< Judges 20 >
1 Then all the children of Israel went out, and the congregation was assembled as one man, from Dan even to Beer-sheba, with the land of Gilead, unto the LORD at Mizpah.
Maka para pemimpin suku-suku Israel mengadakan pertemuan penting untuk seluruh umat TUHAN. Semua suku berkumpul dan bersatu di hadapan TUHAN di Mispa. Hanya suku Benyamin yang sengaja tidak hadir di pertemuan itu. Tetapi yang lain semuanya datang, dari wilayah Dan di utara sampai Bersyeba di selatan, termasuk daerah Gilead. Pasukan yang hadir berjumlah 400.000 orang bersenjata pedang. Di sana, para pemimpin bertanya kepada suami dari perempuan yang mati itu, “Ceritakanlah kepada kami, bagaimana kejahatan itu terjadi?”
2 And the chiefs 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 Mizpah. — And the children of Israel said: 'Tell us, how was this wickedness brought to pass?'
4 And the Levite, the husband of the woman that was murdered, answered and said: 'I came into Gibeah that belongeth to Benjamin, I and my concubine, to lodge.
Jawabnya, “Saya dan gundik saya datang ke kota Gibea milik suku Benyamin untuk menginap di sana.
5 And the men of Gibeah rose against me, and beset the house round about upon me by night; me they thought to have slain, and my concubine they forced, and she is dead.
Malam harinya, orang kota itu mengepung rumah tempat kami bermalam untuk membunuh saya. Lalu mereka memperkosa gundik saya sampai dia mati.
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 wantonness in Israel.
Mayat itu saya potong-potong dan saya kirimkan ke seluruh wilayah Israel supaya semua tahu bahwa Gibea sudah melakukan perbuatan yang begitu hina dan keji di tengah-tengah bangsa Israel.
7 Behold, ye are all here, children of Israel, give here your advice and council.'
Jadi, hai umat Israel semuanya, pertimbangkanlah dan putuskanlah apa yang harus kita lakukan!”
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 unto his house.
Dengan serentak seluruh rakyat bangkit dan berseru, “Tidak ada seorang pun dari kita yang akan kembali ke kemah atau pulang ke rumah sebelum masalah ini dibereskan!
9 But now this is the thing which we will do to Gibeah: we will go up against it by lot;
“Inilah yang akan kita lakukan terhadap Gibea: Kita akan mengundi untuk menentukan regu pasukan yang akan menyerang mereka.
10 and we will take ten men of a hundred throughout all the tribes of Israel, and a hundred of a thousand, and a thousand out of ten thousand, to fetch victuals for the people, that they may do, when they come to Gibeah of Benjamin, according to all the wantonness that they have wrought in Israel.'
Dan kita akan memilih sepersepuluh orang dari setiap suku Israel untuk menyediakan makanan bagi regu yang masuk pertempuran ini. Kekejian yang dilakukan warga Gibea terhadap Israel harus dibalas!”
11 So all the men of Israel were gathered against the city, knit together as one man.
Demikianlah seluruh bangsa Israel bersatu untuk menyerang Gibea.
12 And the tribes of Israel sent men through all the tribe of Benjamin, saying: 'What wickedness is this that is come to pass among you?
Kemudian suku-suku Israel mengutus pembawa pesan ke seluruh suku Benyamin untuk menyampaikan, “Kalian harus mengakui bahwa orang-orangmu sudah melakukan kejahatan besar, dan hal itu harus dihukum!
13 Now therefore deliver up the men, the base fellows that 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.
Serahkanlah orang-orang bejat di Gibea itu untuk kita hukum mati, agar kejahatan ini terhapus dari Israel.” Akan tetapi, suku Benyamin tidak mau mendengarkan saudara-saudara mereka, yaitu umat Israel dari suku-suku lain.
14 And the children of Benjamin gathered themselves together out of their cities unto Gibeah, to go out to battle against the children of Israel.
Malahan, orang-orang Benyamin dari kota-kota lain berkumpul di Gibea untuk berperang melawan bangsa Israel.
15 And the children of Benjamin numbered on that day out of the cities twenty and six thousand men that drew sword, besides the inhabitants of Gibeah, who numbered seven hundred chosen men.
Sebanyak 26.000 orang suku Benyamin bersenjata pedang berkumpul dari kota-kota lain saat itu, belum termasuk 700 pasukan terlatih dari Gibea.
16 All this people, even seven hundred chosen men, were left-handed; every one could sling stones at a hair-breadth, and not miss.
Di antara semua pasukan itu, ada 700 orang kidal yang bisa menembakkan batu tanpa meleset sehelai rambut pun.
17 And the men of Israel, beside Benjamin, numbered four hundred thousand men that drew sword; all these were men of war.
Sedangkan bangsa Israel selain suku Benyamin mengumpulkan 400.000 orang bersenjata pedang. Semuanya berpengalaman dalam perang.
18 And the children of Israel arose, and went up to Beth-el, and asked counsel of God; and they said: 'Who shall go up for us first to battle against the children of Benjamin?' And the LORD said: 'Judah first.'
Lalu pasukan Israel pergi mendaki ke Betel. Di situ mereka bertanya kepada Allah, “Siapakah di antara kami yang lebih dulu maju berperang melawan suku Benyamin?” TUHAN menjawab, “Suku Yehuda yang pertama.”
19 And the children of Israel rose up in the morning, and encamped against Gibeah.
Besok paginya, pasukan Israel berangkat dan berkemah di dekat Gibea.
20 And the men of Israel went out to battle against Benjamin; and the men of Israel set the battle in array against them at Gibeah.
Mereka maju untuk menyerang suku Benyamin. Pasukan Israel itu membuat barisan perang menghadap ke Gibea.
21 And the children of Benjamin came forth out of Gibeah, and destroyed down to the ground of the Israelites on that day twenty and two thousand men.
Lalu keluarlah pasukan Benyamin dari Gibea dan membunuh 22.000 orang Israel pada hari itu juga.
22 And the people, the men of Israel, encouraged themselves, and set the battle again in array in the place where they set themselves in array the first day.
Maka bangsa Israel pergi ke Betel dan menangis di hadapan TUHAN sampai malam. Mereka bertanya kepada TUHAN, “Oh TUHAN, perlukah kami berperang lagi melawan suku Benyamin, saudara kami sendiri?” Jawab TUHAN, “Maju dan lawanlah mereka.” Maka mereka mengumpulkan semangat dan kembali membuat barisan perang di tempat yang sama seperti hari pertama.
23 And the children of Israel went up and wept before the LORD until even; and they asked of the LORD, saying: 'Shall I again draw nigh 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.
Pada hari yang kedua itu, bangsa Israel maju melawan suku Benyamin.
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.
Lalu keluarlah pasukan Benyamin dari Gibea pada hari itu dan membunuh 18.000 tentara Israel.
26 Then all the children of Israel, and all the people, went up, and came unto Beth-el, and wept, and sat there before the LORD, and fasted that day until even; and they offered burnt-offerings and peace-offerings before the LORD.
Maka seluruh pasukan Israel pergi lagi ke Betel dan menangis di hadapan TUHAN. Di sana mereka berpuasa sampai malam serta mempersembahkan kurban yang dibakar habis dan kurban tanda damai kepada TUHAN.
27 And the children of Israel asked of the LORD — for the ark of the covenant of God was there in those days,
Pada waktu itu, peti perjanjian Allah ada di sana. Imam yang melayani adalah Pinehas anak Eliezer, cucu Harun. Bangsa Israel pun bertanya kepada TUHAN, “Perlukah kami maju sekali lagi melawan suku Benyamin, saudara-saudara kami, atau haruskah kami berhenti?” TUHAN menjawab, “Majulah, karena besok Aku akan membuat kalian menang atas mereka.”
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 him into thy hand.'
29 And Israel set liers-in-wait against Gibeah round about.
Maka bangsa Israel menempatkan sebagian pasukan mereka bersembunyi di sekeliling Gibea.
30 And the children of Israel went up against the children of Benjamin on the third day, and set themselves in array against Gibeah, as at other times.
Pada hari yang ketiga itu, pasukan Israel kembali maju melawan suku Benyamin. Mereka membuat barisan perang menghadap ke Gibea seperti sebelumnya.
31 And the children of Benjamin went out against the people, and were drawn away from the city; and they began to smite and kill of the people, as at other times, in the field, in the highways, of which one goeth up to Beth-el, and the other to Gibeah, about thirty men of Israel.
Lalu keluarlah pasukan Benyamin dari kota Gibea melawan pasukan Israel. Mereka terpancing oleh pasukan Israel untuk menjauh dari kota. Seperti sebelumnya, pasukan Benyamin mulai membunuh beberapa tentara Israel di padang-padang dan di sepanjang jalan utama, baik ke arah kota Betel maupun ke arah Gibea. Kira-kira tiga puluh pasukan Israel terbunuh.
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 away from the city unto the highways.'
Kata orang Benyamin, “Kita mengalahkan mereka seperti sebelumnya!” Tetapi sebenarnya pasukan Israel memang sengaja lari supaya orang Benyamin mengejar mereka semakin jauh dari kota.
33 And all the men of Israel rose up out of their place, and set themselves in array at Baal-tamar; and the liers-in-wait of Israel broke forth out of their place, even out of Maareh-geba.
Pasukan Israel itu mundur dari posisi mereka sampai ke Baal Tamar. Di situ mereka mengatur kembali barisan perang untuk melakukan serangan balik. Pada saat yang sama, pasukan Israel lainnya keluar dari tempat persembunyian mereka di sebelah barat Gibea
34 And there came over against Gibeah ten thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and the battle was sore; but they knew not that evil was close upon them.
dan menyerang kota itu. Jumlah mereka sebanyak 10.000 pasukan Israel pilihan. Peperangan itu begitu sengit sehingga pasukan Benyamin tidak sadar bahwa sebentar lagi mereka akan binasa.
35 And the LORD smote Benjamin before Israel; and the children of Israel destroyed of Benjamin that day twenty and five thousand and a hundred men; all these drew the sword.
TUHAN membuat bangsa Israel menang atas suku Benyamin. Hari itu, pasukan Israel membunuh 25.100 tentara Benyamin.
36 So the children of Benjamin saw that they were smitten. And the men of Israel gave place to Benjamin, because they trusted unto the liers-in-wait whom they had set against Gibeah. —
Akhirnya suku Benyamin sadar bahwa mereka sudah kalah. Pasukan Israel lari dari pasukan Benyamin supaya pasukan Benyamin terpancing menjauh dari kota. Dengan begitu, pasukan Israel yang bersembunyi di sekeliling Gibea bisa leluasa menyerang kota itu.
37 And the liers-in-wait hastened, and rushed upon Gibeah; and the liers-in-wait drew forth, and smote all the city with the edge of the sword.
Mereka menyerbu ke dalam kota dan membunuh semua yang ada di sana.
38 Now there was an appointed sign between the men of Israel and the liers-in-wait, that they should make a great beacon of smoke rise up out of the city. —
Sebelum perang dimulai, pasukan yang bersembunyi itu sudah bersepakat dengan pasukan Israel utama, bahwa sesudah mereka menyerbu Gibea, mereka akan menaikkan asap tebal sebagai tanda
39 And the men of Israel turned in the battle, and 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.'
bahwa pasukan Israel utama harus berbalik menyerang. Waktu itu, pasukan Benyamin sudah mulai mengalahkan dan membunuh sekitar tiga puluh orang Israel. Mereka berseru, “Kita mengalahkan mereka seperti sebelumnya!”
40 But when the beacon began to arise up out of the city in a pillar of smoke, the Benjamites looked behind them, and, behold, the whole of the city went up in smoke to heaven.
Tetapi asap tebal mulai naik dari kota itu. Ketika pasukan Benyamin menengok ke belakang, kota itu sudah terbakar! Asapnya naik tinggi ke langit.
41 And the men of Israel turned, and the men of Benjamin were amazed; for they saw that evil was come upon them.
Saat itulah pasukan Israel yang utama berbalik menyerang Benyamin. Pasukan Benyamin sangat ketakutan karena mereka sadar bahwa kehancuran mereka sudah dekat.
42 Therefore they turned their backs before the men of Israel unto the way of the wilderness; but the battle followed hard after them; and they that came out of the city destroyed them in the midst of the men of Israel.
Maka mereka berbalik dan kabur dari pasukan utama Israel. Mereka lari ke arah padang belantara. Tetapi orang Benyamin tidak berhasil lepas dari pertempuran itu. Pasukan Israel yang lain keluar dari Gibea dan menghabisi mereka di tengah jalan.
43 They inclosed the Benjamites round about, and chased them, and overtook them at their resting-place, as far as over against Gibeah toward the sunrising.
Karena dikepung, pasukan Benyamin tidak bisa lari jauh, dan kebanyakan terbunuh di sebelah timur Gibea.
44 And there fell of Benjamin eighteen thousand men; all these were men of valour.
Sebanyak 18.000 prajurit terbaik Benyamin mati dalam pertempuran itu.
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 followed hard after them unto Gidom, and smote of them two thousand men.
Orang-orang yang tersisa berusaha melarikan diri ke bukit batu Rimon. Namun, pasukan Israel membunuh 5.000 tentara Benyamin di tengah jalan, dan 2.000 lagi ketika mengejar yang lain sampai ke Gidom.
46 So that all who fell that day of Benjamin were twenty and five thousand men that drew the sword; all these were men of valour.
Jadi, sebanyak 25.000 pasukan terbaik suku Benyamin gugur pada hari itu.
47 But six hundred men turned and fled toward the wilderness unto the rock of Rimmon, and abode in the rock of Rimmon four months.
Hanya enam ratus orang yang berhasil kabur ke bukit batu Rimon di padang belantara. Mereka tinggal di sana selama empat bulan.
48 And the men of Israel turned back upon the children of Benjamin, and smote them with the edge of the sword, both the entire city, and the cattle, and all that they found; moreover all the cities which they found they set on fire.
Kemudian bangsa Israel kembali dan menumpas segala milik suku Benyamin tanpa kecuali, baik manusia maupun binatang. Mereka juga membakar semua kota Benyamin.