Vatongi 21
1 Varume veIsraeri vakanga vaita mhiko paMizipa vachiti: “Hapana mumwe wedu acharoodza mwanasikana wake kumuBhenjamini.”
Abantu bako-Israyeli babefunge isifungo eMizipha bathi, “Akukho lamunye wethu ozakwendisela indodakazi yakhe emuntwini wakoBhenjamini.”
2 Vanhu vakaenda kuBheteri, uko kwavakagara pamberi paMwari kusvikira madekwana, vachisimudza manzwi avo uye vachichema zvikuru.
Abantu baya eBhetheli, lapho abahlala khona phambi kukaNkulunkulu kwaze kwaba kusihlwa, bephakamise amazwi abo bekhala kabuhlungu besithi,
3 Vakachema vachiti, “Haiwa Jehovha, Mwari waIsraeri, seiko izvi zvakaitika kuIsraeri? Seiko rumwe rudzi rwashayikwa muIsraeri nhasi?”
“Oh Thixo, Nkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, kungani lokhu kwenzakale ku-Israyeli na? Kungani esinye isizwana singekho ko-Israyeli lamhla na?”
4 Mangwanani ezuva rakatevera, vanhu vakavaka aritari vakapa zvipiriso zvinopiswa nezvipiriso zvokuwadzana.
Ngakusasa ekuseni abantu bakha i-alithari banikela iminikelo yokutshiswa leminikelo yobudlelwano.
5 Ipapo vaIsraeri vakabvunza vakati, “Ndianiko kubva kumarudzi ose aIsraeri akatadza kuungana navamwe pamberi paJehovha?” Nokuti vakanga vaita mhiko kuti ani zvake anotadza kuungana navamwe pamberi paJehovha paMizipa anofanira kuurayiwa zvirokwazvo.
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.
6 Zvino vaIsraeri vakasuwa nokuda kwehama dzavo, vaBhenjamini. Vakati, “Nhasi rumwe rudzi rwabviswa pana Israeri.
Abako-Israyeli bezwa ubuhlungu ngabafowabo bakoBhenjamini. Bathi, “Lamuhla esinye isizwana kasisekho ko-Israyeli.
7 Tichapa seiko vakadzi kuna avo vakasara, sezvo takapika kuna Jehovha kuti tirege kupa upi zvake wavanasikana vedu kuti awanikwe navo.”
Labo abaseleyo singabanika njani abafazi, njengoba thina sifunge isifungo ngoThixo ukuba kasiyi kubendisela amadodakazi ethu?”
8 Ipapo vakabvunza vakati, “Ndavapiko pamarudzi aIsraeri vakatadza kuungana navamwe pamberi paJehovha paMizipa?” Vakawana kuti kwakanga kusina munhu aibva kuJabheshi Gireadhi akanga auya kumusasa kuungano.
Babuye babuza bathi, “Yisiphi sezizwana zako-Israyeli esingabuthananga phambi kukaThixo eMizipha na?” Bafumana ukuthi akulamuntu waseJabheshi Giliyadi owayefikile ezihonqweni elande umbuthano lowo.
9 Nokuti vakati vaverenga vanhu, vakaona kuti kwakanga kusina munhu weJabheshi Gireadhi akanga aripo.
Ngoba bathi bebala abantu, bathola ukuthi kwakungelamuntu waseJabheshi Giliyadi owayekhona.
10 Saka ungano yakatuma varume vehondo zviuru gumi nezviviri vakavarayira kuti vaende kuJabheshi Gireadhi vandouraya nomunondo vanhu vaigarako, kusanganisira vakadzi navana.
Ngakho ibandla lathuma abantu bempi abazinkulungwane ezilitshumi lambili belaywa ukuthi baye eJabheshi Giliyadi babahlasele ngenkemba labo abahlala khona, kubalwa abesifazane labantwana.
11 Vakati, “Hezvi zvamunofanira kuita: Urayai murume mumwe nomumwe nomukadzi mumwe nomumwe asiri mhandara.”
Bathi, “Kumele libulale wonke owesilisa lowesifazane ongasintombi egcweleyo.”
12 Vakawana pakati pavanhu vaigara muJabheshi Gireadhi mhandara mazana mana vakanga vasina kumbovata navarume, vakaenda navo kumusasa paShiro muKenani.
Phakathi kwabantu ababehlala eJabheshi Giliyadi bathola izintombi ezigcweleyo ezingamakhulu amane, bazisa ezihonqweni eShilo kweleKhenani.
13 Ipapo ungano yose yakatuma nhume neshoko rorugare kuvaBhenjamini paruware rweRimoni.
Ibandla lonke lathumela ilizwi lokuthula kwabakoBhenjamini edwaleni laseRimoni.
14 Saka vaBhenjamini vakadzoka panguva iyoyo vakapiwa vakadzi veJabheshi Gireadhi vakanga vasara. Asi vakanga vasina kuvakwanira vose.
Ngakho abakoBhenjamini babuyela ngalesosikhathi sebephiwe abesifazane baseJabheshi Giliyadi ababephephisiwe. Kodwa kabawanelanga amadoda wonke.
15 Vanhu vakasuwa nokuda kweBhenjamini, nokuti Jehovha akanga aisa mukaha mumarudzi avaIsraeri.
Abantu bezwa ubuhlungu ngabakoBhenjamini, ngoba uThixo wayesenze isikhexe phakathi kwezizwana zako-Israyeli.
16 Uye vakuru veungano vakati, “Sezvo vakadzi veBhenjamini vakaparadzwa, tichawanira seiko varume vakasara vakadzi?”
Abadala bebandla bathi, “Njengoba abesifazane bakoBhenjamini beqothuliwe, amadoda aseleyo siwazuzela njani abafazi na?
17 Vakati, “VaBhenjamini vakasara vanofanira kuva navadyi venhaka kuitira kuti rudzi rwaIsraeri rurege kurova.
AbakoBhenjamini abasindayo kumele babe lezindlalifa, ukuze isizwana sako-Israyeli singatshabalali.
18 Hatigoni kuvapa vanasikana vedu kuti vave vakadzi vavo sezvo isu vaIsraeri takapika tichiti, ‘Ngaatukwe munhu anopa mukadzi kumuBhenjamini.’
Asingeke sibendisele amadodakazi ethu ngoba thina abako-Israyeli safunga isifungo lesi sathi: ‘Kaqalekiswe lowo owendisela umBhenjamini umfazi.’
19 Asi tarirai, kune mutambo waJehovha wegore negore paShiro, nechokumusoro kweBheteri, kumabvazuva omugwagwa unobva kuBheteri uchienda kuShekemu, nezasi kweRebhona.”
Kodwa khangelani, kulomkhosi weminyaka yonke kaThixo eShilo, enyakatho kweBhetheli, ngasempumalanga komgwaqo osuka eBhetheli usiya eShekhemu, ngeningizimu kweLebhona.”
20 Saka vakarayira vaBhenjamini vakati, “Endai mundovanda muminda yemizambiringa
Ngakho balaya abakoBhenjamini bathi, “Hambani liyecatsha ezivinini
21 uye mutarire. Vasikana veShiro pavanobuda kuti vandotamba navamwe, ipapo mumhanye muchibva muminda yemizambiringa mumwe nomumwe wenyu azvitorere mukadzi kubva kuvasikana veShiro mugoenda henyu kunyika yavaBhenjamini.
lilinde. Lapho izintombi zaseShilo ziphuma ukuba zingene ekugideni, sukani ezivinini ligijima kuthi lowo lalowo wenu azibambele umfazi ezintombini zaseShilo libe selisiya elizweni lakoBhenjamini.
22 Madzibaba avo kana hanzvadzi dzavo pavanouya kuzomhanʼara kwatiri, isu tichati kwavari, ‘Tiitirei henyu zvakanaka nokuvabatsira, nokuti hatina kuvawanira vakadzi panguva yehondo, uye imi hamuna mhosva, sezvo musina kupa vanasikana venyu kwavari.’”
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.’”
23 Saka ndizvo zvakaitwa navaBhenjamini. Vasikana vachiri kutamba, murume mumwe nomumwe akabata musikana ndokuenda naye kuti ave mukadzi wake. Ipapo vakadzokera kunhaka yavo uye vakavakazve maguta vakagara maari.
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.
24 Panguva iyoyo vaIsraeri vakabva panzvimbo iyo vakaenda kumusha kumarudzi avo nokudzimba dzavo, mumwe nomumwe kunhaka yake pachake.
Ngalesisikhathi abako-Israyeli basuka kuleyondawo babuyela emakhaya ezizwaneni lasezinsendweni zabo, ngulowo lalowo elifeni lakhe.
25 Mumazuva iwayo kwakanga kusina mambo pakati paIsraeri; mumwe nomumwe aiita zvaaifunga kuti zvakanaka.
Ngalezonsuku abako-Israyeli babengelankosi; umuntu wonke ezenzela ayekubona kulungile kuye.
