Waamuzi 20
1 Ndipo Waisraeli wote kuanzia Dani hadi Beer-Sheba na wa kutoka nchi ya Gileadi wakatoka kama mtu mmoja wakakusanyika mbele za Bwana huko Mispa.
Then all the children of Israel took up arms, and the people came together like one man, from Dan to Beer-sheba, and the land of Gilead, before the Lord at Mizpah.
2 Viongozi wote wa kabila za Israeli wakakaa kwenye nafasi zao katika kusanyiko la watu wa Mungu, askari 400,000 waendao kwa miguu wenye panga.
And the chiefs of the people, out of all the tribes of Israel, took their places in the meeting of the people of God, four hundred thousand footmen armed with swords.
3 (Wabenyamini wakasikia kuwa Waisraeli wamepanda kwenda Mispa.) Ndipo Waisraeli wakasema, “Tuelezeni jinsi jambo hili ovu lilivyotendeka.”
(Now the children of Benjamin had word that the children of Israel had gone up to Mizpah.) And the children of Israel said, Make clear how this evil thing took place.
4 Hivyo yule Mlawi, mume wa yule mwanamke aliyeuawa, akasema, “Mimi na suria wangu tulifika Gibea ya Benyamini ili tulale huko.
Then the Levite, the husband of the dead woman, said in answer, I came to Gibeah in the land of Benjamin, I and my servant-wife, for the purpose of stopping there for the night.
5 Wakati wa usiku watu wa Gibea wakanijia na kuizingira nyumba, wakitaka kuniua. Wakambaka suria wangu mpaka akafa.
And the townsmen of Gibeah came together against me, going round the house on all sides by night; it was their purpose to put me to death, and my servant-wife was violently used by them and is dead.
6 Ndipo nikamchukua suria wangu, nikamkatakata vipande vipande na kuvipeleka katika nchi yote ya urithi wa Israeli, kwa kuwa wametenda uasherati mkubwa na jambo la aibu katika Israeli.
So I took her, cutting her into parts which I sent through all the country of the heritage of Israel: for they have done an act of shame in Israel.
7 Sasa, ninyi Waisraeli wote, semeni na mtoe uamuzi wenu.”
Here you all are, you children of Israel; give now your suggestions about what is to be done.
8 Watu wote wakainuka wakasema, kama mtu mmoja, “Hakuna hata mmoja wetu atakayekwenda nyumbani. Wala hakuna hata mmoja wetu atakayerudi nyumbani kwake.
Then all the people got up as one man and said, Not one of us will go to his tent or go back to his house:
9 Sasa hili ndilo tutakaloitendea Gibea: Tutaikabili jinsi kura itakavyotuongoza.
But this is what we will do to Gibeah: we will go up against it by the decision of the Lord;
10 Tutatoa watu kumi katika kila 100 kutoka kwenye kabila zote za Israeli, watu 100 katika watu 1,000 na watu 1,000 katika 10,000, ili waende wakalete mahitaji kwa ajili ya jeshi. Basi wakati jeshi litakapofika Gibea ya Benyamini, watawatendea yale wanayostahili, kwa ajili ya uovu huu wa aibu waliotenda katika Israeli.”
And we will take ten men out of every hundred, through all the tribes of Israel, a hundred out of every thousand, a thousand out of every ten thousand, to get food for the people, so that they may give to Gibeah of Benjamin the right punishment for the act of shame they have done in Israel.
11 Hivyo wanaume wote wa Israeli wakakutanika pamoja na kujiunga kama mtu mmoja dhidi ya huo mji.
So all the men of Israel were banded together against the town, united like one man.
12 Makabila ya Israeli yakatuma watu kwenda katika kabila la Benyamini lote na kuwaambia, “Ni uovu gani huu wa kutisha uliotendeka katikati yenu?
And the tribes of Israel sent men through all the tribe of Benjamin saying, What is this evil which has been done among you?
13 Basi watoeni hao watu waovu kabisa walioko Gibea, ili tupate kuwaua na kuondoa uovu katika Israeli.” Lakini Wabenyamini hawakuwasikia ndugu zao, Waisraeli.
Now give up those good-for-nothing persons in Gibeah so that we may put them to death, clearing away the evil from Israel. But the children of Benjamin would not give ear to the voice of their brothers, the children of Israel.
14 Wakatoka katika miji yao, wakakutanika Gibea ili kupigana na Waisraeli.
And the children of Benjamin came together from all their towns to Gibeah, to go to war with the children of Israel.
15 Siku ile Wabenyamini wakakusanya watu 26,000 kutoka miji yao, waliojifunga panga, mbali na hao 700 waliochaguliwa miongoni mwa hao waliokaa Gibea.
And the children of Benjamin who came that day from the towns were twenty-six thousand men armed with swords, in addition to the people of Gibeah, numbering seven hundred of the best fighting-men,
16 Miongoni mwa hao askari wote kulikuwa na watu 700 bora waliochaguliwa watumiao mkono wa kushoto, kila mmoja wao aliweza kutupa jiwe kwa kombeo na kulenga unywele mmoja bila kukosa.
Who were left-handed, able to send a stone at a hair without error.
17 Nao watu wa Israeli, mbali na hao wa Benyamini, wakakusanya watu waume 400,000, wenye kutumia panga, wote hao walikuwa mashujaa.
And the men of Israel, other than Benjamin, were four hundred thousand in number, all armed with swords; they were all men of war.
18 Waisraeli wakapanda Betheli na kumuuliza Mungu, “Ni nani miongoni mwetu atakayetangulia mbele yetu ili kupigana na Wabenyamini?” Bwana akawajibu, “Yuda ndiye atakayetangulia.”
And they got up and went up to Beth-el to get directions from God, and the children of Israel said, Who is to be the first to go up to the fight against the children of Benjamin? And the Lord said, Judah is to go up first.
19 Asubuhi yake Waisraeli wakaamka na kupiga kambi karibu na Gibea.
So the children of Israel got up in the morning and put themselves in position against Gibeah.
20 Waisraeli wakatoka kupigana na Wabenyamini, nao Waisraeli wakajiweka kwenye nafasi zao katika vita dhidi yao huko Gibea.
And the men of Israel went out to war against Benjamin (and the men of Israel put their forces in fighting order against them at Gibeah).
21 Wabenyamini wakatoka Gibea na kuwaua watu 22,000 wa Israeli siku ile.
Then the children of Benjamin came out from Gibeah, cutting down twenty-two thousand of the Israelites that day.
22 Lakini Waisraeli wakatiana moyo kila mmoja na mwenzake, nao wakajiweka kwenye nafasi zao katika vile vita mara ya pili mahali pale walipokuwa wamejiweka mara ya kwanza.
But the people, the men of Israel, taking heart again, put their forces in order and took up the same position as on the first day.
23 Waisraeli wakapanda mbele za Bwana na kulia mbele zake mpaka jioni, nao wakamuuliza Bwana wakisema, “Je, tupande tena kupigana vita na Wabenyamini, ndugu zetu?” Bwana akajibu, “Pandeni mkapigane nao.”
Now the children of Israel went up, weeping before the Lord till evening, requesting the Lord and saying, Am I to go forward again to the fight against the children of Benjamin my brother? And the Lord said, Go up against him.
24 Ndipo Waisraeli wakawakaribia Wabenyamini siku ya pili.
So the children of Israel went forward against the children of Benjamin the second day.
25 Wakati huu, Wabenyamini walipotoka Gibea ili kupigana nao, wakawaua watu Waisraeli 18,000, wote wakiwa wamejifunga panga.
And the second day Benjamin went out against them from Gibeah, cutting down eighteen thousand men of the children of Israel, all swordsmen.
26 Ndipo Waisraeli, watu wote, wakapanda Betheli, huko wakakaa mbele za Bwana wakilia. Wakafunga siku ile mpaka jioni na kutoa sadaka ya kuteketezwa na sadaka ya amani kwa Bwana.
Then all the children of Israel, and all the people, went up to Beth-el, weeping and waiting there before the Lord, going without food all day till evening, and offering burned offerings and peace-offerings before the Lord.
27 Nao Waisraeli wakauliza kwa Bwana. (Katika siku hizo Sanduku la Agano la Mungu lilikuwa huko
And the children of Israel made request to the Lord, (for the ark of the agreement of the Lord was there in those days,
28 na Finehasi mwana wa Eleazari, mwana wa Aroni, alikuwa anahudumu mbele za hilo Sanduku.) Wakauliza, “Je, tupande kwenda vitani kupigana tena na Wabenyamini ndugu zetu, au la?” Bwana akajibu, “Nendeni, kwa kuwa kesho nitawatia mikononi mwenu.”
And Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, was in his place before it, ) and said, Am I still to go on with the fight against the children of Benjamin my brother, or am I to give it up? And the Lord said, Go on; for tomorrow I will give him into your hands.
29 Basi Waisraeli wakaweka waviziao kuizunguka Gibea.
So Israel put men secretly all round Gibeah to make a surprise attack on it.
30 Kisha Waisraeli wakapanda kupigana na Wabenyamini katika siku ya tatu na kujiweka kwenye nafasi zao dhidi ya Gibea kama walivyokuwa wamefanya hapo kwanza.
And the children of Israel went up against the children of Benjamin on the third day, and put themselves in fighting order against Gibeah as before.
31 Wabenyamini wakatoka ili kukabiliana nao, Waisraeli wakawavuta Wabenyamini watoke katika mji. Wakaanza kupigana na kuua watu wapatao thelathini wa Israeli, kama walivyofanya nyakati nyingine, katika njia kuu, moja iendayo Betheli na nyingine Gibea.
And the children of Benjamin went out against the people, moving away from the town; and as before, at their first attack, they put to death about thirty men of Israel on the highways, of which one goes up to Beth-el and the other to Gibeah, and in the open country.
32 Wabenyamini wakafikiri, “Wanapigwa mbele yetu kama hapo kwanza.” Waisraeli wakasema, “Sisi na turudi nyuma ili tuwavute wauache mji waende kuelekea barabarani.”
And the children of Benjamin said, They are giving way before us as at first. But the children of Israel said, Let us go in flight and get them away from the town, into the highways.
33 Watu wote wa Israeli wakaondoka kwenye sehemu zao na kujipanga huko Baal-Tamari, nao wale waviziaji wa Waisraeli, wakatoka hapo walipokuwa kwenye uwanda wa magharibi ya Gibea.
So all the men of Israel got up and put themselves in fighting order at Baal-tamar: and those who had been waiting secretly to make a surprise attack came rushing out of their place on the west of Geba.
34 Ndipo watu 10,000 bora waliochaguliwa katika Israeli wote, wakaja kuishambulia Gibea. Vita vilikuwa vikali sana, hata Wabenyamini hawakutambua kuwa maangamizi yalikuwa karibu nao kwa kiasi hicho.
And they came in front of Gibeah, ten thousand of the best men in all Israel, and the fighting became more violent; but the children of Benjamin were not conscious that evil was coming on them.
35 Bwana akawashinda Wabenyamini mbele ya Waisraeli na siku ile Waisraeli wakawaua Wabenyamini watu waume 25,100, wote wakiwa wenye kujifunga silaha za vita.
Then the Lord sent sudden fear on Benjamin before Israel; and that day the children of Israel put to death twenty-five thousand, one hundred men of Benjamin, all of them swordsmen.
36 Hivyo Wabenyamini wakaona kuwa wamepigwa. Basi Waisraeli walikuwa wameondoka mbele ya Wabenyamini, kwa sababu Waisraeli waliwategemea hao waviziaji waliokuwa wamewaweka dhidi ya Gibea.
So the children of Benjamin saw that they were overcome: and the men of Israel had given way before Benjamin, putting their faith in the watchers who were to make the surprise attack on Gibeah.
37 Wale waviziaji wakafanya haraka kuingia Gibea, wakasambaa na kuwaua watu wote wa mji kwa upanga.
And the watchers, rushing on Gibeah and overrunning it, put all the town to the sword without mercy.
38 Waisraeli walikuwa wamepatana na hao waviziaji kuwa wangefanya lipande wingu kubwa la moshi kutoka huo mji,
Now the sign fixed between the men of Israel and those making the surprise attack was that when they made a pillar of smoke go up from the town,
39 ndipo watu wa Waisraeli wangegeuka kupigana. Watu wa Benyamini walikuwa wameanza kuwapiga na kuua watu wa Israeli (wapatao thelathini), hivyo wakafikiri, “Hakika tutawapiga, kama tulivyowashinda katika vita hapo kwanza.”
The men of Israel were to make a turn about in the fight. And Benjamin had overcome and put to death about thirty of the men of Israel, and were saying, Certainly they are falling back before us as in the first fight.
40 Lakini wakati lile wingu la moshi lilipoanza kupanda kutoka ule mji, Wabenyamini wakageuka na kuona moshi wa mji mzima unapaa juu angani.
Then the sign went up out of the town in the pillar of smoke, and the Benjamites, turning back, saw all the town going up in smoke to heaven.
41 Ndipo watu wa Israeli wakawageukia, nao Wabenyamini wakatiwa hofu, kwa kuwa walitambua kwamba maafa yamewajia.
And the men of Israel had made a turn about, and the men of Benjamin were overcome with fear, for they saw that evil had overtaken them.
42 Basi wakakimbia mbele ya Waisraeli kuelekea nyikani, lakini hawakuweza kukwepa vile vita. Nao watu wa Israeli waliotoka katika ile miji wakawaua huko.
So turning their backs on the men of Israel, they went in the direction of the waste land; but the fight overtook them; and those who came out of the town were heading them off and putting them to the sword.
43 Wakawazingira Wabenyamini pande zote, wakawafuatia na kuwapata hapo walipopumzika katika viunga vya Gibea upande wa mashariki.
And crushing Benjamin down, they went after them, driving them from Nohah as far as the east side of Gibeah.
44 Wakaanguka Wabenyamini 18,000 ambao wote ni mashujaa.
Eighteen thousand men of Benjamin came to their death, all strong men of war.
45 Walipogeuka na kukimbia kuelekea nyikani hata kufikia mwamba wa Rimoni, Waisraeli wakawaua watu 5,000 wakiwa njiani. Wakawafuata kwa kasi mpaka Gidomu huko wakawaua watu wengine 2,000.
And turning, they went in flight to the rock of Rimmon in the waste land: and on the highways five thousand of them were cut off by the men of Israel, who, pushing on hard after them to Geba, put to death two thousand more.
46 Siku ile wakawaua Wabenyamini 25,000 waliokuwa mashujaa wa vita.
So twenty-five thousand of the swordsmen of Benjamin came to their end that day, all strong men of war.
47 Lakini watu 600 wakakimbia kuelekea nyikani katika mwamba wa Rimoni, na kukaa huko muda wa miezi minne.
But six hundred men, turning back, went in flight to the rock of Rimmon in the waste land, and were living on the rock of Rimmon for four months.
48 Waisraeli wakarudi na kuua watu wote wa Benyamini, pamoja na wanyama na kila walichokikuta. Pia kila mji waliouona waliuchoma moto.
And the men of Israel, turning again against the children of Benjamin, put to the sword without mercy all the towns and the cattle and everything there was, burning every town which came into their hands.
