Isizwe sakwaBenjamini sibuye simiswe
1Abantu bakwa-Israyeli babefungile eMispa, bethi: “Akuyikubakho muntu oyakunika owakwaBenjamini indodakazi yakhe ibe ngumkakhe.”
2Abantu base befika eBethele, bahlala khona kwaze kwahlwa phambi kukaNkulunkulu, baphakamisa izwi labo, bakhala kakhulu. 3Bathi: “Jehova Nkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, lokhu kwenzelweni kwa-Israyeli ukuba kusilale namuhla esinye isizwe sakwa-Israyeli na?”
4Kwathi ngakusasa abantu bavuka ekuseni, bakha khona i-altare, banikela ngeminikelo yokushiswa neminikelo yokuthula.
5Abantwana bakwa-Israyeli bathi: “Yisiphi phakathi kwazo zonke izizwe zakwa-Israyeli esingakhuphukelanga ebandleni kuJehova na?” Ngokuba bebefungile isifungo esikhulu ngaye ongakhuphukeli kuJehova eMispa ukuthi wobulawa nokubulawa.
6Abantwana bakwa-Israyeli bamhawukela uBenjamini umfowabo, bathi: “Kunqunyiwe namuhla esinye isizwe kwa-Israyeli. 7Siyakwenze njani ukuba abaseleyo babe nabafazi, lokhu sifungile uJehova ukuthi asiyikubanika amadodakazi ethu abe ngomkabo, na?” 8Bathi: “Yisiphi kuzo izizwe zakwa-Israyeli esingakhuphukelanga kuJehova eMispa na?” Bheka, akufikanga muntu ekamu* ovela eJabeshi Gileyadi ukuya ebandleni. 9Sebebalwa abantu; bheka, kwakungekho muntu kwabakhile eJabeshi Gileyadi lapho.
10Inhlangano yathuma khona abantu abayizinkulungwane eziyishumi nambili abangamaqhawe amakhulu, yabayala yathi: “Hambani nibabulale abakhe eJabeshi Gileyadi ngosiko lwenkemba kanye nabesifazane nezingane. 11Yilokhu eniyakukwenza: Niyakuchitha nokuchitha bonke abesilisa nabo bonke abesifazane abake balala nendoda.” 12Bafumana phakathi kwabakhileyo eJabeshi Gileyadi izintombi ezintsha ezingamakhulu amane ezingazanga ndoda ngokulala nayo; baziyisa ekamu* eShilo elisezweni laseKhanani.
13Yonke inhlangano yathuma yakhuluma kubantwana bakwaBenjamini ababesedwaleni lakwaRimoni, yamemezela ukuthula kubo. 14UBenjamini wabuya ngaleso sikhathi; babanika abesifazane ababebasindisile kwabesifazane baseJabeshi Gileyadi; kepha ababanelanga.
15Abantu bamhawukela uBenjamini, ngokuba uJehova wayenze ukwahlukana ezizweni zakwa-Israyeli. 16Amalunga enhlangano ayesethi: “Siyakwenze njani ukuba abaseleyo babe nabafazi, lokhu abesifazane bechithiwe kwaBenjamini, na?” 17Athi: “Nga liba khona ifa labaphunyukileyo bakwaBenjamini, ukuze kungesulwa sizwe kwa-Israyeli. 18Kepha asinakubanika nokho amadodakazi ethu abe ngomkabo, ngokuba abantwana bakwa-Israyeli babefungile bethi: ‘Makaqalekiswe onika owakwaBenjamini umfazi.’ ” 19Athi: “Bheka, kukhona umkhosi kaJehova iminyaka ngeminyaka eShilo elingasenyakatho kwaseBethele ngasempumalanga komendo okhuphuka eBethele uya eShekemi nangaseningizimu kwaseLebona.”
20Abayala abantwana bakwaBenjamini, athi: “Hambani niqamekele ezivinini, 21nibone: bhekani, uma amadodakazi aseShilo ephuma ukusina lapho kusinwa khona, anophuma ezivinini, nizibambele, kube yilowo nalowo umkakhe kuwo amadodakazi aseShilo, niye ezweni lakwaBenjamini. 22Kuyakuthi lapho oyise noma abanewabo befika ukuphikisana nathi, sithi kubo: ‘Sinikeni wona ngomusa, ngokuba asithathanga, kwaba yilowo nalowo umkakhe empini, futhi anibanikanga wona; khona ngabe nitholile icala.’ ”
23Abantwana bakwaBenjamini benze njalo, bazithathela abafazi njengenani labo kwabasinayo, ababaqhwagayo; bahamba, babuyela efeni labo, bakha imizi, bahlala kuyo.
24Abantwana bakwa-Israyeli bamuka khona ngaleso sikhathi, yilowo nalowo waya esizweni sakhe nasemndenini wakhe, baphuma lapho, yilowo nalowo waya efeni lakhe.
25Ngalezo zinsuku kwakungekho nkosi kwa-Israyeli; yilowo nalowo wenza okulungile emehlweni akhe.
