< 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.
Khona bonke abantwana bakoIsrayeli baphuma, inhlangano yonke yabuthana njengamuntu munye, kusukela eDani kusiya eBherishebha lelizwe leGileyadi, eNkosini eMizipa.
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. —
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 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?'
(Abantwana bakoBhenjamini basebesizwa ukuthi abantwana bakoIsrayeli babenyukele eMizipa.) Abantwana bakoIsrayeli basebesithi: Tshono, lobububi benziwa njani?
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.
Indoda engumLevi, indoda yalowo owesifazana owayebulewe, yasiphendula yathi: Ngafika eGibeya engeyakoBhenjamini, mina lomfazi wami omncane, ukuze silale khona.
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.
Abahlali beGibeya basebengivukela, bazingelezela indlu bemelene lami ebusuku, befuna ukungibulala, bamdlova umfazi wami omncane, waze wafa.
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.
Ngasengimbamba umfazi wami omncane, ngamquma iziqa, ngamthumela elizweni lonke lelifa lakoIsrayeli, ngoba benza amanyala lobuwula koIsrayeli.
7 Behold, ye are all here, children of Israel, give here your advice and council.'
Khangelani, lina lonke lingabantwana bakoIsrayeli, phanini ilizwi leseluleko senu lapha.
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.
Abantu bonke basebesukuma njengamuntu munye besithi: Asiyikuya, ngulowo ethenteni lakhe, njalo asiyikuphambukela, ngulowo endlini yakhe.
9 But now this is the thing which we will do to Gibeah: we will go up against it by lot;
Kodwa khathesi, nansi into esizayenza kuyo iGibeya. Sizamelana layo ngenkatho,
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.'
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 gathered against the city, knit together as 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 wickedness is this that is come to pass among you?
Izizwe zakoIsrayeli zasezithuma amadoda esizweni sonke sakoBhenjamini zisithi: Yibubi bani lobu obenzeke phakathi kwenu?
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.
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 gathered themselves together out of their cities unto Gibeah, to go out to battle against the children of Israel.
Kodwa abantwana bakoBhenjamini babuthana bevela emizini baya eGibeya, ukuze baphume ukuya empini labantwana bakoIsrayeli.
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.
Abantwana bakoBhenjamini basebebalwa ngalolosuku bevela emizini, amadoda azinkulungwane ezingamatshumi amabili lesithupha ahwatsha inkemba, ngaphandle kwabahlali beGibeya, ababalwa baba ngamadoda angamakhulu ayisikhombisa akhethiweyo.
16 All this people, even seven hundred chosen men, were left-handed; every one could sling stones at a hair-breadth, and not miss.
Phakathi kwabo bonke lababantu kwakulamadoda akhethiweyo angamakhulu ayisikhombisa angamanxele; wonke la ayejikijela ilitshe ngesavutha enweleni engakhuthi.
17 And the men of Israel, beside Benjamin, numbered four hundred thousand men that drew sword; all these were men of war.
Amadoda akoIsrayeli asebalwa, ngaphandle kukaBhenjamini, amadoda azinkulungwane ezingamakhulu amane ahwatsha inkemba; wonke la ayengamadoda empi.
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.'
Abantwana bakoIsrayeli basebesukuma benyukela eBhetheli, babuza uNkulunkulu bathi: Ngubani phakathi kwethu ozakwenyukela kuqala empini labantwana bakoBhenjamini? INkosi yasisithi: NguJuda kuqala.
19 And the children of Israel rose up in the morning, and encamped against Gibeah.
Abantwana bakoIsrayeli basebevuka ekuseni, bamisa inkamba maqondana leGibeya.
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.
Amadoda akoIsrayeli asephuma ukuya empini loBhenjamini; amadoda akoIsrayeli azihlelela ukumelana labo empini eGibeya.
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.
Abantwana bakoBhenjamini basebephuma eGibeya, babhubhisela emhlabathini koIsrayeli ngalolosuku amadoda azinkulungwane ezingamatshumi amabili lambili.
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.
Abantu, amadoda akoIsrayeli, basebeziqinisa bahlela futhi impi kuleyondawo ababezihlelele khona ngosuku lokuqala.
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.'
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 And the children of Israel came near against the children of Benjamin the second day.
Abantwana bakoIsrayeli basebesondela ebantwaneni bakoBhenjamini ngosuku lwesibili.
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.
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, 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.
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 asked of the LORD — for the ark of the covenant of God 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, 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.'
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 And Israel set liers-in-wait against Gibeah round about.
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 set themselves in array against Gibeah, as at other times.
Abantwana bakoIsrayeli basebesenyuka ukumelana labantwana bakoBhenjamini ngosuku lwesithathu, bazihlelela ukumelana leGibeya njengakwezinye izikhathi.
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.
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 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.'
Abantwana bakoBhenjamini basebesithi: Sebetshayiwe phambi kwethu njengakuqala. Kodwa abantwana bakoIsrayeli bathi: Asibalekeni, sibadonse besuka emzini baye emigwaqweni emikhulu.
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.
Wonke amadoda akoIsrayeli asevuka endaweni zawo, azihlela eBhali-Tamari, labacathami bakoIsrayeli bavumbuluka endaweni yabo emadlelweni eGibeya.
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.
Kwasekusiza kuvela maqondana leGibeya amadoda akhethiweyo azinkulungwane ezilitshumi evela kuIsrayeli wonke; lempi yaba nzima. Kodwa bona babengazi ukuthi ububi buzatshaya phezu kwabo.
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.
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 smitten. And the men of Israel gave place to Benjamin, because they trusted unto the liers-in-wait whom they had set against Gibeah. —
Abantwana bakoBhenjamini basebebona ukuthi sebetshayiwe, ngoba amadoda akoIsrayeli amdedela uBhenjamini, ngoba bethembe abacathami ababebamise maqondana leGibeya.
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.
Labacathami baphangisa bahlasela iGibeya baqhubeka batshaya umuzi wonke ngobukhali benkemba.
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. —
Kwasekusiba lesiboniso esimisiweyo phakathi kwamadoda akoIsrayeli labacathami sokuthunqisa insika yentuthu enkulu evela emzini.
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.'
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 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.
Kwathi iyezi liqalisa ukuthunqa liphuma emzini, insika yentuthu, uBhenjamini enyemukula, khangela-ke ilangabi lomuzi lenyukela emazulwini.
41 And the men of Israel turned, and the men of Benjamin were amazed; for they saw that evil was come upon them.
Lapho amadoda akoIsrayeli etshibilika, amadoda akoBhenjamini atshaywa luvalo, ngoba abona ukuthi ububi sebuwehlele.
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.
Ngakho afulathela phambi kwamadoda akoIsrayeli esiya endleleni yenkangala; kodwa impi yawanamathela, lalabo abaphuma emizini bawabhubhisa phakathi kwabo.
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.
Bamhanqa uBhenjamini, baxotshana labo, babanyathelela phansi lula, kwaze kwaba maqondana leGibeya lapho okuphuma khona ilanga.
44 And there fell of Benjamin eighteen thousand men; all these were men of valour.
Kwasekusiwa koBhenjamini amadoda azinkulungwane ezilitshumi leziyisificaminwembili; wonke la ayengamaqhawe.
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.
Basebephenduka babalekela enkangala edwaleni leRimoni. Bakhothoza kibo emigwaqweni emikhulu abantu abazinkulungwane ezinhlanu, babanamathela kwaze kwaba seGideyomu, batshaya futhi kibo abantu abazinkulungwane ezimbili.
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.
Ngakho bonke abawayo koBhenjamini mhlalokho babeyizinkulungwane ezingamatshumi amabili lanhlanu, amadoda ahwatsha inkemba; bonke labo babengamaqhawe.
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.
Kodwa amadoda angamakhulu ayisithupha aphenduka abalekela enkangala edwaleni leRimoni; ahlala edwaleni leRimoni inyanga ezine.
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.
Amadoda akoIsrayeli asebuyela ebantwaneni bakoBhenjamini, abatshaya ngobukhali benkemba, kusukela emzini wonke kusiya ezinyamazaneni, njalo kusiya kukho konke okwaficwayo. Layo yonke imizi abayificayo bayithungela ngomlilo.