Abahluleli 17

1 Kwakukhona-ke umuntu wentabeni yakoEfrayimi, obizo lakhe lalinguMika.

2 Wasesithi kunina: Izinhlamvu zesiliva eziyinkulungwane lekhulu ezathathwa kuwe, owaqalekisa ngazo, njalo wakhuluma endlebeni zami, khangela, leyomali ikimi, mina ngayithatha. Unina wasesithi: Kawubusiswe eNkosini, ndodana yami.

3 Wathi esezibuyisele kunina izinhlamvu eziyinkulungwane lekhulu zesiliva, unina wathi: Ngasengisehlukanisile lokusehlukanisela iNkosi isiliva sami sivela esandleni sami sibe ngesendodana yami, ukuze ngenze isithombe esibaziweyo lesithombe esibunjwe ngokuncibilikisa. Khathesi-ke ngizasibuyisela kuwe.

4 Kodwa wayibuyisela imali kunina. Unina wasethatha izinhlamvu zesiliva ezingamakhulu amabili, wazinika umkhandi, owenza ngazo isithombe esibaziweyo lesithombe esibunjwe ngokuncibilikisa; zasezisiba sendlini kaMika.

5 Njalo lowomuntu uMika wayelendlu yabonkulunkulu, wenza i-efodi lamatherafi, wehlukanisa omunye wamadodana akhe, ukuze abe ngumpristi wakhe.

6 Ngalezonsuku kwakungelankosi koIsrayeli; wonke umuntu wayesenza okwakulungile emehlweni akhe.

7 Njalo kwakukhona ijaha leBhethelehema-Juda, elosendo lukaJuda, elalingumLevi, njalo lahlala njengowezizwe khona.

8 Lowomuntu wasesuka emzini, eBhethelehema-Juda, ukuyahlala njengowezizwe lapho ayengathola khona indawo. Wafika entabeni yakoEfrayimi, endlini kaMika, ehamba ngendlela yakhe.

9 UMika wasesithi kuye: Uvela ngaphi? Wasesithi kuye: NgingumLevi weBhethelehema-Juda, ngiya ukuyahlala njengowezizwe lapho engingathola khona indawo.

10 UMika wasesithi kuye: Hlala lami, ube kimi ngubaba lompristi, mina ngizakunika izinhlamvu zesiliva ezilitshumi ngomnyaka, lezigqoko zokugqoka, lokudla kwakho. UmLevi wasengena.

11 UmLevi wavuma ukuhlala lalowomuntu; njalo ijaha laba kuye njengomunye wamadodana akhe.

12 UMika wamehlukanisa umLevi, ijaha laselisiba ngumpristi wakhe, laba sendlini kaMika.

13 UMika wasesithi: Khathesi ngiyazi ukuthi iNkosi izangenzela okuhle, ngoba ngilomLevi ongumpristi.