AbaHluleli

19 Ngalezo zinsuku okwakungekho nkosi ngazo kwa-Israyeli, + umLevi owayehlala endaweni ekude ezintabeni zakwa-Efrayimi + wathatha isancinza saseBhetlehema + kwaJuda ukuba sibe umkakhe. 2 Kodwa isancinza sakhe sasingathembekile kuye, samshiya saya emzini kayise eBhetlehema kwaJuda. Sahlala khona izinyanga ezine. 3 Ngemva kwalokho, umyeni waso wasilandela eyosincenga ukuba sibuye; wayehamba nenceku yakhe nezimbongolo ezimbili. Ngakho samngenisa endlini kayise. Lapho uyise wentombi embona, wajabula. 4 Ngakho umukhwe wakhe, uyise wentombi, wamncenga ukuba ahlale naye izinsuku ezintathu; babedla bephuza, aze alale khona.

5 Ngosuku lwesine, lapho bevuka ekuseni kakhulu ukuze bahambe, uyise wentombi wathi kumkhwenyana wakhe: “Yidla ukuze uthole amandla,* ngemva kwalokho ningahamba.” 6 Ngakho bahlala phansi, bobabili badla baphuza ndawonye; ngemva kwalokho uyise wentombi wathi kulo muntu: “Ngicela ulale lapha namuhla ebusuku, uthokoze.”* 7 Lapho lo muntu esukuma efuna ukuhamba, umukhwe wakhe wayelokhu emncenga, ngakho waphinde walala khona.

8 Lapho evuka ekuseni kakhulu ngosuku lwesihlanu ukuze ahambe, uyise wentombi wathi: “Ngicela udle ukuze uthole amandla.”* Balibala kwaze kwaba ntambama, bobabili babelokhu bedla. 9 Lapho lo muntu esukuma ukuze ahambe nesancinza sakhe nenceku yakhe, umukhwe wakhe, uyise wentombi, wathi kuye: “Bheka! Sekuzohlwa manje. Ngicela niphinde nilale lapha. Ilanga seliyashona. Lala lapha nakulobu busuku uthokoze. Kusasa ningavuka kusesekuseni niphindele ekhaya.”* 10 Nokho lo muntu akazange avume ukuphinde alale khona, ngakho wasukuma wahamba waze wayofika eJebusi, okungukuthi eJerusalema. + Wayehamba nezimbongolo zakhe ezimbili, isancinza sakhe nesikhonzi sakhe.

11 Lapho sebeseduze neJebusi, lase liyoshona ilanga. Ngakho inceku yathi enkosini yayo: “Kunganjani singene kuleli dolobha lamaJebusi silale khona?” 12 Kodwa inkosi yayo yathi kuyo: “Akufanele singene edolobheni labantu bezinye izizwe abangewona ama-Israyeli. Sizoqhubeka size siyofika eGibheya.” + 13 Yase ithi encekwini yayo: “Asihambe sizame ukuyofika eGibheya noma eRama; + sizolala kwenye yalezo zindawo.” 14 Ngakho baqhubeka nohambo lwabo, ilanga labashonela lapho sebeseduze neGibheya kwaBhenjamini.

15 Ngakho bama eGibheya bangena ukuze balale khona. Lapho sebengenile bahlala phansi esigcawini sedolobha, kodwa akekho owabangenisa endlini yakhe ukuze balale khona. + 16 Ekugcineni kwaqhamuka ikhehla libuya ukuyosebenza emasimini. Lalingelasezintabeni zakwa-Efrayimi, + lihlala eGibheya okwesikhashana; kodwa abantu bakuleyo ndawo kwakungabakwaBhenjamini. + 17 Lapho liphakamisa amehlo libona lesi sihambi esigcawini sedolobha, leli khehla lathi: “Uyaphi, futhi uvelaphi?” 18 Le ndoda yathi: “Sivela eBhetlehema kwaJuda siya kude ezintabeni zakwa-Efrayimi, lapho ngidabuka khona. Bengiye eBhetlehema kwaJuda, + manje sengiya endlini kaJehova,* kodwa akekho ongingenisa emzini wakhe. 19 Sinotshani nefolishi elanele lezimbongolo zethu, + isinkwa + newayini okwanele mina, isanciza sami nenceku yethu. Asiswele lutho.” 20 Nokho, ikhehla lathi: “Kwangathi ungaba nokuthula! Ngicela ukukwenzela noma yini oyidingayo. Kuphela nje, ungalali esigcawini ebusuku.” 21 Ngakho lamngenisa endlini yalo, lanika izimbongolo ukudla.* Ngemva kwalokho, bageza izinyawo, badla baphuza.

22 Ngesikhathi besazijabulisa, kwafika amadoda akulelo dolobha angelusizo lwalutho, azungeza indlu, ashaya umnyango; elokhu ethi ekhehleni elingumnikazi womuzi: “Khipha le ndoda engene endlini yakho ukuze silale nayo.” + 23 Umninindlu waphuma wathi kubo: “Kahleni bafowethu, ningayenzi into embi kanje. Ngiyanicela! Le ndoda iyisivakashi emzini wami. Ningalenzi ihlazo elinje. 24 Nansi indodakazi yami eyintombi nto nesancinza sale ndoda. Ngicela ukunikhiphela bona, nihlazise bona uma nibona kufanele. *+ Kodwa ningalenzi leli hlazo kule ndoda.”

25 Kodwa la madoda awavumanga ukulalela, ngakho le ndoda yabamba isancinza + sayo yasikhiphela kuwo. Asidlwengula, asihlukumeza ubusuku bonke kwaze kwaba sekuseni. Ngemva kwalokho asidedela sahamba ekuntweleni kokusa. 26 Lona wesifazane wafika kusesekuseni kakhulu wawela phansi emnyango wendlu yekhehla lapho inkosi yakhe yayikhona, walala lapho kwaze kwasa. 27 Lapho inkosi yakhe ivuka ekuseni ivula iminyango yendlu ukuze iqhubeke nohambo lwayo, yabona lona wesifazane, isancinza sayo, elele emnyango wendlu izandla zakhe zisesitubhini. 28 Ngakho yathi kuye: “Sukuma; asihambe.” Kodwa akaphendulanga ngoba wayesefile. Lo muntu wabe esembeka phezu kwembongolo wasuka wahamba waya kwakhe.

29 Lapho efika kwakhe, wathatha ummese omkhulu* wabamba isancinza sakhe wasihlahlela saba amalunga angu-12, wathumela ilunga ngalinye esizweni ngasinye sakwa-Israyeli. 30 Bonke abakubona lokhu bathi: “Into enjengale ayikaze nanini yenzeke noma ibonwe kusukela ngosuku ama-Israyeli akhuphuka ngalo ephuma ezweni laseGibhithe kuze kube namuhla. Yicabangeni,* nixoxe ngayo + bese nisitshela ukuthi ninqumeni.”