Abahluleli 21
1 Abantu bako-Israyeli babefunge isifungo eMizipha bathi, “Akukho lamunye wethu ozakwendisela indodakazi yakhe emuntwini wakoBhenjamini.”
Now the children of Israel had also sworn in Maspha, saying: None of us shall give of his daughters to the children of Benjamin to wife.
2 Abantu baya eBhetheli, lapho abahlala khona phambi kukaNkulunkulu kwaze kwaba kusihlwa, bephakamise amazwi abo bekhala kabuhlungu besithi,
And they all came to the house of God in Silo, and abiding before him till the evening, lifted up their voices, and began to lament and weep, saying:
3 “Oh Thixo, Nkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, kungani lokhu kwenzakale ku-Israyeli na? Kungani esinye isizwana singekho ko-Israyeli lamhla na?”
O Lord God of Israel, why is so great an evil come to pass in thy people, that this day one tribe should be taken away from among us?
4 Ngakusasa ekuseni abantu bakha i-alithari banikela iminikelo yokutshiswa leminikelo yobudlelwano.
And rising early the next day, they built an altar: and offered there holocausts, and victims of peace, and they said:
5 Basebebuza abako-Israyeli besithi, “Yisiphi kuzozonke izizwana zako-Israyeli esingabuthananga phambi kukaThixo na?” Ngoba babefunge isifungo esiqinileyo bathi lowo owayengayikuba khona ekubuthaneni phambi kukaThixo eMizipha kwakuzamele abulawe.
Who is there among all the tribes of Israel that came not up with the army of the Lord? for they had bound themselves with a great oath, when they were in Maspha, that whosoever were wanting should be slain.
6 Abako-Israyeli bezwa ubuhlungu ngabafowabo bakoBhenjamini. Bathi, “Lamuhla esinye isizwana kasisekho ko-Israyeli.
And the children of Israel being moved with repentance for their brother Benjamin, began to say: One tribe is taken away from Israel.
7 Labo abaseleyo singabanika njani abafazi, njengoba thina sifunge isifungo ngoThixo ukuba kasiyi kubendisela amadodakazi ethu?”
Whence shall they take wives? For we have all in general sworn, not to give our daughters to them.
8 Babuye babuza bathi, “Yisiphi sezizwana zako-Israyeli esingabuthananga phambi kukaThixo eMizipha na?” Bafumana ukuthi akulamuntu waseJabheshi Giliyadi owayefikile ezihonqweni elande umbuthano lowo.
Therefore they said: Who is thereof all the tribes of Israel, that came not up to the Lord to Maspha. And behold the inhabitants of Jabes Galaad were found not to have been in that army.
9 Ngoba bathi bebala abantu, bathola ukuthi kwakungelamuntu waseJabheshi Giliyadi owayekhona.
(At that time also when they were in Silo, no one of them was found there.)
10 Ngakho ibandla lathuma abantu bempi abazinkulungwane ezilitshumi lambili belaywa ukuthi baye eJabheshi Giliyadi babahlasele ngenkemba labo abahlala khona, kubalwa abesifazane labantwana.
So they sent ten thousand of the most valiant men, and commanded them, saying: Go and put the inhabitants of Jabes Galaad to the sword, with their wives and their children.
11 Bathi, “Kumele libulale wonke owesilisa lowesifazane ongasintombi egcweleyo.”
And this is what you shall observe: Every male, and all women that have known men, you shall kill, but the virgins you shall save.
12 Phakathi kwabantu ababehlala eJabheshi Giliyadi bathola izintombi ezigcweleyo ezingamakhulu amane, bazisa ezihonqweni eShilo kweleKhenani.
And there were found of Jabes Galaad four hundred virgins, that had not known the bed of a man, and they brought them to the camp Silo, into the land of Chanaan.
13 Ibandla lonke lathumela ilizwi lokuthula kwabakoBhenjamini edwaleni laseRimoni.
And they sent messengers to the children of Benjamin, that were in the rock Remmon, and commanded them to receive them in peace.
14 Ngakho abakoBhenjamini babuyela ngalesosikhathi sebephiwe abesifazane baseJabheshi Giliyadi ababephephisiwe. Kodwa kabawanelanga amadoda wonke.
And the children of Benjamin came at that time, and wives were given them of the daughters of Jabes Galaad: but they found no others, whom they might give in like manner.
15 Abantu bezwa ubuhlungu ngabakoBhenjamini, ngoba uThixo wayesenze isikhexe phakathi kwezizwana zako-Israyeli.
And all Israel was very sorry, and repented for the destroying of one tribe out of Israel.
16 Abadala bebandla bathi, “Njengoba abesifazane bakoBhenjamini beqothuliwe, amadoda aseleyo siwazuzela njani abafazi na?
And the ancients said: What shall we do with the rest, that have not received wives? for all the women in Benjamin are dead.
17 AbakoBhenjamini abasindayo kumele babe lezindlalifa, ukuze isizwana sako-Israyeli singatshabalali.
And we must use all care, and provide with great diligence, that one tribe be not destroyed out of Israel.
18 Asingeke sibendisele amadodakazi ethu ngoba thina abako-Israyeli safunga isifungo lesi sathi: ‘Kaqalekiswe lowo owendisela umBhenjamini umfazi.’
For as to our own daughters we cannot give them, being bound with an oath and a curse, whereby we said: Cursed be he that shall give Benjamin any of his daughters to wife.
19 Kodwa khangelani, kulomkhosi weminyaka yonke kaThixo eShilo, enyakatho kweBhetheli, ngasempumalanga komgwaqo osuka eBhetheli usiya eShekhemu, ngeningizimu kweLebhona.”
So they took counsel, and said: Behold there is a yearly solemnity of the Lord in Silo, which is situate on the north of the city of Bethel, and on the east side of the way, that goeth from Bethel to Sichem, and on the south of the town of Lebona.
20 Ngakho balaya abakoBhenjamini bathi, “Hambani liyecatsha ezivinini
And they commanded the children of Benjamin, and said: Go, and lie hid in the vineyards,
21 lilinde. Lapho izintombi zaseShilo ziphuma ukuba zingene ekugideni, sukani ezivinini ligijima kuthi lowo lalowo wenu azibambele umfazi ezintombini zaseShilo libe selisiya elizweni lakoBhenjamini.
And when you shall see the daughters of Silo come out, as the custom is, to dance, come ye on a sudden out of the vineyards, and catch you every man his wife among them, and go into the land of Benjamin.
22 Oyise labanewabo bangakhonona kithi, thina sizakuthi kubo, ‘Ake lisenzele umusa ngokubasiza, ngoba kasibatholelanga abafazi ngesikhathi sempi. Kaliyikuba lacala ngokwephula isifungo, ngoba amadodakazi enu kaliwendiselanga kubo.’”
And when their fathers and their brethren shall come, and shall begin to complain against you, and to chide, we will say to them: Have pity on them for they took them not away as by the right of war or conquest, but when they asked to have them, you gave them not, and the fault was committed on your part.
23 Ngakho lokho yikho okwenziwa ngabakoBhenjamini. Kwathi izintombi zigida, indoda yabamba intombi yahamba layo ukuba ibe ngumkayo. Babuyela-ke elifeni labo bayakha kutsha imizi, bahlala kuyo.
And the children of Benjamin did, as they had been commanded: and according to their number, they carried off for themselves every man his wife of them that were dancing: and they went into their possession and built up their cities, and dwelt in them.
24 Ngalesisikhathi abako-Israyeli basuka kuleyondawo babuyela emakhaya ezizwaneni lasezinsendweni zabo, ngulowo lalowo elifeni lakhe.
The children of Israel also returned by their tribes, and families, to their dwellings.
25 Ngalezonsuku abako-Israyeli babengelankosi; umuntu wonke ezenzela ayekubona kulungile kuye.
In those days there was no king in Israel: but every one did that which seemed right to himself.
