AbaHlulelii

17 Bekunendoda esifundeni seentaba sakwa-Efrayimu,+ igama layo bekunguMikha. 2 Yathi kunina: “Iimpaparwana zesiliva eziyi-1 100 owathathelwa zona bewaziqalekisa ngakuzwa nawuziqalekisako, qala! Zikimi. Zathathwa ngimi.” Unina wathi: “Kwanga uJehova angabusisa indodanami.” 3 Yeke yanikela unina iimpaparwana zesiliva eziyi-1 100, kodwana unina wathi: “Nakanjani ngizokunikela kuJehova ngesiliva* esesandleni sami bona indodanami yenze ngalo isithombe esibaziweko nesithombe sesimbi.+ Nje-ke ngizibuyisela kuwe.”

4 Ngemva kobana abuyisele isiliva kunina, unina wathatha iimpaparwana zesiliva ezima-200 wazinikela umuntu osebenza ngesiliva. Wenza isithombe esibaziweko nesithombe sesimbi; zafakwa ngendlini kaMikha. 5 UMikha bekanendlu yabozimu, wenza i-efodi+ neenthombe zamatherafimi*+ begodu wabeka enye yamadodanakhe bona ibe mphristakhe.+ 6 Emihleni leyo bekunganakosi kwa-Israyeli.+ Omunye nomunye bekazenzela okulungileko emehlwenakhe.*+

7 Bekunesokana leBhetlehema+ kwaJuda ebelingelomndeni wakwaJuda. BelimLevi+ begodu besele linesikhathi lihlala lapho. 8 Isokaneli laphuma edorobheni leBhetlehema kwaJuda layokufuna indawo yokuhlala. Kwathi lisakhamba, lafika esifundeni seentaba sakwa-Efrayimu endlini kaMikha.+ 9 UMikha wathi kilo: “Ubuyaphi?” Lathi: “NgimLevi weBhetlehema kwaJuda begodu ngiyokufuna indawo yokuhlala.” 10 UMikha wathi kilo: “Hlala nami begodu ube ngubaba nomphristami. Ngizokunikela iimpaparwana zesiliva ezilitjhumi ngomnyaka, izambatho nokudla.” Yeke umLevi wangena. 11 Ngokunjalo umLevi wavuma ukuhlala noMikha begodu isokaneli laba njengenye yamadodanakhe. 12 Ngaphezu kwalokho, uMikha wabeka umLevi bona abe mphristakhe+ begodu wahlala endlini kaMikha. 13 Ngalokho uMikha wathi: “Ngiyazi bona uJehova uzongiphatha kuhle ngombana umLevi ube mphristami.”