Judges 20

Abako-Israyeli Balwa LabakoBhenjamini

1Ngalesosikhathi bonke abako-Israyeli baphuma njengomuntu munye kusukela eDani kusiya eBherishebha kanye laselizweni leGiliyadi, babuthana phambi kukaThixo eMizipha. 2Abakhokheli babantu bonke bezizwana zako-Israyeli bathatha izindawo zabo ebandleni labantu bakaNkulunkulu, amabutho azinkulungwane 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 yowesifazane lowo owayebulewe, wathi, “Mina lomkami weceleni safika eGibhiya koBhenjamini ukuba silale khona. 5Ebusuku abantu beGibhiya bangivukela bahanqa indlu, behlose ukungibulala. Badlova umkami weceleni waze wafa. 6Ngathatha umkami weceleni, ngamquma waba yiziqayiqa, ngathumela isiqa esisodwa esigabeni ngasinye selifa lako-Israyeli, ngoba amanyala lalesisenzo sokuxhwala basenzela ko-Israyeli. 7Khathesi lonke lina abako-Israyeli, khulumani litsho isinqumo senu.”

8Abantu bonke basukuma njengomuntu munye, besithi, “Akakho kithi ozakuya ekhaya. Hathi, akakho kithi ozabuyela endlini yakhe. 9Kodwa khathesi esizakwenza eGibhiya yilokhu: Sizakuyayihlasela ngokwenza inkatho. 10Sizathatha abantu abalitshumi phakathi kwabalikhulu kuzozonke izizwana zako-Israyeli, labalikhulu kwabayinkulungwane, labayinkulungwane kwaba zinkulungwane ezilutshumi ukuba badingele ibutho ukudla. Ekufikeni kwalo ibutho eGibhiya koBhenjamini, lizabanika okubafaneleyo ngamanyala lokuxhwala abakwenze ko-Israyeli.” 11Ngakho bonke abantu bako-Israyeli bahlangana, bamanyana njengomuntu munye bamelana ledolobho.

12Izizwana zako-Israyeli zathumela abantu kusosonke isizwana sakoBhenjamini, zisithi, “Yibudlova bani lobu obenziwayo phakathi kwenu na? 13Khathesi-ke, banikeleni labobantu baseGibhiya abagangileyo ukuze sibabulale siqede ububi ko-Israyeli.

” Kodwa abakoBhenjamini kababalalelanga abafowabo bako-Israyeli. 14Baqoqana eGibhiya bevela emadolobheni akibo ukuba balwe labako-Israyeli. 15Ngasikhathi sinye abakoBhenjamini babutha izinkulungwane ezingamatshumi amabili lesithupha zabahlome ngezinkemba emadolobheni akibo, phezu kwabantu abangamakhulu ayisikhombisa abakhethwa kulabo abahlala eGibhiya. 16Phakathi kwamabutho la kwakulabantu abakhethiweyo abangamakhulu ayisikhombisa ababengamanxele, bonke bengakhuthi abakunxwaneleyo ngesavutha.

17Abako-Israyeli, ngaphandle kwabakoBhenjamini, babutha abantu abalwa ngezinkemba abazinkulungwane ezingamakhulu amane, bonke bengabantu bempi.

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

” UThixo wathi, “NguJuda ozahamba kuqala.”

19Kusisa ekuseni, abako-Israyeli bavuka bamisa izihonqo eduzane leGibhiya. 20Abantu bako-Israyeli baphuma ukuyakulwa labakoBhenjamini bema ezindaweni ezilungele ukubahlasela eGibhiya. 21AbakoBhenjamini baphuma eGibhiya babulala abako-Israyeli abazinkulungwane 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 kukaThixo kwaze kwaba kusihlwa, njalo babuza uThixo bathi, “Singahamba njalo yini siyekulwa labakoBhenjamini, abafowethu na?

” UThixo waphendula yathi, “Hambani liyebahlasela.”

24Abako-Israyeli basondela koBhenjamini ngosuku lwesibili. 25Ngalesisikhathi, kwathi abakoBhenjamini sebephumile eGibhiya ukuba bamelane labo, babulala abanye njalo abazinkulungwane ezilitshumi lasificaminwembili, bonke behlome ngezinkemba.

26Lapho-ke, abako-Israyeli bonke lebutho lonke baya eBhetheli, bahlala khona bekhala phambi kukaThixo. Ngalelolanga bazila kwaze kwaba kusihlwa, banikela leminikelo yokutshiswa kanye leminikelo yobudlelwano kuThixo. 27Abako-Israyeli basebebuza uThixo. (Ngalezonsuku umtshokotsho wesivumelwano sikaNkulunkulu wawukhonapho, 28uloFinehasi indodana ka-Eliyazari, indodana ka-Aroni, ekhonza phambi kwawo.) Babuza bathi, “Singahamba njalo yini siyekulwa loBhenjamini umfowethu loba hatshi na?”

UThixo waphendula wathi, “Hambani, ngoba kusasa ngizabanikela ezandleni zenu.”

29Ngakho abako-Israyeli bacathama bezungeze iGibhiya. 30Bahamba bayahlasela abakoBhenjamini ngosuku lwesithathu, balungela ukuhlasela iGibhiya njengebabekwenze kuqala. 31AbakoBhenjamini baphuma babahlangabeza baholelwa kude ledolobho. Baqalisa ukubabulala abako-Israyeli njengakuqala, kwathi ababephosa babengamatshumi amathathu bafela egcekeni emgwaqweni oya eBhetheli lomunye oya eGibhiya. 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 kweGibhiya. 34Izinkulungwane ezilitshumi zabantu bako-Israyeli abakhethiweyo bahlasela iGibhiya mathupha. Ukulwa kwakunzima kakhulu ngakho kwenza abakoBhenjamini bangananzeleli ukuthi ingozi yayisisondele. 35UThixo wamnqoba uBhenjamini phambi kuka-Israyeli, njalo ngalelolanga abako-Israyeli babulala abakoBhenjamini abazinkulungwane ezingamatshumi amabili lanhlanu lekhulu (25,100), bonke behlome ngezinkemba. 36Lapho-ke abakoBhenjamini babona ukuthi babenqotshiwe.

Khonapho abako-Israyeli basebevulele abakoBhenjamini isikhala, ngoba babethembe ababecatheme eduze leGibhiya. 37Abantu ababecatheme bagijimela eGibhiya ngokuphangisa, basabalala 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 babengamatshumi amathathu), njalo bathi, “Siyabehlula njengempini yakuqala.” 40Kodwa kwathi izikhatha zentuthu seziqalise 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 beqonda enkangala kodwa behluleka ukuyibalekela impi. Abako-Israyeli abaphuma emizini bababulalela khonapho. 43Babahanqa abakoBhenjamini, baxotshana labo, bababhuqela eduze leGibhiya kalula ngasempumalanga. 44Kwafa abakoBhenjamini abazinkulungwane ezilitshumi lasificaminwembili, bonke bengamaqhawe. 45Sebephenduke babaleka beqonda enkangala edwaleni laseRimoni, abako-Israyeli babulala abantu abazinkulungwane ezinhlanu kulandela imigwaqo. Baqhubeka bexotshana labakoBhenjamini baze bayafika eGidomu babulala abanye njalo abazinkulungwane ezimbili.

46Ngalelolanga kwafa abakoBhenjamini abalwa ngenkemba abazinkulungwane 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 izifuyo lakho konke okunye abakutholayo. Yonke imizi abafika kuyo bayithungela ngomlilo.