Bafati besive sakaBhenjamini
1Emadvodza abente sifungo aseseMispa, atsi: “Kute ngisho namunye loyakwendzisa indvodzakati yakhe kumuntfu wesive sakaBhenjamini.”
2Sive sakhuphukela eBetheli, lapho safike sahlala phansi embikwaSimakadze; laze layawushona solomane simpongoloza sikhala kabuhlungu, 3sitsi: “Awu! Simakadze, Nkulunkulu wema-Israyeli, loku kwentekeleni ka-Israyeli? Kwentiwa yini kutsi kube nesive lesinyamalalako ka-Israyeli lamuhla?”
4Ekuseni ngakusasa bantfu bavuka bakha lilati, betfula khona iminikelo yekushiswa neminikelo yekuthula.
5Baka-Israyeli babuta batsi: “Ngubani emkhatsini wato tonkhe tive taka-Israyeli longazange aye kuyawuhlangana embikwaSimakadze?” Phela bebafunge bagomela kutsi lowo longazange ete emhlanganweni embikwaSimakadze eMispa uyawubulawa nome kanjani.
6Baka-Israyeli basidzabukela sive sakaBhenjamini, lesasingumnakabo, batsi: “Lamuhla lesinye sive sincunyiwe etiveni taka-Israyeli. 7Sitawubanika kanjani bafati laba lase basele, ngobe sesente sifungo ngaSimakadze kutsi singabendziseli ngisho namunye wemadvodzakati etfu?”
8Ngako base bayabuta batsi: “Ngusiphi sive, etiveni tema-Israyeli, lesingazange site emhlanganweni embikwaSimakadze eMispa?” Bakhandza kutsi bekute ngisho namunye lophuma eJabeshi Gileyadi labetile enkambu kulowo mhlangano. 9Batsi nasebabala bantfu, bakhandza kutsi bekute ngisho namunye lobuya kulaseJabeshi Gileyadi labekhona.
10Ngako umhlangano watfumela emabutfo lati-12 000 kutsi aye eJabeshi Gileyadi, afike abulale bonkhe labahlala khona, ngisho nebafati nebantfwana. 11Batsi: “Naku lekufanele nikwente: nifike nibulale bonkhe labadvuna nalabasikati labangasito tintfombi letingayati indvodza ngekulala nayo.” 12Bakhandza emkhatsini webantfu lababehlala eJabeshi Gileyadi kutsi bekunetintfombi letatingayati indvodza ngekulala nayo tingema-400; batitsatsa bahamba nato, batimikisa enkambu leyayiseShilo eKhenani.
13Ngako umhlangano watfumela livi kubakaBhenjamini lababehlala edvwaleni iRimoni, bamemetela kubo kuthula. 14Ngako bakaBhenjamini babuya ngaleso sikhatsi, bafike babanika letintfombi taseJabeshi Gileyadi letatisele tingakabulawa. Noko atizange tibenele bonkhe.
15Sive sabadzabukela bakaBhenjamini, ngobe Simakadze abesavule sikhala etiveni taka-Israyeli. 16Baholi bemhlangano bakhuluma batsi: “Ngenca yalabafati bakaBhenjamini lababulewe, sitabatsatsaphi bafati bekunika lamadvodza lasilele? 17Lensali yakaBhenjamini kufanele ibe netindlalifa, kuze lesive saka-Israyeli singapheli. 18Tsine ma-Israyeli singeke sibendzisele emadvodzakati etfu, ngobe safunga satsi: ‘Akacalekiswe lowo loyakwendzisa indvodzakati yakhe kaBhenjamini.’ ”
19Bachubeka batsi: “Bukani la, kukhona umkhosi waSimakadze eShilo logujwa kanye ngemnyaka, ngasenyakatfo yaseBetheli, emphumalanga nemgwaco lomkhulu lowendlula eBetheli ucondze eShekhemu, ngaseningizimu yeLebona.”
20Ngako batjela lamadvodza akaBhenjamini batsi: “Hambani niyewubhaca lapha etivinini, 21nilindze; kutawutsi tintfombi taseShilo natichamuka nato titewugidza, nine bese niyaphoseka niphuma lapha etivinini, ngulowo nalowo atibambele wakhe umfati kuletintfombi taseShilo, nihambe nibuyele eveni lakini kaBhenjamini. 22Kutawutsi boyise nabomnakabo nabakhala kitsi, tsine sibatjele sitsi: ‘Mane nisentele bubele nibasite, ngobe asizange sibatsatsele bafati ngesikhatsi semphi, futsi-ke nine aninacala, ngobe abakendziselwa ngini lamadvodzakati enu.’ ”
23Ngako lamadvodza akaBhenjamini avele enta njalo. Kwatsi letintfombi tisagidza, kwaba nguleyo ndvodza yatibambela yinye intfombi, yayetfwala, yahamba nayo, yayawuba ngumfati wayo. Lamadvodza abuyela efeni lawo, afike avusa emadolobha; abuyela ahlala kahle.
24Ngaleso sikhatsi onkhe ema-Israyeli esuka kuleyo ndzawo abuyela emakhaya, ngulowo nalowo wabuyela esiveni sakubo naselusendvweni lwakhe, efeni lakabo.
25Ngaleto tikhatsi sive sema-Israyeli sasingenayo inkhosi, ngulowo nalowo abetentela loko lakubona kukuhle emehlweni akhe.
