Verse 1: Abantu bakwa-Israyeli babefungile eMispa, bethi: “Akuyikubakho muntu oyakunika owakwaBenjamini indodakazi yakhe ibe ngumkakhe.”
Verse 2: Abantu base befika eBethele, bahlala khona kwaze kwahlwa phambi kukaNkulunkulu, baphakamisa izwi labo, bakhala kakhulu.
Verse 3: Bathi: “Jehova Nkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, lokhu kwenzelweni kwa-Israyeli ukuba kusilale namuhla esinye isizwe sakwa-Israyeli na?”
Verse 4: Kwathi ngakusasa abantu bavuka ekuseni, bakha khona i-altare, banikela ngeminikelo yokushiswa neminikelo yokuthula.
Verse 5: Abantwana bakwa-Israyeli bathi: “Yisiphi phakathi kwazo zonke izizwe zakwa-Israyeli esingakhuphukelanga ebandleni kuJehova na?” Ngokuba bebefungile isifungo esikhulu ngaye ongakhuphukeli kuJehova eMispa ukuthi wobulawa nokubulawa.
Verse 6: Abantwana bakwa-Israyeli bamhawukela uBenjamini umfowabo, bathi: “Kunqunyiwe namuhla esinye isizwe kwa-Israyeli.
Verse 7: Siyakwenze njani ukuba abaseleyo babe nabafazi, lokhu sifungile uJehova ukuthi asiyikubanika amadodakazi ethu abe ngomkabo, na?”
Verse 8: Bathi: “Yisiphi kuzo izizwe zakwa-Israyeli esingakhuphukelanga kuJehova eMispa na?” Bheka, akufikanga muntu ekamu ovela eJabeshi Gileyadi ukuya ebandleni.
Verse 9: Sebebalwa abantu; bheka, kwakungekho muntu kwabakhile eJabeshi Gileyadi lapho.
Verse 10: Inhlangano yathuma khona abantu abayizinkulungwane eziyishumi nambili abangamaqhawe amakhulu, yabayala yathi: “Hambani nibabulale abakhe eJabeshi Gileyadi ngosiko lwenkemba kanye nabesifazane nezingane.
Verse 11: Yilokhu eniyakukwenza: Niyakuchitha nokuchitha bonke abesilisa nabo bonke abesifazane abake balala nendoda.”
Verse 12: Bafumana phakathi kwabakhileyo eJabeshi Gileyadi izintombi ezintsha ezingamakhulu amane ezingazanga ndoda ngokulala nayo; baziyisa ekamu eShilo elisezweni laseKhanani.
Verse 13: Yonke inhlangano yathuma yakhuluma kubantwana bakwaBenjamini ababesedwaleni lakwaRimoni, yamemezela ukuthula kubo.
Verse 14: UBenjamini wabuya ngaleso sikhathi; babanika abesifazane ababebasindisile kwabesifazane baseJabeshi Gileyadi; kepha ababanelanga.
Verse 15: Abantu bamhawukela uBenjamini, ngokuba uJehova wayenze ukwahlukana ezizweni zakwa-Israyeli.
Verse 16: Amalunga enhlangano ayesethi: “Siyakwenze njani ukuba abaseleyo babe nabafazi, lokhu abesifazane bechithiwe kwaBenjamini, na?”
Verse 17: Athi: “Nga liba khona ifa labaphunyukileyo bakwaBenjamini, ukuze kungesulwa sizwe kwa-Israyeli.
Verse 18: Kepha asinakubanika nokho amadodakazi ethu abe ngomkabo, ngokuba abantwana bakwa-Israyeli babefungile bethi: ‘Makaqalekiswe onika owakwaBenjamini umfazi.’ ”
Verse 19: Athi: “Bheka, kukhona umkhosi kaJehova iminyaka ngeminyaka eShilo elingasenyakatho kwaseBethele ngasempumalanga komendo okhuphuka eBethele uya eShekemi nangaseningizimu kwaseLebona.”
Verse 20: Abayala abantwana bakwaBenjamini, athi: “Hambani niqamekele ezivinini,
Verse 21: nibone: bhekani, uma amadodakazi aseShilo ephuma ukusina lapho kusinwa khona, anophuma ezivinini, nizibambele, kube yilowo nalowo umkakhe kuwo amadodakazi aseShilo, niye ezweni lakwaBenjamini.
Verse 22: Kuyakuthi lapho oyise noma abanewabo befika ukuphikisana nathi, sithi kubo: ‘Sinikeni wona ngomusa, ngokuba asithathanga, kwaba yilowo nalowo umkakhe empini, futhi anibanikanga wona; khona ngabe nitholile icala.’ ”
Verse 23: Abantwana bakwaBenjamini benze njalo, bazithathela abafazi njengenani labo kwabasinayo, ababaqhwagayo; bahamba, babuyela efeni labo, bakha imizi, bahlala kuyo.
Verse 24: Abantwana bakwa-Israyeli bamuka khona ngaleso sikhathi, yilowo nalowo waya esizweni sakhe nasemndenini wakhe, baphuma lapho, yilowo nalowo waya efeni lakhe.
Verse 25: Ngalezo zinsuku kwakungekho nkosi kwa-Israyeli; yilowo nalowo wenza okulungile emehlweni akhe.