Jueces 21
1 Los hombres de Israel habían jurado en Mizpa, diciendo: “Ninguno de nosotros dará su hija a Benjamín como esposa”.
When the Israeli men gathered at Mizpah [before the battle started], they vowed, “None of us will ever allow one of our daughters to marry any man from the tribe of Benjamin!”
2 El pueblo vino a Betel y se sentó allí hasta el atardecer delante de Dios, y alzó la voz y lloró gravemente.
But now the Israelis went to Bethel and they cried loudly to Yahweh all day, until the sun went down.
3 Dijeron: “Yahvé, el Dios de Israel, ¿por qué ha sucedido esto en Israel, que hoy falte una tribu en Israel?”
They kept saying, “Yahweh, God of us Israeli people, [it is as though] one of the tribes of us Israelis does not exist any more! (Why has this happened to us?/It is terrible that this has happened to us!)” [RHQ]
4 Al día siguiente, el pueblo se levantó temprano y construyó allí un altar, y ofreció holocaustos y ofrendas de paz.
Early the next morning the people built an altar. Then they completely burned some sacrifices [on the altar], and also offered other sacrifices to maintain fellowship with God.
5 Los hijos de Israel dijeron: “¿Quién hay de todas las tribus de Israel que no haya subido en la asamblea a Yahvé?” Porque habían hecho un gran juramento con respecto al que no subió a Yahvé a Mizpa, diciendo: “Sin duda será condenado a muerte.”
Then, because they had vowed that anyone who did not meet with them at Mizpah [to help fight the men of the tribe of Benjamin] would be killed, they asked among themselves, “Were there any of the tribes of Israel who did not come to Mizpah to meet with us in the presence of Yahweh?”
6 Los hijos de Israel se afligieron por Benjamín, su hermano, y dijeron: “Hoy hay una tribu eliminada de Israel.
The Israelis felt sorry for their fellow Israelis from the tribe of Benjamin. They said, “Today one of our Israeli tribes (has disappeared/no longer exists).
7 ¿Cómo proveeremos de esposas a los que queden, ya que hemos jurado por Yahvé que no les daremos de nuestras hijas como esposas?”
Yahweh heard us solemnly declare that we would not allow any of our daughters to marry any man from the tribe of Benjamin. What can we do to make certain that the men of the tribe of Benjamin who were not killed will have wives?”
8 Dijeron: “¿Qué hay de las tribus de Israel que no haya subido a Yahvé a Mizpa?” He aquí que nadie vino de Jabes de Galaad al campamento a la asamblea.
Then [one of] them asked, “What group from any of the tribes of Israel did not send any men here to Mizpah?”
9 Porque cuando se contó el pueblo, he aquí que no había allí ninguno de los habitantes de Jabes de Galaad.
[They realized that] when the soldiers were counted, there was no one from Jabesh-Gilead [city] who had come there.
10 La congregación envió allí a doce mil de los hombres más valientes, y les ordenó diciendo: “Vayan y hieran a los habitantes de Jabes de Galaad a filo de espada, con las mujeres y los niños.
So all the Israelis decided to send 12,000 very good soldiers to Jabesh-Gilead to kill the people there with their swords, even to kill the married women and children.
11 Esto es lo que haréis: destruiréis por completo a todo varón y a toda mujer que se haya acostado con un hombre.”
[They told this to those men]: “This is what you must do: You must kill every man in Jabesh-Gilead. You must also kill every married woman. [But do not kill the unmarried women].”
12 Encontraron entre los habitantes de Jabes de Galaad cuatrocientas jóvenes vírgenes que no habían conocido al hombre acostándose con él, y las llevaron al campamento de Silo, que está en la tierra de Canaán.
So those soldiers [went to Jabesh-Gilead and killed all the men, married women, and children. But they] found 400 unmarried young women there. So they brought them to their camp at Shiloh, in Canaan, [across the river from the Gilead area that belonged to the tribe of Benjamin].
13 Toda la congregación envió y habló a los hijos de Benjamín que estaban en la roca de Rimón, y les proclamó la paz.
Then all the Israelis [who had gathered] sent a message to the 600 men who were at Rimmon Rock. They said that they would like to make peace with them.
14 Benjamín regresó en ese momento, y les dieron las mujeres que habían salvado vivas de las mujeres de Jabes de Galaad. Todavía no había suficientes para ellos.
So the men came back from Rimmon Rock. The Israelis gave to them the women from Jabesh-Gilead whom they had not killed. But there were [only 400 women. But there were] not enough women [for those 600 men].
15 El pueblo se afligió por Benjamín, porque el Señor había abierto una brecha en las tribus de Israel.
The Israelis [still] felt sorry for the men of the tribe of Benjamin, because Yahweh had (decimated/almost wiped out) one of the Israeli tribes.
16 Entonces los ancianos de la congregación dijeron: “¿Cómo vamos a proveer de esposas a los que quedan, ya que las mujeres han sido destruidas de Benjamín?”
The Israeli leaders said, “We have killed all the married women of the tribe of Benjamin. Where can we get women to be wives of the men who are still alive?
17 Dijeron: “Tiene que haber una herencia para los que se han escapado de Benjamín, para que no se borre una tribu de Israel.
These men must have wives to give birth to children, in order that their families will continue. If that does not happen, all the people of one of the tribes of Israel will die.
18 Sin embargo, no podemos darles esposas de nuestras hijas, porque los hijos de Israel habían jurado diciendo: ‘Maldito el que le dé una esposa a Benjamín’.”
But we cannot allow our daughters to marry these men, because we vowed that Yahweh will curse anyone who gives one of his daughters to become a wife of any man of the tribe of Benjamin.”
19 Dijeron: “He aquí que hay una fiesta de Yahvé de año en año en Silo, que está al norte de Betel, al este del camino que sube de Betel a Siquem, y al sur de Lebona.”
Then [one of] them (had an idea/thought of something that they could do). He said, “Every year there is a festival to honor Yahweh at Shiloh, which is north of Bethel and east of the road that extends from Bethel to Shechem, and it is south of Lebonah [city].”
20 Mandaron a los hijos de Benjamín, diciendo: “Vayan y acechen en las viñas,
So the Israeli leaders told the men of the tribe of Benjamin, “[When it is the time for that festival], go to Shiloh and hide in the vineyards.
21 y vean, y he aquí que si las hijas de Silo salen a bailar en las danzas, salgan de las viñas, y cada uno tome su mujer de las hijas de Silo, y vayan a la tierra de Benjamín.
Keep watching for the young women to come out of the city to dance. [When they come out], all of you should run out of the vineyards. Each of you can seize one of the young women of Shiloh. Then you can all return to your homes [with those women].
22 Cuando sus padres o sus hermanos vengan a quejarse ante nosotros, les diremos: “Concédannoslas con gracia, porque no tomamos para cada uno su mujer en la batalla, ni ustedes se las dieron; de lo contrario, ahora serían culpables.”
If their fathers or brothers come to us and complain [about what you have done], we will say to them, ‘Be kind to the men of the tribe of Benjamin. When we fought them, we did not leave any women alive to become their wives, and you did not give those young women to the men from the tribe of Benjamin. [They stole them]. So you will not be guilty, [even though you said that you would not allow any of your daughters to marry one of them].’”
23 Los hijos de Benjamín lo hicieron así, y tomaron para sí esposas según su número, de las que bailaban, a las que llevaron. Fueron y volvieron a su heredad, edificaron las ciudades y vivieron en ellas.
So that is what the men of the tribe of Benjamin did. [They went to Shiloh at the time of the festival]. And when the young women were dancing, each man caught one of them and took her away and married her. Then they took their wives back to the land that God had given to them. They rebuilt their cities [that had been burned down], and they lived there.
24 Los hijos de Israel salieron de allí en aquel tiempo, cada uno a su tribu y a su familia, y cada uno salió de allí a su propia herencia.
The other Israelis went to their homes in the areas where their tribes and clans lived, the areas that God had allotted to them.
25 En aquellos días no había rey en Israel. Cada uno hacía lo que le parecía correcto.
At that time, the Israeli people did not have a king. Everyone did what they themselves thought was right.
