Ndị Ikpe 20
1 Mgbe ahụ, ndị Izrel niile ndị si nʼala Dan ruo Bịasheba, tinyere ndị si nʼala Gilead, pụtara dịka otu mmadụ, bịa zukọọ nʼihu Onyenwe anyị na Mizpa.
All the Israelites from Dan to Beersheba, including the land of Gilead, went and gathered at Mizpah before the Lord. The assembly was united in purpose.
2 Ndị ndu ebo Izrel niile weere ọnọdụ na nzukọ nke ndị Chineke, ọnụọgụgụ ha bụ narị puku ndị agha anọ, ndị na-ebu mma agha.
The leaders of all the people of every Israelite tribe took their assigned positions in the assembled army of God's people, four hundred thousand soldiers armed with swords.
3 Mgbe na-adịghị anya, nzukọ ụmụ Izrel niile na Mizpa ruru ụmụ Benjamin ntị. Mgbe ahụ, ndịisi Izrel niile kpọrọ nwoke ahụ e gburu iko ya nwanyị sị ya, “Kọọrọ anyị otu ihe ọjọọ a si mee.”
The tribe of Benjamin found out that the Israelites had assembled at Mizpah. The Israelites asked, “Tell us, how could such an evil act have happened?”
4 Ya mere, onye Livayị ahụ, di nwanyị ahụ e gburu kwuru sị, “Mụ na iko m nwanyị bịaruru obodo Gibea, obodo nta ndị Benjamin, kwụsị nʼebe ahụ ịnọ ọnọdụ abalị.
The Levite, the husband of the woman who had been murdered, explained, “I and my concubine came to spend the night at the town of Gibeah in the territory of Benjamin.
5 Nʼoge abalị, ndị ikom Gibea bịara gba ụlọ anyị nọ nʼime ya gburugburu. Nzube ha bụ igbu m. Ma ha jidere iko m nwanyị, dinakwuru ya nʼike, tutu ruo mgbe ọ nwụrụ.
The leaders of Gibeah came to attack me at night. They surrounded the house, intending to kill me. They raped my concubine and she died.
6 Nʼihi ya, abọwasịrị m ahụ iko m nwanyị ụzọ iri na abụọ, zisa ya nʼakụkụ niile nke ihe nketa ndị Izrel niile nʼihi na ndị ikom Gibea ndị ahụ emeela ihe ọjọọ na ihe ihere nʼala Izrel.
I took my concubine and cut her into pieces, and I sent these pieces of her to every part of the country that had been given to Israel, because those men had done something shameful and disgusting in Israel.
7 Ugbu a, unu ụmụ Izrel niile, unu onwe unu tụleenụ okwu a, nyekwanụ ndụmọdụ ihe a ga-eme ebe a.”
So all of you Israelites have to decide here and now what you're going to do about it!”
8 Ndị mmadụ niile kulitere dịka otu onye, sị, “O nweghị onye ọbụla ga-ala na be ya. O nweghị onye ọbụla ga-esi nʼebe a laa nʼụlọ ya.
Everyone stood up and unitedly declared, “None of us are going home to our tents! None of us are going home to our houses!
9 Ma ugbu a, nke a bụ ihe anyị ga-eme ndị Gibea. Anyị ga-efe nza chọpụta ndị ga-aga lụso ndị Gibea agha.
This is what we're going to do to Gilboah: we will attack it with our forces chosen by lot.
10 Anyị ga-esite nʼebo niile nke Izrel họpụta mmadụ iri site na narị mmadụ, họpụta narị mmadụ site na puku mmadụ, họpụtakwa puku mmadụ site nʼiri puku mmadụ, ka ha hụ maka iwetara ndị agha ihe oriri. Mgbe ndị agha a rutere Geba dị na Benjamin, anyị pụrụ ịkwụghachi ha ụgwọ ruru ha dịka ihe ihere niile ha mere nʼala Izrel si dị.”
We'll take ten men from a hundred from all the Israelite tribes, then a hundred from a thousand, then a thousand from ten thousand, to arrange food for the army, so when the troops reach Gibeah in Benjamin, they can pay them back for all these disgusting things they've done in Israel.”
11 Ya mere, ndị Izrel niile jikọtara onwe ha ọnụ ibu agha ahụ dịka otu onye, megide obodo ahụ.
All the men of Israel were in agreement and gathered to attack the town.
12 Ndị ebo Izrel zipụrụ ndị ozi ka ha gazuo ebo Benjamin niile, sị ha, “Gịnị bụ ihe ọjọọ nke a jọgburu onwe ya emere nʼetiti unu?
The Israelite tribes also sent men throughout the territory of Benjamin, asking the people, “What are you doing about this terrible evil that has taken place among you?
13 Ugbu a, kpọpụtara anyị ndị ikom ọjọọ dị a si nʼobodo Gibea ka anyị gbuo ha. Anyị ga-esikwa otu a hichapụ ihe ọjọọ a site nʼIzrel.” Ma ụmụ Benjamin egeghị ndị Izrel ibe ha ntị.
Hand over these wicked men so we can execute them and get rid of this evil from Israel!” But the Benjamites refused to listen to what their fellow Israelites had to say.
14 Ha sitere nʼobodo ha dị iche iche zukọtaa na Gibea maka ibuso ndị Izrel agha.
They left their towns and assembled at Gibeah to go and fight the other Israelites.
15 Nʼụbọchị ahụ, ndị Benjamin sitere nʼobodo ha dị iche iche kpọkọta iri puku ndị ikom abụọ na puku isii bụ ndị na-amịpụta mma agha, tinyere narị ndị ikom asaa ahụ zuruoke site na ndị bi na Gibea.
That day a total of twenty-six thousand men armed with swords were called up from the towns of Benjamin, in addition to the seven hundred seasoned warriors from Gibeah.
16 Nʼime ndị agha ndị a, e nwere narị ndị agha asaa, ndị a maara nke ọma dịka ndị na-agbata ụta nke ọma. Ha bụ ndị na-eme aka ekpe, onye ọbụla nʼime ha nwere ike iji okwute mata otu agịrị isi, ghara ịmahie ya.
Making up part of this army were seven hundred experienced soldiers who used their left hands. All of them could fire a slingshot and not miss by even a hair's breadth.
17 Ma ọnụọgụgụ ndị agha ụmụ Izrel, ma ọ bụrụ na e wezuga ụmụ Benjamin, dị narị puku anọ.
The Israelite army (excluding Benjamin) numbered four hundred thousand seasoned warriors, all armed with swords.
18 Ma tupu agha ahụ ebido, ndị agha Izrel buru ụzọ gaa Betel ịjụta Chineke ase. Ha jụrụ ya sị, “Olee ebo ga-edu anyị ibuso ndị agha Benjamin agha?” Onyenwe anyị zara sị ha na ọ bụ Juda ga-ebu ụzọ.
The Israelites went to Bethel and asked God, “Which ones of us should be the first to go and fight the Benjamites?” “Judah is to go first,” the Lord replied.
19 Nʼihi nke a, nʼisi ụtụtụ echi ya, ndị agha ụmụ Izrel niile buliri ihe agha ha pụọ, maa ụlọ ikwu ha nso nso Gibea.
The next morning the Israelites left and set up their camp near Gibeah.
20 Emesịa, ndị Izrel pụrụ izute ndị Benjamin, doo onwe ha nʼusoro ibu agha na Gibea.
Then they marched out for battle with the army of Benjamin, taking up their positions to attack Gibeah.
21 Ma nʼụbọchị ahụ, ndị Benjamin si Gibea nupụta nʼigwe gbuo ndị agha Izrel ọnụọgụgụ ha dị iri puku abụọ na puku abụọ.
But the Benjamites came out of Gibeah and slaughtered twenty-two thousand Israelites on the battlefield that day.
22 Ndị agha Izrel gbarịtara onwe ha ume, ma werekwa ọnọdụ ibu agha dịka ha mere nʼụbọchị mbụ.
But the Israelites encouraged one other to be confident, and they took up the same positions they had on the first day.
23 Ndị agha Izrel kwara akwa nke ukwuu nʼụbọchị ahụ nʼihu Onyenwe anyị site nʼụtụtụ ruo anyasị. Ha jụrụ Onyenwe anyị ase ọzọ sị ya, “Anyị ga-aga nʼihu ịlụso ụmụnna anyị ndị Benjamin ọgụ?” Onyenwe anyị zara sị ha, “Gaanụ ga lụso ha agha.”
The Israelites went and cried before the Lord until the evening and asked, “Should we go and attack the Benjamites again, our relatives?” “Go and attack them,” the Lord replied.
24 Nʼihi nke a, ndị Izrel jeghachikwara ọzọ ibuso ụmụ Benjamin agha nʼụbọchị nke abụọ ya.
So the second day they advanced to attack the army of Benjamin.
25 Nʼoge a kwa, ndị agha Benjamin si nʼobodo Gibea pụta ibuso ha agha. Ha gburu ndị agha Izrel ọnụọgụgụ ha dị puku iri na asatọ. Ndị a niile bụkwa ndị ji mma agha ebu agha.
However, Benjamites came out of Gibeah once more and slaughtered eighteen thousand Israelites, all armed with swords.
26 Mgbe ahụ, ndị Izrel niile gara Betel, nọdụ nʼebe ahụ, kwaa akwa nʼihu Onyenwe anyị Ha erighị nri ọbụla nʼụbọchị ahụ site nʼụtụtụ ruo nʼanyasị. Ha chere nʼihu Onyenwe anyị onyinye aja udo, ma chụọkwa aja nsure ọkụ.
Then all the Israelites and all their army went to Bethel, and sat crying there before the Lord. That day they fasted until evening and gave burnt offerings and friendship offerings to the Lord.
27 Ndị Izrel jụrụ ase site nʼaka Onyenwe anyị. (Nʼoge ndị ahụ, igbe ọgbụgba ndụ Chineke dị nʼebe ahụ.
The Israelites asked the Lord what to do. At that time the Ark of God's Agreement was kept there.
28 Finehaz nwa Elieza, nwa nwa Erọn na-eje ozi nchụaja nʼebe ahụ.) Ụmụ Izrel jụrụ Onyenwe anyị ase sị ya, “Ọ bụ anyị gaakwa ọzọ ibuso ụmụnna anyị ndị Benjamin agha, ka ị sị anyị agala?” Onyenwe anyị zara sị ha, “Gaanụ, nʼihi na aga m ahụ na unu meriri ndị agha Benjamin echi.”
Phinehas, son of Eleazar and grandson of Aaron, was the priest. The Israelites asked the Lord, “Should go and we fight again against our relatives from Benjamin, or not?” “Yes, go! Tomorrow I will hand them over to you,” the Lord replied.
29 Nʼihi nke a, ụmụ Izrel kewapụtara ndị zoro onwe ha nʼọhịa, gburugburu obodo Gibea.
Then the Israelites set up an ambush around Gibeah.
30 Nʼụbọchị nke atọ ya, ha pụrụ gaakwa izute ndị Benjamin, ha were ọnọdụ ha imegide ndị Gibea dịka ha mere nʼoge gara aga.
On the third day they took up the same positions they had as before.
31 Ndị Benjamin pụtara izute ha, e mere ka ha site nʼobodo pụọ. Ha malitere igbu ndị Izrel dịka ha mere na mbụ, nke mere na ndị ikom iri atọ dara nwụọ nʼọhịa ma na ụzọ, otu nke gawara obodo Betel, na nke ọzọ gawara obodo Gibea.
The Benjamites came out to attack them and were lured away from the town as they began to kill Israelites as they had before. Some thirty Israelites died on the battlefield and along the roads, the one that goes towards Bethel and the other that goes back towards Gibeah.
32 Ya mere, mgbe ndị agha Benjamin malitere na-asị, “Lee, anyị emeriela ha dịka anyị mere na mbụ,” ndị Izrel nọ na-ekwu sị, “Ka anyị gbara ọsọ na-aga ruo mgbe ha ga-anọ ebe dị anya site nʼobodo ha.”
“We're defeating them, just like before,” the Benjamites shouted. But the Israelites said, “Let's run away from them and lure them away from the town towards the roads.”
33 Ndị ikom niile nke Izrel sitere nʼọnọdụ ha bilie, doo onwe ha nʼusoro na Baal-Tama, ndị Izrel ndị zoro onwe ha wapụtara site nʼọnọdụ ha nʼọdịda anyanwụ nke Geba, si nʼọhịa mapụta.
The main army of Israelites left where they were and took up positions at Baal-tamar, while those in the ambush west of Gibeah charged out to attack from where they had been hiding.
34 Iri puku ndị ikom Izrel ahụ zuruoke gara na ncherita ihu Gibea busoo ya agha. Agha ahụ dị ike nke ukwuu nke mere na ndị Benjamin amataghị na oke mbibi na-abịakwasị ha.
Ten thousand seasoned Israelite warriors attacked Gibeah, and the fighting was so intense the Benjamites didn't realize they were on the brink of disaster.
35 Onyenwe anyị meriri ndị Benjamin nʼihu Izrel, nʼụbọchị ahụ; ndị Izrel gburu ndị agha Benjamin ọnụọgụgụ ha dị iri puku abụọ, na puku ise, na otu narị. Ha niile bụkwa ndị na-eji mma agha aga agha.
So the Lord defeated Benjamin before Israel. That day the Israelites killed twenty-five thousand one hundred Benjamites, all armed with swords.
36 Mgbe ahụ, ndị Benjamin nʼonwe ha, hụrụ na e emeriela ha. Ugbu a, ndị ikom Izrel nyere ndị Benjamin ohere ịga nʼihu, nʼihi na ha dabere na ndị ha zoro nʼọhịa nʼakụkụ Gibea.
The Benjamites saw that they were defeated. The Israelites had fallen back before the Benjamites because they were confident the ambush they had put in place near Gibeah would be successful.
37 Ndị ahụ zoro nʼọhịa gbapụtara ọsịịsọ gbaba nʼobodo Gibea, kesaa onwe ha, were mma agha gbuchapụ ndị niile nọ nʼobodo ahụ.
The men from the ambush raced to attack the town, and they killed everyone in it.
38 Ndị Izrel na ndị zoro nʼọhịa kwekọtara na ha ga-eme ka anwụrụ ọkụ dị ukwuu na-ala elu elu site nʼobodo ahụ,
The agreement was that they would send up a great cloud of smoke to show the town had fallen.
39 ma mgbe ahụ, ndị Izrel ga-ebido ịbọ ọbọ ogbugbu egburu ha. Ndị Benjamin egbuolarị iri ndị Izrel atọ, nʼihi ya ha sịrị, “Anyị na-emeri ha dịka anyị mere nʼagha mbụ.”
The Israelite army turned to attack the Benjamites, who had already killed about thirty Israelites. The Benjamites were saying, “We're completely defeating them, just like the first battle!”
40 Ma mgbe anwụrụ ọkụ malitere ịla elu site nʼobodo ahụ, ndị Benjamin lere anya nʼazụ hụ ka anwụrụ ọkụ na-ala elu site nʼakụkụ niile nke obodo ahụ.
However, when the Israelites saw the columns of smoke rising heavenwards to form a great cloud over the whole of the town,
41 Mgbe ahụ, ndị Izrel bidoro igbu ha, oke egwu jidere ndị Benjamin nʼihi na ha ghọtara na ịla nʼiyi adakwasịla ha.
they turned on their enemies. The Benjamites were horrified when they saw it and realized they were doomed.
42 Ha si nʼihu ndị Izrel gbaa ọsọ, gbaga nʼụzọ gawara nʼọzara, ma ha enweghị ike ịgbanarị agha ahụ. Ndị Izrel si nʼobodo Gibea gbapụta gburu ha nʼebe ahụ.
They turned and ran from the Israelites towards the desert, but the battle caught up with them, and the Israelites also killed those who left the towns on the way.
43 Ha gbara ndị Benjamin gburugburu nʼakụkụ ọwụwa anyanwụ Gibea, gbuo ọtụtụ nʼime ha nʼebe ahụ.
Chasing after the Benjamites, the Israelites surrounded them, easily overtaking them east of Gibeah.
44 Ndị agha Benjamin e gburu nʼagha ụbọchị ahụ dị puku iri na asatọ.
Eighteen thousand Benjamites were killed, all of them courageous warriors.
45 Mgbe ha chigharịrị na-agbala nʼụzọ ọzara na-aga nʼebe oke nkume Rimọn dị, ndị Izrel gburu puku ndị agha ise nʼime ha nʼụzọ ahụ. Ha chụgidere ndị Benjamin ọsọ ruo Gidom, gbukwaa puku ndị agha ha abụọ.
Some of the Benjamites that were left ran towards Pomegranate Rock in the desert, and the Israelites killed another five thousand men on the way. They chased another group of Benjamites as far as Gidom and killed another thousand.
46 Ya mere, ndị Benjamin e gburu nʼagha nʼụbọchị ahụ dị iri puku abụọ, na ise. Ndị a bụ ndị agha mma agha, dike na dimkpa nʼagha.
So that day twenty-five thousand Benjamite were killed, all armed with swords and all courageous warriors.
47 Naanị narị ndị agha isii nʼime ha tụgharịrị gbapụ ọsọ gbalaga nʼọzara, nʼebe nkume Rimọn dị. Ha nọgidere nʼebe ahụ ọnwa anọ.
There were six hundred who ran away to Pomegranate Rock in the desert and they stayed there four months.
48 Mgbe ahụ, ndị agha Izrel hapụrụ ha, laghachi azụ, gaa nʼobodo ndị Benjamin niile gbuo ndị niile nọ nʼime ha, igwe anụ ụlọ, na ihe ndị ọzọ niile dị nʼime ha. Obodo niile ha ruru, ha kpọrọ ha ọkụ.
The Israelites went back into the territory of the Benjamites, and going from town to town, they killed everything: people, animals, everything they found. Then they burned down every town on their way.
