< Judges 11 >

1 [There was a man] from [the] Gilead [region] named Jephthah. He was a great warrior. His father was also named Gilead. But his mother was a prostitute.
Jeftha ja-Gilead ne jalweny mager. Wuon mare ne en Gilead, to min mare ne en ochot.
2 Gilead’s wife gave birth to several sons. When they grew up, they forced Jephthah to leave home, saying to him, “You are the son of a prostitute, [not the son of our mother]. So [when] our father [dies], you will not receive any of his property.”
Chi Gilead mahie bende nonywolone yawuowi, kendo kane gisebedo madongo, ne giriembo Jeftha. Negiwachone niya, “Ok iniyud girkeni moro amora e dalawa ka, nikech in wuod dhako machielo.”
3 So Jephthah ran away from his brothers, and he went to the Tob region. While he was there, some worthless men started to spend a lot of time with him.
Omiyo Jeftha noringo moa ir owetene kendo nodhi odak e piny Tob, kama jodwar mangʼeny nochokore bute mi giluwe.
4 Some time later, the Ammon people-group started to fight against the Israelis.
Bangʼe, ka jo-Amon nochako lweny gi jo-Israel,
5 When that happened [DOU], the leaders of [the] Gilead [region] went to Jephthah to bring him back from the Tob region [to their area].
jodong Gilead nodhi mondo ogol Jeftha e piny Tob.
6 They said to him, “Come [with us] and lead our army, and [help us to] fight against the men from the Ammon people-group!”
Negiwachone niya, “Bi mondo ibed jatendwa mar lweny, mondo mi waked gi jo-Amon.”
7 But Jephthah replied, “You hated me [RHQ] previously! You forced me to leave my father’s house! So why are you coming to me now, [asking me to help you] when you are experiencing trouble?”
Jeftha nowachonegi niya, “Donge ne ok udwara mi uriembo e od wuora? En angʼo momiyo koro ubiro ira, ka un e thagruok?”
8 The leaders from Gilead replied, “[Yes, we are having trouble, and] that is the reason that we have come to you now. If you come with us and [help us to] fight against the Ammon people-group, [after we defeat them, we will appoint] you to be the leader of all us people in [the] Gilead [region].”
Jodong Gilead nodwoke niya, “Kata kamano, wabiro iri koro; bi kodwa mondo waked gi jo-Amon, kendo inibed jatendwa kaachiel gi jogo duto modak Gilead.”
9 Jephthah replied, “If I go back to Gilead with you to fight against the Ammon people-group, and if Yahweh helps us to defeat them, will you truly appoint me to be your leader?”
Jeftha nodwoko niya, “Ka dipo ni udwoka mondo aked gi jo-Amon kendo Jehova Nyasaye omiyagi; bende anabed jatendu adier?”
10 They replied, “Yahweh is listening to everything that we say. [So he will punish us] if we do not do everything that you tell us to do.”
Jodong Gilead nodwoko niya, “Jehova Nyasaye obed janeno marwa; adier wabiro timo kaka iwachono.”
11 So Jephthah went with them back to [the] Gilead [region], and the people appointed him to be their leader and the commander of their army. And Jephthah solemnly promised to Yahweh there at Mizpah [to serve him well].
Omiyo Jeftha nodhi gi jodong Gilead, kendo ji nokete obedo jatelo kendo jatend lweny. Kendo nonwoyo wechegi duto e nyim Jehova Nyasaye kama iluongo ni Mizpa.
12 Jephthah sent some messengers to the king of the Ammon people-group. They asked the king, “What have we [done to make you angry, with the result] that your army is coming to fight [against the people] in our land?”
Bangʼe Jeftha nooro joote ir ruodh jo-Amon kapenje niya, “En angʼo milaro kodwa, momiyo idwaro kedo kodwa?”
13 The king replied, “[We have come to fight against you Israelis because] you took our land when you came here from Egypt. You took all our land east of the Jordan [River], from the Arnon [River in the south] to the Jabbok [River in the north]. So if you now give it back to us, there (will be peace between us/we will not fight against you).”
Ruodh jo-Amon nodwoko joote Jeftha niya, “Kane jo-Israel owuok Misri, negikawo pinya chakre aora Arnon nyaka aora Jabok mi gichopo nyaka aora Jordan, koro duognago gi kwe.”
14 [The messengers returned to Jephthah and told him what the king had said]. So Jephthah sent the messengers to the king again.
Jeftha nooro joote mondo odog ir ruodh jo-Amon,
15 They said to him, “This is what Jephthah says: ‘It is not [true] that we Israelis took the land from the Moab people-group and the Ammon people-group.
kawacho niya, “Ma e gima Jeftha wacho: Jo-Israel ne ok okawo piny jo-Moab kata piny jo-Amon.
16 When the Israeli people came out of Egypt, they walked through the desert to the Red Sea, and then [walked across it and traveled to Kadesh town at the border of the Edom region].
To kane gia Misri, jo-Israel noluwo thim nyaka Nam Makwar kendo ma gichopo Kadesh.
17 They sent messengers to the king of the Edom people-group, to say to him, “Please allow us Israelis to walk across your land.” But the king of the Edom people-group refused. Later we sent the same message to the king of the Moab people-group, but he also refused to allow the Israelis to go through his land. So the Israelis stayed at Kadesh [for a long time].
Eka jo-Israel nooro joote ir ruodh jo-Edom, kawacho niya, ‘Miya thuolo mondo wakal e pinyu,’ to ruodh Edom ne ok nyal winjogi. Nochako ooro joote ir ruodh Moab, to en bende nodagi. Kuom mano jo-Israel nodak Kadesh.
18 Then the Israelis went into the desert and walked outside the borders of the Edom and Moab regions. They walked east of the Moab region, east of the Arnon [River, which is the eastern border of the Moab region]. They did not cross that river to enter [the] Moab [region].
“Bangʼe negiwuotho e thim, ka ginono pinje mag Edom gi Moab, ka gikalo yo wuok chiengʼ mar piny Moab mine gidhi gibworo e bath aora Arnon. Ne ok gidonjo e alap mar jo-Moab, nimar Arnon ema tongʼ mare.
19 ‘Then the Israelis sent a message to Sihon, the king of the Amor people-group, who lived in Heshbon [city]. They asked him, “Will you please allow us Israeli people to cross through your land to arrive at the land to which we [are going].”
“Bangʼe Jakobo nooro joote ir Sihon ruodh jo-Amor mane ruoth Heshbon, kendo mi nowachone ni, ‘Yie iwewa wakalie pinyu wadhi e karwa owuon.’
20 But Sihon did not trust the Israelis; [he thought that they would steal some of the things in his land]. So he gathered all his troops and they set up their tents at Jahaz [village] and then they attacked the Israelis.
Kata kamano, Sihon ne ok nigi adiera gi jo-Israel mondo gikal e pinye. Nochoko joge duto kendo mi gichokore Jahaz mondo giked gi jo-Israel.
21 But Yahweh, the God whom we Israelis [worship], enabled the Israeli army to defeat [IDM] Sihon and his army. Then they (took possession of/started to live in) all the land where the Amor people-group had lived.
“Eka Jehova Nyasaye, ma Nyasach Israel, nochiwo Sihon kod joge duto e lwet jo-Israel, kendo negiloyogi. Jo-Israel nokawo puothe jo-Amor mane odak e pinyno,
22 The Israelis took all the land that belonged to the Amor people-group, from the Arnon [River in the south] to the Jabbok [River in the north], and from the desert [in the east] to the Jordan [River in the west].
ka gikawe duto chakre e aora Arnon nyaka e aora Jabok kendo koa e thim nyaka e aora Jordan.
23 ‘It was Yahweh, the God whom we Israelis [worship], who forced the Amor people-group to leave as the Israelis advanced. So do you now think that you can force the Israelis to leave [RHQ]?
“Ka koro Jehova Nyasaye, ma Nyasach Israel, oseriembo jo-Amor e nyim joge Israel, en thuolo mane ma in-go mar kawe?
24 You take the land that your god Chemosh has given to you. And we will live in the land that Yahweh our God has given to us!
Donge ubiro mana kawo gima Kemosh ma nyasachu omiyou? Kamano bende, gimoro amora ma Jehova Nyasaye ma Nyasachwa omiyowa, wabiro kawo.
25 (You are no/Are you) better than Zippor’s son Balak, who was the king of the Moab people-group? He never [RHQ] quarreled with the Israeli people, and he never started to fight against us [RHQ]!
Iparo ni ilich maloyo Balak wuod Zipor, ma ruodh Moab? Bende nodhawo gi Israel kata kedo kodgi?
26 For 300 years the Israeli people have lived in Heshbon and Aroer [cities in your region], and in the surrounding towns, and in all the cities along the Arnon [River]. Why have you people of the Ammon people-group not taken back those cities during all those years [RHQ]?
Kuom higni mia adek Israel nodak Heshbon, gi Aroer, gi alwora mar kuondego kod mier duto mokiewo gi aora Arnon. En angʼo ma nomonou kawogi e hignigo?
27 We have not sinned against you, but you are sinning against me by attacking me [and my army]. I trust that Yahweh, the great judge, will decide whether we Israelis are right, or whether you people of the Ammon people-group are right.’”
Wan pok wakethonu, to un koro utimonwa marach kuom kedo kodwa. Mad uwe Jehova Nyasaye, ma jangʼad bura ongʼad burano odiechiengʼ ma kawuononi e kind jo-Israel gi jo-Amon.”
28 But the king of the Ammon people-group did not pay attention to that message from Jephthah.
Kata kamano, ruodh jo-Amon ne ok odewo ote mane joote Jeftha okelone.
29 Then the Spirit of Yahweh took control of Jephthah. Jephthah went through [the] Gilead [region] and through the area where the tribe of Manasseh lived, [to enlist/gather men for his army]. [He finally gathered them together] in Mizpah [city] in [the] Gilead [region] to fight against the Ammon people-group.
Eka Roho mar Jehova Nyasaye nobiro kuom Jeftha. Noluwo piny Gilead gi Manase, kokalo Mizpa mar Gilead, kendo koa kanyo nodhi momonjo jo-Amon.
30 There Jephthah made a solemn promise to Yahweh. He said, “If you will enable my army to defeat [IDM] the Ammon people-group,
Kendo Jeftha nokwongʼore ne Jehova Nyasaye niya, “Ka inichiw jo-Amon e lweta,
31 when I return from the battle, I will sacrifice to you the first person who comes out of my house [to greet me]. It will be a sacrifice that will be completely burned [on the altar].”
to ngʼato angʼata mani wuog e dalana mondo orom koda bangʼ ka aseloyo jo-Amon nobed mar Jehova Nyasaye, kendo anachiwe kaka misango miwangʼo pep.”
32 Then Jephthah [and his men] went from Mizpah to attack the Ammon people-group, and Yahweh enabled his army to defeat them.
Eka Jeftha nowuok mondo odhi oked gi jo-Amon, kendo Jehova Nyasaye nochiwogi e lwete.
33 Jephthah and his men killed them, from Aroer [city] all the way to the area around the city of Minnith. They destroyed 20 cities, as far as [the city of] Abel Keramim. So the Israelis [completely] defeated the Ammon people-group.
Noketho mier piero ariyo kochakore e aora Aroer nyaka Minith, mochopo nyaka Abel Keramim. Mano e kaka jo-Israel nokawo Amon.
34 When Jephthah returned to his home in Mizpah, his daughter was the first one to come out of the house to meet him. She was [joyfully] playing a tambourine and dancing. She was his only child; he had no sons and no other daughters.
Kane Jeftha odwogo dalane man Mizpa, noneno mana nyare kamiel kabiro romone! Ne en gi nyako achiel kende maonge wuowi kata nyako moro machielo.
35 When Jephthah saw his daughter, he tore his clothes [to show that he was very sad about what he was going to do]. He said to her, “My daughter, you have caused me to become very sad [DOU] because I made a solemn promise to Yahweh [to sacrifice the first one who came out of my house], and I must do what I promised.”
Kane onene, noyiecho lepe mi oywak niya, “Yaye Nyara! Isemiya abedo modhier kendo gi thagruok, nikech ne asesingora ne Jehova Nyasaye ma ok anyal ketho.”
36 His daughter said, “My father, you made a solemn promise to Yahweh. So you must do to me what you promised, because [you said that you would do that if] Yahweh helped you to defeat our enemies, the Ammon people-group.”
Nodwoko niya, “Wuonwa, isechiwo wachni ne Jehova Nyasaye. Timna mana kaka ne isesingori, nikech Jehova Nyasaye koro oseresi e lwet wasiki, ma jo-Amon.”
37 Then she also said, “But allow me to do one thing. (First/before you do what you promised), allow me to go up into the hilly area and wander around for two months. Since I will never be married [and have children], allow me and my friends to go and cry together.”
Nomedo wachone niya, “To yie itimna kwayo achiel kende. Miya dweche ariyo mondo aba ewi gode kendo aywagi gi osiepena, nikech ok bi kenda.”
38 Jephthah replied, “All right, you may go.” So she left for two months. She and her friends stayed in the hills and they cried for her because she would never be married.
Nowachone niya, “Inyalo dhi.” Eka noweye modhi kuom dweche ariyo. En kaachiel gi nyiri mamoko nodhi ewi gode kendo ne giywak nikech ok bi kende.
39 After two months, she returned to her father Jephthah, and he did to her what he had vowed. So his daughter never was married. Because of that, the Israelis now have a custom.
Bangʼ dweche ariyo, nodok ir wuon mare kendo wuon-gi notimo mana kaka nosesingore. Ne en nyako ngili. Kochakore e ndalono, jo-Israel noketo chik ni
40 Every year the young Israeli women go [into the hills] for four days to remember [and cry about what happened to] the daughter of Jephthah.
higa ka higa mon matindo mag Israel nyaka dhi e got kuom ndalo angʼwen mondo otim rapar mar nyar Jeftha ma ja-Gilead.

< Judges 11 >