Bible Reading Plan – Day 72

₁Ngalezo zinsuku kwakungekho nkosi kwa-Israyeli; ngalezo zinsuku isizwe sakwaDani sazifunela ifa lokuhlala, ngokuba kuze kube ngalolo suku babengabelwanga ifa phakathi kwezizwe zakwa-Israyeli. ₂Abantwana bakwaDani bathuma abantu abayisihlanu bomndeni wabo, bephuma kuso sonke isizwe sabo, amaqhawe, beseSora nase-Eshitawoli, ukuba bahlole izwe, balicinge; bathi kubo: “Hambani, nilicinge izwe,” bafika ezintabeni zakwa-Efrayimi endlini kaMika, bahlala khona. ₃Lapha besengasendlini kaMika, balazi izwi lensizwa engumLevi, baphambukela khona, bathi kuye: “Walethwa ngubani lapha? Wenzani kule ndawo? Ufunani lapha?”

₄Wathi kubo: “UMika ungenzele ukuthi nokuthi; ungiqashile ngaba ngumpristi wakhe.”

₅Base bethi kuye: “Ake umbuze uNkulunkulu ukuze sazi uma indlela yethu esiyihambayo iyakuba nempumelelo.”

₆Umpristi wathi kubo: “Hambani nokuthula; indlela eniyihambayo iphambi kukaJehova.”

₇Base bemuka labo bantu abayisihlanu, bafika eLayishi, babona abantu abakulo ukuthi basahlala belondekile ngendlela yamaSidoni, benokuthula, bengenaluvalo, ngokuba kwakungekho ezweni onamandla ukuba abajabhise ngalutho; babekude namaSidoni, bengenandaba nabanye abantu.

₈Babuye bafika kubafowabo eSora nase-Eshitawoli; abafowabo bathi kubo: “Nithini na?”

₉Bathi: “Sukani, senyukele kubo, ngokuba silibonile izwe; bhekani, lihle kakhulu; niyathula yini? Ningenqeni ukuhamba, ningene ukuba nilidle izwe. ₁₀Nxa nihamba, niyakufika kubantu abalondekileyo, izwe libanzi, ngokuba uNkulunkulu ulinikele esandleni senu, indawo lapho kungekho khona ukuswela lutho olusemhlabeni.”

₁₁Kwase kuphuma lapho kumndeni wakwaDani eSora nase-Eshitawoli abantu abangamakhulu ayisithupha bebhincile izikhali zokulwa. ₁₂Benyuka, bamisa eKiriyati Jeharimi kwaJuda; ngalokho bayibiza leyo ndawo ngokuthi iMahane Dani kuze kube namuhla; bheka, lingasemva kweKiriyati Jeharimi. ₁₃Basuka khona, baya ezintabeni zakwa-Efrayimi, bafika endlini kaMika.

₁₄Abantu abayisihlanu ababeyile ukuhlola izwe laseLayishi base bephendula, bathi kubafowabo: “Niyazi yini ukuthi kukhona kulezi zindlu ingubo yamahlombe, namatherafi,* nesithombe esibaziweyo, nesithombe esibunjiweyo na? Ngalokho cabangani manje ukuthi niyakwenzani.” ₁₅Baphambuka khona, bafika endlini yensizwa yomLevi, endlini kaMika, bayibuza impilo. ₁₆Abantu abangamakhulu ayisithupha bebhince izikhali zokulwa abangabantwana bakwaDani bema ngasesikhaleni sesango. ₁₇Abantu abayisihlanu ababeyile ukuhlola izwe benyuka, bafika lapho, basithatha isithombe esibaziweyo, nengubo yamahlombe, namatherafi, nesithombe esibunjiweyo; umpristi wema ngasesikhaleni sesango kanye nabantu abangamakhulu ayisithupha bebhince izikhali zokulwa.

₁₈Labo sebengenile endlini kaMika basithatha isithombe esibaziweyo, nengubo yamahlombe, namatherafi, nesithombe esibunjiweyo; umpristi wathi kubo: “Nenzani na?”

₁₉Bathi kuye: “Thula, ubeke isandla sakho emlonyeni wakho, uhambe nathi, ube ngubaba nompristi wethu; kuhle yini ukuba ube ngumpristi wendlu yomuntu munye kunokuba ube ngumpristi wesizwe nomndeni kwa-Israyeli na?” ₂₀Yayisithokoza inhliziyo yompristi, wayithatha ingubo yamahlombe, namatherafi, nesithombe esibaziweyo, wangena phakathi kwabantu. ₂₁Baphenduka, bamuka, babeka izingane, nezinkomo, nempahla phambi kwabo.

₂₂Sebekude nendlu kaMika abantu abasezindlini eziseduze nendlu kaMika babuthana, babafica abantwana bakwaDani. ₂₃Bamemeza kubantwana bakwaDani, baphenduka, bathi kuMika: “Yini ukuba ufike nesixuku na?”

₂₄Wathi: “Nithathile onkulunkulu bami engabenzayo, nompristi, namuka; ngisenani na? Nisholoni kimi ukuthi: ‘Yini na?’ ”

₂₅Abantwana bakwaDani base bethi kuye: “Izwi lakho malingezwakali phakathi kwethu, funa abantu bathukuthele, banehlele, ulahlekelwe ngukuphila kwakho kanye nabendlu yakho.” ₂₆Bahamba abantwana bakwaDani; uMika esebonile ukuthi banamandla kunaye, waphenduka, wabuyela endlini yakhe.

₂₇Bathatha abekwenzile uMika nompristi wakhe, bafika eLayishi kubantu abanokuthula belondekile, bababulala ngosiko lwenkemba; bashisa umuzi ngomlilo. ₂₈Kwakungekho owophulayo, ngokuba wawukude neSidoni; babengenandaba nabanye abantu; wawusesigodini esingaseBeti Rehobe. Bawakha umuzi, bahlala kuwo. ₂₉Baqamba igama lomuzi ngokuthi uDani ngegama likaDani uyise owazalelwa u-Israyeli; kepha igama lomuzi laliyiLayishi kuqala. ₃₀Abantwana bakwaDani bazimisela isithombe esibaziweyo; uJonathani indodana kaGereshomu kaMose yena namadodana akhe babe ngabapristi besizwe sakwaDani kwaze kwaba ngosuku lokuthunjwa kwezwe. ₃₁Base bemisa isithombe esibaziweyo sikaMika abesenzile sonke isikhathi indlu kaNkulunkulu iseShilo.

₁Kwathi ngalezo zinsuku kungekho inkosi kwa-Israyeli, kwakukhona umLevi othile owayegogobele ohlangothini olungasemuva kwezintaba zakwa-Efrayimi, owazithathela isancinza eBetlehema Juda. ₂Isancinza sakhe samgilela ubufebe, sasuka kuye, saya endlini kayise eBetlehema Juda, sahlala khona isikhathi esiyizinyanga ezine. ₃Umyeni waso wasuka, wasilandela ukuba akhulume kuyo inhliziyo yaso, asibuyise, enenceku yakhe nezimbongolo ezimbili; samngenisa endlini kayise; lapho uyise wentombi embona, wathokoza ukuhlangana naye. ₄Umukhwe wakhe, uyise wentombi, wambambezela, wahlala kuye izinsuku ezintathu; badla, baphuza, bahlala khona.

₅Kwathi ngosuku lwesine bavuka ekuseni kakhulu, wasuka ukuba ahambe; uyise wentombi wathi kumkhwenyana wakhe: “Hlumelela inhliziyo yakho ngocezu lwesinkwa, andukuba nihambe.” ₆Bahlala phansi, badla, baphuza bobabili kanyekanye; uyise wentombi wathi kuyo indoda: “Ake udele, ulale ubusuku, ithokoze inhliziyo yakho.” ₇Kepha lowo muntu wasukuma nokho ukuba ahambe; wayesemncengisisa umukhwe wakhe, wabuye walala khona. ₈Wavuka ekuseni kakhulu ngosuku lwesihlanu ukuba ahambe; uyise wentombi wathi: “Ake uhlumelele inhliziyo yakho, nihlale lize lithambame ilanga.” Badla-ke bobabili.

₉Lapho umuntu esesukuma ukuba ahambe, yena nesancinza sakhe nenceku yakhe, umukhwe wakhe, uyise wentombi, wathi kuye: “Bheka, ilanga seliyathambama, sekuzakuhlwa; ake uhlale ubusuku bonke; yebo, ilanga seliyakuphela; hlala lapha ukuba inhliziyo yakho ithokoze, nivuke kusasa ekuseni kakhulu, nihambe indlela yenu ukuba ufike etendeni lakho.” ₁₀Kepha akavumanga lowo muntu ukuhlala lobo busuku, kodwa wavuka wahamba, wafika malungana neJebusi eliyiJerusalema; kwakukhona naye izimbongolo ezimbili ziboshelwe izihlalo; nesancinza sakhe sasinaye.

₁₁SebengaseJebusi, ilanga lase lidlulile kakhulu; inceku yathi enkosini yayo: “Ake uze, siphambukele kulo muzi wamaJebusi, sihlale kuwo.”

₁₂Inkosi yayo yathi kuyo: “Asiyikuphambukela emzini wabafokazi ongesiwo owabantwana bakwa-Israyeli, kepha siyakudlulela eGibeya.” ₁₃Yayisithi encekwini: “Woza, sisondele kwenye yalezi zindawo; siyakulala eGibeya noma eRama.” ₁₄Base bethula bahamba; ilanga lashona bengaseGibeya elingelakwaBenjamini. ₁₅Baphambukela lapho ukuba bangene, balale eGibeya; wangena, wahlala phansi esigcawini somuzi; ngokuba kwakungekho muntu owabamukela endlini yakhe ukuba balale khona.

₁₆Bheka, kwafika ixhegu livela emsebenzini walo ensimini kusihlwa; lalingumuntu wasezintabeni zakwa-Efrayimi, lagogobala eGibeya; kepha abantu baleyo ndawo babe ngabakwaBenjamini. ₁₇Waphakamisa amehlo akhe, wabona isihambi esigcawini somuzi; ixhegu lase lithi: “Uyangaphi na? Uvelaphi na?”

₁₈Wathi kulo: “Siyadlula sivela eBetlehema Juda, siya ohlangothini olungasemuva kwezintaba zakwa-Efrayimi; ngivela khona; ngaya eBetlehema Juda; sengiya endlini kaJehova, kepha akukho muntu ongamukela endlini yakhe. ₁₉Kukhona nokho utshani nefoliji* lezimbongolo zethu; mina-ke nginesinkwa newayini, kanjalo nencekukazi yakho nensizwa enathi, izinceku zakho; akusweleke lutho.”

₂₀Lase lithi ixhegu: “Ukuthula makube kuwe; kepha konke okuswelayo makube phezu kwami; kepha ungalali esigcawini.” ₂₁Lase limngenisa endlini yalo, lazinika izimbongolo ifoliji;* bageza izinyawo zabo, badla, baphuza.

₂₂Besajabulisa izinhliziyo zabo, bheka, abantu bomuzi, abantu ababi, bahaqa indlu nxazonke, bangqongqotha emnyango; basho kumninindlu, ixhegu, bathi: “Khipha lowo muntu owangena endlini yakho ukuba simazi.”

₂₃Ixhegu, umninindlu, laphumela kubo, lathi kubo: “Hhayi, bafowethu, ngiyanicela, ningenzi okubi okungako; lokhu lo muntu engenile endlini yami, ningenzi lobu buwula. ₂₄Bhekani, nansi indodakazi yami, intombi, nesancinza sakhe; ngiyakubakhipha bona manje, nibone, nenze kubo njengokuthanda kwenu; kepha kulo muntu ningenzi ubuwula obunjalo.”

₂₅Kepha abantu kabavumanga ukumlalela; khona lowo muntu wasibamba isancinza sakhe, wasikhiphela kubo; basazi, basona ubusuku bonke kwaze kwaba sekuseni; ekuthatheni kokusa basiyeka. ₂₆Owesifazane wayesefika ngovivi lokusa, wawa ngasemnyango wendlu yomuntu, lapho yayikhona inkosi yakhe, kwaze kwakhanya.

₂₇Inkosi yakhe yavuka ekuseni, yavula iminyango yendlu, yaphuma ukuba ihambe indlela yayo; bheka, owesifazane, isancinza sakhe, wayewile ngasemnyango wendlu, izandla zakhe ziphezu kombundu. ₂₈Yathi kuye: “Vuka sihambe,” kepha akuphendulanga muntu. Yayisimbeka embongolweni yayo; wasuka lowo muntu, waya endaweni yakhe.

₂₉Lapho esengenile endlini yakhe, wathatha umese, wabamba isancinza sakhe, wasihlahlela ithambo ngethambo, kwaba yizinqamu eziyishumi nambili, wasithuma emikhawulweni yonke yakwa-Israyeli. ₃₀Kwathi bonke abakubonayo bathi: “Akuzange kwenziwe okunjalo, akuzange kubonwe kusukela osukwini abantwana bakwa-Israyeli abakhuphuka ngalo ezweni laseGibithe kuze kube namuhla; zindlani ngalokho, nilulekane, nikhulume.”