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 Israelis, from Dan [city in the north] to Beersheba [city in the south], and even from [the] Gilead [region on the east side of the Jordan River, heard what had happened. So they] they gathered together at Mizpah, [at the place where they worshiped] Yahweh.
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 [eleven of] the tribes of Israel stood in front of the people who gathered there. There were 400,000 men with swords who were there.
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 people of the tribe of Benjamin heard that the other Israelis had gone up to Mizpah, [but none of the men from their tribe went to the meeting there]. The Israelis who had come to Mizpah asked about the evil thing that had 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.
So the husband of the woman who had been killed replied, “My slave wife and I came to Gibeah [city], wanting to stay there that night.
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.
That evening, the men of Gibeah came to attack me. They surrounded the house [where I was staying] and wanted to [have sex with me and then] kill me. They [raped and] abused my slave wife [all night], 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 her body home and cut it into pieces. Then I sent one piece to each area of Israel, [because I wanted you all to know about] this wicked and disgraceful/shameful thing [that] has been done here in Israel.
7 Ugbu a, unu ụmụ Izrel niile, unu onwe unu tụleenụ okwu a, nyekwanụ ndụmọdụ ihe a ga-eme ebe a.”
So now, all you Israeli people, speak, and tell me what you think should be done!”
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.
All the people stood up, and in unison said, “None of us will go home! Not one of us will return to his house!
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 must do to [the people of] Gibeah. First, we will (cast lots/throw marked stones) [to determine which group should attack them].
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 will choose (one tenth/one from every ten) of the men from all the Israeli tribes. Those men will go and find food for the men who will go to attack the people of Gibeah. Then the other men will go to Gibeah to (pay the people back/punish them) for this terrible thing that they have done [here] in Israel.”
11 Ya mere, ndị Izrel niile jikọtara onwe ha ọnụ ibu agha ahụ dịka otu onye, megide obodo ahụ.
And all the Israeli people agreed [that the people of Gibeah should be punished].
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?
Then the Israeli men sent messengers throughout the tribe of Benjamin. They demanded, “Do you realize that some of your men have done a very evil thing?
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.
Bring those wicked men to us, in order that we can execute them. [By doing that], we will be doing what should be done because of this evil thing that has happened in Israel.” But the [people of the] tribe of Benjamin did not pay attention to their fellow Israelis.
14 Ha sitere nʼobodo ha dị iche iche zukọtaa na Gibea maka ibuso ndị Izrel agha.
The men of the tribe of Benjamin left their cities and gathered at Gibeah to fight the [other] Israelis.
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.
In that one day the men of the tribe of Benjamin recruited 26,000 soldiers who knew how to fight using swords. They also chose/recruited 700 men 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.
From all those soldiers there were 700 men who were left-handed, and each of them could sling a stone at [a target that was very small and as narrow as] a hair, and the stone always hit the target!
17 Ma ọnụọgụgụ ndị agha ụmụ Izrel, ma ọ bụrụ na e wezuga ụmụ Benjamin, dị narị puku anọ.
There were 400,000 men from the other Israeli tribes who had 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.
Those other Israelis went up to Bethel and asked God, “Which tribe should be the first to attack the men from the tribe of Benjamin?” Yahweh answered, “[The men from the tribe of] Judah should go first.”
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 Israeli men went and set up their tents near Gibeah.
20 Emesịa, ndị Izrel pụrụ izute ndị Benjamin, doo onwe ha nʼusoro ibu agha na Gibea.
Then they went to fight against [the men from the tribe of] Benjamin, and stood in their positions for fighting a battle, [facing Gibeah].
21 Ma nʼụbọchị ahụ, ndị Benjamin si Gibea nupụta nʼigwe gbuo ndị agha Izrel ọnụọgụgụ ha dị iri puku abụọ na puku abụọ.
The men of the tribe of Benjamin came out of Gibeah and fought against them, and they killed 22,000 Israeli men on that day.
22 Ndị agha Izrel gbarịtara onwe ha ume, ma werekwa ọnọdụ ibu agha dịka ha mere nʼụbọchị mbụ.
[Late that afternoon], the [remaining] Israeli men went to the place of worship and cried until the sun set. Then they asked Yahweh, “Should we attack the men of the tribe of Benjamin again, even though they are our fellow Israelis?” Yahweh replied, “Yes, attack them again.” So the Israeli men encouraged each other.
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.”
24 Nʼihi nke a, ndị Izrel jeghachikwara ọzọ ibuso ụmụ Benjamin agha nʼụbọchị nke abụọ ya.
The next day they again stood in their positions for fighting, just like they had done on the previous day.
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.
The men of the tribe of Benjamin came out of Gibeah and attacked the Israelis, and killed 18,000 more of their men.
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.
[In the afternoon], all the people of Israel [who had not been killed] again went to Bethel. There they sat down and cried to Yahweh, and they (fasted/abstained from eating food) until it was evening. They brought some offerings which they burned completely [on the altar], and they also brought some offerings to maintain fellowship with Yahweh.
27 Ndị Izrel jụrụ ase site nʼaka Onyenwe anyị. (Nʼoge ndị ahụ, igbe ọgbụgba ndụ Chineke dị nʼebe ahụ.
At that time, the Sacred Chest that contained the stone tablets on which were written the Ten Commandments was there at Bethel. A priest named Phinehas, the son of Eleazar and grandson of Aaron, often stood in front of that chest [and talked with Yahweh]. While he stood there on that day, he asked Yahweh, “Shall we go again to fight against our fellow Israelis from the tribe of Benjamin, or shall we stop fighting against them?” Yahweh answered, “Go again tomorrow, because tomorrow I will enable you to defeat them.”
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.”
29 Nʼihi nke a, ụmụ Izrel kewapụtara ndị zoro onwe ha nʼọhịa, gburugburu obodo Gibea.
So [the next day, 10,000 of] the Israeli men (set up ambushes/went to hide) [in the fields] 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.
The [other] Israeli men went and stood in their positions for fighting a battle just like they had done on the previous days.
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.
When the men of the tribe of Benjamin came out of the city to fight against them, the Israeli men retreated away from the city, and the men of the tribe of Benjamin pursued them. The men of the tribe of Benjamin killed many Israelis, like they had done before. They killed about 30 Israelis. They killed some in the fields, and they killed some on the road that went to Bethel and on the road that went to 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.”
The men of the tribe of Benjamin said, “We are defeating them like we did before!” But then Israeli men did what they had planned. The main group of Israeli men retreated a short distance from the city, to [trick] the men of Gibeah and cause them to pursue the Israeli men along the roads outside the city.
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 group of Israeli men left their positions and retreated, and then they stood in their battle positions again at a place named Baal-Tamar.
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.
Then [while the men of Gibeah were running out of the city toward them], the other 10,000 Israelis came out from the places where they had been hiding, west of Gibeah. They were men who had come from all parts of Israel. There was a very big battle. But the men of the tribe of Benjamin did not know that they were about to suffer a disastrous defeat.
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.
Yahweh enabled the Israeli men to defeat the men of the tribe of Benjamin. They killed 25,000 of them, even though they all were using swords. [This is what happened]:
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 main group of Israeli men arranged with the men who would be hiding that they should send up a smoke signal to enable the main group of soldiers to know when they should attack. Then the main group of Israeli men retreated for a short distance, because they knew that the other Israeli men who had been hiding on the other side of Gibeah would attack the people of the tribe of Benjamin by surprise. So [after the main group of Israeli men retreated a little distance], the men who had been hiding rushed out and ran into Gibeah and used their swords to kill everyone in the city. [Then they started to burn the buildings].
37 Ndị ahụ zoro nʼọhịa gbapụtara ọsịịsọ gbaba nʼobodo Gibea, kesaa onwe ha, were mma agha gbuchapụ ndị niile nọ nʼobodo ahụ.
38 Ndị Izrel na ndị zoro nʼọhịa kwekọtara na ha ga-eme ka anwụrụ ọkụ dị ukwuu na-ala elu elu site nʼobodo ahụ,
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.”
By that time, the men of the tribe of Benjamin said, “We are winning the battle, as we did before!”
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.
But then smoke [from the burning buildings] began to rise up from the city. The men of the tribe of Benjamin turned around and saw that the whole city was burning.
41 Mgbe ahụ, ndị Izrel bidoro igbu ha, oke egwu jidere ndị Benjamin nʼihi na ha ghọtara na ịla nʼiyi adakwasịla ha.
Then the main group of Israeli men [also saw the smoke, and they knew that the smoke signaled that they should] turn around and begin to attack. The men of the tribe of Benjamin were very afraid, because they realized that they were about to suffer a disastrous defeat.
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.
So the men of the tribe of Benjamin tried to run away toward the desert to escape from the Israeli men, but they were not able to escape, because the Israeli men who had burned the two cities came out of those cities and killed many of them.
43 Ha gbara ndị Benjamin gburugburu nʼakụkụ ọwụwa anyanwụ Gibea, gbuo ọtụtụ nʼime ha nʼebe ahụ.
They surrounded [some of] the men of the tribe of Benjamin, and pursued the others to the area east of Gibeah.
44 Ndị agha Benjamin e gburu nʼagha ụbọchị ahụ dị puku iri na asatọ.
They killed 18,000 strong soldiers of the tribe of Benjamin.
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.
Then the rest of the men of the tribe of Benjamin realized that they had been defeated. They ran toward the desert to Rimmon Rock, but the Israeli men killed 5,000 more men of the tribe of Benjamin along the roads. They pursued the rest of them to Gidom, and they killed 2,000 more men of the tribe of Benjamin there.
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.
Altogether, there were 25,000 men of the tribe of Benjamin who were killed, all of whom had swords.
47 Naanị narị ndị agha isii nʼime ha tụgharịrị gbapụ ọsọ gbalaga nʼọzara, nʼebe nkume Rimọn dị. Ha nọgidere nʼebe ahụ ọnwa anọ.
But 600 men of the tribe of Benjamin ran to Rimmon Rock in the desert. They stayed there for 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.
Then the Israeli men went back to the land belonging to the tribe of Benjamin, and killed the people in every city. They also killed all the animals, and destroyed everything else that they found there. And they burned all the cities that they came to.
