Vatongi 21
1 Varume veIsraeri vakanga vaita mhiko paMizipa vachiti: “Hapana mumwe wedu acharoodza mwanasikana wake kumuBhenjamini.”
Now the men of Israel had sworn an oath at Mizpah, saying, “Not one of us will give his daughter in marriage to a Benjamite.”
2 Vanhu vakaenda kuBheteri, uko kwavakagara pamberi paMwari kusvikira madekwana, vachisimudza manzwi avo uye vachichema zvikuru.
So the people came to Bethel and sat there before God until evening, lifting up their voices and weeping bitterly.
3 Vakachema vachiti, “Haiwa Jehovha, Mwari waIsraeri, seiko izvi zvakaitika kuIsraeri? Seiko rumwe rudzi rwashayikwa muIsraeri nhasi?”
“Why, O LORD God of Israel,” they cried out, “has this happened in Israel? Today in Israel one tribe is missing!”
4 Mangwanani ezuva rakatevera, vanhu vakavaka aritari vakapa zvipiriso zvinopiswa nezvipiriso zvokuwadzana.
The next day the people got up early, built an altar there, and presented burnt offerings and peace offerings.
5 Ipapo vaIsraeri vakabvunza vakati, “Ndianiko kubva kumarudzi ose aIsraeri akatadza kuungana navamwe pamberi paJehovha?” Nokuti vakanga vaita mhiko kuti ani zvake anotadza kuungana navamwe pamberi paJehovha paMizipa anofanira kuurayiwa zvirokwazvo.
The Israelites asked, “Who among all the tribes of Israel did not come to the assembly before the LORD?” For they had taken a solemn oath that anyone who failed to come up before the LORD at Mizpah would surely be put to death.
6 Zvino vaIsraeri vakasuwa nokuda kwehama dzavo, vaBhenjamini. Vakati, “Nhasi rumwe rudzi rwabviswa pana Israeri.
And the Israelites grieved for their brothers, the Benjamites, and said, “Today a tribe is cut off from Israel.
7 Tichapa seiko vakadzi kuna avo vakasara, sezvo takapika kuna Jehovha kuti tirege kupa upi zvake wavanasikana vedu kuti awanikwe navo.”
What should we do about wives for the survivors, since we have sworn by the LORD not to give them our daughters in marriage?”
8 Ipapo vakabvunza vakati, “Ndavapiko pamarudzi aIsraeri vakatadza kuungana navamwe pamberi paJehovha paMizipa?” Vakawana kuti kwakanga kusina munhu aibva kuJabheshi Gireadhi akanga auya kumusasa kuungano.
So they asked, “Which one of the tribes of Israel failed to come up before the LORD at Mizpah?” And, in fact, no one from Jabesh-gilead had come to the camp for the assembly.
9 Nokuti vakati vaverenga vanhu, vakaona kuti kwakanga kusina munhu weJabheshi Gireadhi akanga aripo.
For when the people were counted, none of the residents of Jabesh-gilead were there.
10 Saka ungano yakatuma varume vehondo zviuru gumi nezviviri vakavarayira kuti vaende kuJabheshi Gireadhi vandouraya nomunondo vanhu vaigarako, kusanganisira vakadzi navana.
So the congregation sent 12,000 of their most valiant men and commanded them: “Go and put to the sword those living in Jabesh-gilead, including women and children.
11 Vakati, “Hezvi zvamunofanira kuita: Urayai murume mumwe nomumwe nomukadzi mumwe nomumwe asiri mhandara.”
This is what you are to do: Devote to destruction every male, as well as every female who has had relations with a man.”
12 Vakawana pakati pavanhu vaigara muJabheshi Gireadhi mhandara mazana mana vakanga vasina kumbovata navarume, vakaenda navo kumusasa paShiro muKenani.
So they found among the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead four hundred young women who had not had relations with a man, and they brought them to the camp at Shiloh in the land of Canaan.
13 Ipapo ungano yose yakatuma nhume neshoko rorugare kuvaBhenjamini paruware rweRimoni.
Then the whole congregation sent a message of peace to the Benjamites who were at the rock of Rimmon.
14 Saka vaBhenjamini vakadzoka panguva iyoyo vakapiwa vakadzi veJabheshi Gireadhi vakanga vasara. Asi vakanga vasina kuvakwanira vose.
And at that time the Benjamites returned and were given the women who were spared from Jabesh-gilead. But there were not enough women for all of them.
15 Vanhu vakasuwa nokuda kweBhenjamini, nokuti Jehovha akanga aisa mukaha mumarudzi avaIsraeri.
The people grieved for Benjamin, because the LORD had made a void in the tribes of Israel.
16 Uye vakuru veungano vakati, “Sezvo vakadzi veBhenjamini vakaparadzwa, tichawanira seiko varume vakasara vakadzi?”
Then the elders of the congregation said, “What should we do about wives for those who remain, since the women of Benjamin have been destroyed?”
17 Vakati, “VaBhenjamini vakasara vanofanira kuva navadyi venhaka kuitira kuti rudzi rwaIsraeri rurege kurova.
They added, “There must be heirs for the survivors of Benjamin, so that a tribe of Israel will not be wiped out.
18 Hatigoni kuvapa vanasikana vedu kuti vave vakadzi vavo sezvo isu vaIsraeri takapika tichiti, ‘Ngaatukwe munhu anopa mukadzi kumuBhenjamini.’
But we cannot give them our daughters as wives.” For the Israelites had sworn, “Cursed is he who gives a wife to a Benjamite.”
19 Asi tarirai, kune mutambo waJehovha wegore negore paShiro, nechokumusoro kweBheteri, kumabvazuva omugwagwa unobva kuBheteri uchienda kuShekemu, nezasi kweRebhona.”
“But look,” they said, “there is a yearly feast to the LORD in Shiloh, which is north of Bethel east of the road that goes up from Bethel to Shechem, and south of Lebonah.”
20 Saka vakarayira vaBhenjamini vakati, “Endai mundovanda muminda yemizambiringa
So they commanded the Benjamites: “Go, hide in the vineyards
21 uye mutarire. Vasikana veShiro pavanobuda kuti vandotamba navamwe, ipapo mumhanye muchibva muminda yemizambiringa mumwe nomumwe wenyu azvitorere mukadzi kubva kuvasikana veShiro mugoenda henyu kunyika yavaBhenjamini.
and watch. When you see the daughters of Shiloh come out to perform their dances, each of you is to come out of the vineyards, catch for himself a wife from the daughters of Shiloh, and go to the land of Benjamin.
22 Madzibaba avo kana hanzvadzi dzavo pavanouya kuzomhanʼara kwatiri, isu tichati kwavari, ‘Tiitirei henyu zvakanaka nokuvabatsira, nokuti hatina kuvawanira vakadzi panguva yehondo, uye imi hamuna mhosva, sezvo musina kupa vanasikana venyu kwavari.’”
When their fathers or brothers come to us to complain, we will tell them, ‘Do us a favor by helping them, since we did not get wives for each of them in the war. Since you did not actually give them your daughters, you have no guilt.’”
23 Saka ndizvo zvakaitwa navaBhenjamini. Vasikana vachiri kutamba, murume mumwe nomumwe akabata musikana ndokuenda naye kuti ave mukadzi wake. Ipapo vakadzokera kunhaka yavo uye vakavakazve maguta vakagara maari.
The Benjamites did as instructed and carried away the number of women they needed from the dancers they caught. They went back to their own inheritance, rebuilt their cities, and settled in them.
24 Panguva iyoyo vaIsraeri vakabva panzvimbo iyo vakaenda kumusha kumarudzi avo nokudzimba dzavo, mumwe nomumwe kunhaka yake pachake.
And at that time, each of the Israelites returned from there to his own tribe and clan, each to his own inheritance.
25 Mumazuva iwayo kwakanga kusina mambo pakati paIsraeri; mumwe nomumwe aiita zvaaifunga kuti zvakanaka.
In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.
