< Vatongi 21 >

1 Varume veIsraeri vakanga vaita mhiko paMizipa vachiti: “Hapana mumwe wedu acharoodza mwanasikana wake kumuBhenjamini.”
Now the children of Israel had also sworn in Maspha, saying: None of us shall give of his daughters to the children of Benjamin to wife.
2 Vanhu vakaenda kuBheteri, uko kwavakagara pamberi paMwari kusvikira madekwana, vachisimudza manzwi avo uye vachichema zvikuru.
And they all came to the house of God in Silo, and abiding before him till the evening, lifted up their voices, and began to lament and weep, saying:
3 Vakachema vachiti, “Haiwa Jehovha, Mwari waIsraeri, seiko izvi zvakaitika kuIsraeri? Seiko rumwe rudzi rwashayikwa muIsraeri nhasi?”
O Lord God of Israel, why is so great an evil come to pass in thy people, that this day one tribe should be taken away from among us?
4 Mangwanani ezuva rakatevera, vanhu vakavaka aritari vakapa zvipiriso zvinopiswa nezvipiriso zvokuwadzana.
And rising early the next day, they built an altar: and offered there holocausts, and victims of peace, and they said:
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.
Who is there among all the tribes of Israel that came not up with the army of the Lord? for they had bound themselves with a great oath, when they were in Maspha, that whosoever were wanting should be slain.
6 Zvino vaIsraeri vakasuwa nokuda kwehama dzavo, vaBhenjamini. Vakati, “Nhasi rumwe rudzi rwabviswa pana Israeri.
And the children of Israel being moved with repentance for their brother Benjamin, began to say: One tribe is taken away from Israel.
7 Tichapa seiko vakadzi kuna avo vakasara, sezvo takapika kuna Jehovha kuti tirege kupa upi zvake wavanasikana vedu kuti awanikwe navo.”
Whence shall they take wives? For we have all in general sworn, not to give our daughters to them.
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.
Therefore they said: Who is thereof all the tribes of Israel, that came not up to the Lord to Maspha. And behold the inhabitants of Jabes Galaad were found not to have been in that army.
9 Nokuti vakati vaverenga vanhu, vakaona kuti kwakanga kusina munhu weJabheshi Gireadhi akanga aripo.
(At that time also when they were in Silo, no one of them was found there.)
10 Saka ungano yakatuma varume vehondo zviuru gumi nezviviri vakavarayira kuti vaende kuJabheshi Gireadhi vandouraya nomunondo vanhu vaigarako, kusanganisira vakadzi navana.
So they sent ten thousand of the most valiant men, and commanded them, saying: Go and put the inhabitants of Jabes Galaad to the sword, with their wives and their children.
11 Vakati, “Hezvi zvamunofanira kuita: Urayai murume mumwe nomumwe nomukadzi mumwe nomumwe asiri mhandara.”
And this is what you shall observe: Every male, and all women that have known men, you shall kill, but the virgins you shall save.
12 Vakawana pakati pavanhu vaigara muJabheshi Gireadhi mhandara mazana mana vakanga vasina kumbovata navarume, vakaenda navo kumusasa paShiro muKenani.
And there were found of Jabes Galaad four hundred virgins, that had not known the bed of a man, and they brought them to the camp Silo, into the land of Chanaan.
13 Ipapo ungano yose yakatuma nhume neshoko rorugare kuvaBhenjamini paruware rweRimoni.
And they sent messengers to the children of Benjamin, that were in the rock Remmon, and commanded them to receive them in peace.
14 Saka vaBhenjamini vakadzoka panguva iyoyo vakapiwa vakadzi veJabheshi Gireadhi vakanga vasara. Asi vakanga vasina kuvakwanira vose.
And the children of Benjamin came at that time, and wives were given them of the daughters of Jabes Galaad: but they found no others, whom they might give in like manner.
15 Vanhu vakasuwa nokuda kweBhenjamini, nokuti Jehovha akanga aisa mukaha mumarudzi avaIsraeri.
And all Israel was very sorry, and repented for the destroying of one tribe out of Israel.
16 Uye vakuru veungano vakati, “Sezvo vakadzi veBhenjamini vakaparadzwa, tichawanira seiko varume vakasara vakadzi?”
And the ancients said: What shall we do with the rest, that have not received wives? for all the women in Benjamin are dead.
17 Vakati, “VaBhenjamini vakasara vanofanira kuva navadyi venhaka kuitira kuti rudzi rwaIsraeri rurege kurova.
And we must use all care, and provide with great diligence, that one tribe be not destroyed out of Israel.
18 Hatigoni kuvapa vanasikana vedu kuti vave vakadzi vavo sezvo isu vaIsraeri takapika tichiti, ‘Ngaatukwe munhu anopa mukadzi kumuBhenjamini.’
For as to our own daughters we cannot give them, being bound with an oath and a curse, whereby we said: Cursed be he that shall give Benjamin any of his daughters to wife.
19 Asi tarirai, kune mutambo waJehovha wegore negore paShiro, nechokumusoro kweBheteri, kumabvazuva omugwagwa unobva kuBheteri uchienda kuShekemu, nezasi kweRebhona.”
So they took counsel, and said: Behold there is a yearly solemnity of the Lord in Silo, which is situate on the north of the city of Bethel, and on the east side of the way, that goeth from Bethel to Sichem, and on the south of the town of Lebona.
20 Saka vakarayira vaBhenjamini vakati, “Endai mundovanda muminda yemizambiringa
And they commanded the children of Benjamin, and said: Go, and lie hid 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 when you shall see the daughters of Silo come out, as the custom is, to dance, come ye on a sudden out of the vineyards, and catch you every man his wife among them, and go into 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.’”
And when their fathers and their brethren shall come, and shall begin to complain against you, and to chide, we will say to them: Have pity on them for they took them not away as by the right of war or conquest, but when they asked to have them, you gave them not, and the fault was committed on your part.
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.
And the children of Benjamin did, as they had been commanded: and according to their number, they carried off for themselves every man his wife of them that were dancing: and they went into their possession and built up their cities, and dwelt in them.
24 Panguva iyoyo vaIsraeri vakabva panzvimbo iyo vakaenda kumusha kumarudzi avo nokudzimba dzavo, mumwe nomumwe kunhaka yake pachake.
The children of Israel also returned by their tribes, and families, to their dwellings.
25 Mumazuva iwayo kwakanga kusina mambo pakati paIsraeri; mumwe nomumwe aiita zvaaifunga kuti zvakanaka.
In those days there was no king in Israel: but every one did that which seemed right to himself.

< Vatongi 21 >