Wonke u-Israyeli Uhlangana Njengamuntu Munye
U-Israyeli uhlangana phambi kukaBaba wethu futhi ubuza ukuthi lokhu kwenzeka kanjani, kodwa uBenjamini uyenqaba ukunikela amadoda aseGibeya futhi ulwa nabafowabo uqobo. U-Israyeli uyabuza, uthunyelwa ukuba akhuphuke, futhi ulahlekelwa izinkulungwane ezingamashumi amane ezinsukwini ezimbili. Ngolwesithathu bayakhala, bazile ukudla, banqobe — bese beshisa yonke imizi.
20 1Aphuma onke ama-Israyeli, ibandla lahlangana njengamuntu munye, kusukela eDani kuze kufike eBheri-Sheba, kanye nezwe laseGileyadi, phambi kukaBaba wethu eMispa. 2Abaholi babo bonke abantu, bazo zonke izizwe zakwa-Israyeli, bazithatha izindawo zabo ebandleni labantu bakaBaba wethu—amadoda angu-400 000 aphethe izinkemba, ehamba ngezinyawo. 3AmaBhenjamini ezwa ukuthi ama-Israyeli enyukele eMispa. Ama-Israyeli athi: “Sitsheleni, kwenzeka kanjani lobu bubi?”
4UmLevi, umyeni walowo wesifazane owabulawa, waphendula wathi: “Mina nesancinza sami safika eGibheya kwaBenjamini ukuze silale khona ubusuku. 5Amadoda aseGibheya angilandela azungeza indlu ebusuku, efuna ukungibulala. Adlwengula isancinza sami, saze safa. 6Ngase ngithatha isancinza sami, ngasiqoba iziqephu, ngasithumela kulo lonke ifa lakwa-Israyeli, ngokuba benza ihlazo nesinengiso kwa-Israyeli. 7Bhekani, nina nonke ma-Israyeli—yenzani isinqumo neseluleko senu lapha manje.”
8Bonke abantu basukuma njengamuntu munye, bathi: “Akekho kithi oyakuya etendeni lakhe; akekho kithi oyakubuyela endlini yakhe. 9Nakhu-ke esiyakukwenza eGibheya: siyakuyihlasela ngenkatho. 10Ezizweni zonke zakwa-Israyeli siyakuthatha amadoda ayishumi kwalikhulu, ikhulu kwabayinkulungwane, inkulungwane kwabayizinkulungwane eziyishumi, ukuze bathole umphako wamabutho aya eGibheya yakwaBenjamini, ukuphindisela konke ukona ekwenza kwa-Israyeli.” 11Ngakho onke amadoda akwa-Israyeli ahlangana ukumelana nalowo muzi, ehlangene njengamuntu munye. 12Izizwe zakwa-Israyeli zathumela amadoda kuso sonke isizwe sakwaBenjamini, zibuza: “Bubi buni lobu obenzeke phakathi kwenu? 13Manje khiphani amadoda angelusizo aseGibheya, ukuze siwabulale sisuse ububi kwa-Israyeli.” Kodwa amaBhenjamini awavumanga ukulalela izwi labafowabo, ama-Israyeli.
14Kunalokho amaBhenjamini abuthana evela emizini yawo aya eGibheya, ukuze alwe nama-Israyeli. 15Ngalolo suku uBenjamini wabutha amadoda angu-26 000 aphethe izinkemba evela emizini yawo, kanye namadoda akhethiweyo angu-700 avela kwabakhileyo eGibheya. 16Phakathi kwawo wonke la mabutho kwakukhona amadoda akhethiweyo angu-700 ayizinxele; lelo nalelo likwazi ukuphonsa itshe ngendwayimana lishaye unwele lingaphuthi. 17Amadoda akwa-Israyeli, ngaphandle kukaBenjamini, abutha amadoda angu-400 000 aphethe izinkemba; lonke kwakuyiqhawe.
18Ama-Israyeli asuka enyukela eBethele abuza kuBaba wethu, athi: “Ngubani kithi oyakwenyuka kuqala ukuyolwa namaBhenjamini?” UBaba wethu wathi: “UJuda uyakwenyuka kuqala.”
19Ngakho ama-Israyeli avuka ekuseni amisa izinkamba eduze neGibheya. 20Amadoda akwa-Israyeli aphuma ukuyolwa noBenjamini, azihlela ngemigqa ukumelana nawo eGibheya. 21AmaBhenjamini aphuma eGibheya abulala ama-Israyeli angu-22 000 endle ngalolo suku. 22Kodwa ibutho lakwa-Israyeli laziqunga isibindi, laphinda lahlela umgqa walo wempi lapho ayezimise khona ngosuku lokuqala.
23Ama-Israyeli enyuka, akhala phambi kukaBaba wethu kwaze kwahlwa, abuza: “Siyakuphinda yini silwe nabafowethu amaBhenjamini?” UBaba wethu wathi: “Khuphukani nilwe nawo.”
24Ngakho ama-Israyeli asondela ukumelana namaBhenjamini ngosuku lwesibili. 25UBenjamini waphuma eGibheya ukumelana nawo ngosuku lwesibili, wabulala ama-Israyeli angu-18 000, onke ehlome ngezinkemba.
26Khona-ke onke ama-Israyeli, lonke ibutho, enyukela eBethele ahlala khona ekhala phambi kukaBaba wethu. Azila ukudla kwaze kwahlwa ngalolo suku, anikela ngeminikelo yokushiswa neyokuthula phambi kwakhe. 27Ama-Israyeli abuza kuBaba wethu. (Ngalezo zinsuku umphongolo wesivumelwano sikaBaba wethu wawulapho,
28uFinehasi indodana ka-Eleyazare, indodana ka-Aroni, ekhonza phambi kwawo.) Abuza: “Siyakuphinda yini siphume ukuyolwa nabafowethu amaBhenjamini, noma siyeke?” UBaba wethu waphendula wathi: “Khuphukani, ngokuba kusasa ngiyakuwanikela esandleni senu.”
29Khona-ke u-Israyeli wabeka amadoda ukuba acathame nxazonke zeGibheya. 30Ngosuku lwesithathu ama-Israyeli ahamba ukumelana namaBhenjamini, azimisa ukumelana neGibheya njengakuqala. 31AmaBhenjamini aphuma ukuwahlangabeza, akhishwa kulowo muzi. Njengakuqala, aqala ukubulala abantu, abulala cishe amadoda angamashumi amathathu akwa-Israyeli endle nasemigwaqweni, omunye oya eBethele, omunye oya eGibheya.
32AmaBhenjamini athi: “Siyawahlula njengakuqala.” Kodwa u-Israyeli wayethe: “Masibaleke sibakhiphe kulowo muzi sibayise emigwaqweni.”
33Onke amadoda akwa-Israyeli asuka ezindaweni zawo azihlela eBhali-Thamari, kuthi abacathami bakwa-Israyeli bagqashuka endaweni yabo ngasentshonalanga yeGeba. 34Amadoda angu-10 000 akhethekileyo akwa-Israyeli asondela ukumelana neGibheya, impi yaba lukhuni; kodwa amaBhenjamini awazange abone ukuthi inhlekelele isisondele kuwo. 35UBaba wethu wamehlula uBenjamini phambi kuka-Israyeli; ngalolo suku u-Israyeli wabulala amadoda angu-25 100 akwaBenjamini, onke ehlome ngezinkemba. 36AmaBhenjamini abona ukuthi ehluliwe. Amadoda akwa-Israyeli abuyela emuva anika uBenjamini indawo, ethemba abacathami ababebabekele ukumelana neGibheya. 37Abacathami bagijima masinyane bawela iGibheya; basabalala bawushaya wonke lowo muzi ngenkemba. 38Amadoda akwa-Israyeli ayenze isivumelwano sophawu nabacathami: intuthu enkulu eyenyuka kulowo muzi. 39Amadoda akwa-Israyeli ayakuphenduka empini. UBenjamini wayeseqalile ukuwabulala, ebulala cishe amadoda angamashumi amathathu, wacabanga wathi: “Impela ahluliwe phambi kwethu njengasempini yokuqala.” 40Kwathi lapho insika yentuthu iqala ukwenyuka kulowo muzi, amaBhenjamini abheka emuva—wayesuka wonke lowo muzi ushunqa intuthu ebhekise esibhakabhakeni. 41Amadoda akwa-Israyeli aphenduka, amadoda akwaBenjamini ethuka, ebona ukuthi inhlekelele isiwafikele. 42Ngakho aphendukela ehlane phambi kwamadoda akwa-Israyeli, kodwa impi yawafica, labo ababevela emizini bawabulala phakathi nempi. 43Awazungeza amaBhenjamini, awaxosha, awafica endaweni yawo yokuphumula ngasempumalanga yeGibheya. 44Kwawa amaBhenjamini angu-18 000, onke engamadoda anesibindi. 45Asalayo abalekela ehlane, aya edwaleni laseRimoni, kodwa u-Israyeli wabulala angu-5 000 emigwaqweni, wawaxosha kwaze kwaba seGidomi, wabulala amanye angu-2 000. 46Ngakho onke amaBhenjamini awa ngalolo suku ayengu-25 000 aphethe izinkemba, onke engamadoda anesibindi. 47Kodwa amadoda angu-600 abalekela ehlane, aya edwaleni laseRimoni, ahlala khona izinyanga ezine. 48Amadoda akwa-Israyeli abuyela kumaBhenjamini awabulala ngenkemba—wonke umuzi, abantu, izilwane, konke akutholayo. Aphinde ashisa yonke imizi eyayisendleleni yawo.
