Isahluko 18
1
Ngalezo zinsuku kwakungekho nkosi kwa-Israyeli; ngalezo zinsuku isizwe sakwaDani sazifunela ifa lokuhlala, ngokuba kuze kube ngalolo suku babengabelwanga ifa phakathi kwezizwe zakwa-Israyeli.
2
Abantwana bakwaDani bathuma abantu abayisihlanu bomndeni wabo, bephuma kuso sonke isizwe sabo, amaqhawe, beseSora nase-Eshitawoli, ukuba bahlole izwe, balicinge; bathi kubo: “Hambani, nilicinge izwe,” bafika ezintabeni zakwa-Efrayimi endlini kaMika, bahlala khona.
3
Lapha besengasendlini kaMika, balazi izwi lensizwa engumLevi, baphambukela khona, bathi kuye: “Walethwa ngubani lapha? Wenzani kule ndawo? Ufunani lapha?”
4
Wathi kubo: “UMika ungenzele ukuthi nokuthi; ungiqashile ngaba ngumpristi wakhe.”
5
Base bethi kuye: “Ake umbuze uNkulunkulu ukuze sazi uma indlela yethu esiyihambayo iyakuba nempumelelo.”
6
Umpristi wathi kubo: “Hambani nokuthula; indlela eniyihambayo iphambi kukaJehova.”
7
Base bemuka labo bantu abayisihlanu, bafika eLayishi, babona abantu abakulo ukuthi basahlala belondekile ngendlela yamaSidoni, benokuthula, bengenaluvalo, ngokuba kwakungekho ezweni onamandla ukuba abajabhise ngalutho; babekude namaSidoni, bengenandaba nabanye abantu.
8
Babuye bafika kubafowabo eSora nase-Eshitawoli; abafowabo bathi kubo: “Nithini na?”
9
Bathi: “Sukani, senyukele kubo, ngokuba silibonile izwe; bhekani, lihle kakhulu; niyathula yini? Ningenqeni ukuhamba, ningene ukuba nilidle izwe.
10
Nxa nihamba, niyakufika kubantu abalondekileyo, izwe libanzi, ngokuba uNkulunkulu ulinikele esandleni senu, indawo lapho kungekho khona ukuswela lutho olusemhlabeni.”
11
Kwase kuphuma lapho kumndeni wakwaDani eSora nase-Eshitawoli abantu abangamakhulu ayisithupha bebhincile izikhali zokulwa.
12
Benyuka, bamisa eKiriyati Jeharimi kwaJuda; ngalokho bayibiza leyo ndawo ngokuthi iMahane Dani kuze kube namuhla; bheka, lingasemva kweKiriyati Jeharimi.
13
Basuka khona, baya ezintabeni zakwa-Efrayimi, bafika endlini kaMika.
14
Abantu abayisihlanu ababeyile ukuhlola izwe laseLayishi base bephendula, bathi kubafowabo: “Niyazi yini ukuthi kukhona kulezi zindlu ingubo yamahlombe, namatherafi, nesithombe esibaziweyo, nesithombe esibunjiweyo na? Ngalokho cabangani manje ukuthi niyakwenzani.”
15
Baphambuka khona, bafika endlini yensizwa yomLevi, endlini kaMika, bayibuza impilo.
16
Abantu abangamakhulu ayisithupha bebhince izikhali zokulwa abangabantwana bakwaDani bema ngasesikhaleni sesango.
17
Abantu abayisihlanu ababeyile ukuhlola izwe benyuka, bafika lapho, basithatha isithombe esibaziweyo, nengubo yamahlombe, namatherafi, nesithombe esibunjiweyo; umpristi wema ngasesikhaleni sesango kanye nabantu abangamakhulu ayisithupha bebhince izikhali zokulwa.
18
Labo sebengenile endlini kaMika basithatha isithombe esibaziweyo, nengubo yamahlombe, namatherafi, nesithombe esibunjiweyo; umpristi wathi kubo: “Nenzani na?”
19
Bathi kuye: “Thula, ubeke isandla sakho emlonyeni wakho, uhambe nathi, ube ngubaba nompristi wethu; kuhle yini ukuba ube ngumpristi wendlu yomuntu munye kunokuba ube ngumpristi wesizwe nomndeni kwa-Israyeli na?”
20
Yayisithokoza inhliziyo yompristi, wayithatha ingubo yamahlombe, namatherafi, nesithombe esibaziweyo, wangena phakathi kwabantu.
21
Baphenduka, bamuka, babeka izingane, nezinkomo, nempahla phambi kwabo.
22
Sebekude nendlu kaMika abantu abasezindlini eziseduze nendlu kaMika babuthana, babafica abantwana bakwaDani.
23
Bamemeza kubantwana bakwaDani, baphenduka, bathi kuMika: “Yini ukuba ufike nesixuku na?”
24
Wathi: “Nithathile onkulunkulu bami engabenzayo, nompristi, namuka; ngisenani na? Nisholoni kimi ukuthi: ‘Yini na?’ ”
25
Abantwana bakwaDani base bethi kuye: “Izwi lakho malingezwakali phakathi kwethu, funa abantu bathukuthele, banehlele, ulahlekelwe ngukuphila kwakho kanye nabendlu yakho.”
26
Bahamba abantwana bakwaDani; uMika esebonile ukuthi banamandla kunaye, waphenduka, wabuyela endlini yakhe.
27
Bathatha abekwenzile uMika nompristi wakhe, bafika eLayishi kubantu abanokuthula belondekile, bababulala ngosiko lwenkemba; bashisa umuzi ngomlilo.
28
Kwakungekho owophulayo, ngokuba wawukude neSidoni; babengenandaba nabanye abantu; wawusesigodini esingaseBeti Rehobe. Bawakha umuzi, bahlala kuwo.
29
Baqamba igama lomuzi ngokuthi uDani ngegama likaDani uyise owazalelwa u-Israyeli; kepha igama lomuzi laliyiLayishi kuqala.
30
Abantwana bakwaDani bazimisela isithombe esibaziweyo; uJonathani indodana kaGereshomu kaMose yena namadodana akhe babe ngabapristi besizwe sakwaDani kwaze kwaba ngosuku lokuthunjwa kwezwe.
31
Base bemisa isithombe esibaziweyo sikaMika abesenzile sonke isikhathi indlu kaNkulunkulu iseShilo.