Ʋɔnudrɔ̃lawo 20
1 Ale Israelviwo katã tso Dan va se ɖe Beerseba kple Gileadnyigba dzi la ƒo ƒu abe ame ɖeka ene ɖe Yehowa ŋkume le Mizpa.
And so all the sons of Israel went out like one man, from Dan to Beersheba, with the land of Gilead, and they gathered together, before the Lord, at Mizpah.
2 Israelviwo ƒe towo katã ƒe kplɔlawo nɔ Mawu ƒe amewo ƒe ƒuƒoƒo la me kple asrafo akpe alafa ene, ame siwo lé yiwo ɖe asi.
And all the chiefs of the people, and every tribe of Israel, convened as an assembly of the people of God, four hundred thousand foot soldiers for battle.
3 Benyamin ƒe to la se nu tso Israelviwo ƒe aʋakɔ ƒe ƒuƒoƒo ɖe Mizpa ŋu. Israel Fiawo yɔ Levitɔ si ƒe ahiãvi wowu la be wòagblɔ nya si dzɔ tututu la na yewo.
(But it was not hidden from the sons of Benjamin that the sons of Israel had ascended to Mizpah.) And the Levite, the husband of the woman who was killed, being questioned as to how so great a crime had been perpetrated,
4 Levitɔ la gblɔ be, “Míeva ɖo Gibea, Benyamin ƒe to la ƒe du aɖe me gbe ɖeka fiẽ.
responded: “I went to Gibeah of Benjamin, with my wife, and I diverted to that place.
5 Le zã ma me la, Gibea ŋutsuwo va ƒo xlã aƒe si me míedze eye woɖo be yewoawum. Wodɔ nye ahiãvi gbɔ va se ɖe esime wòku.
And behold, the men of that city, at night, surrounded the house in which I was staying, intending to kill me. And they abused my wife with such an incredible fury of lust that in the end she died.
6 Ale mefli ame kukua ɖe akpa wuieve me eye meɖo akpa ɖeka ɖe to ɖe sia ɖe le Israelnyigba dzi elabena ame siawo wɔ nu vɔ̃ vɔ̃ɖi aɖe.
And taking her up, I cut her into pieces, and I sent the parts into all the borders of your possession. For never before was such a nefarious crime, and so great a sin, committed in Israel.
7 Azɔ la, Israelviwo, mina manya miaƒe susu eye miaɖo aɖaŋu le afi sia fifi la míase!”
You are all present here, O sons of Israel. Discern what you ought to do.”
8 Ameawo katã gblɔ kple gbe ɖeka be, “Mía dometɔ aɖeke mayi aƒe me o va se ɖe esime míahe to na Gibeatɔwo.
And all the people, standing, responded as if with the word of one man: “We shall not return to our own tents, nor shall anyone enter into his own house.
9 Nu si míawɔ enye míadzidze nu ɖe wo dzi eye míatia ame aɖewo be woaho aʋa ɖe wo ŋu.
But this we shall do in common against Gibeah:
10 Israelviwo ƒe ewolia ƒe ɖeka ana nuɖuɖu aʋawɔlawo eye ame mamlɛawo ayi aɖahe to na Gibeatɔwo le nu vɔ̃ vɔ̃ɖi si wowɔ ɖe nyɔnu la ŋu le Israelnyigba dzi la ta.”
We shall select ten men out of one hundred from all the tribes of Israel, and one hundred out of one thousand, and one thousand out of ten thousand, so that they may transport supplies for the army, and so that we will be able to fight against Gibeah of Benjamin, and to repay it for its crime as it deserves.”
11 Ale dukɔ blibo la sɔ nu le dɔdeasi sia wɔwɔ me.
And all of Israel convened against the city, like one man, with one mind and one counsel.
12 Eye Israel toawo ɖo amewo ɖe Benyamin ƒe to la be woagblɔ na wo be, “Mienya nane tso nu vɔ̃ vɔ̃ɖi si wowɔ le mia dome la ŋua?
And they sent messengers to the entire tribe of Benjamin, who said: “Why has so great a wickedness been found among you?
13 Miɖe asi le nu vɔ̃ sia wɔlawo ŋu ale be, míate ŋu awu wo eye míaɖe vɔ̃ ɖa le Israelnyigba dzi.” Ke Benyamin ƒe to la meɖo to wo o,
Deliver the men of Gibeah, who have perpetrated this deplorable act, so that they may die, and so that the evil may be taken away from Israel.” And they were not willing to listen to the command of their brothers, the sons of Israel.
14 Wotso woƒe duwo me va ƒo ƒu ɖe Gibea be yewoawɔ aʋa kple Israelviwo.
Instead, out of all the cities that were their lot, they convened at Gibeah, so that they might bring them assistance, and so that they might contend against the entire people of Israel.
15 Benyamin ƒe viwo ƒo ƒu ame siwo ta yi akpe blaeve-vɔ-ade tso woƒe duwo me enumake hekpe ɖe ame alafa adre siwo wotia tso ame siwo le Gibea la ŋu.
And there were found from Benjamin twenty-five thousand who drew the sword, aside from the inhabitants of Gibeah,
16 Miawɔla alafa adre siwo nye aŋutrɔdala nyuiwo la nɔ ameawo dome, ame siwo ƒe alɔ dzɔna ale gbegbe be womedzidzea naneke danɛ ƒu o.
who were seven hundred very strong men, fighting with the left hand as well as with the right hand, and casting stones from a sling so accurately that they were able to strike even a hair, and the path of the stone would by no means miss to either side.
17 Israelviwo ƒe aʋawɔlawo, ame siwo dome Benyamin ƒe viwo mele o la de ame akpe alafa ene.
Then too, among the men of Israel apart from the sons of Benjamin, there were found four hundred thousand who drew the sword and who were prepared for battle.
18 Hafi woadze aʋa la wɔwɔ gɔme la, Israelviwo yi Betel gbã eye wobia Mawu be, “To kae anɔ ŋgɔ na mí, míawɔ aʋa kple Benyamin ƒe to la?” Yehowa ɖo eŋu be, “Yuda ƒe viwoe anɔ ŋgɔ.”
And they rose up and went to the house of God, that is, to Shiloh. And they consulted God, and they said, “Who shall be, in our army, the first to contend against the sons of Benjamin?” And the Lord responded to them, “Let Judah be your leader.”
19 Esi ŋu ke la, Israelviwo ƒu asaɖa anyi te ɖe Gibea ŋu.
And immediately the sons of Israel, rising up in the morning, made camp near Gibeah.
20 Israelviwo yi be woawɔ aʋa kple Benyamin ƒe viwo eye wodze aʋalɔgowo ɖe wo ŋu le Gibea.
And setting out from there to fight against Benjamin, they began to assault the city.
21 Benyamin ƒe viwo do tso Gibea eye wowu Israelvi akpe blaeve-vɔ-eve le aʋagbedzi gbe ma gbe.
And the sons of Benjamin, departing from Gibeah, slew twenty-two thousand men from the sons of Israel, on that day.
22 Ke Israelviwo de dzi ƒo na wo nɔewo eye wogaƒo ƒu ɖe teƒe si wonɔ le ŋkeke gbãtɔ dzi.
Again the sons of Israel, trusting in both strength and number, set their troops in order, in the same place where they had contended before.
23 Israelviwo yi Yehowa gbɔ hefa avi nɛ va se ɖe fiẽ eye wobia Yehowa be, “Ɖe míagayi aɖawɔ aʋa kple Benyamin ƒe viwo, ame siwo nye mía nɔviwoa?” Yehowa ɖo eŋu be, “Miyi miakpe aʋa kpli wo.” Ale dzi gaɖo Israelviwo ƒo, wogada woƒe aʋawɔlawo ɖe afi si woda wo ɖo tsã.
But first they also went up and wept before the Lord, even until night. And they consulted him and said, “Should I continue to go forth, so as to contend against the sons of Benjamin, my brothers, or not?” And he responded to them, “Ascend against them, and undertake the struggle.”
24 Israelviwo gakpe aʋa kple Benyamin ƒe to la zi evelia.
And when the sons of Israel had continued to do battle against the sons of Benjamin on the next day,
25 Gbe ma gbe la, Benyamin ƒe to la gawu ame akpe wuienyi, ame siwo nye yidala nyuiwo la, le Israelviwo dome.
the sons of Benjamin burst forth from the gates of Gibeah. And meeting them, they made such a frenzied slaughter against them that they struck down eighteen thousand men who drew the sword.
26 Israelʋakɔ blibo la yi Betel, wofa avi le Aƒetɔ la ŋkume vevie eye wotsi nu dɔ va se ɖe fiẽ. Wosa numevɔ kple akpedavɔ na Yehowa.
As a result, all the sons of Israel went to the house of God, and sitting down, they wept before the Lord. And they fasted that day until evening, and they offered to him holocausts and victims of peace offerings.
27 Israelviwo bia gbe Yehowa (le esime Mawu ƒe nubablaɖaka la nɔ afi ma
And they inquired about their state. At that time, the ark of the covenant of the Lord was in that place.
28 eye Finehas, Eleazar ƒe viŋutsu, ame si nye Aron ƒe tɔgbuiyɔvi la nɔ subɔsubɔdɔwo wɔm le egbɔ.) Wobia Yehowa be, “Ɖe míagawɔ aʋa kple mía nɔviwo, Beyamin loo alo míadzudzɔa?” Yehowa ɖo eŋu be, “Miyi elabena etsɔ la matsɔ wo ade asi na mí.”
And Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, was the first ruler of the house. And so, they consulted the Lord, and they said, “Should we continue to go forth in battle against the sons of Benjamin, our brothers, or should we cease?” And the Lord said to them: “Ascend. For tomorrow, I will deliver them into your hands.”
29 Ale Israelvi aɖewo de xa ɖe teƒe vovovoawo ƒo xlã Gibea
And the sons of Israel stationed ambushes around the city of Gibeah.
30 eye Israelviwo ho ɖe Benyaminviwo ŋu le ŋkeke etɔ̃a gbe hedze aʋa ɖe Gibea dzi abe tsã ene.
And they brought out their army against Benjamin a third time, just as they had done on the first and second times.
31 Esi Benyamin ƒe to la do go le dua me be yewoakpe aʋa kpli wo la, Israelviwo si yi megbe, Benyamin ƒe to la dze wo yome, ale wogblẽ Gibea ɖe megbe. Abe ale si wowɔ tsã ene la, Benyamin ƒe to la de asi Israelviwo wuwu me le mɔ si le Betel kple Gibea dome la dzi; ale wowu Israelvi blaetɔ̃.
But the sons of Benjamin again burst forth boldly from the city. And since their enemies were fleeing, they pursued them a long way, so that they might wound or kill some of them, just as they had done on the first and second days. And they turned their backs along two paths, one bringing them toward Bethel, and the other toward Gibeah. And they struck down about thirty men.
32 Benyamin ƒe to la do ɣli be, “Míegale wo dzi ɖum egbe hã!” Ke, enye ɖoɖo le Israel ƒe aʋakplɔlawo dome do ŋgɔ be yewoasi ale be Benyamin ƒe to la nakplɔ yewo ɖo ale be woadzo le woƒe dua gbɔ.
For they thought that they were falling back as they had done before. But instead, skillfully feigning flight, they undertook a plan to draw them away from the city, and by seeming to flee, to lead them along the above stated paths.
33 Ke esi Israelviwo ƒe aʋalɔgo gãtɔ ɖo Baal Tama la, etrɔ hekpe aʋa kple Benyamin ƒe to la azɔ eye Israelvi akpe ewo si de xa ɖe Gibea ƒe ɣetoɖoƒe la, do go tso teƒe si wode xa ɖo
And so all the sons of Israel, rising up from their positions, set their troops in order, in the place which is called Baaltamar. Likewise, the ambushes that encircled the city began, little by little, to reveal themselves,
34 eye wokplɔ Benyamin ƒe to la ɖo to megbe, le esime Benyamin ƒe to la menya kura be aʋa si yewo to megbe o.
and to advance upon the western part of the city. Moreover, another ten thousand men from all of Israel were provoking a conflict with the inhabitants of the city. And the war grew heavy against the sons of Benjamin. And they did not realize that, on all sides of them, death was imminent.
35 Ale Yehowa si Benyamin ƒe to la le Israelviwo ŋgɔ eye Israelviwo wu ame akpe blaeve vɔ atɔ̃ le Benyamin ƒe to la dome, ale wonya azɔ be woɖu yewo dzi; woƒe aʋawɔla ʋɛ aɖewo koe susɔ.
And the Lord struck them down in the sight of the sons of Israel, and they put to death, on that day, twenty-five thousand of them, along with one hundred men, all warriors and those who drew the sword.
36 Israelviwo ƒe aʋalɔgo gãtɔ si yi megbe elabena woɖo ŋu ɖe woƒe aʋalɔgo si de xa ɖi ƒo xlã Gibea la ŋu.
But the sons of Benjamin, when they had seen themselves to be the weaker, began to flee. And the sons of Israel discerning this, gave them room to flee, so that they might arrive at the ambushes that were prepared, which they had positioned near the city.
37 Ame siawo yi Gibea dua me eye wowu ame sia ame.
And after they had risen up suddenly from hiding, and those of Benjamin had turned their backs to those who cut them down, they entered the city, and they struck it with the edge of the sword.
38 Israel ŋutsuwo kple xadolawo ɖo gbe ɖi be ne wokpɔ dzudzɔ gã aɖe le dodom le dua me ko la
Now the sons of Israel had given a sign to those whom they had stationed in ambushes, so that, after they had seized the city, they would light a fire, and by the smoke ascending on high, they would show that the city was captured.
39 ekema Israel ƒe aʋalɔgo gãtɔ me nɔlawo natrɔ awɔ aʋa ŋkume kple ŋkume kple Benyamin ƒe to la. Esi Benyamin ƒe to la wu ame blaetɔ̃ xoxo ta la, wogblɔ na wo nɔewo be, “Míegasi wo abe ale si míesi wo tsã ene.”
And then, the sons of Israel discerned this sign during the battle (for the sons of Benjamin had thought that they fled, and they pursued them forcefully, cutting down thirty men from their army).
40 Tete dzesi si woɖo da ɖi la dze na wo: dzudzɔ de asi tutu me kɔlikɔli le dua me. Esi Benyamin ƒe to la trɔ kɔ kpɔ megbe la, ewɔ nuku na wo be du blibo la nɔ bibim.
And they saw something like a pillar of smoke ascending from the city. Likewise, Benjamin, looking back, discerned that the city was captured, for the flames were being carried on high.
41 Israelviwo trɔ ɖe wo ŋu azɔ. Benyamin ƒe to la tɔtɔ eye wosi ɖo ta gbedzi elabena wodze sii azɔ be yewotsrɔ̃ vɔ.
And those who before had pretended to flee, turning their faces, withstood them more strongly. And when the sons of Benjamin had seen this, they turned their backs in flight,
42 Wosi le Israelviwo nu ɖo ta gbedzi, Israelviwo kplɔ wo ɖo eye ame siwo be ɖe mɔa dzi la va kpe ɖe wo nɔviwo ŋu hewu Benyamin ƒe to la tso megbe.
and they began to go toward the way of the desert, with the adversary pursuing them to that place also. Moreover, those who had set fire to the city also met them.
43 Woɖe to ɖe Benyamin ƒe aʋakɔ la le Gibea ƒe ɣedzeƒe lɔƒo eye wowu wo dometɔ geɖewo le afi ma.
And so it happened that they were cut down on both sides by the enemies, nor was there any respite for the dying. They were killed and struck down on the eastern side of the city of Gibeah.
44 Ame akpe wuienyie ku le Benyamin ƒe to la ƒe aʋawɔlawo dome gbe ma gbe.
Now those who were put to death in the same place were eighteen thousand men, all very robust fighters.
45 Agbetsilawo si yi gbedzi le Rimon kpe la gbɔ le esime wowu wo dometɔ ame akpe atɔ̃ le mɔa dzi eye wogawu ame akpe eve le Gidom gbɔ.
And when those who remained of Benjamin had seen this, they fled into the wilderness. And they were traveling toward the rock which is called Rimmon. In that flight also, among those who were scattering in different directions, they slew five thousand men. And though they scattered all the more, they continued to pursue them, and then they put to death another two thousand.
46 Gbe ma gbe la, Benyamin ƒe to la me tɔ akpe blaeve vɔ atɔ̃, ame siwo nye yidala kalẽtɔwo la tsi aʋa.
And so it happened that all of those who were slain from Benjamin, in various places, were twenty-five thousand fighters, very willing to go to war.
47 Ke ame alafa ade si yi gbegbe la, yi Rimon ƒe agakpe la gbɔ eye wonɔ afi ma ɣleti ene.
And so there remained from the entire number of Benjamin six hundred men who were able to escape and to flee into the wilderness. And they settled at the rock of Rimmon, for four months.
48 Israel ƒe aʋakɔ la trɔ azɔ ɖe dua gbɔ eye wowu Benyamin ƒe to la ƒe ŋutsuwo, nyɔnuwo kple ɖeviwo siaa. Wotsrɔ̃ woƒe lãwo eye wotɔ dzo du kple kɔƒe ɖe sia ɖe le anyigba blibo la dzi.
But the sons of Israel, returning, had struck with the sword all that remained in the city, from men even to cattle. And all the cities and villages of Benjamin were consumed with devouring flames.
