1Abakwa-Israyeli babefungile eMizpha, bathi: “Akukho namunye phakathi kwethu oyoganisela abakwaBhenjamini indodakazi yakhe.”
2Abantu bafika eBhethele, bahlala lapho phambi kukaNkulunkulu kwaze kwaba kusihlwa, badazuluka, bakhala kalusizi.
3Bathi: “Simakade, Nkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, kwenzeke kanjani ukuthi namuhla kube khona isizwana esisodwa kwa-Israyeli esingekho, na?”
4Ngosuku olulandelayo, abantu bavuka ngovivi, bakha i-althare lapho, banikela imihlatshelo yokushiswa nemihlatshelo yokuthula.
5Abakwa-Israyeli base bethi: “Yisiphi isizwana phakathi kwezizwana zonke zakwa-Israyeli esingakhuphukanga ukuzoba yingxenye yenhlangano kaSimakade, na?” Ngokuba kwenziwe isifungo esinqala ngalabo abangakhuphukelanga kuSimakade eMizpha, esithi: “Lowo uyakubulawa.”
6Kepha abakwa-Israyeli babenozwelo ngabakwaBhenjamini, abafowabo, bathi: “Isizwana esisodwa sinqunyiwe, sakhishwa kwa-Israyeli namuhla.
7Sizokwenzenjani ukuba abaseleyo bathole abafazi, njengoba sifungile kuSimakade ukuthi asizukubaganisela amadodakazi ethu abe ngomkabo, na?”
8Base bethi: “Sikhona yini esinye isizwana phakathi kwezizwana zakwa-Israyeli esingakhuphukelanga kuSimakade eMizpha, na?” Kwatholakala ukuthi akukho namunye kwabaseJabheshi Gileyadi oweza enkanjini enhlanganweni.
9Ngokuba ngesikhathi kubizwa amagama alabo ababekhona, kwakungekho namunye kwabaseJabheshi Gileyadi.
10Ngakho-ke inhlangano yathumela amabutho ayizi-12 000 kubo, yawayala yathi: “Hambani nibulale ngenkemba izakhamuzi zaseJabheshi Gileyadi, ngisho abesifazane nezingane.
11Yilokhu eniyokwenza: bonke abesilisa nabo bonke abesifazane asebeke balala nendoda niyakubabulala.”
12Bafumana phakathi kwezakhamuzi zaseJabheshi Gileyadi izintombi ezimsulwa ezingama-400 ezingayazi indoda, beza nazo enkanjini eShilo, eKhanani.
13Inhlangano yonke yathumela izwi kwabakwaBhenjamini ababesedwaleni likaRimoni, bamemezela ukuthula kubo.
14AbakwaBhenjamini babuyela emuva ngaleso sikhathi; banikwa abesifazane ababesindiswe kwabesifazane baseJabheshi Gileyadi, kodwa babengabenele.
15Abantu babenozwela ngabakwaBhenjamini, ngokuba uSimakade wayenze kwaba noqhekeko ezizwaneni zakwa-Israyeli.
16Abaholi benhlangano bathi: “Sizokwenzenjani ukuze laba abaseleyo bathole abafazi, lokhu kungekho abesifazane abaseleyo kwaBhenjamini, na?”
17Base bethi: “Kufanele kube khona izindlalifa zensali yakwaBhenjamini, ukuze kungabi bikho sizwana esishabalalayo kwa-Israyeli.
18Nokho thina asikwazi ukubaganisela ngamadodakazi ethu abe ngomkabo.” Ngokuba abakwa-Israyeli babefungile, bathi: “Makaqalekiswe lowo oyakunika abakwaBhenjamini umfazi.”
19Ngakho-ke bathi: “Niyabona-ke, kuzoba nomkhosi kaSimakade waminyaka yonke eShilo, elisenyakatho yeBhethele, ngasempumalanga yomgwaqo okhuphuka eBhethele uya eShekhemu, eningizimu yeLebhona.”
20Babayala abakwaBhenjamini, bathi: “Hambani nicashe ezivinini,
21niqaphe, lapho amadodakazi aseShilo ephuma ukuba azosina, anophuma ezivinini, kube yilowo azithwalele umfazi ezintombini zaseShilo, nibuyele kwaBhenjamini.
22Uma befika oyise noma abafowabo bezokhononda kithi, siyothi kubo: ‘Yibani nomusa kubo, nibavumele bawathathe, ngokuba empini asiyitholelanga mfazi indoda ngayinye, kodwa nani anibanikanga amadodakazi enu, ngabe manje ninecala.’ ”
23AbakwaBhenjamini benza kanjalo, kwayilowo nalowo wazithwalela umfazi, ezintombini ezazisina, base behamba, babuyela endaweni yabo, bayakha kabusha imizi yabo, bahlala kuyo.
24Abakwa-Israyeli behlukana lapho ngaleso sikhathi, ngezizwana nangemindeni, basuka lapho babuyela ezindaweni zabo.
25Ngalezo zinsuku kwakungekho nkosi kwa-Israyeli, bonke abantu babenza lokho ababekubona kukuhle emehlweni abo.