UMika lendlu yakhe yezithombe

17Kwakukhona-ke umuntu wentabeni yakoEfrayimia, obizo lakhe lalinguMikab. 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 yamic. 3 Wathi esezibuyisele kunina izinhlamvu eziyinkulungwane lekhulu zesiliva, unina wathi: Ngasengisehlukanisile lokusehlukanisela iNkosi isiliva sami sivela esandleni sami sibe ngesendodana yami, ukuze ngenze isithombe esibaziweyod lesithombe esibunjwe ngokuncibilikisae. Khathesi-ke ngizasibuyisela kuwe. 4 Kodwa wayibuyisela imali kunina. Unina wasethatha izinhlamvu zesiliva ezingamakhulu amabili, wazinika umkhandif, owenza ngazo isithombe esibaziweyog lesithombe esibunjwe ngokuncibilikisah; zasezisiba sendlini kaMikai. 5 Njalo lowomuntu uMika wayelendlu yabonkulunkulu, wenza i-efodi*j lamatherafik, wehlukanisa omunye wamadodana akhe, ukuze abe ngumpristi wakhe. 6 Ngalezonsuku kwakungelankosi koIsrayelil; wonke umuntu wayesenza okwakulungile emehlweni akhem.

7 Njalo kwakukhona ijaha leBhethelehema-Judan, elosendo lukaJuda, elalingumLevi, njalo lahlala njengowezizwe khona. 8 Lowomuntu wasesuka emzini, eBhethelehema-Juda, ukuyahlala njengowezizwe lapho ayengathola khona indawo. Wafika entabeni yakoEfrayimi, endlini kaMikao, 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 kimip ngubaba lompristiq, mina ngizakunika izinhlamvu zesiliva ezilitshumi ngomnyakar, lezigqoko zokugqoka, lokudla kwakho. UmLevi wasengena. 11 UmLevi wavuma ukuhlala lalowomuntu; njalo ijaha laba kuye njengomunye wamadodana akhes. 12 UMika wamehlukanisa umLevit, ijaha laselisiba ngumpristi wakheu, laba sendlini kaMika. 13 UMika wasesithi: Khathesi ngiyazi ukuthi iNkosi izangenzela okuhle, ngoba ngilomLevi ongumpristi.