ABAKHOKHELI 17

₁Kwakunendoda ehlala ngeentatjaneni zakwa-Efrayimu ebekuthiwa nguMikha. ₂Yathi kunina: “Iimpaparwana eziyikulungwana nekhulu zesiliva ezathathwa kuwe, owakhuluma ngazo amanikelela begodu wakhuluma ngawo kimi, kazi zikimi, ngazithatha.” Unina wathi: “USomnini akabusise indodanami.”

₃Yabuyisela iimpaparwana eziyikulungwana nekhulu kunina. Unina wathi: “Isiliva esesandleni sami ngiyahlukanisela uSomnini kobana indodanami yenze isithombesibazwa esitshidzwe ngesiliva. Ngalokho ngiyibuyisela kuwe.”

₄Kodwana yabuyisela isilivelo kunina. Unina wathatha iimpaparwana ezimakhulu amabili zesiliva, wazinikela umkhandisiliva. Yena wenza ngazo isithombesibazwa esitshidzwe ngesiliva. Sabekwa ngekumbeni kaMikha. ₅UMikha lo gade anethempedlana. Wenza i-efodi nemihlalandlini, wabeka enye yamadodanakhe kobana ibe mphristi. ₆Emihleni leyo gade kunganakosi kwa-Israyeli, woke umuntu gade azenzela umathanda.

₇Kwakunesokana ebegade limLevi eBhethe-Lehema kwaJuda okuyindawo yelifa lakwaJuda. Labe lisikhonzi lapho. ₈Isokanelo laphuma edorobheni leBhethe-Lehema kwaJuda layokukhonza lapha lalingafumana khona indawo. Lathi lisakhamba njalo, lafika eentatjaneni zakwa-Efrayimu ekumbeni kaMikha. ₉UMikha wathi kilo: “Ubuya ndawanaphi?” Lathi kuye: “NgimLevi, ngivela eBhethe-Lehema kwaJuda, ngikhamba ngifuna indawo lapha ngingakhonza khona.” ₁₀UMikha wathi kilo: “Hlala nami, ube njengomfundisi nomphristi kimi, ngizakunikela iimpaparwana ezilitjhumi zesiliva ngomnyaka, izambatho ozidingako kanye nokugonywako.” Isokanelo ladla amathambo wengqondo. ₁₁Emva kwalokho lavuma ukuhlala naye. Nje-ke uMikha walithatha njengenye yamadodanakhe. ₁₂Walibeka laba mphristakhe, lahlala ekumbenakhe. ₁₃UMikha wathi kilo: “Ngiyazi bonyana uSomnini uzokukhanyisa iindlela zami ngombana kwamapha nginomphristi omLevi.”