Jueces 21
1 Los hombres de Israel habían hecho un juramento en Mizpa: “Ninguno de nosotros permitirá que nuestras hijas se casen con un benjamita”.
The sons of Israel had also taken an oath at Mizpah, and they said, “None of us shall give his daughters as a wife to the sons of Benjamin.”
2 Los israelitas fueron a Betel y se sentaron allí ante Dios hasta el atardecer, llorando a gritos de angustia.
And they all went to the house of God at Shiloh. And sitting in his sight until evening, they lifted up their voice, and they began to weep, with a great wailing, saying,
3 “Señor, Dios de Israel, ¿por qué le ha sucedido esto a Israel?”, preguntaron. “Hoy falta una de nuestras tribus en Israel”.
“Why, O Lord, God of Israel, has this evil happened among your people, so that this day one tribe would be taken away from us?”
4 Al día siguiente se levantaron temprano, construyeron un altar y trajeron holocaustos y ofrendas de comunión.
Then, rising at first light on the next day, they built an altar. And they offered holocausts and victims of peace offerings there, and they said,
5 “¿Cuál de todas las tribus de Israel no asistió a la asamblea que celebramos ante el Señor?”, preguntaron. Porque habían hecho un juramento sagrado de que cualquiera que no se presentara ante el Señor en Mizpa sería ejecutado sin excepción.
“Who, out of all the tribes of Israel, did not ascend with the army of the Lord?” For they had bound themselves with a great oath, when they were at Mizpah, that whoever was not present would be slain.
6 Los israelitas se compadecieron de su hermano Benjamín, diciendo: “¡Hoy una tribu ha sido arrancada de Israel!
And the sons of Israel, having been led to repentance over their brother Benjamin, began to say: “One tribe has been taken away from Israel.
7 ¿Qué haremos con las esposas para los que quedan, ya que hemos jurado ante el Señor que no permitiremos que ninguna de nuestras hijas se case con ellos?”
From where shall they receive wives? For we have all sworn in common that we will not give our daughters to them.”
8 Entonces preguntaron: “¿Quién de todas las tribus de Israel no asistió a la asamblea que celebramos ante el Señor en Mizpa?” Descubrieron que nadie de Jabés Galaad había acudido al campamento para la asamblea,
For this reason, they said, “Who is there, out of all the tribes of Israel, that did not ascend to the Lord at Mizpah?” And behold, the inhabitants of Jabesh-Gilead were found not to have been among that army.
9 pues una vez hecho el recuento, no había nadie de Jabés Galaad.
(Likewise, in the time when they had been at Shiloh, not one of them was found to be there.)
10 Así que la asamblea envió allí a doce mil de sus mejores guerreros. Les dieron órdenes, diciendo: “Vayan y maten a los habitantes de Jabes de Galaad con sus espadas, incluso a las mujeres y a los niños.
And so they sent ten thousand very robust men, and they instructed them, saying, “Go and strike down the inhabitants of Jabesh-Gilead with the edge of the sword, including their wives and little ones.”
11 Esto es lo que tienen que hacer: Destruyan a todo varón y a toda mujer que haya tenido relaciones sexuales con un hombre”.
And this shall be what you ought to do: “Every one of the male gender, as well as all the women who have known men, shall be put to death. But the virgins you shall reserve.”
12 Lograron encontrar entre los habitantes de Jabés Galaad cuatrocientas vírgenes que no habían tenido relaciones sexuales con un hombre. Las llevaron al campamento de Silo, en la tierra de Canaán.
And four hundred virgins, who had not known the bed of a man, were found from Jabesh-Gilead. And they brought them to the camp at Shiloh, in the land of Canaan.
13 Entonces toda la asamblea envió un mensaje a los benjamitas en la Roca de Rimónpara decirles: “¡Paz!”
And they sent messengers to the sons of Benjamin, who were at the rock of Rimmon, and they instructed them, so that they would receive them in peace.
14 Así que los hombres de Benjamín regresaron a sus casas y les dieron como esposas a las cuatrocientas mujeres de Jabes Galaad que se habían salvado. Sin embargo, no había suficiente para todos ellos.
And the sons of Benjamin went, at that time, and wives were given to them from the daughters of Jabesh-Gilead. But others were not found, whom they might give in a similar manner.
15 El pueblo se compadeció de los benjamitas porque el Señor había hecho este vacío entre las tribus israelitas.
And all of Israel was very saddened, and they did penance for destroying one tribe out of Israel.
16 Los ancianos de la asamblea preguntaron: “¿Qué haremos para suplir a las esposas restantes, porque todas las mujeres de Benjamín han sido destruidas?”
And those greater by birth said: “What shall we do with the remainder, those who have not received wives? For all the females of Benjamin have been cut down,
17 Añadieron: “Tiene que haber herederos para los supervivientes benjaminitas; una tribu israelita de Israel no puede ser aniquilada.
and we must take great care, and make provision with a very great diligence, so that one tribe may not be wiped away from Israel.
18 Pero no podemos permitirles que tengan a nuestras hijas como esposas, ya que nosotros, como pueblo de Israel, hicimos un juramento sagrado, diciendo: ‘¡Maldito aquél que le dé una esposa a un benjaminita!’”
As for our own daughters, we are not able to give them, being bound by an oath and a curse, when we said, ‘Accursed is he who will give any of his daughters to Benjamin as a wife.’”
19 Entonces dijeron: “¡Mira! Todos los años se celebra la fiesta del Señor en Silo. Se celebra al norte de Betel, y al este del camino que va de Betel a Siquem, al sur de Lebona”.
And they took counsel, and they said, “Behold, there is a yearly solemnity of the Lord at Shiloh, which is situated to the north of the city of Bethel, and on the eastern side of the way that one takes from Bethel to Shechem, and to the south of the town of Lebonah.”
20 Entonces ordenaron a los benjamitas: “Vayan y escóndanse en las viñas.
And they instructed the sons of Benjamin, and they said: “Go, and hide in the vineyards.
21 Estén atentos, y cuando vean a las jóvenes de Silo salir a hacer sus danzas, salgan corriendo de las viñas, y cada uno de ustedes secuestre una esposa para sí mismo y regrese a su casa en la tierra de Benjamín.
And when you will have seen daughters of Shiloh being led out to dance, according to custom, go forth suddenly from the vineyards, and let each one seize one wife from among them, and travel into the land of Benjamin.
22 Si sus padres o hermanos vienen a quejarse a nosotros, les diremos: ‘Por favor, hágannos un favor, porque no pudimos encontrar suficientes esposas para ellos en la guerra. Y no es que ustedes sean culpables de romper el juramento, ya que no las dieron en matrimonio’”.
And when their fathers and brothers arrive, and they begin to complain against you and to argue, we will say to them: ‘Take pity on them. For they have not seized them by right of war or conquest. Instead, begging to receive them, you did not give them, and so the sin was on your part.’”
23 Losbenjaminitas hicieron lo que se les ordenó. Cada hombre tomó a una de las mujeres bailarinas hasta donde fue necesario y se la llevó para que fuera su esposa. Luego regresaron a su tierra, donde reconstruyeron sus ciudades y habitaron en ellas.
And so the sons of Benjamin did just as they had been ordered. And according to their number, they seized for themselves one wife each, out of those who were led out dancing. And they went into their own possession, and they built up their cities, and they lived in them.
24 Luego los israelitas partieron y se fueron a sus tribus y familias, cada uno a la tierra que poseía.
The sons of Israel also returned, according to their tribes and families, to their tents.
25 En aquel tiempo Israel no tenía un rey; cada uno hacía lo que le parecía correcto.
In those days, there was no king in Israel. Instead, each one did what seemed right to himself.
