AbaHluleli

20 Ngenxa yalokho, wonke ama-Israyeli aphuma kusukela kwaDani + kuze kube seBheri-sheba nasezweni lakwaGileyadi, + yonke inhlangano yabuthana ngobunye* phambi kukaJehova eMispa. + 2 Ngakho izikhulu zabantu nezazo zonke izizwe zakwa-Israyeli zama ezindaweni zazo ebandleni labantu bakaNkulunkulu—amasosha angu-400 000 ayimigundatshani* ayehlome ngezinkemba. +

3 AbakwaBhenjamini bezwa ukuthi amadoda akwa-Israyeli ayekhuphukele eMispa.

Amadoda akwa-Israyeli ayesethi: “Ake nisitshele, yenzeke kanjani le nto enyantisa kangaka?” + 4 UmLevi, + umyeni wowesifazane obulewe, waphendula wathi: “Ngaphambukela eGibheya + lakwaBhenjamini nesancinza sami, ukuze silale khona. 5 Ebusuku, abantu* baseGibheya bangihlasela, bazungeza indlu. Babehlose ukungibulala, kodwa bagcina bedlwengule isancinza sami, safa. + 6 Ngakho ngathatha isidumbu sesancinza sami ngasihlahlela ngasithumela kulo lonke izwe lakwa-Israyeli, + ngoba babenze into eyihlazo nenyanyekayo kwa-Israyeli. 7 Manje nonke nina ma-Israyeli, xoxani ngale ndaba nikhiphe iseluleko.” +

8 Ngakho bonke abantu bavumelana ngazwi linye* bathi: “Akukho noyedwa kithi ozoya etendeni lakhe noma ozobuyela endlini yakhe. 9 Manje yilokhu esizokwenza ngeGibheya: Sizokwenza inkatho bese siyolihlasela. + 10 Sizothatha amadoda angu-10 kwangu-100 kuzo zonke izizwe zakwa-Israyeli, bese sithatha angu-100 kwangu-1 000, sithathe angu-1 000 kwangu-10 000 ukuze ayolanda ukudla kwebutho elizohlasela iGibheya lakwaBhenjamini, ngenxa yesenzo esiyichilo elisenzile kwa-Israyeli.” 11 Ngakho wonke amadoda akwa-Israyeli abuthana ngobunye* ukuze alwe neGibheya.

12 Ngemva kwalokho izizwe zakwa-Israyeli zathumela amadoda kuwo wonke amalungu esizwe sakwaBhenjamini, zathi: “Kungani kwenzeke into embi kangaka phakathi kwenu? 13 Manje khiphani lawo madoda angelusizo lwalutho alapho eGibheya + ukuze siwabulale, sisuse ububi kwa-Israyeli.” + Kodwa abakwaBhenjamini benqaba ukulalela abafowabo abangama-Israyeli.

14 Ngakho abakwaBhenjamini babuthana ndawonye bephuma emadolobheni abo, baya eGibheya ukuze bayokulwa namadoda akwa-Israyeli. 15 Ngalolo suku emadolobheni akwaBhenjamini kwabuthwa amadoda ahlome ngezinkemba angu-26 000, ngaphandle kwamadoda ekhethelo angu-700 aseGibheya. 16 Kuleli butho kwakunamadoda angu-700 ekhethelo ayengamanxele. Ngayinye kula madoda yayikwazi ukujikijela itshe ngendwayimane ingageji ngisho nonwele.

17 Amadoda akwa-Israyeli abutha amadoda angu-400 000 ahlome ngezinkemba, + ngaphandle kwabakwaBhenjamini. Ngayinye kuwo yayiyiqhawe elingumakadebona. 18 Asukuma akhuphukela eBhethele ayobuza kuNkulunkulu. + Abantu bakwa-Israyeli bathi: “Ubani okufanele asihole ukuyolwa nabakwaBhenjamini?” UJehova wathi: “NguJuda okufanele anihole.”

19 Ngemva kwalokho ama-Israyeli avuka ekuseni amisa amatende ngaseGibheya ukuze alwe nalo.

20 Amadoda akwa-Israyeli abe esephuma ukuze alwe nabakwaBhenjamini; ahleleka ukuze abhekane nabo eGibheya. 21 Ngakho abakwaBhenjamini baphuma eGibheya babulala amadoda akwa-Israyeli angu-22 000 ngalolo suku. 22 Nokho ibutho lakwa-Israyeli laqunga isibindi laphinde lahlelekela impi endaweni elalikuyo ngosuku lokuqala. 23 Ngemva kwalokho, ama-Israyeli akhuphuka akhala phambi kukaJehova kwaze kwahlwa, abuza kuJehova, athi: “Ingabe kufanele siphinde siyolwa nabafowethu, isizwe sakwaBhenjamini?” + UJehova wathi: “Khuphukani niyolwa nabo.”

24 Ngakho ama-Israyeli aphindela kwabakwaBhenjamini ngosuku lwesibili. 25 AbakwaBhenjamini nabo baphuma eGibheya bawahlangabeza ngalolu suku lwesibili, babulala amanye ama-Israyeli + angu-18 000, wonke ayehlome ngezinkemba. 26 Ngenxa yalokho, wonke amadoda akwa-Israyeli akhuphukela eBhethele. Akhala, ahlala lapho phambi kukaJehova, + azila ukudla + ngalolo suku kwaze kwahlwa, anikela iminikelo eshiswayo + neminikelo ehlanganyelwayo + phambi kukaJehova. 27 Ngemva kwalokho amadoda akwa-Israyeli abuza kuJehova, + ngoba umphongolo wesivumelwano kaNkulunkulu weqiniso wawulapho ngalezo zinsuku. 28 UFinehasi + indodana ka-Eleyazare, indodana ka-Aroni, wayekhonza* phambi kwawo ngalezo zinsuku. Abuza athi: “Ingabe namanje kufanele siphinde siphume siyolwa nabafowethu, amadoda akwaBhenjamini noma kufanele siyeke?” + UJehova waphendula wathi: “Khuphukani, ngoba kusasa ngizobanikela esandleni senu.” 29 U-Israyeli wabe esebeka abazocutha + bazungenza iGibheya.

30 Ama-Israyeli akhuphuka ayokulwa nabakwaBhenjamini ngosuku lwesithathu, ahleleka ukuze alwe neGibheya njengakwezinye izikhathi. + 31 Lapho abakwaBhenjamini bephuma beyohlangabeza ibutho lempi, ama-Israyeli abadonsela kude nedolobha. + Njengakwezinye izikhathi, baqala ukubulala amanye amadoda emigwaqweni emikhulu, omunye wayo uya eBhethele kanti omunye uya eGibheya, bashiya amadoda angaba ngu-30 akwa-Israyeli edindilizile esigangeni. + 32 Ngakho abakwaBhenjamini bathi: “Siyabanqoba njengasekuqaleni.” + Kodwa ama-Israyeli athi: “Sizobaleka sibaholele kude nedolobha labo, beze emigwaqweni emikhulu.” 33 Ngakho wonke amasosha akwa-Israyeli avuka ezindaweni zawo ahlelekela impi eBhali-tamari ngesikhathi ama-Israyeli ayecuthile ephuma lapho ayecashe khona eduze neGibheya. 34 Ngakho amadoda ekhethelo angu-10 000 ayethathwe kuwo wonke u-Israyeli eza phambi kweGibheya, impi yayishubile. Kodwa abakwaBhenjamini babengazi ukuthi base bezobhekana nenhlekelele.

35 UJehova wabehlula abakwaBhenjamini + phambi kuka-Israyeli, ngalolo suku ama-Israyeli abulala amadoda angu-25 100 kwaBhenjamini, wonke ayehlome ngezinkemba. +

36 Nokho, abakwaBhenjamini babecabanga ukuthi amadoda akwa-Israyeli azohlulwa lapho ebalekela abakwaBhenjamini, + kodwa ayebaleka ngoba ethembele kulabo ababecuthile ayebabeke ngaseGibheya. + 37 Ababecuthile bashesha bagijimela eGibheya. Ngemva kwalokho ababecuthile basakazeka kulo lonke idolobha babulala bonke abantu bakhona ngenkemba.

38 Manje amadoda akwa-Israyeli ayehlele ukuba amadoda ayecuthele idolobha ashunqise intuthu uma esekulo ukuze abone.

39 Lapho ama-Israyeli ebaleka empini, amadoda akwaBhenjamini ashaya abulala amadoda akwa-Israyeli angaba ngu-30, + ethi: “Nakanjani siyabanqoba futhi njengasempini yokuqala.” + 40 Kodwa kwaqala ukwenyuka uphawu oluyintuthu enkulu lusuka edolobheni. Lapho amadoda akwaBhenjamini ebheka emuva, abona lonke idolobha lisha ubuhanguhangu. 41 Amadoda akwa-Israyeli abe esephenduka, amadoda akwaBhenjamini aphela amandla, ngoba abona ukuthi ayesebhekene nenhlekelele. 42 Ngakho awabalekela amadoda akwa-Israyeli abheka ngasehlane, kodwa impi yawalandela; amadoda ayephuma edolobheni nawo ababulala abakwaBhenjamini. 43 Ama-Israyeli abaqhamukela nxazonke abakwaBhenjamini, elokhu ebajaha engayeki. Abagxoba phambi kweGibheya ngasempumalanga. 44 Ekugcineni kwafa amadoda akwaBhenjamini angu-18 000, wonke ayengamaqhawe anamandla. +

45 Amadoda akwaBhenjamini aphenduka, abaleka abheka ehlane entabeni yaseRimoni, + ama-Israyeli abulala* amadoda angu-5 000 kuwo emigwaqweni emikhulu, aqhubeka ewajaha aze afika eGidomi; abulala amanye amadoda angu-2 000. 46 Bonke abakwaBhenjamini abafa ngalolo suku kwakungamadoda angu-25 000 ahlome ngezinkemba, + wonke engamaqhawe anamandla. 47 Kodwa amadoda angu-600 abalekela ehlane entabeni yaseRimoni, ahlala entabeni yaseRimoni izinyanga ezine.

48 Amadoda akwa-Israyeli abuya ekulweni nabakwaBhenjamini abulala ababesele edolobheni ngenkemba, kusukela kubantu kuya emfuyweni, konke okwakusele. Bashisa nawo wonke amadolobha ababedlula kuwo.