Baiziraela banozwilulwamisila ngwa
1 Ndizo bathu bose be Iziraela banodwa ku Dani ne Bheerisheba kose ne shango ye Giliyadi bakazha bali tjithu tjing'ompela, gubungano likakubungana mbeli kwa Yahwe mu Mizipha. 2 Batungamili be bathu bose be njudzi dze Iziraela bakatola magalo abo mu gubungano le bathu be Ndzimu, kuli babhayani bali zwiwulu zwili mazana manna (400 000) bakabhata mathumo. 3 Babhenjamini bakabe bahwa kuti bathu be Iziraela bayenda ku Mizipha. Baiziraela bakati, “Mutibudze kuti tjithu itjetji tjakabipa tjakashingikala tjini kene?” 4 Ndizo Nlevi, nlume we nkadzi wakabulawa kati, “Imi ne tjamba tjangu takaswika ku Gibiya we Babhenjamini, tikalalako. 5 Kwakati busiku balume be Gibiya bakandimukila bakakomba ng'umba, beshaka kundibulaya. Bakadzula tjamba tjangu ngono tjikafa. 6 Ndakatola tjamba tjangu ndikathubukanya zwitho ngono ndikazwitumila mu ntuthu wose we shango ye thaka ye Iziraela, ngoti bathama tjinoshimisa tjinobhatisashoni mu Iziraela. 7 Bonani, imwi bathu be Iziraela mose, lebelekani mu duse dama.”
8 Bathu bose bakama bali tjithu tjing'ompela bakati, “Akuna wedu unowoyenda ku nshasha uwe kene kuli mmwe wedu unowoyenda ku ng'umba iye. 9 Koga tjatinowoshingila Gibiya ndiyetji, towoyinginilila kuyendidzana nge leba kwe hakata, 10 towotola balume bali gumi muna bali zana (100) mu njudzi dzose dze Iziraela ne bali zana (100) muna bali tjiwulu (1 000) ne bali tjiwulu (1 000) muna bali zwiwulu zwili zana (10 000) banozhisila ngwa zojiwa. Ngono banowoti bashanduka, tikathamila Gibiya we Bhenjamini tjakabafanila tjinobhatisa shoni tjabakathama mu Iziraela.” 11 Ndizo balume bose be Iziraela bakakubunganila nzi we Gibiya bali tjithu tjing'ompela.
12 Njudzi dze Iziraela dzikatuma balume ku ludzi gose gwa Bhenjamini dziti, “I mbipo yakatini yakashingikala pakati kwenyu kene? 13 Ndizo ngwenu dusani zwilalume izwezwi zwimu Gibiya kuti tizwibulaye, tiduse bubi mu Iziraela” Koga Babhenjamini bakasiteedze bakanyi kwabo Baiziraela. 14 Babhenjamini bakakubunganila ku Gibiya bebhuda mu mizi yabo kugwa ne Baiziraela. 15 Kwakati mu zhuba ilelo Babhenjamini bakalulwamisa balume bali zwiwulu zwili makumi mabili ana zwili tathatu (26 000) be thumo kudwa mu mizi yabo, kuzhadzisa bali mazana ali kutendeka (700) bakashalugwa banogala mu Gibiya. 16 Muna bose ibaba, bali mazana ali kutendeka (700) bakabe bashalugwa bakabe beshingisa luboko gwe lumeshwe, beziba posa nge tjivirimabgwe basinga khute. 17 Balume be Iziraela kuzhe kwe Babhenjamini, bakalulwamisa balume bali zwiwulu zwili mazana manna (400 000) be thumo, bose bali balume be ngwa.
Baiziraela banogwa ne Babhenjamini
18 Bathu be Iziraela bakamilika bakatathila ku Bhetele, bakabhuzwa Ndzimu beti, “Ndiboyani mutili banowotangisa ngwa ne Babhenjamini?” Yahwe bakashandula beti, “Bajuda ngabatangise.”
19 Kwakati tjimuka Baiziraela bakamilika bakanothama bukotokelo hwunde ye Gibiya. 20 Balume be Iziraela bakayenda bakanogwa ne Babhenjamini, bakazwimisa nge ndongoloso ye ngwa bakalinga Gibiya. 21 Babhenjamini bakabhuda mu Gibiya, bakabulaya balume bali zwiwulu zwili makumi mabili ana zwibili (22 000) be Baiziraela mu zhuba ilelo. 22 Koga balume be Iziraela bakasimisa moyo, bakama kakale nge ndongoloso ye ngwa mu magalo iwo zwawo abakama mu zhuba le kutanga. 23 Baiziraela bakatathila pezhugwi bakanolila mbeli kwa Yahwe kuswikila kube madekwana, ndizo bakabhuzwa Yahwe beti, “Apa tiyende tinogwa kakale ne bakanyi kwedu Babhenjamini kene?” Yahwe bakashandula beti, “Yendani munobanginilila.” 24 Ndizo Baiziraela bakanonginilila Babhenjamini zhuba le bubili. 25 Babhenjamini bakabashanganidza bedwa ku Gibiya zhuba le bubili, ngono bakabulaya balume be Iziraela bali zwiwulu zwili gumi lina zwili zhanakadzi (18 000), bose bakabe bali balume be thumo. 26 Ipapo bathu bose be Iziraela, ngwa yose ikayenda ku Bhetele bakalila, baligele mbeli kwa Yahwe, bakazwinyima zojiwa zhuba ilelo kuswikila madekwana, bakadusa zwibhayilo zwinopisiwa ne zwipo zwe mbakiso mbeli kwa Yahwe. 27 Baiziraela bakabhuzwa Yahwe, ngoti mu mazhuba iyawo Bhokisi le Tjidumano le Ndzimu lakabe lili yapo, 28 ngono Finiyasi nkololo wa Eliyaza ali nkololo wa Aroni ndiye wakabe e yendisa nshingo mu tjibaka itjetjo, bakabhuzwa beti, “Apa tiyende tinogwa kakale ne bakanyi kwedu Babhenjamini kene tiletje?” Yahwe bakashandula beti, “Yendani mangwana ndowobalonga mu maboko enyu.” 29 Baiziraela bakalalila Gibiya kuipoteleka. 30 Baiziraela bakatathila kunonginilila Babhenjamini kakale mu zhuba le butatu, bakazwilongolosa nge ngwa bakalinga Gibiya se misi yose. 31 Babhenjamini bakabhuda kubashanganidza kugwa, ngono bakadusiwa mu nzi, koga se misi yose bakatangisa bulaya bamwe bathu kungabe balume bali makumi matatu (30) be Iziraela mu dzizila, imwe kuli inoyenda ku Bhetele imwe ku Gibiya.
32 Babhenjamini bakazwidwa bakati, “Tabakunda se misi yose.” Koga Baiziraela bakati, “Ngatitizheni tibaduse mu nzi, tibakwebele ku zila dzakazhuka.”
33 Balume bose be Iziraela bakabhuda pabakabe balipo, bakanoma nge ndongoloso ku Bhaaletama, ne balume be Iziraela bakabe bakalalila bakaputjumuka pabakabe balipo tjekunomila zhuba kwe Gheba. 34 Kukaswika balume bali zwiwulu zwili gumi (10 000) bakashalugwa mu Iziraela yose kunginilila Gibiya, ngwa ikasima, koga Babhenjamini bakasibone kuti mbatsha dzobawila. 35 Yahwe bakakunda Babhenjamini mbeli kwe Baiziraela, mu zhuba ilelo Baiziraela bakabulaya Babhenjamini bali zwiwulu zwili makumi mabili ana zwishanu ne bali zana (25 100), bose ibaba kuli be thumo.
36 Ndizo Babhenjamini bakabona kuti banokundiwa. Balume be Iziraela bakasedzela Bhenjamini, ngobe bakabe bakabiga muna bakabe bakalalila Gibiya. 37 Balume bakabe bakalalila bakati tjinyolotjo bakangina mu Gibiya, bakaandama bakabulaya nzi wose nge thumo. 38 Balume be Iziraela bakabe badumana ne bakalalila kuti bathame bhulubusi mu nzi, 39 ipapo balume be Iziraela banowoshanduka bakagwa. Babhenjamini bakabe batangisa bulaya balume banga bhata makumi matatu (30) be Baiziraela, ngono bakazwidwa bakati “Tobakunda se mu ngwa ye kutanga.” 40 Koga tjilakidzo tje bhulubusi tjakati tjimilika mu nzi, Babhenjamini bakashandukila shule bakabona busi gwe nzi wose guyenda pezhugwi. 41 Ipapo balume be Iziraela bakashandukila mu bali, balume be Bhenjamini bakatemeka mafupa, ngobe babona kuti mbatsha dzabawila. 42 Ndizo bakatizha Baiziraela betizhila ku tjilambanyika, koga ngwa ikabakulila, ngono ibabo bakabe bebhuda mu mizi mikulu bakababulayila muili. 43 Bakakomba Babhenjamini, bakabatatamila bakababulaya kunoti ku Gibiya tjekunobhudazhuba. 44 Balume bali zwiwulu zwili gumi lina zwili zhanakadzi (18 000) bakabulawa, bose bali babhayani bakasima. 45 Bakatendebuka bakatizhila ku tjilambanyika tji ku shongwe ya Rimoni, balume bali zwiwulu zwili shanu (5 000) bakabulawa mu dzizila, bakadwilila bakatatamila Babhenjamini kunoti ku Gimoni, kukabulawa balume babo bali zwiwulu zwibili (2 000). 46 Ndizo Babhenjamini bose bakabulawa zhuba ilelo bakabe bali zwiwulu zwili makumi mabili ana zwili shanu (25 000) be thumo, bose bali babhayani bakasima. 47 Koga balume bali mazana ali tathatu (600) bakatendebuka bakatizhila ku tjilambanyika tjiku shongwe ya Rimoni, bakagala ko mimwedzi minna. 48 Balume be Iziraela bakabgwilila ku Babhenjamini, bakababulaya nge thumo, kose ne zwithuwo ne tjimwe ne tjimwe tjabakabe bewana. Bakapisa nge moto mizi yose yabakabe bengina muili.
1 Then all the children of Israel went out, and the congregation was gathered together as one man, from Dan even to Beer-sheba, with the land of Gilead, unto the LORD in Mizpeh. 2 And the chief of all the people, even of all the tribes of Israel, presented themselves in the assembly of the people of God, four hundred thousand footmen that drew sword. 3 (Now the children of Benjamin heard that the children of Israel were gone up to Mizpeh.) Then said the children of Israel, Tell us , how was this wickedness? 4 And the Levite, the husband of the woman that was slain, answered and said, I came into Gibeah that belongeth to Benjamin, I and my concubine, to lodge. 5 And the men of Gibeah rose against me, and beset the house round about upon me by night, and thought to have slain me: and my concubine have they forced, that she is dead. 6 And I took my concubine, and cut her in pieces, and sent her throughout all the country of the inheritance of Israel: for they have committed lewdness and folly in Israel. 7 Behold, ye are all children of Israel; give here your advice and counsel.
8 ¶ And all the people arose as one man, saying, We will not any of us go to his tent, neither will we any of us turn into his house. 9 But now this shall be the thing which we will do to Gibeah; we will go up by lot against it; 10 And we will take ten men of an hundred throughout all the tribes of Israel, and an hundred of a thousand, and a thousand out of ten thousand, to fetch victual for the people, that they may do, when they come to Gibeah of Benjamin, according to all the folly that they have wrought in Israel. 11 So all the men of Israel were gathered against the city, knit together as one man.
12 ¶ And the tribes of Israel sent men through all the tribe of Benjamin, saying, What wickedness is this that is done among you? 13 Now therefore deliver us the men, the children of Belial, which are in Gibeah, that we may put them to death, and put away evil from Israel. But the children of Benjamin would not hearken to the voice of their brethren the children of Israel: 14 But the children of Benjamin gathered themselves together out of the cities unto Gibeah, to go out to battle against the children of Israel. 15 And the children of Benjamin were numbered at that time out of the cities twenty and six thousand men that drew sword, beside the inhabitants of Gibeah, which were numbered seven hundred chosen men. 16 Among all this people there were seven hundred chosen men lefthanded; every one could sling stones at an hair breadth , and not miss. 17 And the men of Israel, beside Benjamin, were numbered four hundred thousand men that drew sword: all these were men of war.
18 ¶ And the children of Israel arose, and went up to the house of God, and asked counsel of God, and said, Which of us shall go up first to the battle against the children of Benjamin? And the LORD said, Judah shall go up first. 19 And the children of Israel rose up in the morning, and encamped against Gibeah. 20 And the men of Israel went out to battle against Benjamin; and the men of Israel put themselves in array to fight against them at Gibeah. 21 And the children of Benjamin came forth out of Gibeah, and destroyed down to the ground of the Israelites that day twenty and two thousand men. 22 And the people the men of Israel encouraged themselves, and set their battle again in array in the place where they put themselves in array the first day. 23 (And the children of Israel went up and wept before the LORD until even, and asked counsel of the LORD, saying, Shall I go up again to battle against the children of Benjamin my brother? And the LORD said, Go up against him.) 24 And the children of Israel came near against the children of Benjamin the second day. 25 And Benjamin went forth against them out of Gibeah the second day, and destroyed down to the ground of the children of Israel again eighteen thousand men; all these drew the sword.
26 ¶ Then all the children of Israel, and all the people, went up, and came unto the house of God, and wept, and sat there before the LORD, and fasted that day until even, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the LORD. 27 And the children of Israel enquired of the LORD, (for the ark of the covenant of God was there in those days, 28 And Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, stood before it in those days,) saying, Shall I yet again go out to battle against the children of Benjamin my brother, or shall I cease? And the LORD said, Go up; for to morrow I will deliver them into thine hand. 29 And Israel set liers in wait round about Gibeah. 30 And the children of Israel went up against the children of Benjamin on the third day, and put themselves in array against Gibeah, as at other times. 31 And the children of Benjamin went out against the people, and were drawn away from the city; and they began to smite of the people, and kill, as at other times, in the highways, of which one goeth up to the house of God, and the other to Gibeah in the field, about thirty men of Israel. 32 And the children of Benjamin said, They are smitten down before us, as at the first. But the children of Israel said, Let us flee, and draw them from the city unto the highways. 33 And all the men of Israel rose up out of their place, and put themselves in array at Baal-tamar: and the liers in wait of Israel came forth out of their places, even out of the meadows of Gibeah. 34 And there came against Gibeah ten thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and the battle was sore: but they knew not that evil was near them. 35 And the LORD smote Benjamin before Israel: and the children of Israel destroyed of the Benjamites that day twenty and five thousand and an hundred men: all these drew the sword. 36 So the children of Benjamin saw that they were smitten: for the men of Israel gave place to the Benjamites, because they trusted unto the liers in wait which they had set beside Gibeah. 37 And the liers in wait hasted, and rushed upon Gibeah; and the liers in wait drew themselves along, and smote all the city with the edge of the sword. 38 Now there was an appointed sign between the men of Israel and the liers in wait, that they should make a great flame with smoke rise up out of the city. 39 And when the men of Israel retired in the battle, Benjamin began to smite and kill of the men of Israel about thirty persons: for they said, Surely they are smitten down before us, as in the first battle. 40 But when the flame began to arise up out of the city with a pillar of smoke, the Benjamites looked behind them, and, behold, the flame of the city ascended up to heaven. 41 And when the men of Israel turned again, the men of Benjamin were amazed: for they saw that evil was come upon them. 42 Therefore they turned their backs before the men of Israel unto the way of the wilderness; but the battle overtook them; and them which came out of the cities they destroyed in the midst of them. 43 Thus they inclosed the Benjamites round about, and chased them, and trode them down with ease over against Gibeah toward the sunrising. 44 And there fell of Benjamin eighteen thousand men; all these were men of valour. 45 And they turned and fled toward the wilderness unto the rock of Rimmon: and they gleaned of them in the highways five thousand men; and pursued hard after them unto Gidom, and slew two thousand men of them. 46 So that all which fell that day of Benjamin were twenty and five thousand men that drew the sword; all these were men of valour. 47 But six hundred men turned and fled to the wilderness unto the rock Rimmon, and abode in the rock Rimmon four months. 48 And the men of Israel turned again upon the children of Benjamin, and smote them with the edge of the sword, as well the men of every city, as the beast, and all that came to hand: also they set on fire all the cities that they came to.