Judg 18 | NdeIBE | STEP | Ngalezozinsuku u-Israyeli wayengelankosi. Njalo ngalezozinsuku abosendo lukaDani babedinga indawo engeyabo, lapho ababengahlala khona, ngoba babengakabi sendaweni eyilifa labo phakathi kwezizwana zako-Israyeli.

Judges 18

AbakoDani Bakhela eLayishi

1 Ngalezozinsuku u-Israyeli wayengelankosi. Njalo ngalezozinsuku abosendo lukaDani babedinga indawo engeyabo, lapho ababengahlala khona, ngoba babengakabi sendaweni eyilifa labo phakathi kwezizwana zako-Israyeli. 2 Ngakho abakoDani bathuma amabutho amahlanu avela eZora lase-Eshithawoli ukuyahlola ilizwe lokulibona. Amadoda la ayemele zonke izinsendo zakibo. Zathi kubo, “Hambani liyehlola ilizwe.” Amadoda lawo angena elizweni lezintaba elako-Efrayimi ayafika endlini kaMikha, lapho alala khona. 3 Kwathi eseseduze lendlu kaMikha alazi ilizwi lejaha elingumLevi; ngakho aphendukela khona alibuza athi, “Ngubani owakuletha lapha? Wenzani kule indawo? Ufunani lapha?”

4 Lawatshela elalikwenziwe nguMikha, laselitsithi, “Ungiqatshile njalo ngingumphristi wakhe.”

5 Asesithi kulo, “Ake usibuzele kuNkulunkulu ukuthi uhambo lwethu luzaphumelela na.”

6 Umphristi wawaphendula wathi, “Hambani ngokuthula. Uhambo lwenu luvunyelwe nguJehova.”

7 Ngakho amadoda amahlanu lawo asuka aya eLayishi, lapho abona ukuthi abantu bakhona babezihlalele bevikelekile njengamaSidoni, kungekho kunqineka bezinzile. Njalo babehlezi khatshana lamaSidoni njalo bengelabuhlobo lomunye umuntu.

8 Esebuyele eZora lase-Eshithawoli, abafowabo bawabuza bathi, “Libone kunjani?”

9 Aphendula athi, “Phangisani, kasibahlaseleni! Sibonile ukuthi ilizwe lelo lihle kakhulu. Kaliyikwenza lutho na? Lingazilazili ukuya khonale lilithathe. 10 Ekufikeni khonale lizathola abantu abanganqineki lutho lelizwe elibanzi uNkulunkulu aselifake ezandleni zenu, ilizwe elingelalutho olungekho kulo.”

11 Lapho-ke amadoda osendo lwakoDani angamakhulu ayisithupha ahlomela ukulwa, asesuka eZora kanye le-Eshithawoli.

12 Ekuhambeni kwawo amisa izihonqo eduze leKhiriyathi Jeyarimi koJuda. Yikho nje indawo esentshonalanga kweKhiriyathi Jeyarimi ithiwa Mahane Dani kuze kube lamhla. 13 Esuka lapho aya elizweni lezintaba elako-Efrayimi afika endlini kaMikha.

14 Amadoda amahlanu ayehlole ilizwe asesithi kubafowabo, “Liyakwazi yini ukuthi enye yalezizindlu ilesambatho semahlombe, labanye onkulunkulu basendlini, lesifanekiso esibaziweyo kanye lesithombe esabunjwayo? Khathesi selikwazi elimele likwenze.” 15 Ngakhoke aphambukela khona aya endlini yejaha elingumLevi koMikha alibingelela. 16 AbakoDani abangamakhulu ayisithupha, ababehlomele ukulwa, bema ekungeneni kwesango.

17 Abahlanu ababeyehlola ilizwe bangena phakathi bathatha isifanekiso esibaziweyo, lesambatho semahlombe, labanye onkulunkulu basendlini kanye lesithombe esibunjiweyo, umphritsi labantu abangamakhulu ayisithupha abahlomileyo bemi ekungeneni kwesango.

18 Kwathi amadoda la esengene endlini kaMikha athatha isifanekiso esibaziweyo, lesambatho semahlombe, labanye onkulunkulu basendlini kanye lesithombe esibunjiweyo, umphristi wathi kubo, “Lenzani na?”

19 Amphendula athi, “Thula! Ungatsho lutho. Woza uhambe lathi, ube ngubaba lomphristi wethu. Akungcono yini ukuthi usebenzele isizwana losendo ko-Israyeli njengomphristi kulabendlu yomuntu oyedwa?” 20 Umphristi wathokoza. Wathatha isambatho semahlombe, labanye onkulunkulu basendlini kanye lesifanekiso esibaziweyo wahamba labantu.

21 Sebefake abantwababo abancane, lezifuyo zabo kanye lezimpahla zabo phambi kwabo, baphenduka bahamba.

22 Sebehambe isibanga esithize besuka endlini kaMikha, abantu ababehlala eduzane lendlu kaMikha babizelwa ndawonye baxhuma abakoDani. 23 Kwathi bebamemeza, abakoDani baphendula bathi kuMikha, “Kungani ubize abantu bakho ukuba balwe?”

24 Yena waphendula wathi, “Lithethe onkulunkulu engabenzayo lomphristi wami, lahamba. Kuyini okunye engilakho? Lingangibuza kanjani lisithi, ‘Uhlutshwa yini na?’ ”

25 AbakoDani baphendula bathi, “Ungaphikisani lathi, hlezi abanye abantu abalolaka bakuhlasele, kuthi wena labendlu yakho lilahlekelwe yikuphila kwenu.” 26 Ngakho abakoDani bazihambela, kwathi uMikha, ebona ukuthi babelamandla kakhulu kulaye, waphenduka wabuyela ekhaya.

27 Bathatha okwakwenziwe nguMikha, lomphristi wakhe, baya eLayishi, ebantwini bokuthula ababenganqineki lutho. Babahlasela ngenkemba batshisa ledolobho labo. 28 Kakho owayengabahlenga ngoba babehlezi khatshana kakhulu leSidoni bengelabuhlobo lamuntu. Idolobho lalisegodini eduze leBhethi Rehobi. AbakoDani balakha kutsha idolobho lelo bahlala kulo. 29 Balibiza ngokuthi yiDani ngokhokho wabo uDani, owayezalwa ngu-Israyeli – lanxa idolobho lalikade lithiwa yiLayishi. 30 AbakoDani bazimisela izithombe khona, njalo uJonathani indodana kaGeshomu, indodana kaMosi, lamadodana akhe babengabaphristi besizwana sikaDani kwaze kwaba yisikhathi sokuthunjwa kwelizwe.

31 Baqhubeka basebenzisa izithombe ezazenziwe nguMikha, ngaso sonke isikhathi indlu kaNkulunkulu iseShilo.