Suci 21
1 Izraelovi se ljudi bijahu ovako zakleli u Mispi: “Nitko od nas neće dati svoju kćer za ženu Benjaminovu sinu.”
Now, the men of Israel, had sworn in Mizpah, saying, —Not a man from among us, shall give his daughter unto Benjamin, to wife.
2 I ode narod u Betel i ostade ondje pred Bogom do večeri, naričući i jecajući.
So then the people came to Bethel, and abode there, until the evening, before God, —and lifted up their voice, and wept bitterly,
3 Govorili su: “Zašto se, o Jahve, Bože Izraelov, ova nesreća morala dogoditi da Izraelu danas nestane jednog plemena?”
and said, Wherefore, O Yahweh, God of Israel, hath this come about in Israel, —that there should be lacking, to-day, out of Israel, one tribe?
4 Sutradan uraniše ljudi i sagradiše ondje žrtvenik; prinesoše paljenice i žrtve zahvalnice.
And it came to pass, on the morrow, that the people rose early, and built there, an altar, —and offered ascending-sacrifices, and peace-offerings.
5 Tad zapitaše Izraelci: “Ima li koga među svim plemenima Izraelovim da nije došao na zbor Jahvi?” Jer su se svečano zakleli da će pogubiti onoga tko ne dođe u Mispu k Jahvi.
And the sons of Israel said, Who was there that came not up, in the convocation, out of all the tribes of Israel, unto Yahweh? For, the great oath, had been taken, as to any who came not up unto Yahweh at Mizpah, saying—He shall be, put to death.
6 Izraelcima se sada sažalilo na brata Benjamina te rekoše: “Danas je otkinuto jedno pleme od Izraela.
And the sons of Israel grieved for Benjamin, their brother, —and they said, There is cut off, to-day, one tribe out of Israel.
7 Kako ćemo dati žene onima koji su preostali kad se zaklesmo Jahvom da im nećemo dati svojih kćeri za žene?”
What are we to do for them who remain, for wives, —seeing that, we ourselves, have sworn by Yahweh, not to give them of our daughters, for wives?
8 Zato zapitaše: “Ima li koga među Izraelovim plemenima da nije došao k Jahvi u Mispu?” I pronađe se da nije došao u tabor, na zbor, nitko od žitelja Jabeša u Gileadu.
So they said, What one of the tribes of Israel is there, that hath not come up unto Yahweh at Mizpah? And lo! no man had come into the camp, out of Jabesh-gilead, unto the convocation:
9 Jer kada se narod prebrojio, ondje ne bijaše nikoga od žitelja Jabeša u Gileadu.
When the people were numbered, lo! there was not there a man of the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead.
10 Zato zajednica posla onamo dvanaest tisuća hrabrih ljudi i zapovjedi im: “Idite i posijecite oštrim mačem stanovnike Jabeša u Gileadu, zajedno sa ženama i djecom.
So the assembly sent thither twelve thousand men, of the sons of valour, —and commanded them, saying: —Go and smite the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead, with the edge of the sword, with the women, and the little ones.
11 Evo što ćete učiniti: izručit ćete prokletstvu sve muškarce i sve žene što su dijelile postelju sa čovjekom, ali ćete sačuvati život djevicama.” Tako i učiniše.
And, this, is the thing that ye shall do, —Every male, and every woman that hath cohabited with man, shall ye devote to destruction.
12 I našli su među stanovnicima Jabeša u Gileadu četiri stotine mladih djevojaka koje nisu dijelile postelje s čovjekom i doveli su ih u tabor u Šilu, koji je u Kanaanu.
And they found—of the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead—four hundred young women, virgins, who had not cohabited with man, —so they brought them into the camp, at Shiloh, which is in the land of Canaan.
13 Sva zajednica posla tada poslanike Benjaminovcima koji bijahu na Rimonskoj stijeni: objaviše im mir.
Then the whole assembly sent, and spake unto the sons of Benjamin, who were in the cliff Rimmon, —and proclaimed to them, peace.
14 Tako se oporavi Benjamin. Dadoše im one među ženama iz Jabeša u Gileadu koje su ostavili na životu, ali ih ne bijaše dovoljno za sve.
So Benjamin returned at that time, and they gave them the women whom they had saved alive of the women of Jabesh-gilead, —but they found not for them [to suffice], even so.
15 Narodu se sažalio Benjamin što je Jahve načinio prazninu među Izraelovim plemenima.
Now, the assembly, had grieved for Benjamin, —because Yahweh had made a breach, in the tribes of Israel.
16 “Kako ćemo naći žene onima što su ostali”, rekoše starješine zbora, “kad su Benjaminu istrijebljene žene?”
So then, the elders of the assembly said, What are we to do for them who remain, for wives, —for womankind, hath been destroyed out of Benjamin?
17 Rekoše još: “Kako sačuvati ostatak Benjaminu da se ne zatre jedno pleme iz Izraela?
And they said, There is an inheritance for the escaped of Benjamin, —and there must not be wiped out, a tribe, out of Israel.
18 A ne možemo im dati svoje kćeri za žene.” Jer se bijahu zakleli rekavši: “Proklet bio onaj koji dade ženu Benjaminu!”
Yet, we, may not give them wives, of our own daughters, For the sons of Israel had sworn, saying, Cursed, be he that giveth a wife to Benjamin.
19 “Ali”, rekoše, “svake se godine slavi u Šilu Jahvina svetkovina.” Grad se nalazi na sjeveru od Betela, istočno od ceste koja vodi iz Betela u Šekem i južno od Lebone.
Then said they—Lo! the festival of Yahweh in Shiloh, from year to year, Which [Shiloh] is on the north of Bethel, towards sunrise, by the highway that goeth up from Bethel, towards Shechem, and on the south of Lebonah.
20 I zato svjetovaše Benjaminovce: “Idite u zasjedu po vinogradima.
And they commanded the sons of Benjamin, saying, —Go and lie in wait in the vineyards;
21 Pazite, pa kada djevojke iz Šila iziđu da plešu u kolu, vi iskočite iz vinograda, otmite svaki sebi ženu između šilskih kćeri pa otiđite u Benjaminovu zemlju.
and look, and lo! if the daughters of Shiloh come out to dance in the dances, then shall ye come forth out of the vineyards, and catch you every man his wife, of the daughters of Shiloh, —and go your way to the land of Benjamin.
22 A kad njihovi očevi ili njihova braća dođu da se prituže na vas, mi ćemo im reći: 'Oprostite im što je svaki uzeo po ženu kao u ratu; vi im ih niste dali, pa je tako krivnja na vama.'”
And it shall be, when their fathers, or their brethren, come in to complain to us, that we will say unto them—As a favour to us, grant them, because we took not for each man his wife in the battle, —for, ye yourselves, gave them not unto them, so as, now, to be guilty.
23 Benjaminovci učiniše tako i od djevojaka koje oteše uzeše onoliki broj žena koliko bijaše njih. Onda odoše svaki na svoju baštinu, sagradiše opet gradove i naseliše se u njima.
And the sons of Benjamin did so, and carried off wives, according to their number, of them who were dancing, whom they seized, —and they went their way, and returned unto their inheritance, and built the cities, and dwelt therein.
24 Izraelci se tada raziđoše, svaki u svoje pleme i u svoj rod, i svaki se odande vrati na svoju baštinu.
And the sons of Israel at that time went their several ways from thence, every man to his own tribe, and to his own family, —yea they went forth from thence, every man to his own inheritance.
25 U to vrijeme ne bijaše kralja u Izraelu i svatko je živio kako mu se činilo da je pravo.
In those days, there was no king in Israel, —every man did, that which was right in his own eyes.
