Abahluleli
17:1 Kwakukhona umuntu wasezintabeni zakwa-Efrayimi, ogama lakhe lalinguMika.
" 17:2 Wathi kunina: "Ikhulu nanye lamashekeli esiliva
zasuswa kuwe, owaziqalekisa, wakhuluma ngazo naphakathi
ezindlebeni zami, bheka, isiliva likimi; Ngayithatha. Nomama wakhe
wathi: Kawubusiswe nguJehova, ndodana yami.
17:3 Futhi lapho esebuyisele kuye amashekeli esiliva nekhulu
unina, wathi unina, Isiliva bengilinikele kuJehova
esandleni sami ukuba ngenzele indodana yami isithombe esibaziweyo nesithombe esibunjiweyo;
ngakho-ke ngizakubuyisela kuwe.
17:4 Nokho wayibuyisela imali kunina; unina wathatha amabili
amashekeli ayikhulu esiliva, wawanika umsunguli owawenza
isithombe saso esibaziweyo nesithombe esibunjiweyo;
UMika.
17:5 Lowo muntu uMika wayenendlu yezithixo, wenza ingubo yamahlombe namatherafi.
wangcwelisa enye yamadodana akhe, yaba ngumpristi wakhe.
17:6 Ngalezo zinsuku kwakungekho nkosi kwa-Israyeli, kodwa wonke umuntu wenza lokho
wayelungile emehlweni akhe.
17:7 Futhi kwakukhona insizwa evela eBhetlehema Juda yomndeni wakwaJuda.
wayengumLevi, egogobele khona.
17:8 Indoda yasuka emzini, eBetlehema Juda, ukuze ihlale njengezizwe.
lapho ayengathola khona indawo, wafika endlini yezintaba zakwa-Efrayimi
kaMika ekuhambeni kwakhe.
17:9 UMika wathi kuye, "Uvelaphi?" Wathi kuye: Nginguye
umLevi waseBetlehema Juda, ngiya ukugogobala lapho engingathola khona a
indawo.
17:10 UMika wathi kuye: "Hlala nami, futhi ube ubaba kimi
mpristi, ngiyakukunika amashekeli ayishumi esiliva ngomnyaka, a
ingubo, nokudla kwakho. Ngakho umLevi wangena.
17:11 UmLevi wavuma ukuhlala nalo muntu; yabe injalo insizwa
kuye njengomunye wamadodana akhe.
17:12 UMika wangcwelisa umLevi; insizwa yaba ngumpristi wayo;
wayesesendlini kaMika.
17:13 Wayesethi uMika: "Manje ngiyazi ukuthi uJehova uzongenzela okuhle, njengoba ngikwenzile
umLevi kumpristi wami.