ABagwebi
21 Amadoda akwaSirayeli ayefungile eMizpa,+ esithi: “Akukho nomnye kuthi oza kwendisela intombi yakhe kwindoda yakwaBhenjamin.”+ 2 Ngenxa yaloo nto, abantu beza eBheteli,+ bahlala apho phambi koThixo wokwenene de kwaba ngokuhlwa, belila kakhulu. 3 Babesithi: “Kutheni, Yehova Thixo kaSirayeli, sisehlelwa yile nto nje kwaSirayeli? Kutheni esinye isizwe singekho nje namhlanje kwaSirayeli?” 4 Ngemini elandelayo abantu bavuka ekuseni bakha isibingelelo apho ukuze banikele iminikelo etshiswayo neminikelo yobuhlobo.+
5 Ngoko abantu bakwaSirayeli bathi: “Ngubani na kuzo zonke izizwe zakwaSirayeli ongezanga kule ndibano phambi koYehova?” kuba babenze isifungo esingqongqo sokuba nabani na ongezanga kuYehova eMizpa wayeza kubulawa nakanjani. 6 Ngoko abantu bakwaSirayeli bakhathazeka kakhulu yinto eyenzeka kuBhenjamin umntakwabo. Bathi: “Namhlanje isizwe esinye sinqunyulwe kwaSirayeli. 7 Singenza ntoni ukuze sibafunele abafazi abo baseleyo, njengokuba thina siye safunga ngoYehova+ ukuba asizukubanika nanye kwiintombi zethu zibe ngabafazi babo?”+
8 Babuza: “Ngubani kwizizwe zakwaSirayeli ongezanga kuYehova eMizpa?”+ Kwathi kanti akukho namnye waseYabheshe-giliyadi uzileyo kwinkampu elalikuyo ibandla. 9 Xa kwakubalwa abantu kwabonwa ukuba akukho namnye kubemi baseYabheshe-giliyadi owayekhona. 10 Ngoko abo babehlanganisene bathumela amadoda angamakroti ayi-12 000. Bawayalela bathi: “Hambani niye kubabulala ngekrele abemi baseYabheshe-giliyadi, kwanabafazi nabantwana.+ 11 Nantsi into enifanele niyenze: Nifanele nibulale yonke indoda nomfazi owakhe walala nendoda.” 12 Phakathi kwabemi baseYabheshe-giliyadi afumana iintombi eziyi-400 ezingazange zalala nandoda. Azizisa enkampini eShilo,+ ekwilizwe laseKanan.
13 Bonke abo babelapho bathumela umyalezo kumaBhenjamin awayekwiliwa laseRimon,+ bewathembisa uxolo. 14 AmaBhenjamin abuya ngelo xesha. Bawanika iintombi ababezisindisile eYabheshe-giliyadi,+ kodwa azizange ziwanele onke. 15 Abantu bavelana namaBhenjamin,+ kuba uYehova wayezenze zahlukana izizwe zakwaSirayeli. 16 Abadala ababedibene bathi: “Siza kuwafumanela phi abafazi la madoda ashiyekileyo, ekubeni bebulewe bonke abafazi kwaBhenjamin?” 17 Bathi: “Kufanele kubekho ilifa labo basindileyo kwaBhenjamin, ukuze singapheli nya esi sizwe kwaSirayeli. 18 Kodwa thina asivumelekanga ukubanika abafazi ezintombini zethu, kuba abantu bakwaSirayeli bafungile, besithi: ‘Makaqalekiswe nabani na onika umBhenjamin umfazi.’”+
19 Ngoko bathi: “Jonga! Kukho itheko likaYehova laminyaka le eShilo,+ engakumntla weBheteli ngakwimpuma yohola wendlela onyuka usuka eBheteli uye kwaShekem nakumzantsi weLebhona.” 20 Ngoko bayalela amadoda akwaBhenjamin, besithi: “Hambani niye kulalela kumasimi eediliya. 21 Xa nibona iintombi zaseShilo ziphuma zizokudanisa zijikeleza, ngamnye wenu umele aphume emasimini eediliya azithele nqaku intombi kwezo zaseShilo, nize nibuyele kwilizwe lakwaBhenjamin. 22 Ukuba ootata bazo okanye abantakwazo bayeza baze bakhalaze, siza kuthi kubo, ‘Khanisixolele ngale nto bayenzileyo, kuba asikwazanga ukubafumanela bonke abafazi emfazweni,+ yaye beningenakukwazi ukubanika abafazi nize ningabi natyala.’”+
23 Ngoko amadoda akwaBhenjamin ayenza loo nto, nganye kuwo yazithathela umfazi kwiintombi ezazidanisa. Emva koko abuyela kwilifa lawo, aphinda akha izixeko zawo aza ahlala kuzo.+
24 Emva koko agoduka amaSirayeli, ngamnye waya kwisizwe sakhe nakwintsapho yakhe; emka apho, ngamnye waya kwilifa lakhe.
25 Ngaloo mihla kwakungekho kumkani kwaSirayeli.+ Mntu ngamnye wayesenza ngendlela abona ngayo.*