< Judges 20 >

1 Then all the children of Israel went out, and the congregation was assembled as one man, from Dan even to Beersheba, with the land of Gilead, to YHWH at Mizpah.
Ngalesosikhathi bonke abako-Israyeli baphuma njengomuntu munye kusukela eDani kusiya eBherishebha kanye laselizweni leGiliyadi, babuthana phambi kukaThixo eMizipha.
2 The leaders 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 who drew sword.
Abakhokheli babantu bonke bezizwana zako-Israyeli bathatha izindawo zabo ebandleni labantu bakaNkulunkulu, amabutho azinkulungwane ezingamakhulu amane ehlome ngezinkemba.
3 (Now the people of Benjamin heard that the children of Israel had gone up to Mizpah.) The children of Israel said, "Tell us, how did this wickedness happen?"
(AbakoBhenjamini bezwa ukuthi abako-Israyeli babeye eMizipha.) Abako-Israyeli basebesithi, “Sitsheleni ukuthi into le embi yenzakale njani.”
4 The Levite, the husband of the woman who was murdered, answered and said, "I came into Gibeah that belongs to Benjamin, I and my secondary wife, to spend the night.
Ngakho umLevi, indoda yowesifazane lowo owayebulewe, wathi, “Mina lomkami weceleni safika eGibhiya koBhenjamini ukuba silale khona.
5 And the leaders of Gibeah rose against me, and surrounded the house at night. They intended to kill me, and they raped my secondary wife, and she is dead.
Ebusuku abantu beGibhiya bangivukela bahanqa indlu, behlose ukungibulala. Badlova umkami weceleni waze wafa.
6 I took my secondary wife, and cut her in pieces, and sent her throughout all the territory of the inheritance of Israel; for they have committed wickedness and disgrace in Israel.
Ngathatha umkami weceleni, ngamquma waba yiziqayiqa, ngathumela isiqa esisodwa esigabeni ngasinye selifa lako-Israyeli, ngoba amanyala lalesisenzo sokuxhwala basenzela ko-Israyeli.
7 Look, you children of Israel, all of you, give your advice and counsel here."
Khathesi lonke lina abako-Israyeli, khulumani litsho isinqumo senu.”
8 All the people arose as one man, saying, "None of us will go to his tent, neither will any of us return to his house.
Abantu bonke basukuma njengomuntu munye, besithi, “Akakho kithi ozakuya ekhaya. Hathi, akakho kithi ozabuyela 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 esizakwenza eGibhiya yilokhu: Sizakuyayihlasela ngokwenza inkatho.
10 and we will take ten men of one hundred throughout all the tribes of Israel, and one hundred of one thousand, and a thousand out of ten thousand, to get food for the people, those setting forth, that when they come to Gibeah of Benjamin they may repay all the disgrace that they have committed in Israel."
Sizathatha abantu abalitshumi phakathi kwabalikhulu kuzozonke izizwana zako-Israyeli, labalikhulu kwabayinkulungwane, labayinkulungwane kwaba zinkulungwane ezilutshumi ukuba badingele ibutho ukudla. Ekufikeni kwalo ibutho eGibhiya koBhenjamini, lizabanika okubafaneleyo ngamanyala lokuxhwala abakwenze ko-Israyeli.”
11 So all the men of Israel gathered against the city, united as one man.
Ngakho bonke abantu bako-Israyeli bahlangana, bamanyana njengomuntu munye bamelana ledolobho.
12 The tribes of Israel sent men through all the tribe of Benjamin, saying, "What wickedness is this that has happened among you?
Izizwana zako-Israyeli zathumela abantu kusosonke isizwana sakoBhenjamini, zisithi, “Yibudlova bani lobu obenziwayo phakathi kwenu na?
13 Now therefore deliver up the men, the wicked men who are in Gibeah, that we may put them to death, and put away evil from Israel." But the sons of Benjamin would not listen to the voice of their brothers, the children of Israel.
Khathesi-ke, banikeleni labobantu baseGibhiya abagangileyo ukuze sibabulale siqede ububi ko-Israyeli.” Kodwa abakoBhenjamini kababalalelanga abafowabo bako-Israyeli.
14 The people of Benjamin gathered themselves together out of the cities to Gibeah, to go out to battle against the children of Israel.
Baqoqana eGibhiya bevela emadolobheni akibo ukuba balwe labako-Israyeli.
15 The people of Benjamin were numbered on that day out of the cities twenty-six thousand men who drew the sword, besides the inhabitants of Gibeah, who were numbered seven hundred chosen men.
Ngasikhathi sinye abakoBhenjamini babutha izinkulungwane ezingamatshumi amabili lesithupha zabahlome ngezinkemba emadolobheni akibo, phezu kwabantu abangamakhulu ayisikhombisa abakhethwa kulabo abahlala eGibhiya.
16 Among all this people there were seven hundred chosen men left-handed; everyone could sling stones at a hair and not miss.
Phakathi kwamabutho la kwakulabantu abakhethiweyo abangamakhulu ayisikhombisa ababengamanxele, bonke bengakhuthi abakunxwaneleyo ngesavutha.
17 The men of Israel, besides Benjamin, were numbered four hundred thousand men who drew sword: all these were men of war.
Abako-Israyeli, ngaphandle kwabakoBhenjamini, babutha abantu abalwa ngezinkemba abazinkulungwane ezingamakhulu amane, bonke bengabantu bempi.
18 The children of Israel arose, and went up to Bethel, and asked counsel of God; and they said, "Who shall go up for us first to battle against the people of Benjamin?" YHWH said, "Judah will go up first."
Abako-Israyeli baya eBhetheli babuza uNkulunkulu. Bathi, “Ngubani wethu ozahamba kuqala ukuyakulwa labakoBhenjamini?” UThixo wathi, “NguJuda ozahamba kuqala.”
19 The children of Israel rose up in the morning, and camped against Gibeah.
Kusisa ekuseni, abako-Israyeli bavuka bamisa izihonqo eduzane leGibhiya.
20 The men of Israel went out to battle against Benjamin; and the men of Israel set the battle in array against them at Gibeah.
Abantu bako-Israyeli baphuma ukuyakulwa labakoBhenjamini bema ezindaweni ezilungele ukubahlasela eGibhiya.
21 The people of Benjamin came forth out of Gibeah, and destroyed down to the ground of the Israelites on that day twenty-two thousand men.
AbakoBhenjamini baphuma eGibhiya babulala abako-Israyeli abazinkulungwane ezingamatshumi amabili lambili endaweni yokulwela mhlalokho.
22 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.
Kodwa abantu bako-Israyeli banikana isibindi babuyela njalo ezindaweni zabo lapho ababekhona ngelanga lakuqala.
23 The children of Israel went up and wept before YHWH until evening; and they asked of YHWH, saying, "Shall I again draw near to battle against the people of Benjamin my brother?" YHWH said, "Go up against him."
Abako-Israyeli bahamba bayakhala phambi kukaThixo kwaze kwaba kusihlwa, njalo babuza uThixo bathi, “Singahamba njalo yini siyekulwa labakoBhenjamini, abafowethu na?” UThixo waphendula yathi, “Hambani liyebahlasela.”
24 The children of Israel came near against the people of Benjamin the second day.
Abako-Israyeli basondela koBhenjamini ngosuku lwesibili.
25 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.
Ngalesisikhathi, kwathi abakoBhenjamini sebephumile eGibhiya ukuba bamelane labo, babulala abanye njalo abazinkulungwane ezilitshumi lasificaminwembili, bonke behlome ngezinkemba.
26 Then all the children of Israel, and all the people, went up, and came to Bethel, and wept, and sat there before YHWH, and fasted that day until evening; and they offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before YHWH.
Lapho-ke, abako-Israyeli bonke lebutho lonke baya eBhetheli, bahlala khona bekhala phambi kukaThixo. Ngalelolanga bazila kwaze kwaba kusihlwa, banikela leminikelo yokutshiswa kanye leminikelo yobudlelwano kuThixo.
27 The children of Israel asked of YHWH (for the ark of the covenant of God was there in those days,
Abako-Israyeli basebebuza uThixo. (Ngalezonsuku umtshokotsho wesivumelwano sikaNkulunkulu wawukhonapho,
28 and Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, stood before it in those days), "Shall I yet again go out to battle against the people of Benjamin my brother, or shall I cease?" YHWH said, "Go up; for tomorrow I will deliver him into your hand."
uloFinehasi indodana ka-Eliyazari, indodana ka-Aroni, ekhonza phambi kwawo.) Babuza bathi, “Singahamba njalo yini siyekulwa loBhenjamini umfowethu loba hatshi na?” UThixo waphendula wathi, “Hambani, ngoba kusasa ngizabanikela ezandleni zenu.”
29 Israel set ambushes all around Gibeah.
Ngakho abako-Israyeli bacathama bezungeze iGibhiya.
30 The children of Israel went up against the people of Benjamin on the third day, and set themselves in array against Gibeah, as at other times.
Bahamba bayahlasela abakoBhenjamini ngosuku lwesithathu, balungela ukuhlasela iGibhiya njengebabekwenze kuqala.
31 The people of Benjamin went out against the people, and were drawn away from the city; and they began to strike and kill some of the people, as at other times, on the highways, of which one goes up to Bethel, and the other to Gibeah, in the field, about thirty men of Israel.
AbakoBhenjamini baphuma babahlangabeza baholelwa kude ledolobho. Baqalisa ukubabulala abako-Israyeli njengakuqala, kwathi ababephosa babengamatshumi amathathu bafela egcekeni emgwaqweni oya eBhetheli lomunye oya eGibhiya.
32 The people of Benjamin said, "They are defeated before us, as previously." But the children of Israel said, "Let us flee, and draw them away from the city to the highways."
Kwathi abakoBhenjamini besithi, “Siyabehlula njengakuqala,” abako-Israyeli bona besithi, “Kasihlehleleni emuva sibaholele kude ledolobho emigwaqweni.”
33 All the men of Israel rose up out of their place, and set themselves in array at Baal Tamar. And the men of Israel in ambush rushed out of their place west of Geba.
Bonke abantu bako-Israyeli basuka ezindaweni zabo baya eBhali-Thamari, kwathi abako-Israyeli ababecatheme bahlasela bephuma endaweni yabo ngasentshonalanga kweGibhiya.
34 There came over against Gibeah ten thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and the battle was severe; but they didn't know that disaster was close upon them.
Izinkulungwane ezilitshumi zabantu bako-Israyeli abakhethiweyo bahlasela iGibhiya mathupha. Ukulwa kwakunzima kakhulu ngakho kwenza abakoBhenjamini bangananzeleli ukuthi ingozi yayisisondele.
35 YHWH struck Benjamin before Israel; and the children of Israel destroyed of Benjamin that day twenty-five thousand one hundred men: all armed with swords.
UThixo wamnqoba uBhenjamini phambi kuka-Israyeli, njalo ngalelolanga abako-Israyeli babulala abakoBhenjamini abazinkulungwane ezingamatshumi amabili lanhlanu lekhulu, bonke behlome ngezinkemba.
36 So the people of Benjamin saw that they were defeated; for the men of Israel gave ground to Benjamin, because they trusted the ambushers whom they had set against Gibeah.
Lapho-ke abakoBhenjamini babona ukuthi babenqotshiwe. Khonapho abako-Israyeli basebevulele abakoBhenjamini isikhala, ngoba babethembe ababecatheme eduze leGibhiya.
37 The ambushers hurried, and rushed on Gibeah; and the ambushers drew themselves along, and struck all the city with the edge of the sword.
Abantu ababecatheme bagijimela eGibhiya ngokuphangisa, basabalala idolobho lonke balihlasela ngenkemba.
38 Now the appointed sign between the men of Israel and the ambushers was that they should make a great cloud of smoke rise up out of the city.
Abantu bako-Israyeli babehlele labacathamayo ukuthi benze iyezi elikhulu lentuthu phakathi kwedolobho,
39 The men of Israel turned in the battle, and Benjamin began to strike and kill of the men of Israel about thirty persons; for they said, "Surely they are defeated before us, as in the first battle."
lapho-ke abantu bako-Israyeli babezaphendukela ekulweni empini. AbakoBhenjamini basebeqalisile ukubulala abako-Israyeli (babephosa babengamatshumi amathathu), njalo bathi, “Siyabehlula njengempini yakuqala.”
40 But when the cloud began to arise up out of the city in a pillar of smoke, the Benjamites looked behind them; and look, the whole city went up in smoke into the sky.
Kodwa kwathi izikhatha zentuthu seziqalise ukuphakama edolobheni, abakoBhenjamini baphenduka babona intuthu yedolobho lonke iqonga isiya phezulu emkhathini.
41 The men of Israel turned, and the men of Benjamin were terrified; for they saw that disaster had come on them.
Lapho-ke abako-Israyeli babaphendukela, abantu bakoBhenjamini batshaywa luvalo, ngoba babona ukuthi ingozi yayisibehlele.
42 Therefore they turned their backs before the men of Israel to the way of the wilderness; but the battle overtook them; and those who came out of the cities destroyed them in its midst.
Ngakho babaleka phambi kwabako-Israyeli beqonda enkangala kodwa behluleka ukuyibalekela impi. Abako-Israyeli abaphuma emizini bababulalela khonapho.
43 They surrounded Benjamin, and they pursued them from Nohah and overtook them near Gibeah toward the east.
Babahanqa abakoBhenjamini, baxotshana labo, bababhuqela eduze leGibhiya kalula ngasempumalanga.
44 There fell of Benjamin eighteen thousand men; all these were men of valor.
Kwafa abakoBhenjamini abazinkulungwane ezilitshumi lasificaminwembili, bonke bengamaqhawe.
45 They turned and fled toward the wilderness to the rock of Rimmon: and they killed on the highways five thousand men, and followed hard after them to Gidom, and struck down two thousand men.
Sebephenduke babaleka beqonda enkangala edwaleni laseRimoni, abako-Israyeli babulala abantu abazinkulungwane ezinhlanu kulandela imigwaqo. Baqhubeka bexotshana labakoBhenjamini baze bayafika eGidomu babulala abanye njalo abazinkulungwane ezimbili.
46 So that all who fell that day of Benjamin were twenty-five thousand swordsmen; all these were valiant fighters.
Ngalelolanga kwafa abakoBhenjamini abalwa ngenkemba abazinkulungwane ezingamatshumi amabili lanhlanu, bonke bengamaqhawe.
47 But six hundred men turned and fled toward the wilderness to the rock of Rimmon, and stayed in the rock of Rimmon four months.
Kodwa abantu abangamakhulu ayisithupha baphenduka babalekela enkangala edwaleni laseRimoni, lapho abahlala khona izinyanga ezine.
48 The men of Israel turned again on the people of Benjamin, and struck them with the edge of the sword, both the entire city, and the livestock, and all that they found: moreover all the cities which they found they set on fire.
Abantu bako-Israyeli babuyela koBhenjamini bahlasela imizi yonke ngenkemba, kubalwa izifuyo lakho konke okunye abakutholayo. Yonke imizi abafika kuyo bayithungela ngomlilo.

< Judges 20 >