Jueces 20

1 Todos los israelitas, desde Dan hasta Beerseba, incluyendo la tierra de Galaad, fueron y se reunieron en Mizpa ante el Señor. La asamblea estaba unida en su propósito.

And so all the sons of Israel went out like one man, from Dan to Beersheba, with the land of Gilead, and they gathered together, before the Lord, at Mizpah.

2 Los líderes de todo el pueblo de cada tribu israelita tomaron sus posiciones asignadas en el ejército reunido del pueblo de Dios, cuatrocientos mil soldados armados con espadas.

And all the chiefs of the people, and every tribe of Israel, convened as an assembly of the people of God, four hundred thousand foot soldiers for battle.

3 La tribu de Benjamín se enteró de que los israelitas se habían reunido en Mizpa. Los israelitas preguntaron: “Díganos, ¿cómo pudo ocurrir un acto tan horrendo?”.

(But it was not hidden from the sons of Benjamin that the sons of Israel had ascended to Mizpah.) And the Levite, the husband of the woman who was killed, being questioned as to how so great a crime had been perpetrated,

4 El levita, esposo de la mujer asesinada, explicó: “Yo y mi concubina vinimos a pasar la noche a la ciudad de Guibeá, en el territorio de Benjamín.

responded: “I went to Gibeah of Benjamin, with my wife, and I diverted to that place.

5 Los dirigentes de Guibeá vinieron a atacarme por la noche. Rodearon la casa con la intención de matarme. Violaron a mi concubina y ésta murió.

And behold, the men of that city, at night, surrounded the house in which I was staying, intending to kill me. And they abused my wife with such an incredible fury of lust that in the end she died.

6 Tomé a mi concubina y la corté en pedazos, y envié estos pedazos a todas las partes del país que habían sido entregadas a Israel, porque esos hombres habían hecho algo vergonzoso y repugnante en Israel.

And taking her up, I cut her into pieces, and I sent the parts into all the borders of your possession. For never before was such a nefarious crime, and so great a sin, committed in Israel.

7 ¡Así que todos ustedes, israelitas, tienen que decidir aquí y ahora qué van a hacer al respecto!”

You are all present here, O sons of Israel. Discern what you ought to do.”

8 Todos se pusieron de pie y declararon unidos: “¡Ninguno de nosotros va a volver a su casa, ni a sus tiendas! Ninguno de nosotros volverá a sus casas.

And all the people, standing, responded as if with the word of one man: “We shall not return to our own tents, nor shall anyone enter into his own house.

9 Esto es lo que vamos a hacer a Guibeá: la atacaremos con nuestras fuerzas elegidas por sorteo.

But this we shall do in common against Gibeah:

10 Tomaremos diez hombres de cien de todas las tribus israelitas, luego cien de mil, y luego mil de diez mil, para organizar la comida del ejército, de modo que cuando las tropas lleguen a Guibeá, en Benjamín, puedan pagarles por todas estas cosas repugnantes que han hecho en Israel”.

We shall select ten men out of one hundred from all the tribes of Israel, and one hundred out of one thousand, and one thousand out of ten thousand, so that they may transport supplies for the army, and so that we will be able to fight against Gibeah of Benjamin, and to repay it for its crime as it deserves.”

11 Todos los hombres de Israel se pusieron de acuerdo y se reunieron para atacar la ciudad.

And all of Israel convened against the city, like one man, with one mind and one counsel.

12 Las tribus israelitas también enviaron hombres a todo el territorio de Benjamín, preguntando a la gente: “¿Qué están haciendo con este terrible mal que ha ocurrido entre ustedes?

And they sent messengers to the entire tribe of Benjamin, who said: “Why has so great a wickedness been found among you?

13 ¡Entreguen a estos malvados para que podamos ejecutarlos y deshacernos de este mal de Israel!” Pero los benjamitas se negaron a escuchar lo que sus compañeros israelitas tenían que decir.

Deliver the men of Gibeah, who have perpetrated this deplorable act, so that they may die, and so that the evil may be taken away from Israel.” And they were not willing to listen to the command of their brothers, the sons of Israel.

14 Salieron de sus ciudades y se reunieron en Guibeá para ir a luchar contra los demás israelitas.

Instead, out of all the cities that were their lot, they convened at Gibeah, so that they might bring them assistance, and so that they might contend against the entire people of Israel.

15 Ese día se convocó a un total de veintiséis mil hombres armados con espadas de las ciudades de Benjamín, además de los setecientos guerreros experimentados de Guibeá.

And there were found from Benjamin twenty-five thousand who drew the sword, aside from the inhabitants of Gibeah,

16 Formaban parte de este ejército setecientos soldados experimentados que usaban la mano izquierda. Todos ellos podían disparar una honda y no fallar ni por asomo.

who were seven hundred very strong men, fighting with the left hand as well as with the right hand, and casting stones from a sling so accurately that they were able to strike even a hair, and the path of the stone would by no means miss to either side.

17 El ejército israelita (excluyendo a Benjamín) contaba con cuatrocientos mil guerreros experimentados, todos armados con espadas.

Then too, among the men of Israel apart from the sons of Benjamin, there were found four hundred thousand who drew the sword and who were prepared for battle.

18 Los israelitas fueron a Betel y le preguntaron a Dios: “¿Quiénes de nosotros deben ser los primeros en ir a luchar contra los benjamitas?” “Judá debe ir primero”, respondió el Señor.

And they rose up and went to the house of God, that is, to Shiloh. And they consulted God, and they said, “Who shall be, in our army, the first to contend against the sons of Benjamin?” And the Lord responded to them, “Let Judah be your leader.”

19 A la mañana siguiente, los israelitas salieron y acamparon cerca de Guibeá.

And immediately the sons of Israel, rising up in the morning, made camp near Gibeah.

20 Luego salieron a la batalla con el ejército de Benjamín, tomando sus posiciones para atacar Guibeá.

And setting out from there to fight against Benjamin, they began to assault the city.

21 Pero los benjamitas salieron de Guibeá y mataron a veintidós mil israelitas en el campo de batalla ese día.

And the sons of Benjamin, departing from Gibeah, slew twenty-two thousand men from the sons of Israel, on that day.

22 Pero los israelitas se animaron unos a otros a tener confianza, y tomaron las mismas posiciones que tenían el primer día.

Again the sons of Israel, trusting in both strength and number, set their troops in order, in the same place where they had contended before.

23 Los israelitas fueron y clamaron ante el Señor hasta el atardecer y preguntaron: “¿Debemos ir a atacar de nuevo a los benjamitas, nuestros parientes?” “Vayan y atáquenlos”, respondió el Señor.

But first they also went up and wept before the Lord, even until night. And they consulted him and said, “Should I continue to go forth, so as to contend against the sons of Benjamin, my brothers, or not?” And he responded to them, “Ascend against them, and undertake the struggle.”

24 Así que el segundo día avanzaron para atacar al ejército de Benjamín.

And when the sons of Israel had continued to do battle against the sons of Benjamin on the next day,

25 Sin embargo, los benjamitas salieron de Guibeá una vez más y mataron a dieciocho mil israelitas, todos armados con espadas.

the sons of Benjamin burst forth from the gates of Gibeah. And meeting them, they made such a frenzied slaughter against them that they struck down eighteen thousand men who drew the sword.

26 Entonces todos los israelitas y todo su ejército fueron a Betel y se sentaron allí a llorar ante el Señor. Ese día ayunaron hasta la noche y dieron holocaustos y ofrendas de comunión al Señor.

As a result, all the sons of Israel went to the house of God, and sitting down, they wept before the Lord. And they fasted that day until evening, and they offered to him holocausts and victims of peace offerings.

27 Los israelitas le preguntaron al Señor qué debían hacer. En aquel tiempo se guardaba allí el Arca del Acuerdo de Dios.

And they inquired about their state. At that time, the ark of the covenant of the Lord was in that place.

28 Finés, hijo de Eleazar y nieto de Aarón, era el sacerdote. Los israelitas le preguntaron al Señor: “¿Debemos ir y luchar de nuevo contra nuestros parientes de Benjamín, o no?” “¡Sí, vayan! Mañana se los entregaré”, respondió el Señor.

And Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, was the first ruler of the house. And so, they consulted the Lord, and they said, “Should we continue to go forth in battle against the sons of Benjamin, our brothers, or should we cease?” And the Lord said to them: “Ascend. For tomorrow, I will deliver them into your hands.”

29 Entonces los israelitas prepararon una emboscada alrededor de Guibeá.

And the sons of Israel stationed ambushes around the city of Gibeah.

30 Al tercer día tomaron las mismas posiciones de antes.

And they brought out their army against Benjamin a third time, just as they had done on the first and second times.

31 Los benjamitas salieron a atacarlos y se alejaron de la ciudad mientras comenzaban a matar a los israelitas como lo habían hecho antes. Unos treinta israelitas murieron en el campo de batalla y a lo largo de los caminos, el que va hacia Betel y el que vuelve hacia Guibeá.

But the sons of Benjamin again burst forth boldly from the city. And since their enemies were fleeing, they pursued them a long way, so that they might wound or kill some of them, just as they had done on the first and second days. And they turned their backs along two paths, one bringing them toward Bethel, and the other toward Gibeah. And they struck down about thirty men.

32 “Los estamos derrotando, como antes”, gritaron los benjamitas. Pero los israelitas dijeron: “Huyamos de ellos y alejémoslos del pueblo hacia los caminos”.

For they thought that they were falling back as they had done before. But instead, skillfully feigning flight, they undertook a plan to draw them away from the city, and by seeming to flee, to lead them along the above stated paths.

33 El grueso del ejército israelita salió de donde estaba y tomó posiciones en Baal-tamar, mientras que los que estaban en la emboscada al oeste de Guibeá salieron a atacar desde donde se habían escondido.

And so all the sons of Israel, rising up from their positions, set their troops in order, in the place which is called Baaltamar. Likewise, the ambushes that encircled the city began, little by little, to reveal themselves,

34 Diez mil aguerridos guerreros israelitas atacaron Guibeá, y la lucha fue tan intensa que los benjamitas no se dieron cuenta de que estaban al borde del desastre.

and to advance upon the western part of the city. Moreover, another ten thousand men from all of Israel were provoking a conflict with the inhabitants of the city. And the war grew heavy against the sons of Benjamin. And they did not realize that, on all sides of them, death was imminent.

35 Así que el Señor derrotó a Benjamín ante Israel. Ese día los israelitas mataron a veinticinco mil cien benjamitas, todos armados con espadas.

And the Lord struck them down in the sight of the sons of Israel, and they put to death, on that day, twenty-five thousand of them, along with one hundred men, all warriors and those who drew the sword.

36 Los benjamitas vieron que estaban derrotados. Los israelitas habían retrocedido ante los benjamitas porque confiaban en que la emboscada que habían preparado cerca de Guibeá tendría éxito.

But the sons of Benjamin, when they had seen themselves to be the weaker, began to flee. And the sons of Israel discerning this, gave them room to flee, so that they might arrive at the ambushes that were prepared, which they had positioned near the city.

37 Los hombres de la emboscada corrieron a atacar el pueblo, y mataron a todos los que estaban en él.

And after they had risen up suddenly from hiding, and those of Benjamin had turned their backs to those who cut them down, they entered the city, and they struck it with the edge of the sword.

38 El acuerdo fue que enviarían una gran nube de humo para mostrar que la ciudad había caído.

Now the sons of Israel had given a sign to those whom they had stationed in ambushes, so that, after they had seized the city, they would light a fire, and by the smoke ascending on high, they would show that the city was captured.

39 El ejército israelita se volvió para atacar a los benjamitas, que ya habían matado a unos treinta israelitas. Los benjamitas decían: “¡Los estamos derrotando completamente, como en la primera batalla!”.

And then, the sons of Israel discerned this sign during the battle (for the sons of Benjamin had thought that they fled, and they pursued them forcefully, cutting down thirty men from their army).

40 Sin embargo, cuando los israelitas vieron que las columnas de humo se elevaban hacia el cielo hasta formar una gran nube sobre toda la ciudad,

And they saw something like a pillar of smoke ascending from the city. Likewise, Benjamin, looking back, discerned that the city was captured, for the flames were being carried on high.

41 se volvieron contra sus enemigos. Los benjamitas se horrorizaron al verlo y se dieron cuenta de que estaban condenados.

And those who before had pretended to flee, turning their faces, withstood them more strongly. And when the sons of Benjamin had seen this, they turned their backs in flight,

42 Se volvieron y huyeron de los israelitas hacia el desierto, pero la batalla los alcanzó, y los israelitas también mataron a los que salieron de las ciudades en el camino.

and they began to go toward the way of the desert, with the adversary pursuing them to that place also. Moreover, those who had set fire to the city also met them.

43 Persiguiendo a los benjamitas, los israelitas los rodearon y los alcanzaron fácilmente al este de Guibeá.

And so it happened that they were cut down on both sides by the enemies, nor was there any respite for the dying. They were killed and struck down on the eastern side of the city of Gibeah.

44 Murieron dieciocho mil benjamitas, todos ellos valientes guerreros.

Now those who were put to death in the same place were eighteen thousand men, all very robust fighters.

45 Algunos de los benjamitas que quedaron corrieron hacia la Roca de la Granada en el desierto, y los israelitas mataron a otros cinco mil hombres en el camino. Persiguieron a otro grupo de benjamitas hasta Guidón y mataron a otros mil.

And when those who remained of Benjamin had seen this, they fled into the wilderness. And they were traveling toward the rock which is called Rimmon. In that flight also, among those who were scattering in different directions, they slew five thousand men. And though they scattered all the more, they continued to pursue them, and then they put to death another two thousand.

46 Así que ese día mataron a veinticinco mil benjamitas, todos armados con espadas y todos guerreros valientes.

And so it happened that all of those who were slain from Benjamin, in various places, were twenty-five thousand fighters, very willing to go to war.

47 Hubo seiscientos que huyeron a la Roca de la Granada, en el desierto, y permanecieron allí cuatro meses.

And so there remained from the entire number of Benjamin six hundred men who were able to escape and to flee into the wilderness. And they settled at the rock of Rimmon, for four months.

48 Los israelitas volvieron a entrar en el territorio de los benjamitas, y yendo de pueblo en pueblo, mataron todo: personas, animales, todo lo que encontraron. Luego quemaron todos los pueblos en su camino.

But the sons of Israel, returning, had struck with the sword all that remained in the city, from men even to cattle. And all the cities and villages of Benjamin were consumed with devouring flames.