Judges 20

Abako-Israyeli Balwa labakoBhenjamini

1Ngalesosikhathi bonke abako-Israyeli baphuma njengomuntu munye kusukela eDani kusiya eBherisheba kanye laselizweni leGileyadi babuthana phambi kukaJehova eMizipha. 2Abakhokheli babantu bonke bezizwana zako-Israyeli bathatha izindawo zabo ebandleni labantu bakaNkulunkulu, amabutho ayizinkulungwane ezingamakhulu amane ehlome ngezinkemba.

3(AbakoBhenjamini bezwa ukuthi abako-Israyeli babeye eMizipha.) Abako-Israyeli basebesithi, “Sitsheleni ukuthi into le embi yenzakale njani.”

4Ngakho umLevi, indoda yowesifazana lowo owayebulewe, wathi, “Mina lomkami weceleni safika eGibheya koBhenjamini ukuba silale khona. 5Ebusuku abantu beGibheya bangivukela bahanqa indlu, behlose ukungibulala. Badlovula umkami weceleni, wafa. 6Ngathatha umkami weceleni, ngamquma waba yiziqayiqa ngathumela isiqa esisodwa esigabeni ngasinye selifa lako-Israyeli, ngoba lesisenzo sokuxhwala lamanyala basenzela ko-Israyeli. 7Khathesi lonke lina abako-Israyeli, khulumani litsho isinqumo senu.”

8Abantu bonke basukuma njengomuntu munye, besithi, “Kakho owethu ozakuya ekhaya. Hayi, kakho owethu ozabuyela endlini yakhe. 9Kodwa khathesi esizakwenza eGibheya yilokhu: Sizakuyayihlasela njengokubonisa kwenkatho. 10Sizathatha abantu abalitshumi phakathi kwabalikhulu kuzo zonke izizwana zako-Israyeli, labalikhulu kwabayinkulungwane, labayinkulungwane kwabayizinkulungwane ezilutshumi ukuba badingele ibutho ukudla. Ekufikeni kwalo ibutho eGibheya koBhenjamini, lizabanika okubafaneleyo ngobudlova bonke lobu obenziwe ko-Israyeli.” 11Ngakho bonke abantu bako-Israyeli bahlangana bamanyana njengomuntu munye bamelana ledolobho.

12Izizwana zako-Israyeli zathumela abantu kuso sonke isizwana sakoBhenjamini, zisithi, “Yibudlova bani lobu obenziwayo phakathi kwenu na? 13Khathesi-ke banikeleni labobantu baseGibheya abagangileyo ukuze sibabulale siqede ububi ko-Israyeli.” Kodwa abakoBhenjamini kabawalalelanga ama-Israyeli akibo.

14Baqoqana eGibheya bevela emizini yakibo ukuba balwe lama-Israyeli. 15Ngasikhathi sinye abakoBhenjamini babutha izinkulungwane ezingamatshumi amabili lesithupha zabahlome ngezinkemba emizini yakibo, phezu kwabantu abangamakhulu ayisikhombisa abakhethwa kulabo abahlala eGibheya. 16Phakathi kwamabutho la kwakulabantu abakhethiweyo abangamakhulu ayisikhombisa ababengamanxele, bonke bengajikela ilitshe ngesavutha enweleni bangakhuthi.

17Abako-Israyeli, ngaphandle kwaba-koBhenjamini, babutha abantu abalwa ngezinkemba abayizinkulungwane ezingamakhulu amane, bonke bengabantu bempi.

18Abako-Israyeli baya eBhetheli babuza uNkulunkulu. Bathi, “Ngubani wethu ozahamba kuqala ukuyakulwa labakoBhenjamini?” UJehova wathi, “NguJuda ozahamba kuqala.”

19Ngakusasa ekuseni, abako-Israyeli bavuka bamisa izihonqo eduzane leGibheya. 20Abantu bako-Israyeli baphuma ukuyakulwa labakoBhenjamini bema ezindaweni ezilungele ukubahlasela eGibheya. 21AbakoBhenjamini baphuma eGibheya babulala abako-Israyeli abayizinkulungwane ezingamatshumi amabili lambili endaweni yokulwela mhlalokho.

22Kodwa abantu bako-Israyeli banikana isibindi babuyela njalo ezindaweni zabo lapho ababekhona ngelanga lakuqala. 23Abako-Israyeli bahamba bayakhala phambi kukaJehova kwaze kwaba kusihlwa, njalo babuza uJehova bathi, “Singahamba njalo yini siyekulwa labakoBhenjamini, abafowethu na?” UJehova waphendula yathi, “Hambani liyebahlasela.”

24Abako-Israyeli basondela koBhenjamini ngosuku lwesibili.

25Ngalesisikhathi, kwathi abako-Bhenjamini sebephumile eGibheya ukuba bamelane labo, babulala abanye njalo abayizinkulungwane ezilitshumi lathoba mibili, bonke behlome ngezinkemba.

26Lapho-ke abako-Israyeli, abantu bonke, baya eBhetheli, bahlala khona bekhala phambi kukaJehova. Ngalelolanga bazila kwaze kwaba kusihlwa banikela leminikelo yokutshiswa kanye leminikelo yobudlelwane kuJehova.

27Abako-Israyeli basebebuza uJehova. (Ngalezonsuku ibhokisi lesivumelwano sikaNkulunkulu lalikhonapho, 28liloFinehasi indodana ka-Eleyazari, indodana ka-Aroni, ekhonza phambi kwalo.) Babuza bathi, “Singahamba njalo yini siyekulwa loBhenjamini umfowethu loba hatshi na?” UJehova waphendula wathi, “Hambani, ngoba kusasa ngizabanikela ezandleni zenu.”

29Ngakho abako-Israyeli bacathama bezungeze iGibheya. 30Bahamba bayahlasela abakoBhenjamini ngosuku lwesithathu basebelungela ukuhlasela iGibheya njengebabekwenze kuqala. 31AbakoBhenjamini baphuma babahlangabeza baholelwa kude ledolobho. Baqalisa ukubabulala abako-Israyeli njengakuqala, kwathi ababephosa babe ngamatshumi amathathu bafela egcekeni emgwaqweni – oya eBhetheli lomunye oya eGibheya.

32Kwathi abakoBhenjamini besithi, “Siyabehlula njengakuqala,” abako-Israyeli bona besithi, “Kasihlehleleni emuva sibaholele kude ledolobho emigwaqweni.”

33Bonke abantu bako-Israyeli basuka ezindaweni zabo baya eBhali Thamari, kwathi abako-Israyeli ababecatheme bahlasela bephuma endaweni yabo ngasentshonalanga kweGibheya. 34Izinkulungwane ezilitshumi zabantu bako-Israyeli abakhethiweyo bahlasela iGileyadi mathupha. Ukulwa kwakunzima kakhulu ngakho kwenza abakoBhenjamini bangananzeleli ukuthi ingozi yayisisondele.

35UJehova wamnqoba uBhenjamini phambi kuka-Israyeli, njalo ngalelolanga abako-Israyeli babulala abakoBhenjamini abayizi-25,100, bonke behlome ngezinkemba. 36Lapho-ke abakoBhenjamini babona ukuthi babenqotshiwe. Khathesi abako-Israyeli basebevulele abakoBhenjamini isikhala, ngoba babethembe ababecathame eduze leGibheya. 37Abantu ababecatheme bagijimela eGibheya ngokuphangisa, basabalala kwathi idolobho lonke balihlasela ngenkemba. 38Abantu bako-Israyeli babehlele labacathamayo ukuthi benze iyezi elikhulu lentuthu phakathi kwedolobho,

39lapho-ke abantu bako-Israyeli babezaphendukela ekulweni empini. AbakoBhenjamini basebeqalisile ukubulala abako-Israyeli (babephosa babe ngamatshumi amathathu), njalo bathi, “Siyabehlula njengempini yakuqala.” 40Kodwa kwathi insika yentuthu isiqalise ukuphakama edolobheni, abakoBhenjamini baphenduka babona intuthu yedolobho lonke iqonga isiya phezulu emkhathini. 41Lapho-ke abako-Israyeli babaphendukela, abantu bakoBhenjamini batshaywa luvalo, ngoba babona ukuthi ingozi yayisibehlele. 42Ngakho babaleka phambi kwabako-Israyeli abaphuma emizini bababulalela khonapho. 43Babahanqa abako-Bhenjamini, baxotshana labo bababhuqela eduze leGibheya kalula ngasempumalanga.

44Kwafa abakoBhenjamini abayizinkulungwane ezilitshumi lesificamibili, bonke bengamaqhawe.

45Sebephenduke babaleka beqonda enkangala edwaleni laseRimoni, abako-Israyeli babulala abantu abayizinkulungwane ezinhlanu kulandela imigwaqo. Baqhubeka bexotshana labakoBhenjamini baze bayafika eGidamu babulala abanye njalo abayizinkulungwane ezimbili.

46Ngalelolanga kwafa abakoBhenjamini abalwa ngenkemba abayizinkulungwane ezingamatshumi amabili lanhlanu, bonke bengamaqhawe.

47Kodwa abantu abangamakhulu ayisithupha baphenduka babalekela enkangala edwaleni laseRimoni, lapho abahlala khona izinyanga ezine. 48Abantu bako-Israyeli babuyela koBhenjamini bahlasela imizi yonke ngenkemba, kubalwa lezifuyo lakho konke okunye abakutholayo. Yonke imizi abafika kuyo bayithungela ngomlilo.