Babetesi
21 Baalumi bachi-Israyeli bakali bakonka chikonke eechi kuMizipa chakuti: “Aakati kesu taakwe uutakwatye mwanaakwe musimbi kubaalumi bamusyobo waBbenjamini.” 2 Mpawo bantu bakasika kuBbeteli akukkala nkukooko kunembo lyaLeza wakasimpe kusikila goko, kabali koomoka akulila loko. 3 Bakali kwaamba kuti: “O Jehova Leza wa-Israyeli, nkamboonzi eezi nizyachitika mu-Israyeli? Nkamboonzi umwi musyobo wa-Israyeli nweelede kuloba sunu aakati ka-Israyeli?” 4 Mpawo mubuzuba bwakatobela, bantu bakafuma kuseeni mpawo bayaka chipayililo kuti bape zipo zitentwa azipo zyalumvwanano.
5 Ma-Israyeli bakati: “Ngwani aakati kamisyobo ya-Israyeli waleka kusika kuzoobungana kunembo lyaJehova?” nkaambo bakali bachita chikonke chipati chakuti kufumbwa muntu uutaleke kuza kunembo lyaJehova kuMizipa weelede kujayigwa. 6 Nkinkaako, ma-Israyeli bakawusa akaambo kazintu zyakali zyachitikila babbululu babo bamusyobo waBbenjamini. Bakati: “Sunu umwi musyobo wagonkwa kuzwa aakati ka-Israyeli. 7 Tuchite biyeni kuti aabo bakasyaala tubape banakazi, mbukunga twakakonka kuli Jehova kuti tatukookwatya bana besu basimbi kulimbabo?”
8 Bakabuzya kuti: “Ngwani aakati kamisyobo ya-Israyeli uutazide pe kuli Jehova kuMizipa?” Taakwe naba umwi wakuJabbeshi-giliyadi wakazide mukkeempu mwakali mbungano. 9 Nibakabala bantu, bakajana kuti taakwe wakuJabbeshi-giliyadi wakaliwo. 10 Nkinkaako, mbungano yakatuma baalumi basinguzu bali 12 000. Bakabalayilila kuti: “Amweende mukajaye bantu bakkala muJabbeshi-giliyadi apanga, nibaba banakazi abana, mubajaye. 11 Nzezi nzimweelede kuchita: Amujaye baalumi boonse abanakazi bakoona aabaalumi.” 12 Aakati kabantu bakuJabbeshi-giliyadi, bakajana basimbi bali 400 bakatalinawona aamwaalumi pe. Nkinkaako, bakabeeta kukkeempu kuShilo iili munyika yaKkenani.
13 Mpawo mbungano yoonse yakatuma jwi kubaalumi bamusyobo waBbenjamini kubbwe lyaRimoni mpawo bakabamba luumuno ambabo. 14 Nkinkaako, baalumi bamusyobo waBbenjamini bakaboola aachiindi eecho. Ma-Israyeli bakabapa banakazi mbibakasiya kabali bawumi mbibakajana kuJabbeshi-giliyadi, pesi teebakakkwana pe. 15 Bantu bakawusa akaambo kazyakachitikila musyobo waBbenjamini, nkaambo Jehova wakali wapa kuti kube kwaanzaana aakati kamisyobo ya-Israyeli. 16 Baalu bambungano bakati: “Tweelede kuchitaanzi kuti tubape banakazi baalumi bakasyaala, mbukunga banakazi boonse bamusyobo waBbenjamini bakajayigwa?” 17 Bakasandula kuti: “Kweelede kuba lukono lwabaabo bakafutuka bamusyobo waBbenjamini, kuchitila kuti kutabi musyobo uuloba aakati ka-Israyeli. 18 Pesi tatuzumizigwi pe kukwatya bana besu basimbi kulimbabo, nkaambo ma-Israyeli bakakonka kabati: ‘Ulitukidwe muntu uukwatya mwanaakwe musimbi kumusyobo waBbenjamini.’”
19 Mpawo bakati: “Kuli pobwe lichitilwa Jehova munyaka amunyaka kuShilo iili kubbazu lyakunyika kwaBbeteli akubuzwezuba kwamugwagwa uutanta kawuzwa kuBbeteli do kuShekkemu akumusanza kwaLebbona.” 20 Nkinkaako, bakalayilila baalumi bamusyobo waBbenjamini kuti: “Amweende mukabwate mumyuunda yamisaansa. 21 Nimwabona basimbi bakuShilo kabaza kuzoozyana kabali kuzyunguluka, umwi awumwi wanu abbutunuke kuzwa mumuunda wamisaansa, ajate musimbi wakuShilo ngwayanda kuti abe mwanakazi wakwe, mpawo mubweede kunyika yamusyobo waBbenjamini. 22 Kuti mawisi abanyaandumi babo basika kuzootupa mulandu, tuzoobabuzya kuti: ‘Amutufwidwe luzyalo akaambo kambabo, nkaambo teetwakakonzya pe kubapa banakazi bakkwene nitwakayinka kunkondo. Andinywe teemwali kunookonzya pe kubapa bana banu kamusyaala kamutakwe mulandu.’”
23 Baalumi bamusyobo waBbenjamini bakachita mbuboobo. Umwi awumwi wabo wakabweza mwanakazi aakati kabanakazi bakali kuzyana. Mpawo bakabweeda kulukono lwabo baakuyakulula myuunzi yabo akukkala mulinjiyo.
24 Ma-Israyeli bakamwayika aachiindi eecho, umwi awumwi wakaya kumusyobo wakwe akumpuli yakwe, alubo bakazwa nkukooko umwi awumwi kaya kulukono lwakwe.
25 Mumazuba aayo, teekwakalikwe mwaami pe mu-Israyeli. Umwi awumwi wakali kuchita ziluleme mumeso aakwe.*