AbaHluleli

17 Kwakukhona umuntu wasezintabeni zakwa-Efrayimi, + igama lakhe kunguMika. 2 Wathi kunina: “Izinhlamvu zesiliva ezingu-1 100 ezebiwa kuwe nowaziqalekisa ngizwa—lelo siliva likimi. Yimi owalithatha.” Lapho ezwa lokho unina wathi: “Kwangathi uJehova angayibusisa indodana yami.” 3 Ngakho wazibuyisela kunina lezo zinhlamvu zesiliva ezingu-1 100, kodwa unina wathi: “Nakanjani ngizolinikela kuJehova leli siliva elisesandleni sami ngenxa yendodana yami, ukuze lisetshenziselwe ukwenza umfanekiso oqoshiwe nesithombe sensimbi. *+ Manje ngilibuyisela kuwe.”

4 Ngemva kokubuyisela isiliva kunina, unina wathatha izinhlamvu zesiliva ezingu-200 wazinika umuntu osebenza ngesiliva. Lo muntu wenza umfanekiso oqoshiwe nesithombe sensimbi;* kwabekwa endlini kaMika. 5 UMika lo wayenendlu yonkulunkulu, wabe esenza i-efodi + nezithombe zamatherafi, *+ wabeka enye* yamadodana akhe ukuba ikhonze njengompristi wakhe. + 6 Ngalezo zinsuku kwakungekho nkosi kwa-Israyeli. + Yilowo nalowo wayenza okulungile emehlweni akhe. *+

7 Kwakukhona insizwa ethile yaseBhetlehema + lakwaJuda eyayingeyomndeni wakwaJuda. YayingumLevi, + isinesikhathi ihlala lapho. 8 Lo muntu wasuka edolobheni laseBhetlehema kwaJuda wayofuna indawo yokuhlala. Ekuhambeni kwakhe, wafika ezintabeni zakwa-Efrayimi, endlini kaMika. + 9 UMika wathi kuye: “Uvelaphi?” Waphendula wathi: “NgingumLevi waseBhetlehema kwaJuda, ngihambe ngifuna indawo yokuhlala.” 10 Ngakho uMika wathi kuye: “Hlala nami ube ubaba* nompristi wami. Ngizokunika izinhlamvu zesiliva eziyishumi ngonyaka, izimpahla zokugqoka nokudla.” Ngakho lo mLevi wangena ngaphakathi. 11 Wavuma kanjalo umLevi ukuhlala noMika, le nsizwa yaba njengenye yamadodana akhe. 12 Ngaphezu kwalokho, uMika wabeka lo mLevi* ukuba akhonze njengompristi wakhe, + wayesehlala endlini kaMika. 13 UMika wathi: “Manje sengiyazi ukuthi uJehova uzongenzela okuhle, ngoba umLevi usengumpristi wami.”