1 Ngalesosikhathi bonke abako-Israyeli baphuma njengomuntu munye kusukela eDani kusiya eBherishebha kanye laselizweni leGiliyadi, babuthana phambi kukaThixo eMizipha. 2 Abakhokheli babantu bonke bezizwana zako-Israyeli bathatha izindawo zabo ebandleni labantu bakaNkulunkulu, amabutho azinkulungwane ezingamakhulu amane ehlome ngezinkemba. 3 (AbakoBhenjamini bezwa ukuthi abako-Israyeli babeye eMizipha.) Abako-Israyeli basebesithi, “Sitsheleni ukuthi into le embi yenzakale njani.”

4 Ngakho umLevi, indoda yowesifazane lowo owayebulewe, wathi, “Mina lomkami weceleni safika eGibhiya koBhenjamini ukuba silale khona. 5 Ebusuku abantu beGibhiya bangivukela bahanqa indlu, behlose ukungibulala. Badlova umkami weceleni waze wafa. 6 Ngathatha umkami weceleni, ngamquma waba yiziqayiqa, ngathumela isiqa esisodwa esigabeni ngasinye selifa lako-Israyeli, ngoba amanyala lalesisenzo sokuxhwala basenzela ko-Israyeli. 7 Khathesi lonke lina abako-Israyeli, khulumani litsho isinqumo senu.”

8 Abantu bonke basukuma njengomuntu munye, besithi, “Akakho kithi ozakuya ekhaya. Hathi, akakho kithi ozabuyela endlini yakhe. 9 Kodwa khathesi esizakwenza eGibhiya yilokhu: Sizakuyayihlasela ngokwenza inkatho. 10 Sizathatha abantu abalitshumi phakathi kwabalikhulu kuzozonke izizwana zako-Israyeli, labalikhulu kwabayinkulungwane, labayinkulungwane kwaba zinkulungwane ezilutshumi ukuba badingele ibutho ukudla. Ekufikeni kwalo ibutho eGibhiya koBhenjamini, lizabanika okubafaneleyo ngamanyala lokuxhwala abakwenze ko-Israyeli.” 11 Ngakho bonke abantu bako-Israyeli bahlangana, bamanyana njengomuntu munye bamelana ledolobho.

12 Izizwana zako-Israyeli zathumela abantu kusosonke isizwana sakoBhenjamini, zisithi, “Yibudlova bani lobu obenziwayo phakathi kwenu na? 13 Khathesi-ke, banikeleni labobantu baseGibhiya abagangileyo ukuze sibabulale siqede ububi ko-Israyeli.

” Kodwa abakoBhenjamini kababalalelanga abafowabo bako-Israyeli. 14 Baqoqana eGibhiya bevela emadolobheni akibo ukuba balwe labako-Israyeli. 15 Ngasikhathi sinye abakoBhenjamini babutha izinkulungwane ezingamatshumi amabili lesithupha zabahlome ngezinkemba emadolobheni akibo, phezu kwabantu abangamakhulu ayisikhombisa abakhethwa kulabo abahlala eGibhiya. 16 Phakathi kwamabutho la kwakulabantu abakhethiweyo abangamakhulu ayisikhombisa ababengamanxele, bonke bengakhuthi abakunxwaneleyo ngesavutha.

17 Abako-Israyeli, ngaphandle kwabakoBhenjamini, babutha abantu abalwa ngezinkemba abazinkulungwane ezingamakhulu amane, bonke bengabantu bempi.

18 Abako-Israyeli baya eBhetheli babuza uNkulunkulu. Bathi, “Ngubani wethu ozahamba kuqala ukuyakulwa labakoBhenjamini?

” UThixo wathi, “NguJuda ozahamba kuqala.”

19 Kusisa ekuseni, abako-Israyeli bavuka bamisa izihonqo eduzane leGibhiya. 20 Abantu bako-Israyeli baphuma ukuyakulwa labakoBhenjamini bema ezindaweni ezilungele ukubahlasela eGibhiya. 21 AbakoBhenjamini baphuma eGibhiya babulala abako-Israyeli abazinkulungwane ezingamatshumi amabili lambili endaweni yokulwela mhlalokho. 22 Kodwa abantu bako-Israyeli banikana isibindi babuyela njalo ezindaweni zabo lapho ababekhona ngelanga lakuqala. 23 Abako-Israyeli bahamba bayakhala phambi kukaThixo kwaze kwaba kusihlwa, njalo babuza uThixo bathi, “Singahamba njalo yini siyekulwa labakoBhenjamini, abafowethu na?

” UThixo waphendula yathi, “Hambani liyebahlasela.”

24 Abako-Israyeli basondela koBhenjamini ngosuku lwesibili. 25 Ngalesisikhathi, kwathi abakoBhenjamini sebephumile eGibhiya ukuba bamelane labo, babulala abanye njalo abazinkulungwane ezilitshumi lasificaminwembili, bonke behlome ngezinkemba.

26 Lapho-ke, abako-Israyeli bonke lebutho lonke baya eBhetheli, bahlala khona bekhala phambi kukaThixo. Ngalelolanga bazila kwaze kwaba kusihlwa, banikela leminikelo yokutshiswa kanye leminikelo yobudlelwano kuThixo. 27 Abako-Israyeli basebebuza uThixo. (Ngalezonsuku umtshokotsho wesivumelwano sikaNkulunkulu wawukhonapho, 28 uloFinehasi indodana ka-Eliyazari, indodana ka-Aroni, ekhonza phambi kwawo.) Babuza bathi, “Singahamba njalo yini siyekulwa loBhenjamini umfowethu loba hatshi na?”

UThixo waphendula wathi, “Hambani, ngoba kusasa ngizabanikela ezandleni zenu.”

29 Ngakho abako-Israyeli bacathama bezungeze iGibhiya. 30 Bahamba bayahlasela abakoBhenjamini ngosuku lwesithathu, balungela ukuhlasela iGibhiya njengebabekwenze kuqala. 31 AbakoBhenjamini baphuma babahlangabeza baholelwa kude ledolobho. Baqalisa ukubabulala abako-Israyeli njengakuqala, kwathi ababephosa babengamatshumi amathathu bafela egcekeni emgwaqweni oya eBhetheli lomunye oya eGibhiya. 32 Kwathi abakoBhenjamini besithi, “Siyabehlula njengakuqala,” abako-Israyeli bona besithi, “Kasihlehleleni emuva sibaholele kude ledolobho emigwaqweni.”

33 Bonke abantu bako-Israyeli basuka ezindaweni zabo baya eBhali-Thamari, kwathi abako-Israyeli ababecatheme bahlasela bephuma endaweni yabo ngasentshonalanga kweGibhiya. 34 Izinkulungwane ezilitshumi zabantu bako-Israyeli abakhethiweyo bahlasela iGibhiya mathupha. Ukulwa kwakunzima kakhulu ngakho kwenza abakoBhenjamini bangananzeleli ukuthi ingozi yayisisondele. 35  UThixo wamnqoba uBhenjamini phambi kuka-Israyeli, njalo ngalelolanga abako-Israyeli babulala abakoBhenjamini abazinkulungwane ezingamatshumi amabili lanhlanu lekhulu (25,100), bonke behlome ngezinkemba. 36 Lapho-ke abakoBhenjamini babona ukuthi babenqotshiwe.

Khonapho abako-Israyeli basebevulele abakoBhenjamini isikhala, ngoba babethembe ababecatheme eduze leGibhiya. 37 Abantu ababecatheme bagijimela eGibhiya ngokuphangisa, basabalala idolobho lonke balihlasela ngenkemba. 38 Abantu bako-Israyeli babehlele labacathamayo ukuthi benze iyezi elikhulu lentuthu phakathi kwedolobho, 39 lapho-ke abantu bako-Israyeli babezaphendukela ekulweni empini.

AbakoBhenjamini basebeqalisile ukubulala abako-Israyeli (babephosa babengamatshumi amathathu), njalo bathi, “Siyabehlula njengempini yakuqala.” 40 Kodwa kwathi izikhatha zentuthu seziqalise ukuphakama edolobheni, abakoBhenjamini baphenduka babona intuthu yedolobho lonke iqonga isiya phezulu emkhathini. 41 Lapho-ke abako-Israyeli babaphendukela, abantu bakoBhenjamini batshaywa luvalo, ngoba babona ukuthi ingozi yayisibehlele. 42 Ngakho babaleka phambi kwabako-Israyeli beqonda enkangala kodwa behluleka ukuyibalekela impi. Abako-Israyeli abaphuma emizini bababulalela khonapho. 43 Babahanqa abakoBhenjamini, baxotshana labo, bababhuqela eduze leGibhiya kalula ngasempumalanga. 44 Kwafa abakoBhenjamini abazinkulungwane ezilitshumi lasificaminwembili, bonke bengamaqhawe. 45 Sebephenduke babaleka beqonda enkangala edwaleni laseRimoni, abako-Israyeli babulala abantu abazinkulungwane ezinhlanu kulandela imigwaqo. Baqhubeka bexotshana labakoBhenjamini baze bayafika eGidomu babulala abanye njalo abazinkulungwane ezimbili.

46 Ngalelolanga kwafa abakoBhenjamini abalwa ngenkemba abazinkulungwane ezingamatshumi amabili lanhlanu, bonke bengamaqhawe. 47 Kodwa abantu abangamakhulu ayisithupha baphenduka babalekela enkangala edwaleni laseRimoni, lapho abahlala khona izinyanga ezine. 48 Abantu bako-Israyeli babuyela koBhenjamini bahlasela imizi yonke ngenkemba, kubalwa izifuyo lakho konke okunye abakutholayo. Yonke imizi abafika kuyo bayithungela ngomlilo.