Judg 21 | NdeIBE | STEP | Abantu bako-Israyeli babefunge isifungo eMizipha bathi, “Akukho lamunye wethu ozakwendisela indodakazi yakhe emuntwini wakoBhenjamini.”

Judges 21

Abafazi babantu bakoBhenjamini

1 Abantu bako-Israyeli babefunge isifungo eMizipha bathi, “Akukho lamunye wethu ozakwendisela indodakazi yakhe emuntwini wakoBhenjamini.”

2 Abantu baya eBhetheli, lapho abahlala khona phambi kukaNkulunkulu kwaze kwaba kusihlwa, bephakamise amazwi abo bekhala kabuhlungu besithi, 3 “O Jehova, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, kungani lokhu kwenzakale ku-Israyeli na? Kungani esinye isizwana singekho ko-Israyeli lamhla na?”

4 Ngakusasa ekuseni abantu bakha i-alithare banikela iminikelo yokutshiswa leminikelo yobudlelwane.

5 Basebebuza abako-Israyeli besithi, “Yisiphi kuzo zonke izizwana zako-Israyeli esingabutha-nanga phambi kuka-Jehova na?” Ngoba babefunge isifungo esiqinileyo bathi lowo owayengayikuba khona ekubuthaneni phambi kukaJehova eMizipha kwakuzamele abulawe.

6 Abako-Israyeli bezwa ubuhlungu ngabafowabo abakoBhenjamini. Bathi, “Lamhla esinye isizwana kasisekho ko-Israyeli. 7 Labo abaseleyo singabanika njani abafazi, njengoba thina sifunge isifungo ngoJehova ukuba singabendiseli loba yiphi yamadodakazi ethu?”

8 Babuye babuza bathi, “Yisiphi sezizwana zako-Israyeli esingabuthananga phambi kukaJehova eMizipha na?” Bafumana ukuthi akulamuntu waseJabheshi Gileyadi owayefikile ezihonqweni elande umbuthano lowo. 9 Ngoba kwathi bebala abantu, bathola ukuthi kwakungelamuntu waseJabheshi Gileyadi owayekhona.

10 Ngakho ibandla lathuma abantu bempi abayizinkulungwane ezilitshumi lambili belaywa ukuthi baye eJabheshi Gileyadi babahlasele ngenkemba labo abahlala khona, kubalwa abesifazana labantwana. 11 Bathi, “Nanku elizakwenza: Bulalani wonke owesilisa lowesifazana wonke ongasiyo ntombi egcweleyo.” 12 Phakathi kwabantu ababehlala eJabheshi Gileyadi bathola izintombi ezingamakhulu amane ezazingakaze zembathe lowesilisa, bazisa ezihonqweni eShilo kweleKhenani.

13 Ibandla lonke lathumela ilizwi lokuthula kwabakoBhenjamini edwaleni laseRimoni.

14 Ngakho abakoBhenjamini babuyela ngalesosikhathi basebephiwa abesifazana baseJabheshi Gileyadi ababeyekelwe. Kodwa kabawanelanga amadoda wonke.

15 Abantu bezwa ubuhlungu ngabako-Bhenjamini, ngoba uJehova wayesenze isikhexe phakathi kwezizwana zako-Israyeli. 16 Abadala bebandla bathi, “Njengoba abasifazana bakoBhenjamini beqothulwe amadoda aseleyo siwazuzela njani abafazi na?

17 AbakoBhenjamini abasindayo kumele babe lezindlalifa, ukuze isizwana sako-Israyeli singapheli. 18 Asingeke sibendisele amadodakazi ethu ngoba thina ama-Israyeli safunga isifungo lesi sathi: ‘Kaqalekiswe lowo owendisela umBhenjamini umfazi.’ 19 Kodwa khangelani, kulomkhosi weminyaka yonke kaJehova eShilo, enyakatho kweBhetheli, ngasempumalanga komgwaqo osuka eBhetheli usiya eShekemu, ngeningizimu kweLebhona.”

20 Ngakho balaya abakoBhenjamini bathi, “Hambani liyecatsha ezivinini 21 lilinde. Lapho izintombi zaseShilo ziphuma ukuba zingene ekugideni, sukani ezivinini ligijima kuthi lowo lalowo wenu azibambele umfazi ezintombini zaseShilo libe selisiya elizweni lakoBhenjamini.

22 Oyise labanewabo bangakhonona kithi, thina sizakuthi kubo, ‘Ake lisenzele umusa ngokusisiza, ngoba kasibatholelanga abafazi ngesikhathi sempi, njalo lina kalilacala, ngoba amadodakazi enu kaliwendiselanga kubo.’ ”

23 Ngakho lokho yikho okwenziwa ngabakoBhenjamini. Kwathi izintombi zigida, indoda yabamba intombi yahamba layo ukuba ibe ngumkayo. Babuyela-ke elifeni labo bayakha kutsha imizi, bahlala kuyo.

24 Ngalesisikhathi abako-Israyeli basuka kuleyondawo babuyela ekhaya ezizwaneni zabo lakuzinsendo zabo, ngulowo lalowo elifeni lakhe.

25 Ngalezozinsuku abako-Israyeli babengelankosi; umuntu wonke ezenzela ayekubona kulungile kuye.