Onke amaSirayeli Ahlanganisana njengaMnye

AmaSirayeli ahlanganisana phambi koBawo wethu, abuze ukuba kwenzeke njani na oku, kodwa uBhenjamin uyala ukunikela amadoda aseGibheha, alwe nabazalwana bawo. AmaSirayeli ayabuza, athunyelwe phezulu, alahlekelwe ngamawaka angamashumi amane kwiintsuku ezimbini. Ngowesithathu alila, azile ukudla, oyise—aze atshise yonke imizi.

Isahluko 20.

Baphuma bonke oonyana bakaSirayeli, lahlanganisana ibandla njengandoda-nye, bethabathela eDan besa eBher-shebha, kunye nelizwe laseGiliyadi, phambi koBawo wethu eMizpa. Iinkokeli zabo bonke abantu, zazo zonke izizwe zakwaSirayeli, zema ebandleni labantu bakaBawo wethu—amakhulu amane amawaka amadoda arhola ikrele, ehamba ngeenyawo. Beva ke oonyana bakaBhenjamin ukuba amaSirayeli enyukele eMizpa. Aza amaSirayeli athi: “Sixelele, kwenzeke njani na obu bubi?”

Waphendula umLevi, indoda yomfazi lowo wabulawa, wathi: “Mna neshweshwe lam safika eGibheha yakwaBhenjamin, size kulala khona. Eza emva kwam amadoda aseGibheha, ayirhawula indlu ebusuku, efuna ukundibulala. Alidlwengula ishweshwe lam, lafa. Ndaza ndalithabatha ishweshwe lam, ndalisika iziqwenga, ndazithumela kulo lonke ilifa lakwaSirayeli, ngokuba benze into eyilihlazo nebuburhalarhume kwaSirayeli. Yabonani, nina nonke nonyana bakaSirayeli—khuphani isigwebo senu necebo lenu kwangoku.”

Baphakama bonke abantu njengandoda-nye, besithi: “Akukho namnye kuthi oya kuya ententeni yakhe; akukho namnye kuthi oya kubuyela endlwini yakhe. Nantsi ke into esiya kuyenza eGibheha: siya kuyifikela ngeqashiso. Esizweni ngesizwe sakwaSirayeli siya kuthabatha amadoda alishumi kwikhulu, nekhulu ewakeni, newaka kumawaka alishumi, ukuba azuze umphako wabantu abaya eGibheha yakwaBhenjamin, ukubabuyisela bonke ububurhalarhume abenze kwaSirayeli.” Ahlanganisana ke onke amadoda akwaSirayeli ukulwa naloo mzi, embumba-nye. Izizwe zakwaSirayeli zathumela amadoda kuso sonke isizwe sakwaBhenjamin, zisithi: “Buyini na obu bubi obenzeke phakathi kwenu? Ngoko ke nikelani ngamadoda angamatshijolo akwaGibheha, size siwabulale, sibususe ububi kwaSirayeli.” Kodwa oonyana bakaBhenjamin abavumanga ukuliphulaphula izwi labazalwana babo, oonyana bakaSirayeli.

Endaweni yoko oonyana bakaBhenjamin bahlanganisana besuka emizini yabo, baya eGibheha, besiya kulwa noonyana bakaSirayeli. Ngaloo mini uBhenjamin wawabala amashumi amabini anamathandathu amawaka amadoda arhola ikrele, evela emizini yabo, ngaphandle kwamadoda angamakhulu asixhenxe anyuliweyo, abemi baseGibheha. Phakathi kwabo bonke aba bantu kwakukho amadoda angamakhulu asixhenxe anyuliweyo axhentsa ngesandla sasekhohlo, elowo enako ukugibisela ilitye enweleni, angaphosi. Amadoda akwaSirayeli ahleliweyo, ngaphandle koBhenjamin, aba ngamakhulu amane amawaka amadoda arhola ikrele, onke engamagorha.

Banduluka oonyana bakaSirayeli, benyuka baya eBheteli, babuza kuBawo wethu, besithi: “Ngubani na kuthi oya kunyuka kuqala, aye kulwa noonyana bakaBhenjamin?” Wathi uBawo wethu: “UYuda uya kunyuka kuqala.”

Bavuka ke oonyana bakaSirayeli kusasa, bamisa iintente ngaseGibheha. Aphuma amadoda akwaSirayeli, esiya kulwa noBhenjamin; akha uluhlu lwawo malunga nawo eGibheha. Baphuma oonyana bakaBhenjamin eGibheha, bawaxabela amadoda akwaSirayeli angamashumi amabini anamabini amawaka entsimini ngaloo mini. Kodwa amadoda akwaSirayeli azomeleza, aphinda akha uluhlu lwawo lokulwa kuloo ndawo abemi kuyo ngemini yokuqala.

Benyuka oonyana bakaSirayeli, balila phambi koBawo wethu kwada kwahlwa, babuza besithi: “Sibuye silwe na noonyana bakaBhenjamin, abazalwana bethu?” Wathi uBawo wethu: “Nyukani niye kubo.”

Basondela ke oonyana bakaSirayeli koonyana bakaBhenjamin ngemini yesibini. Waphuma uBhenjamin eGibheha, weza kubo ngemini yesibini, waxabela kwakhona ishumi elinesibhozo lamawaka amadoda akwaSirayeli, onke erhola ikrele.

Baza bonke oonyana bakaSirayeli, umkhosi uphela, benyuka baya eBheteli, bahlala khona belila phambi koBawo wethu. Bazila ukudla kwada kwahlwa ngaloo mini, basondeza amadini anyukayo nemibingelelo yoxolo phambi kwakhe. Babuza oonyana bakaSirayeli kuBawo wethu. (Ngaloo mihla ityeya yomnqophiso kaBawo wethu yayilapho,

waye uPinehasi, unyana kaElazare, unyana ka-Aron, elungiselela phambi kwayo.) Babuza besithi: “Sibuye na siphume siye kulwa noonyana bakaBhenjamin, abazalwana bethu, okanye siyeke na?” Waphendula uBawo wethu: “Nyukani, kuba ngomso ndiya kubanikela esandleni senu.”

Waza uSirayeli wamisa amadoda ekulaleleni ajikeleze iGibheha. Ngemini yesithathu banyuka oonyana bakaSirayeli, baya koonyana bakaBhenjamin, bazimisa malunga neGibheha njengokwangaphambili. Baphuma oonyana bakaBhenjamin ukuza kubahlangabeza, baqhiwukana nomzi. Njengokwangaphambili, baqala ukubabulala abantu, babulala amadoda angathi angamashumi mathathu akwaSirayeli ezindle nasezindleleni, enye inyuka isiya eBheteli, enye isiya eGibheha.

Bathi oonyana bakaBhenjamin: “Siyabagxotha njengokwangaphambili.” Kodwa uSirayeli wayethe: “Masisabe sibarhole emzini, sibase ezindleleni.”

Esuka onke amadoda akwaSirayeli ezindaweni zawo, akha uluhlu eBhahali-tamare, kanti abalaleli bakwaSirayeli bagqabhuka kwindawo yabo ngasentshonalanga kweGebha. Kweza malunga neGibheha ishumi lamawaka amadoda anyuliweyo kuSirayeli lonke, kwaba nzima ukulwa; kodwa oonyana bakaBhenjamin ababengaqondi ukuba ububi busondele kubo. UBawo wethu wamxabela uBhenjamin phambi koSirayeli; ngaloo mini oonyana bakaSirayeli bawaxabela amadoda akwaBhenjamin angamashumi amabini anamahlanu amawaka namakhulu amathathu, onke erhola ikrele. Babona oonyana bakaBhenjamin ukuba beyisiwe. Amadoda akwaSirayeli abuyela umva phambi koBhenjamin, ekholosile ngabalaleli ababebabekele eGibheha. Bakhawuleza abalaleli, bayifikela ngebhaqo iGibheha; bazisarhaza abalaleli, bawuxabela wonke umzi ngohlangothi lwekrele. Amadoda akwaSirayeli ayenze umqondiso nabalaleli: ukunyuka komsi omkhulu uphuma emzini. Amadoda akwaSirayeli aya kujika emfazweni. UBhenjamin ebeqalile ukuwabulala, ebulala amadoda angathi angamashumi mathathu, esithi: “Inene, beyisiwe phambi kwethu njengakwimfazwe yokuqala.” Wathi ke umqulu womsi uqala ukunyuka emzini, babheka emva oonyana bakaBhenjamin—nango umzi uphela unyuka usiya esibhakabhakeni ngomsi. Ajika amadoda akwaSirayeli, othuka amadoda akwaBhenjamin, akubona ukuba ububi bubafikele. Asuka ke ajika phambi kwamadoda akwaSirayeli, abheka entlango; kodwa yawafikela imfazwe, baza abo bevela emizini bawaxabela phakathi ekulweni. Bawarhawula amaBhenjamin, bawasukela, bawafikela ekuphumleni kwawo ngasempumalanga kweGibheha. Kwawa amaBhenjamin alishumi elinesibhozo lamawaka, onke engamadoda anobukroti. Asala asaba aya entlango engxondorheni yeRimon; kodwa amaSirayeli abulala kuwo amawaka amahlanu ezindleleni, awasukela esa eGidom, abulala amanye amawaka amabini kuwo. Onke ke amaBhenjamin awa ngaloo mini aba ngamashumi amabini anamahlanu amawaka amadoda arhola ikrele, onke engamadoda anobukroti. Kodwa amadoda angamakhulu amathandathu asaba, aya entlango engxondorheni yeRimon, ahlala khona iinyanga ezine. Abuyela amadoda akwaSirayeli koonyana bakaBhenjamin, awaxabela ngohlangothi lwekrele—wonke umzi, nabantu, nezilwanyana, nako konke akufumanayo. Kananjalo ayitshisa ngomlilo yonke imizi awayifikelayo endleleni yawo.