini wakhe, futsi ahamba lapho, nguloyo naloyo wabuyela endzaweni lelifa lakhe.
25 Ngalawo malanga bekute inkhosi ka-Israyeli.+ Ngamunye wawo abenta lakubona kulungile emehlweni akhe.*