Judges - Chapter 20

Verse 1: Base bephuma bonke abantwana bakwa-Israyeli, inhlangano yahlangana njengomuntu munye, kusukela kwaDani kwaze kwaba seBeri Sheba kanye nezwe lakwaGileyadi kuJehova eMispa.

Verse 2: Izinhloko zabantu bonke, izizwe zonke zakwa-Israyeli, zafika ebandleni labantu bakaNkulunkulu, abantu abayimigundatshani; abayizinkulungwane ezingamakhulu amane, abahlome inkemba.

Verse 3: Abantwana bakwaBenjamini bezwa ukuthi abantwana bakwa-Israyeli babenyukele eMispa. Bathi abantwana bakwa-Israyeli: “Sitsheleni ukuthi lobu bubi benziwa kanjani na?”

Verse 4: UmLevi, umyeni wowesifazane owayebulewe, waphendula wathi: “Ngafika eGibeya lakwaBenjamini, mina nesancinza sami, ukulala khona.

Verse 5: Abantu baseGibeya bangivukela, bahaqa indlu nxazonke zami ebusuku; bacabanga ukungibulala mina, nesancinza sami basona; sesifile.

Verse 6: Ngase ngithatha isancinza sami, ngasihlahlela, ngasithuma ezweni lonke lefa lakwa-Israyeli, ngokuba babesebenzile ukona nobuwula kwa-Israyeli.

Verse 7: Bhekani nina bantwana bakwa-Israyeli, nina nonke; qondisani, niluleke lapha.”

Verse 8: Bonke abantu bavuka njengomuntu munye, bathi: “Asiyikuya, sisho namunye etendeni lakhe; asiyikuphambukela sisho namunye endlini yakhe.

Verse 9: Kepha nakhu esiyakukwenza eGibeya: Siyakulihlasela ngenkatho,

Verse 10: sithathe abantu abayishumi ekhulwini kuzo zonke izizwe zakwa-Israyeli, nabayikhulu enkulungwaneni, nabayinkulungwane ezinkulungwaneni eziyishumi, ukuba balande ukudla kwabantu, nalapho sebefike eGibeya lakwaBenjamini benze ngokobuwula ababenzile kwa-Israyeli.”

Verse 11: Abantu bonke bakwa-Israyeli babehlanganyele umuzi, bebumbene kungathi ngumuntu munye.

Verse 12: Izizwe zakwa-Israyeli zathuma abantu emindenini yonke yakwaBenjamini, zathi: “Ububi buni lobu obenziwe phakathi kwenu na?

Verse 13: Ngalokho khiphani labo bantu, abantu ababi, abaseGibeya, ukuba sibabulale, sixoshe ububi kwa-Israyeli.” Kepha uBenjamini kavumanga ukulalela izwi labafowabo, abantwana bakwa-Israyeli.

Verse 14: Abantwana bakwaBenjamini babuthana eGibeya, bevela emizini, ukuba baphume balwe nabantwana bakwa-Israyeli.

Verse 15: Abantwana bakwaBenjamini abavela emizini babalwa ngalolo suku baba ngamadoda ayizinkulungwane ezingamashumi amabili nesithupha ahlome inkemba ngaphandle kwabakhileyo eGibeya ababalwa baba ngamakhulu ayisikhombisa, amadoda akhethiweyo.

Verse 16: Phakathi kwabo bonke labo bantu kwakukhona amadoda angamakhulu ayisikhombisa akhethiweyo angamanxele; onke ayekwazi ukuphonsa amatshe ngisho nasonweleni, engageji.

Verse 17: Abantu bakwa-Israyeli ngaphandle kukaBenjamini babalwa baba yizinkulungwane ezingamakhulu amane, amadoda ahlome inkemba; bonke labo babe ngamadoda empi.

Verse 18: Abantwana bakwa-Israyeli bavuka, bakhuphukela eBethele, babuza kuNkulunkulu, bathi: “Ngubani oyakusikhuphukelela kuqala ukulwa nabantwana bakwaBenjamini na?” UJehova wathi: “NguJuda kuqala.”

Verse 19: Abantwana bakwa-Israyeli bavuka ekuseni, bamisa malungana neGibeya.

Verse 20: Abantu bakwa-Israyeli baphuma ukuba balwe noBenjamini; abantu bakwa-Israyeli bazihlelela ukulwa nabo eGibeya.

Verse 21: Abantwana bakwaBenjamini baphuma eGibeya, babulala kwabakwa-Israyeli ngalolo suku amadoda ayizinkulungwane ezingamashumi amabili nambili.

Verse 22: Abantu, amadoda akwa-Israyeli, baziqinisa, babuye bahlela impi endaweni abazihlela kuyo ngosuku lokuqala.

Verse 23: Abantwana bakwa-Israyeli bakhuphuka, bakhala phambi kukaNkulunkulu kwaze kwahlwa; babuza kuJehova, bathi: “Siyakuphinda sisondele ukulwa nabantwana bakwaBenjamini umfowethu na?” UJehova wathi: “Yenyukelani kuye.”

Verse 24: Abantwana bakwa-Israyeli basondela kubantwana bakwaBenjamini ngosuku lwesibili.

Verse 25: UBenjamini waphuma eGibeya ukuhlangabezana nabo ngosuku lwesibili, wabuye wabulala kubantwana bakwa-Israyeli amadoda ayizinkulungwane eziyishumi nesishiyagalombili; bonke labo babehlome inkemba.

Verse 26: Base bekhuphuka bonke abantwana bakwa-Israyeli, abantu bonke, bafika eBethele, bakhala, bahlala khona phambi kukaJehova, bazila ukudla ngalolo suku kwaze kwahlwa; banikela ngeminikelo yokushiswa nangeminikelo yokuthula phambi kukaJehova.

Verse 27: Abantwana bakwa-Israyeli babuza kuJehova ngokuba umphongolo wesivumelwano sikaNkulunkulu wawulapho ngalezo zinsuku;

Verse 28: uFinehasi indodana ka-Eleyazare ka-Aroni wema phambi kwawo ngalezo zinsuku bathi: “Siyakuphinda siphume ukuba silwe nabantwana bakwaBenjamini umfowethu, nokuba siyeke na?” UJehova wathi: “Khuphukani, ngokuba kusasa ngiyakubanikela esandleni sakho.”

Verse 29: U-Israyeli wabeka abaqamekeli kulo iGibeya nxazonke.

Verse 30: Abantwana bakwa-Israyeli bakhuphuka ukulwa nabantwana bakwaBenjamini ngosuku lwesithathu, bazihlelela ukulwa neGibeya njengakwezinye izikhathi.

Verse 31: Abantwana bakwaBenjamini baphuma ukulwa nabantu, badonswa, baphuma emzini; baqala ukubulala nokuceka abantu njengakwezinye izikhathi emendweni, omunye okhuphukela eBethele, omunye oya eGibeya ensimini, kungathi amadoda angamashumi amathathu kwa-Israyeli.

Verse 32: Abantwana bakwaBenjamini bathi: “Babulewe phambi kwethu njengakuqala.” Kepha abantwana bakwa-Israyeli bathi: “Masibaleke, sibadonse, baphume emzini, baye emendweni.”

Verse 33: Bonke abantu bakwa-Israyeli basuka endaweni yabo, bazihlela eBali Tamari; abaqamekeli bakwa-Israyeli bavumbuluka endaweni yabo eMare Geba.

Verse 34: Kweza malungana neGibeya abantu abayizinkulungwane eziyishumi abakhethiweyo kuye wonke u-Israyeli; ukulwa kwakunzima, kepha babengazi ukuthi ingozi isifikile kubo.

Verse 35: UJehova wanqoba uBenjamini phambi kuka-Israyeli; abantwana bakwa-Israyeli babulala ngalolo suku kwaBenjamini abayizinkulungwane ezingamashumi amabili nanhlanu nekhulu; bonke labo babehlome inkemba.

Verse 36: Base bebona abantwana bakwaBenjamini ukuthi banqotshiwe; abantu bakwa-Israyeli bamdela uBenjamini lokhu bebebethemba abaqamekeli ababebabekile ngaseGibeya.

Verse 37: Abaqamekeli bashesha badumela eGibeya; abaqamekeli basuka bachitha umuzi wonke ngosiko lwenkemba.

Verse 38: Isiboniso esinqunyiweyo phakathi kwabantu bakwa-Israyeli nabaqamekeli sasiyilesi sokuba bathunqise umusi omkhulu wenyuke emzini.

Verse 39: Abantu bakwa-Israyeli babuyela emuva empini; uBenjamini wayeseqalile ukubulala nokuceka kubantu bakwa-Israyeli kungathi abantu abangamashumi amathathu, ngokuba bathi: “Impela babulewe phambi kwethu njengasekulweni kwakuqala.”

Verse 40: Kepha lapho sekuqale ukuthunqa insika yomusi emzini, abakwaBenjamini babheka emuva, nanko umuzi wonke uthunqela ngasezulwini.

Verse 41: Base bephenduka abantu bakwa-Israyeli, nabantu bakwaBenjamini bashaywa luvalo, ngokuba babona ukuthi behlelwe ngububi.

Verse 42: Ngalokho bafulathela phambi kwabantu bakwa-Israyeli, bahamba ngendlela yasehlane, kepha ukulwa kwabalandela; abaphuma emizini bababulala phakathi kwayo.

Verse 43: Babahaqa abakwaBenjamini nxazonke, babaxosha, babanyathela phansi endaweni yabo yokuphumula, baze bafika malungana neGibeya ngasempumalanga.

Verse 44: Kwawa abantu bakwaBenjamini abayizinkulungwane eziyishumi nesishiyagalombili; bonke labo babe ngamaqhawe.

Verse 45: Baphenduka babalekela ehlane edwaleni lakwaRimoni; bakhothoza kubo emendweni abantu abayizinkulungwane eziyisihlanu, babaxosha kwaze kwabaseGideyomu, babulala kubo abantu abayizinkulungwane ezimbili.

Verse 46: Bonke abawa ngalolo suku kwaBenjamini babe ngabantu abayizinkulungwane ezingamashumi amabili nanhlanu abahlome inkemba; bonke labo babe ngamaqhawe.

Verse 47: Kepha abantu abangamakhulu ayisithupha baphenduka, babalekela ehlane edwaleni lakwaRimoni, bahlala edwaleni lakwaRimoni izinyanga ezine.

Verse 48: Abantu bakwa-Israyeli babuyela kubantwana bakwaBenjamini, bababulala ngosiko lwenkemba ababesaphila emzini, nezinkomo, yebo, konke okwafunyaniswayo; futhi yonke imizi abayifumanisayo bayithungela ngomlilo.