Abahluleli 18
1 Ngalezonsuku kwakungelankosi koIsrayeli; langalezonsuku isizwe sakoDani sazidingela ilifa lokuhlala, ngoba kuze kube ngalolosuku babengawelwanga yilifa phakathi kwezizwe zakoIsrayeli.
Ngalezonsuku u-Israyeli wayengelankosi. Njalo ngalezonsuku abosendo lukaDani babedinga indawo engeyabo, lapho ababengahlala khona, ngoba babengakabi sendaweni eyilifa labo phakathi kwezizwana zako-Israyeli.
2 Abantwana bakoDani basebethuma amadoda amahlanu avela kusendo lwabo esuka emaphethelweni abo, amaqhawe, evela eZora leEshitawoli, ukuhlola ilizwe lokuliphenya. Basebesithi kuwo: Hambani liphenye ilizwe. Asefika entabeni yakoEfrayimi, endlini kaMika, alala khona.
Ngakho abakoDani bathuma amabutho amahlanu avela eZora lase-Eshithawoli ukuyahlola ilizwe lokulibona. Amadoda la ayemele zonke insendo zakibo. Zathi kubo, “Hambani liyehlola ilizwe.” Amadoda lawo angena elizweni lezintaba elako-Efrayimi ayafika endlini kaMikha, lapho alala khona.
3 Esendlini kaMika wona alazi ilizwi lejaha umLevi; asephendukela khona athi kuye: Ngubani owakuletha lapha? Njalo wenzani lapha? Njalo ulani lapha?
Kwathi eseseduze lendlu kaMikha alazi ilizwi lejaha elingumLevi; ngakho aphendukela khona alibuza athi, “Ngubani owakuletha lapha? Wenzani kule indawo? Ufunani lapha?”
4 Wasesithi kiwo: UMika ungenzele kanje lakanje; ungiqhatshile, sengingumpristi wakhe.
Lawatshela elalikwenziwe nguMikha, laselisithi, “Ungiqatshile njalo ngingumphristi wakhe.”
5 Asesithi kuye: Ake ubuze uNkulunkulu ukuze sazi ukuthi indlela yethu esihamba ngayo izaphumelela yini.
Asesithi kulo, “Ake usibuzele kuNkulunkulu ukuthi uhambo lwethu luzaphumelela na.”
6 Umpristi wasesithi kibo: Hambani ngokuthula. Indlela yenu elihamba ngayo iphambi kweNkosi.
Umphristi wawaphendula wathi, “Hambani ngokuthula. Uhambo lwenu luvunyelwe nguThixo.”
7 Asehamba lawomadoda amahlanu, ayafika eLayishi, abona abantu abaphakathi kwayo, behlezi bonwabile, ngokwendlela yamaSidoni, belokuthula, bengethuki lutho, kwakungelamahluleli elizweni ukubathiba, babekhatshana lamaSidoni, bengasebenzelani lamuntu.
Ngakho amadoda amahlanu lawo asuka aya eLayishi, lapho abona ukuthi abantu bakhona babezihlalele bevikelekile njengamaSidoni, belokuthula njalo bevikelekile. Njalo babehlezi khatshana lamaSidoni njalo bengelabuhlobo lomunye umuntu.
8 Asefika kubafowabo eZora leEshitawoli, abafowabo basebesithi kuwo: Lithini?
Esebuyele eZora lase-Eshithawoli, abafowabo bawabuza bathi, “Libone kunjani?”
9 Asesithi: Sukumani asenyuke simelane labo, ngoba sibonile ilizwe, khangelani-ke, lihle kakhulu; pho lina lithule? Lingavilaphi ukuyangena ukudla ilifa lelizwe.
Aphendula athi, “Phangisani, kasibahlaseleni! Sibonile ukuthi ilizwe lelo lihle kakhulu. Kaliyikwenza lutho na? Lingazilazili ukuya khonale lilithathe.
10 Ekufikeni kwenu khona lizafika ebantwini abonwabileyo lelizweni elibanzi inhlangothi zombili, ngoba uNkulunkulu ulinikele esandleni senu; indawo lapho okungasweleki lutho khona elizweni.
Ekufikeni khonale lizathola abantu abanganqinekeli lutho lelizwe elibanzi uNkulunkulu aselifake ezandleni zenu, ilizwe elingasweli lutho.”
11 Asesuka lapho evela kusendo lwabakoDani eZora leEshitawoli amadoda angamakhulu ayisithupha ehlomile izikhali zempi,
Lapho-ke amadoda osendo lwakoDani angamakhulu ayisithupha ahlomela ukulwa, asesuka eZora kanye le-Eshithawoli.
12 enyuka amisa inkamba eKiriyathi-Jeyarimi koJuda. Ngenxa yalokho ayibiza leyondawo ngokuthi yiMahane-Dani kuze kube lamuhla; khangela isemuva kweKiriyathi-Jeyarimi.
Ekuhambeni kwawo amisa izihonqo eduze leKhiriyathi-Jeyarimi koJuda. Yikho-nje indawo esentshonalanga kweKhiriyathi-Jeyarimi ithiwa yiMahane Dani kuze kube lamhla.
13 Asesedlula esuka lapho, aya entabeni yakoEfrayimi, afika endlini kaMika.
Esuka lapho aya elizweni lezintaba elako-Efrayimi afika endlini kaMikha.
14 Khona amadoda amahlanu ayehambile ukuhlola ilizwe iLayishi aphendula athi kubafowabo: Liyazi yini ukuthi kulezizindlu kukhona i-efodi lamatherafi lesithombe esibaziweyo lesithombe esibunjwe ngokuncibilikisa? Ngakho-ke cabangani elizakwenza.
Amadoda amahlanu ayehambe ukuyahlola ilizwe leLayishi athi kubafowabo bakoDani, “Liyakwazi yini ukuthi enye yalezizindlu ilesembatho semahlombe, labanye onkulunkulu basendlini, lesithombe esihuqwe ngesiliva? Khathesi selikwazi okumele likwenze.”
15 Asephambukela khona, aya endlini yejaha umLevi endlini kaMika, ambuza impilo.
Ngakho-ke aphambukela khona aya endlini yejaha elingumLevi koMikha, alibingelela.
16 Amadoda angamakhulu ayisithupha ayehlomile ngezikhali zempi, ayengabantwana bakoDani, asesima ekungeneni kwesango.
AbakoDani abangamakhulu ayisithupha, ababehlomele ukulwa, bema entubeni yesango.
17 Lawomadoda amahlanu ayehambile ukuhlola ilizwe enyuka angena lapho athatha isithombe esibaziweyo, le-efodi, lamatherafi, lesithombe esibunjwe ngokuncibilikisa, umpristi esemi ekungeneni kwesango lamadoda angamakhulu ayisithupha ayebhince izikhali zempi.
Abahlanu ababeyehlola ilizwe bangena phakathi bathatha isithombe esibaziweyo, lesembatho semahlombe, labanye onkulunkulu basendlini, umphristi lamadoda ahlomileyo angamakhulu ayisithupha bemi entubeni yesango.
18 La-ke esengenile endlini kaMika athatha isithombe esibaziweyo, i-efodi, lamatherafi, lesithombe esibunjwe ngokuncibilikisa, umpristi wathi kiwo: Lenzani?
Kwathi amadoda la esengene endlini kaMikha athatha isithombe esibaziweyo, lesembatho semahlombe, labanye onkulunkulu basendlini kanye lesithombe esibunjiweyo, umphristi wathi kubo, “Lenzani na?”
19 Asesithi kuye: Thula, bamba umlomo wakho, uhambe lathi, ube ngubaba kithi lompristi. Kungcono yini ukuthi ube ngumpristi wendlu yomuntu oyedwa kumbe ukuthi ube ngumpristi wesizwe losendo lwakoIsrayeli?
Amphendula athi, “Thula! Ungatsho lutho. Woza uhambe lathi, ube ngubaba lomphristi wethu. Akungcono yini ukuthi usebenzele isizwana losendo lwako-Israyeli njengomphristi kulabendlu yomuntu oyedwa?”
20 Lenhliziyo yompristi yathokoza, wasethatha i-efodi lamatherafi lesithombe esibaziweyo, wangena phakathi kwabantu.
Umphristi wathokoza. Wathatha isembatho semahlombe, labanye onkulunkulu basendlini kanye lesithombe esibaziweyo wahamba labantu.
21 Basebephenduka behamba, babeka abantwanyana lezifuyo lempahla phambi kwabo.
Sebefake abantwababo abancane, lezifuyo zabo kanye lempahla zabo phambi kwabo, baphenduka bahamba.
22 Sebekhatshana lomuzi kaMika, amadoda ayesezindlini ezaziseduze lendlu kaMika abizelwa ndawonye abafica abantwana bakoDani.
Sebehambe isibanga esithize besuka endlini kaMikha, abantu ababehlala eduzane lendlu kaMikha babizelwa ndawonye baxhuma abakoDani.
23 Amemeza abantwana bakoDani. Basebephendula ubuso babo bathi kuMika: Ulani ukuze libuthane?
Kwathi bebamemeza, abakoDani baphendula bathi kuMikha, “Kungani ubize abantu bakho ukuba balwe?”
24 Wasesithi: Lithethe onkulunkulu bami engabenzayo, lompristi, lahamba; pho ngiseselani? Kuyini lokho elikutsho kimi: Uhlutshwa yini?
Yena waphendula wathi, “Lithethe onkulunkulu engabenzayo lomphristi wami, lahamba. Kuyini okunye engilakho? Lingangibuza kanjani lisithi, ‘Uhlutshwa yini na?’”
25 Abantwana bakoDani basebesithi kuye: Ilizwi lakho kalingezwakali phakathi kwethu, hlezi amadoda alolaka akuhlasele, ulahlekelwe yimpilo yakho lempilo yabendlu yakho.
AbakoDani baphendula bathi, “Ungaphikisani lathi, hlezi abanye abantu abalolaka bakuhlasele, kuthi wena labendlu yakho lilahlekelwe yikuphila kwenu.”
26 Basebezihambela ngendlela yabo abantwana bakoDani. Lapho uMika esebonile ukuthi balamandla kulaye, waphenduka wabuyela endlini yakhe.
Ngakho abakoDani bazihambela, kwathi uMikha ebona ukuthi babelamandla kakhulu kulaye, waphenduka wabuyela emzini wakhe.
27 Bona basebethatha lokho uMika ayekwenzile lompristi owayelaye, bafika eLayishi ebantwini ababelokuthula bengethuki lutho, babatshaya ngobukhali benkemba, batshisa umuzi ngomlilo.
Bathatha okwakwenziwe nguMikha, lomphristi wakhe, baya eLayishi, ebantwini ababelokuthula njalo bengethuki lutho. Babahlasela ngenkemba batshisa ledolobho labo.
28 Njalo kwakungekho umkhululi, ngoba wawukhatshana leSidoni, bengasebenzelani lamuntu. Wawusesihotsheni esasingaseBeti-Rehobi. Basebesakha umuzi, bahlala kiwo.
Kakho owayengabahlenga ngoba babehlezi khatshana kakhulu leSidoni bengelabuhlobo lamuntu. Idolobho lalisesigodini eduze leBhethi-Rehobhi. AbakoDani balakha kutsha idolobho lelo bahlala kulo.
29 Basebebiza ibizo lomuzi ngokuthi yiDani ngebizo likaDani uyise owazalelwa uIsrayeli. Kodwa ibizo lomuzi laliyiLayishi kuqala.
Balibiza ngokuthi yiDani ibizo likakhokho wabo uDani, owayezalwa ngu-Israyeli, lanxa idolobho lalikade lithiwa yiLayishi.
30 Abantwana bakoDani basebezimisela isithombe esibaziweyo. Njalo uJonathani indodana kaGereshoma, indodana kaManase, yena lamadodana akhe babengabapristi besizwe sakoDani kwaze kwaba lusuku lokuthunjwa kwelizwe.
AbakoDani bazimisela izithombe khona, njalo uJonathani indodana kaGeshomu, indodana kaMosi, lamadodana akhe babengabaphristi besizwana sikaDani kwaze kwaba yisikhathi sokuthunjwa kwelizwe.
31 Basebezimisela isithombe esibaziweyo sikaMika ayesenzile, zonke izinsuku indlu kaNkulunkulu iseShilo.
Baqhubeka basebenzisa izithombe ezazenziwe nguMikha, ngasosonke isikhathi indlu kaNkulunkulu iseShilo.
