Waamuzi 21
1 Wana wa Israeli walikuwa wameapa kwa kiapo kule Mispa: “Hapana mtu yeyote atakayemwoza binti yake kwa Wabenyamini.”
Now the men of Israel had sworn in Mizpah, saying, “None of us will give his daughter to Benjamin as a wife.”
2 Watu wakaenda Betheli, wakaketi mbele za Mungu mpaka jioni, wakapaza sauti zao, wakalia sana.
The people came to Bethel and sat there until evening before God, and lifted up their voices, and wept severely.
3 Wakasema, “Ee Bwana, Mungu wa Israeli, kwa nini jambo hili limewapata Waisraeli? Kwa nini kabila moja la Israeli limekosekana?”
They said, “The LORD, the God of Israel, why has this happened in Israel, that there should be one tribe lacking in Israel today?”
4 Kesho yake asubuhi na mapema watu wakajenga madhabahu na kuleta sadaka za kuteketezwa na sadaka za amani.
On the next day, the people rose early and built an altar there, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings.
5 Ndipo Waisraeli wakasema, “Ni kabila lipi la Israeli ambalo halikufika katika mkutano kumkaribia Bwana?” Kwa kuwa walikuwa wameweka kiapo kikuu kuwa yeyote asiyefika mbele za Bwana huko Mispa, kwa hakika angeuawa.
The children of Israel said, “Who is there amongst all the tribes of Israel who didn’t come up in the assembly to the LORD?” For they had made a great oath concerning him who didn’t come up to the LORD to Mizpah, saying, “He shall surely be put to death.”
6 Basi Waisraeli wakaghairi kwa ajili ya ndugu zao Wabenyamini, wakasema, “Leo kabila moja limekatiliwa mbali na Israeli.
The children of Israel grieved for Benjamin their brother, and said, “There is one tribe cut off from Israel today.
7 Sasa tutawezaje kuwapa mabinti zetu wawe wake zao kwa hao waliobaki maadamu tumeapa kwa Bwana kuwa hatutawapa binti zetu kuwa wake zao?”
How shall we provide wives for those who remain, since we have sworn by the LORD that we will not give them of our daughters to wives?”
8 Ndipo wakasema, “Ni kabila lipi la Israeli ambalo halikufika mbele za Bwana huko Mispa?” Wakagundua kuwa hakuna hata mmoja aliyetoka Yabeshi-Gileadi aliyefika kambini kwa ajili ya kusanyiko la mkutano.
They said, “What one is there of the tribes of Israel who didn’t come up to the LORD to Mizpah?” Behold, no one came from Jabesh Gilead to the camp to the assembly.
9 Walipohesabu waliona hakuna mtu yeyote wa Yabeshi-Gileadi aliyekuwepo.
For when the people were counted, behold, there were none of the inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead there.
10 Ndipo mkutano wakatuma askari 12,000 na wakawaamuru kwenda Yabeshi-Gileadi na kuwaua wale wote waishio huko, walikuwepo wake na watoto.
The congregation sent twelve thousand of the most valiant men there, and commanded them, saying, “Go and strike the inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead with the edge of the sword, with the women and the little ones.
11 Wakasema, “Hilo ndilo mtakalofanya. Ueni kila mtu mume na mke ambaye si bikira.”
This is the thing that you shall do: you shall utterly destroy every male, and every woman who has lain with a man.”
12 Wakakuta kati ya watu walioishi Yabeshi-Gileadi wanawali mia nne ambao hawajakutana kimwili na mwanaume, nao wakawachukua kwenye kambi huko Shilo katika nchi ya Kanaani.
They found amongst the inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead four hundred young virgins who had not known man by lying with him; and they brought them to the camp to Shiloh, which is in the land of Canaan.
13 Ndipo mkutano ukatuma ujumbe wa amani kwa Wabenyamini huko katika mwamba wa Rimoni.
The whole congregation sent and spoke to the children of Benjamin who were in the rock of Rimmon, and proclaimed peace to them.
14 Basi Wabenyamini wakarudi nyumbani mwao, wakapewa wale wanawali wa Yabeshi-Gileadi waliowaponya. Lakini hawakuwatosha wanaume wote.
Benjamin returned at that time; and they gave them the women whom they had saved alive of the women of Jabesh Gilead. There still weren’t enough for them.
15 Waisraeli wakasikitika kwa ajili ya Wabenyamini, kwa kuwa Bwana ameweka ufa katika makabila ya Israeli.
The people grieved for Benjamin, because the LORD had made a breach in the tribes of Israel.
16 Viongozi wa kusanyiko wakasema, “Kwa kuwa wanawake wa Wabenyamini wameangamizwa, tufanyeje ili kuwapatia wake wale wanaume waliosalia?
Then the elders of the congregation said, “How shall we provide wives for those who remain, since the women are destroyed out of Benjamin?”
17 Wale waliopona wa Wabenyamini ni lazima tuwape wake, ili wawe na warithi, ili kabila lolote katika Israeli lisifutike.
They said, “There must be an inheritance for those who are escaped of Benjamin, that a tribe not be blotted out from Israel.
18 Hatuwezi kuwapa binti zetu kuwa wake, kwa kuwa sisi Waisraeli tumeapa kiapo hiki: ‘Alaaniwe mtu yeyote ampaye Mbenyamini mke.’”
However, we may not give them wives of our daughters, for the children of Israel had sworn, saying, ‘Cursed is he who gives a wife to Benjamin.’”
19 Ndipo waliposema, “Tazama iko sikukuu ya kila mwaka ya Bwana katika Shilo, kaskazini ya Betheli na mashariki mwa ile barabara itokayo Betheli kwenda Shekemu, upande wa kusini wa Lebona.”
They said, “Behold, there is a feast of the LORD from year to year in Shiloh, which is on the north of Bethel, on the east side of the highway that goes up from Bethel to Shechem, and on the south of Lebonah.”
20 Hivyo wakawaelekeza Wabenyamini wakisema, “Nendeni mkajifiche kwenye mashamba ya mizabibu,
They commanded the children of Benjamin, saying, “Go and lie in wait in the vineyards,
21 nanyi mwangalie. Wasichana wa Shilo watakapojiunga kwenye kucheza, ninyi tokeni kwenye hayo mashamba ya mizabibu na kila mmoja akamate mwanamke mmoja toka miongoni mwa hao wasichana wa Shilo na mwende nao katika nchi ya Benyamini.
and see, and behold, if the daughters of Shiloh come out to dance in the dances, then come out of the vineyards, and each man catch his wife of the daughters of Shiloh, and go to the land of Benjamin.
22 Baba zao au ndugu zao waume watakapotulalamikia, tutawaambia, ‘Kuweni wakarimu kwetu, nanyi mturuhusu tuwe nao kwa kuwa hatukuweza kumpa kila mtu mke tulipopigana. Lakini ninyi pia hamna hatia, kwa kuwa hamkuwapa wao binti zenu kuwa wake.’”
It shall be, when their fathers or their brothers come to complain to us, that we will say to them, ‘Grant them graciously to us, because we didn’t take for each man his wife in battle, neither did you give them to them; otherwise you would now be guilty.’”
23 Basi hivyo ndivyo Wabenyamini walivyofanya. Wakati wasichana walipokuwa wakicheza, kila mtu akamkamata msichana mmoja akamchukua akaenda naye ili awe mke wake. Kisha wakarudi katika urithi wao na kuijenga upya miji na kuishi humo.
The children of Benjamin did so, and took wives for themselves according to their number, of those who danced, whom they carried off. They went and returned to their inheritance, built the cities, and lived in them.
24 Wakati huo Waisraeli wakaondoka sehemu ile na kwenda nyumbani kwao, kwenye makabila yao na kwa jamaa zao, kila mmoja kwenye urithi wake mwenyewe.
The children of Israel departed from there at that time, every man to his tribe and to his family, and they each went out from there to his own inheritance.
25 Katika siku hizo kulikuwa hakuna mfalme katika Israeli; kila mtu alifanya kile alichoona ni sawa machoni pake mwenyewe.
In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did that which was right in his own eyes.
