1. USirayeli ephela, ukusuka kwaDan kuye kuqhina ngeBheshebha, ngokunjalo nomhlaba waseGiliyadi, ewe, lonke ibandla likaSirayeli lahlanganisana limoya mnye phambi *koNdikhoyo eMizpa.
2. Zonke iinkulu zezindlu zikaSirayeli zazikho kwelo bandla labantu bakaThixo, ingamakhulu amane amawaka amajoni aphatha ikrele.
3. NamaBhenjamin eva ukuba kudityenwe ngamaSirayeli eMizpa.AmaSirayeli athi: “Yitshoni; yenzeke kanjani na le ntlekele?”
4. UmLevi omfazi wayegetyengiwe wachaza wathi: “Ndihambe nowakwam, ndaya kutsho kwaBhenjamin eGibheya, ndisiya kulalisa khona.
5. Ke izikhulu zaseGibheya zaphuma ngobusuku, zarhawula indlu endandikuyo, zifuna mna. Zona zazizimisele ukundibulala, kodwa ke zasuka zamhlasela owakwam, zamdlwengula wada wafa.
6. Ke mna ndawuthatha umzimba wakhe, ndawunqunqa, ndathumela isiqwenga kwindlu nganye kwezo zikaSirayeli. Kaloku aba bantu benze isikizi lenyala kwaSirayeli.
7. Khanitsho, maSirayeli, nithi makuthiweni? Lithini icebo lenu?”
8. AmaSirayeli ke atsho ngazwi-nye athi: “Xa sisonke akukho bani uza kugoduka namhlanje; ewe, akukho bani uya kubuyela endlwini yakhe.
9. Nantsi into esiza kuyenza ngeGibheya: Siza kukhangela ukuba liya kuphuma nabani na iqashiso, aze ke loo madoda asikhokele ekuyihlaseleni.
10. Isishumi samadoda akwaSirayeli siya kuthwala ukutya komkhosi, aze ke amanye la aye kohlwaya iGibheya ngenxa yesi senzo sayo sobuyatha isenzileyo kwaSirayeli.”
11. Ngoko ke amaSirayeli ahlanganisana emoya mnye, efuna ukohlwaya iGibheya.
12. Izizwe zakwaSirayeli zathumela izigidimi kuwo wonke ummandla wesizwe sakwaBhenjamin, zisithi: “Buyatha buni obu nibenzileyo?
13. Ngoko ke zikhupheni ezo ndlavini zaseGibheya, sizibulale, silihlambe eli nyala kwaSirayeli.” Kambe ke amaBhenjamin zange awahoye amazwi athethwa ngamawabo amaSirayeli.
14. Ndaweni yaloo nto amaBhenjamin aphuma kuzo zonke izixeko zawo, ahlangana eGibheya, aza aya kulwa namaSirayeli.
15. Ngaloo mini akhupha amashumi amabini anesithandathu amajoni kuzo zonke izixeko zawo. Ngaphezu koko abemi baseGibheya bakhupha amajoni akhethiweyo angamakhulu asixhenxe,
16. onke engamanxele. La manxele onke ayeziincutshe zokusawula *ngenkwitshi atsho khona.
17. Amajoni amaSirayeli, ngaphandle kwamaBhenjamin, ayengamakhulu amane amawaka, onke engoompondo-zihlanjiwe.