Ndị Ikpe 11
1 Otu ọ dị, Jefta, onye Gilead, bụ dimkpa nʼagha. Nna ya bụ Gilead; nne ya bụ akwụna.
[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.
2 Nwunye Gilead mụtaara ya ọtụtụ ụmụ ndị ikom ọzọ. Mgbe ha tolitere, ha chụpụrụ Jefta site nʼobodo ahụ, sị ya, “Ị gaghị eketa ihe ọbụla nʼezi nna anyị, nʼihi na nwa nwanyị ọzọ ka ị bụ.”
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.”
3 Nʼihi nke a, Jefta gbapụrụ site nʼụlọ nna ya, gaa biri nʼobodo Tob. Mgbe na-adịghị anya, ọtụtụ ndị isi na-anụ ọkụ bịara nọnyere ya ma sorokwa ya.
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.
4 O ruo mgbe ọtụtụ oge gasịrị, ndị Amọn busoro ụmụ Izrel agha.
Some time later, the Ammon people-group started to fight against the Israelis.
5 Ndị okenye Gilead jere ịkpọpụta Jefta site nʼala Tob.
When that happened [DOU], the leaders of [the] Gilead [region] went to Jephthah to bring him back from the Tob region [to their area].
6 Ha sịrị ya, “Bịa buru onyeisi agha anyị ka anyị nwee ike ibuso ndị Amọn agha.”
They said to him, “Come [with us] and lead our army, and [help us to] fight against the men from the Ammon people-group!”
7 Jefta sịrị ha, “Unu akpọghị m asị, ma chụpụkwa m site nʼụlọ nna m? Gịnị mere unu ji na-achọ m ugbu a unu nọ nʼoke nsogbu?”
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?”
8 Ndị okenye Gilead sịrị ya, “na-agbanyeghị nke a, anyị abịaghachikwutela gị ugbu a, bịa ka anyị na gị lụso ndị Amọn agha. Ị ga-abụkwa onyeisi anyị niile bi na Gilead.”
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].”
9 Jefta zara, “A sịkwarị na m esoro unu gaa lụso ndị Amọn agha, ọ bụrụ na Onyenwe anyị enyefee ha nʼaka m, m ga-abụ onyeisi unu nʼezie?”
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?”
10 Ndị okenye Gilead zara, “Onyenwe anyị bụ onye akaebe, na anyị aghaghị ime dịka i kwuru.”
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.”
11 Ya mere, Jefta sooro ndị okenye Gilead, ha mekwara ya onyeisi ha na ọchịagha ha. O kwughachikwara okwu ya niile nʼihu Onyenwe anyị nʼobodo Mizpa.
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].
12 Mgbe ahụ, Jefta zipụrụ ndị ozi ka ha jekwuru eze ndị Amọn jụọ ya ajụjụ sị, “Gịnị bụ ihe i nwere megide anyị i ji ebuso ala anyị agha?”
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?”
13 Eze ndị Amọn zaghachiri ndị ozi Jefta, “Mgbe ụmụ Izrel si nʼala Ijipt pụta, ha ji aka ike napụ anyị ala anyị, site nʼosimiri Anọn ruo na Jabọk, rukwaa nʼosimiri Jọdan. Ugbu a nyeghachinụ anyị ala ahụ niile nʼudo.”
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).”
14 Jefta zighachiri ndị ozi ka ha jekwuru eze ndị Amọn,
[The messengers returned to Jephthah and told him what the king had said]. So Jephthah sent the messengers to the king again.
15 na-asị, “Ihe ndị a ka Jefta sịrị: Izrel esiteghị nʼaka ike napụ Moab maọbụ Amọn ala ha.
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.
16 Kama, mgbe ha si Ijipt rigopụta, Izrel sitere nʼọzara bịaruo Osimiri Uhie, sikwa nʼebe ahụ ruo Kadesh.
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].
17 Mgbe ahụ, Izrel zipụrụ ndị ozi ka ha jekwuru eze Edọm sị ya, ‘Kwere ka anyị si nʼala gị gafere,’ ma eze Edọm jụrụ ajụ. Ha zipụkwara ozi nye eze Moab, ma o kwenyeghị. Nʼihi ya, Izrel nọgidere na Kadesh.
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].
18 “Ọzọ, ha sitere nʼọzara gaa gburugburu Edọm na Moab, site nʼakụkụ ọwụwa anyanwụ ala Moab, maa ụlọ ikwu ha nʼofe Anọn. Ha abaghị nʼoke ala Moab, nʼihi na Anọn bụ oke ala ya.
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].
19 “Mgbe ahụ, ụmụ Izrel zigara ndị ozi ka ha jekwuru Saịhọn eze ndị Amọrait, onye bi na Heshbọn, sị ya, ‘Biko, ka anyị site nʼala gị gafee ruo nʼala nke anyị.’
‘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].”
20 Ma eze Saịhọn atụkwasịghị Izrel obi isite nʼoke ala ya gabiga. Nʼihi nke a, ọ chịkọtara usuu ndị agha ya, ma ụlọ ikwu na Jahaz, buso ụmụ Izrel agha.
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.
21 “Mgbe ahụ, Onyenwe anyị, Chineke Izrel nyere Saịhọn na ndị agha ya niile nʼaka Izrel. Ha merikwara ha. Izrel nwetara ala niile nke ndị Amọrait, bụ ndị bi nʼala ahụ.
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.
22 Ha nwetara ala niile ahụ, site nʼAnọn ruo Jabọk, sitekwa nʼọzara ruo Jọdan.
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].
23 “Ma ugbu a, Onyenwe anyị, Chineke Izrel achụpụla ndị Amọrait nʼihu ndị ya bụ Izrel. Olee ikike i nwere iwere ala ahụ?
‘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]?
24 Ọ bụghị ihe chi gị, Kemosh, nyere gị ka i ga-enweta? Otu aka ahụ kwa, ihe ọbụla Onyenwe anyị Chineke anyị nyere anyị ka anyị ga-enweta.
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!
25 Ị dị mma karịa Balak nwa Zipoa, eze Moab? O nwere mgbe ọ chọrọ Izrel okwu, maọbụ lụso ha agha?
(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]!
26 Ọ bụ narị afọ atọ kemgbe ụmụ Izrel malitere ibi na Heshbọn na Aroea, na nʼime obodo ndị ọzọ gbara ha gburugburu ruo nʼiyi Anọn. Ọ bụkwa gịnị mere na ịnapụtaghị ala ndị a nʼoge ndị ahụ?
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]?
27 Emegideghị m gị, kama ọ bụ gị na-emejọ m, site nʼibuso m agha. Ka Onyenwe anyị, onye na-ekpe ikpe ziri ezi kpebie ikpe a taa nʼetiti ndị Izrel na ndị Amọn.”
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.’”
28 Ma eze Amọn egeghị ntị nʼozi Jefta ziri ka e zie ya.
But the king of the Ammon people-group did not pay attention to that message from Jephthah.
29 Nʼoge ahụ, mmụọ Onyenwe anyị dakwasịrị Jefta. Site nʼike mmụọ ahụ, o duuru ndị agha Izrel gafee obodo Gilead na Manase, gafeekwa Mizpa, nke dị nʼime Gilead, gaa lụso ndị Amọn agha.
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.
30 Jefta kwere Onyenwe anyị nkwa sị ya, “Ọ bụrụ na ị ga-enyefe ndị Amọn nʼaka m,
There Jephthah made a solemn promise to Yahweh. He said, “If you will enable my army to defeat [IDM] the Ammon people-group,
31 ihe ọbụla sitere nʼọnụ ụzọ ụlọ m pụta izute m mgbe m lọghachiri nʼọnọdụ mmeri megide ndị Amọn, ga-abụ nke Onyenwe anyị. Aga m eji ya chụọ aja nsure ọkụ.”
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].”
32 Jefta duuru ndị agha ya gaa ibuso Amọn agha. Onyenwe anyị nyekwara ya mmeri dị ukwuu.
Then Jephthah [and his men] went from Mizpah to attack the Ammon people-group, and Yahweh enabled his army to defeat them.
33 O bibiri iri obodo abụọ site nʼAroea ruo nso nso Minit, ruokwa Ebel-Keramim. Otu a ka Izrel si merie ndị Amọn.
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.
34 Mgbe Jefta lọghachiri nʼụlọ ya na Mizpa, ma lee ada ya nwanyị onye ji iti egwu na ite egwu pụta izute ya. Ọ bụ naanị ya ka nna ya mụtara. Ewezuga ya, nna ya amụtaghị nwa nwoke maọbụ nwa nwanyị ọzọ.
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.
35 Mgbe Jefta hụrụ ya, ọ dọwara uwe ya, tie mkpu sị, “Ewoo, nwa m nwanyị! I wetarala obi m ihe mgbu, nʼihi na ekwela m Onyenwe anyị nkwa, nke m na-aghaghị imezu.”
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.”
36 Ọ zara, “Nna m, lee, ị ghaghị imezu ihe i kwere Onyenwe anyị na nkwa. Jiri m mee ihe i kwere Onyenwe anyị na nkwa, nʼihi na o nyela gị mmeri dị ukwuu nʼebe ndị Amọn, ndị iro gị nọ.
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.”
37 Ma ọ dị otu ihe m chọrọ ịrịọ gị, biko kwere ka m soro ụmụ agbọghọ ibe m gaa wagharịa nʼugwu ndị a, ka mụ na ha kwaa akwa ọnwa abụọ, nʼihi na agaghị m alụ di.”
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.”
38 Nna ya zara sị ya, “E, nwa m, i nwere ike ịga.” Ọ pụrụ gaa, jegharịa, kwaakwa akwa, ya na ụmụ agbọghọ ndị enyi ya, ruo mgbe ọnwa abụọ ahụ zuru.
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.
39 Mgbe ọnwa abụọ gasịrị, ọ laghachikwutere nna ya, onye ji ya mezuo nkwa ahụ o kwere. Ọ bụ nwaagbọghọ na-amatabeghị nwoke. Malite nʼoge ahụ ka ọ ghọrọ omenaala ndị Izrel,
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.
40 na ụmụ agbọghọ na-apụ kwa afọ, gaa, nọọ abalị anọ nʼihi icheta ada Jefta, onye Gilead.
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.
