Judges 20
1 Then all the children of Israel took up arms, and the people came together like one man, from Dan to Beer-sheba, and the land of Gilead, before the Lord at Mizpah.
Khona bonke abantwana bakoIsrayeli baphuma, inhlangano yonke yabuthana njengamuntu munye, kusukela eDani kusiya eBherishebha lelizwe leGileyadi, eNkosini eMizipa.
2 And the chiefs of the people, out of all the tribes of Israel, took their places in the meeting of the people of God, four hundred thousand footmen armed with swords.
Njalo induna zabo bonke abantu, zazo zonke izizwe zakoIsrayeli, zazimisa ebandleni labantu bakaNkulunkulu, izinkulungwane ezingamakhulu amane zamadoda ahamba ngenyawo, ahwatsha inkemba.
3 (Now the children of Benjamin had word that the children of Israel had gone up to Mizpah.) And the children of Israel said, Make clear how this evil thing took place.
(Abantwana bakoBhenjamini basebesizwa ukuthi abantwana bakoIsrayeli babenyukele eMizipa.) Abantwana bakoIsrayeli basebesithi: Tshono, lobububi benziwa njani?
4 Then the Levite, the husband of the dead woman, said in answer, I came to Gibeah in the land of Benjamin, I and my servant-wife, for the purpose of stopping there for the night.
Indoda engumLevi, indoda yalowo owesifazana owayebulewe, yasiphendula yathi: Ngafika eGibeya engeyakoBhenjamini, mina lomfazi wami omncane, ukuze silale khona.
5 And the townsmen of Gibeah came together against me, going round the house on all sides by night; it was their purpose to put me to death, and my servant-wife was violently used by them and is dead.
Abahlali beGibeya basebengivukela, bazingelezela indlu bemelene lami ebusuku, befuna ukungibulala, bamdlova umfazi wami omncane, waze wafa.
6 So I took her, cutting her into parts which I sent through all the country of the heritage of Israel: for they have done an act of shame in Israel.
Ngasengimbamba umfazi wami omncane, ngamquma iziqa, ngamthumela elizweni lonke lelifa lakoIsrayeli, ngoba benza amanyala lobuwula koIsrayeli.
7 Here you all are, you children of Israel; give now your suggestions about what is to be done.
Khangelani, lina lonke lingabantwana bakoIsrayeli, phanini ilizwi leseluleko senu lapha.
8 Then all the people got up as one man and said, Not one of us will go to his tent or go back to his house:
Abantu bonke basebesukuma njengamuntu munye besithi: Asiyikuya, ngulowo ethenteni lakhe, njalo asiyikuphambukela, ngulowo endlini yakhe.
9 But this is what we will do to Gibeah: we will go up against it by the decision of the Lord;
Kodwa khathesi, nansi into esizayenza kuyo iGibeya. Sizamelana layo ngenkatho,
10 And we will take ten men out of every hundred, through all the tribes of Israel, a hundred out of every thousand, a thousand out of every ten thousand, to get food for the people, so that they may give to Gibeah of Benjamin the right punishment for the act of shame they have done in Israel.
sithathe abantu abalitshumi phakathi kwekhulu ezizweni zonke zakoIsrayeli, lekhulu phakathi kwenkulungwane, lenkulungwane phakathi kwenkulungwane ezilitshumi, ukuze bathathele abantu umphako, ukuze, nxa sebefike eGibeya koBhenjamini, benze ngokobuwula bonke ababenze koIsrayeli.
11 So all the men of Israel were banded together against the town, united like one man.
Ngakho wonke amadoda akoIsrayeli ahlanganyela umuzi, njengamuntu munye emoya munye.
12 And the tribes of Israel sent men through all the tribe of Benjamin saying, What is this evil which has been done among you?
Izizwe zakoIsrayeli zasezithuma amadoda esizweni sonke sakoBhenjamini zisithi: Yibubi bani lobu obenzeke phakathi kwenu?
13 Now give up those good-for-nothing persons in Gibeah so that we may put them to death, clearing away the evil from Israel. But the children of Benjamin would not give ear to the voice of their brothers, the children of Israel.
Ngakho-ke anikeleni lawomadoda, abantwana bakaBheliyali, abaseGibeya ukuze siwabulale, sisuse ububi koIsrayeli. Kodwa abakoBhenjamini kabafunanga ukulalela ilizwi labafowabo, abantwana bakoIsrayeli.
14 And the children of Benjamin came together from all their towns to Gibeah, to go to war with the children of Israel.
Kodwa abantwana bakoBhenjamini babuthana bevela emizini baya eGibeya, ukuze baphume ukuya empini labantwana bakoIsrayeli.
15 And the children of Benjamin who came that day from the towns were twenty-six thousand men armed with swords, in addition to the people of Gibeah, numbering seven hundred of the best fighting-men,
Abantwana bakoBhenjamini basebebalwa ngalolosuku bevela emizini, amadoda azinkulungwane ezingamatshumi amabili lesithupha ahwatsha inkemba, ngaphandle kwabahlali beGibeya, ababalwa baba ngamadoda angamakhulu ayisikhombisa akhethiweyo.
16 Who were left-handed, able to send a stone at a hair without error.
Phakathi kwabo bonke lababantu kwakulamadoda akhethiweyo angamakhulu ayisikhombisa angamanxele; wonke la ayejikijela ilitshe ngesavutha enweleni engakhuthi.
17 And the men of Israel, other than Benjamin, were four hundred thousand in number, all armed with swords; they were all men of war.
Amadoda akoIsrayeli asebalwa, ngaphandle kukaBhenjamini, amadoda azinkulungwane ezingamakhulu amane ahwatsha inkemba; wonke la ayengamadoda empi.
18 And they got up and went up to Beth-el to get directions from God, and the children of Israel said, Who is to be the first to go up to the fight against the children of Benjamin? And the Lord said, Judah is to go up first.
Abantwana bakoIsrayeli basebesukuma benyukela eBhetheli, babuza uNkulunkulu bathi: Ngubani phakathi kwethu ozakwenyukela kuqala empini labantwana bakoBhenjamini? INkosi yasisithi: NguJuda kuqala.
19 So the children of Israel got up in the morning and put themselves in position against Gibeah.
Abantwana bakoIsrayeli basebevuka ekuseni, bamisa inkamba maqondana leGibeya.
20 And the men of Israel went out to war against Benjamin (and the men of Israel put their forces in fighting order against them at Gibeah).
Amadoda akoIsrayeli asephuma ukuya empini loBhenjamini; amadoda akoIsrayeli azihlelela ukumelana labo empini eGibeya.
21 Then the children of Benjamin came out from Gibeah, cutting down twenty-two thousand of the Israelites that day.
Abantwana bakoBhenjamini basebephuma eGibeya, babhubhisela emhlabathini koIsrayeli ngalolosuku amadoda azinkulungwane ezingamatshumi amabili lambili.
22 But the people, the men of Israel, taking heart again, put their forces in order and took up the same position as on the first day.
Abantu, amadoda akoIsrayeli, basebeziqinisa bahlela futhi impi kuleyondawo ababezihlelele khona ngosuku lokuqala.
23 Now the children of Israel went up, weeping before the Lord till evening, requesting the Lord and saying, Am I to go forward again to the fight against the children of Benjamin my brother? And the Lord said, Go up against him.
Abantwana bakoIsrayeli basebesenyuka bakhala inyembezi phambi kweNkosi kwaze kwahlwa. Babuza eNkosini bathi: Ngisondele yini futhi empini ngimelane labantwana bakoBhenjamini umfowethu? INkosi yasisithi: Yenyukani limelane laye.
24 So the children of Israel went forward against the children of Benjamin the second day.
Abantwana bakoIsrayeli basebesondela ebantwaneni bakoBhenjamini ngosuku lwesibili.
25 And the second day Benjamin went out against them from Gibeah, cutting down eighteen thousand men of the children of Israel, all swordsmen.
UBhenjamini wasephuma eGibeya emelene labo ngosuku lwesibili, babuya babhubhisela emhlabathini ebantwaneni bakoIsrayeli amadoda azinkulungwane ezilitshumi leziyisificaminwembili; bonke labo bahwatsha inkemba.
26 Then all the children of Israel, and all the people, went up to Beth-el, weeping and waiting there before the Lord, going without food all day till evening, and offering burned offerings and peace-offerings before the Lord.
Ngakho bonke abantwana bakoIsrayeli labo bonke abantu benyuka bafika eBhetheli, bakhala inyembezi bahlala lapho phambi kweNkosi, bazila ukudla ngalolosuku kwaze kwahlwa, banikela iminikelo yokutshiswa leminikelo yokuthula phambi kweNkosi.
27 And the children of Israel made request to the Lord, (for the ark of the agreement of the Lord was there in those days,
Abantwana bakoIsrayeli basebebuza eNkosini (ngoba umtshokotsho wesivumelwano sikaNkulunkulu wawulapho ngalezonsuku,
28 And Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, was in his place before it, ) and said, Am I still to go on with the fight against the children of Benjamin my brother, or am I to give it up? And the Lord said, Go on; for tomorrow I will give him into your hands.
loPhinehasi indodana kaEleyazare indodana kaAroni wema phambi kwawo ngalezonsuku) besithi: Ngibuye ngiphinde yini ukuphuma impi ngimelene labantwana bakoBhenjamini umfowethu, loba ngiyekele? INkosi yasisithi: Yenyukani, ngoba kusasa ngizabanikela esandleni sakho.
29 So Israel put men secretly all round Gibeah to make a surprise attack on it.
Ngakho uIsrayeli wamisa abacathami maqondana leGibeya inhlangothi zonke.
30 And the children of Israel went up against the children of Benjamin on the third day, and put themselves in fighting order against Gibeah as before.
Abantwana bakoIsrayeli basebesenyuka ukumelana labantwana bakoBhenjamini ngosuku lwesithathu, bazihlelela ukumelana leGibeya njengakwezinye izikhathi.
31 And the children of Benjamin went out against the people, moving away from the town; and as before, at their first attack, they put to death about thirty men of Israel on the highways, of which one goes up to Beth-el and the other to Gibeah, and in the open country.
Abantwana bakoBhenjamini basebephuma ukumelana labantu, badonswa besuka emzini, baqala ukutshaya ebantwini, ukubulala njengakwezinye izikhathi, emigwaqweni emikhulu, enye yazo eyenyukela eBhetheli lenye eya eGibeya emagcekeni, phose amadoda angamatshumi amathathu akoIsrayeli.
32 And the children of Benjamin said, They are giving way before us as at first. But the children of Israel said, Let us go in flight and get them away from the town, into the highways.
Abantwana bakoBhenjamini basebesithi: Sebetshayiwe phambi kwethu njengakuqala. Kodwa abantwana bakoIsrayeli bathi: Asibalekeni, sibadonse besuka emzini baye emigwaqweni emikhulu.
33 So all the men of Israel got up and put themselves in fighting order at Baal-tamar: and those who had been waiting secretly to make a surprise attack came rushing out of their place on the west of Geba.
Wonke amadoda akoIsrayeli asevuka endaweni zawo, azihlela eBhali-Tamari, labacathami bakoIsrayeli bavumbuluka endaweni yabo emadlelweni eGibeya.
34 And they came in front of Gibeah, ten thousand of the best men in all Israel, and the fighting became more violent; but the children of Benjamin were not conscious that evil was coming on them.
Kwasekusiza kuvela maqondana leGibeya amadoda akhethiweyo azinkulungwane ezilitshumi evela kuIsrayeli wonke; lempi yaba nzima. Kodwa bona babengazi ukuthi ububi buzatshaya phezu kwabo.
35 Then the Lord sent sudden fear on Benjamin before Israel; and that day the children of Israel put to death twenty-five thousand, one hundred men of Benjamin, all of them swordsmen.
INkosi yasimtshaya uBhenjamini phambi kukaIsrayeli. Abantwana bakoIsrayeli basebebhubhisa koBhenjamini amadoda azinkulungwane ezingamatshumi amabili lanhlanu lekhulu elilodwa ngalolosuku; bonke laba bahwatsha inkemba.
36 So the children of Benjamin saw that they were overcome: and the men of Israel had given way before Benjamin, putting their faith in the watchers who were to make the surprise attack on Gibeah.
Abantwana bakoBhenjamini basebebona ukuthi sebetshayiwe, ngoba amadoda akoIsrayeli amdedela uBhenjamini, ngoba bethembe abacathami ababebamise maqondana leGibeya.
37 And the watchers, rushing on Gibeah and overrunning it, put all the town to the sword without mercy.
Labacathami baphangisa bahlasela iGibeya baqhubeka batshaya umuzi wonke ngobukhali benkemba.
38 Now the sign fixed between the men of Israel and those making the surprise attack was that when they made a pillar of smoke go up from the town,
Kwasekusiba lesiboniso esimisiweyo phakathi kwamadoda akoIsrayeli labacathami sokuthunqisa insika yentuthu enkulu evela emzini.
39 The men of Israel were to make a turn about in the fight. And Benjamin had overcome and put to death about thirty of the men of Israel, and were saying, Certainly they are falling back before us as in the first fight.
Kwathi amadoda akoIsrayeli aphenduka empini, uBhenjamini waqalisa ukuwatshaya ukubulala emadodeni akoIsrayeli phose amadoda angamatshumi amathathu, ngoba bathi: Isibili atshayiwe lokutshaywa phambi kwethu njengempini yakuqala.
40 Then the sign went up out of the town in the pillar of smoke, and the Benjamites, turning back, saw all the town going up in smoke to heaven.
Kwathi iyezi liqalisa ukuthunqa liphuma emzini, insika yentuthu, uBhenjamini enyemukula, khangela-ke ilangabi lomuzi lenyukela emazulwini.
41 And the men of Israel had made a turn about, and the men of Benjamin were overcome with fear, for they saw that evil had overtaken them.
Lapho amadoda akoIsrayeli etshibilika, amadoda akoBhenjamini atshaywa luvalo, ngoba abona ukuthi ububi sebuwehlele.
42 So turning their backs on the men of Israel, they went in the direction of the waste land; but the fight overtook them; and those who came out of the town were heading them off and putting them to the sword.
Ngakho afulathela phambi kwamadoda akoIsrayeli esiya endleleni yenkangala; kodwa impi yawanamathela, lalabo abaphuma emizini bawabhubhisa phakathi kwabo.
43 And crushing Benjamin down, they went after them, driving them from Nohah as far as the east side of Gibeah.
Bamhanqa uBhenjamini, baxotshana labo, babanyathelela phansi lula, kwaze kwaba maqondana leGibeya lapho okuphuma khona ilanga.
44 Eighteen thousand men of Benjamin came to their death, all strong men of war.
Kwasekusiwa koBhenjamini amadoda azinkulungwane ezilitshumi leziyisificaminwembili; wonke la ayengamaqhawe.
45 And turning, they went in flight to the rock of Rimmon in the waste land: and on the highways five thousand of them were cut off by the men of Israel, who, pushing on hard after them to Geba, put to death two thousand more.
Basebephenduka babalekela enkangala edwaleni leRimoni. Bakhothoza kibo emigwaqweni emikhulu abantu abazinkulungwane ezinhlanu, babanamathela kwaze kwaba seGideyomu, batshaya futhi kibo abantu abazinkulungwane ezimbili.
46 So twenty-five thousand of the swordsmen of Benjamin came to their end that day, all strong men of war.
Ngakho bonke abawayo koBhenjamini mhlalokho babeyizinkulungwane ezingamatshumi amabili lanhlanu, amadoda ahwatsha inkemba; bonke labo babengamaqhawe.
47 But six hundred men, turning back, went in flight to the rock of Rimmon in the waste land, and were living on the rock of Rimmon for four months.
Kodwa amadoda angamakhulu ayisithupha aphenduka abalekela enkangala edwaleni leRimoni; ahlala edwaleni leRimoni inyanga ezine.
48 And the men of Israel, turning again against the children of Benjamin, put to the sword without mercy all the towns and the cattle and everything there was, burning every town which came into their hands.
Amadoda akoIsrayeli asebuyela ebantwaneni bakoBhenjamini, abatshaya ngobukhali benkemba, kusukela emzini wonke kusiya ezinyamazaneni, njalo kusiya kukho konke okwaficwayo. Layo yonke imizi abayificayo bayithungela ngomlilo.
