Waamuzi 21
1 Sasa watu wa Israeli walikuwa wameahidi huko Mispa, “Hakuna hata mmoja wetu atakayempa binti yake kuolewa na Mbenyamini.”
Now the men of Israel had sworn an oath at Mizpah, saying, “Not one of us will give his daughter in marriage to a Benjamite.”
2 Ndipo watu wakaenda Betheli, wakakaa huko mbele ya Mungu hata jioni; wakalia kwa sauti kubwa.
So the people came to Bethel and sat there before God until evening, lifting up their voices and weeping bitterly.
3 Walipiga kelele, “Kwa nini, Bwana, Mungu wa Israeli, amefanya jambo hili kwa Waisraeli, kwamba moja ya makabila yetu linapotea leo?”
“Why, O LORD God of Israel,” they cried out, “has this happened in Israel? Today in Israel one tribe is missing!”
4 Siku iliyofuata watu waliamka mapema na wakajenga madhabahu huko na kutoa sadaka za kuteketezwa na sadaka za amani.
The next day the people got up early, built an altar there, and presented burnt offerings and peace offerings.
5 Watu wa Israeli wakasema, “Ni nani kati ya kabila zote za Israeli hawakuja katika mkutano wa Bwana?” Kwa kuwa walikuwa wamefanya ahadi muhimu juu ya mtu yeyote ambaye hakuja kwa Bwana huko Mispa. Wakasema, “Hakika yeye atauawa.”
The Israelites asked, “Who among all the tribes of Israel did not come to the assembly before the LORD?” For they had taken a solemn oath that anyone who failed to come up before the LORD at Mizpah would surely be put to death.
6 Watu wa Israeli walikuwa na huruma kwa ndugu yao Benyamini. Wakasema, “Leo hii kabila moja limekatiliwa mbali kutoka Israeli.
And the Israelites grieved for their brothers, the Benjamites, and said, “Today a tribe is cut off from Israel.
7 Ni nani atakayewapa wale walioachwa wake, kwa kuwa tumeahidi kwa Bwana kwamba hatuwezi kuwaruhusu yeyote kati yao aoe binti zetu?”
What should we do about wives for the survivors, since we have sworn by the LORD not to give them our daughters in marriage?”
8 Wakasema, “Ni nani kati ya kabila za Israeli hawakuja kwa Bwana huko Mispa? Ilionekana kuwa hakuna mtu aliyekuja kwenye mkusanyiko kutoka Jabeshi-Gileadi.
So they asked, “Which one of the tribes of Israel failed to come up before the LORD at Mizpah?” And, in fact, no one from Jabesh-gilead had come to the camp for the assembly.
9 Kwa maana watu walipokuwa wamepangwa kwa utaratibu, tazama, hakuna hata mmoja wa wenyeji wa Yabeshi Gileadi.
For when the people were counted, none of the residents of Jabesh-gilead were there.
10 Mkutano huo uliwatuma watu kumi na wawili wa watu wao wenye ujasiri kwa maagizo ya kwenda Jabeshi-gileadi na kuwaangamiza, na kuwaua, hata wanawake na watoto.
So the congregation sent 12,000 of their most valiant men and commanded them: “Go and put to the sword those living in Jabesh-gilead, including women and children.
11 “Fanya hivi unapaswa kuua kila mume na kila mwanamke aliyelala na mwanaume.”
This is what you are to do: Devote to destruction every male, as well as every female who has had relations with a man.”
12 Watu wale walikuta watu kati ya hao waliokaa Yabeshi-gileadi, wanawake mia nne ambao hawakulala na mwanaume, wakawapeleka kwenye kambi huko Shilo, huko Kanaani.
So they found among the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead four hundred young women who had not had relations with a man, and they brought them to the camp at Shiloh in the land of Canaan.
13 Mkutano wote ukatuma ujumbe na kuwaambia watu wa Benyamini waliokuwa kwenye mwamba wa Rimoni kwamba walikuwa wanawapa amani.
Then the whole congregation sent a message of peace to the Benjamites who were at the rock of Rimmon.
14 Wabenyamini walirudi wakati huo na walipewa wanawake wa Yabeshi Gileadi, lakini hapakuwa na wanawake wa kutosha kwa wote.
And at that time the Benjamites returned and were given the women who were spared from Jabesh-gilead. But there were not enough women for all of them.
15 Watu waliomboleza kwa kile kilichotokea Benyamini, kwa kuwa Bwana alifanya mgawanyiko kati ya makabila ya Israeli.
The people grieved for Benjamin, because the LORD had made a void in the tribes of Israel.
16 Kisha wakuu wa mkutano wakasema, “Tutafanyaje ili Wabenyamini wapate wake, kwa kuwa wanawake wa Benyamini wameuawa?”
Then the elders of the congregation said, “What should we do about wives for those who remain, since the women of Benjamin have been destroyed?”
17 Wakasema, 'Lazima kuwe na urithi kwa Wabenyamini waliosalia, ili kabila lisiharibiwe kutoka Israeli.
They added, “There must be heirs for the survivors of Benjamin, so that a tribe of Israel will not be wiped out.
18 Hatuwezi kuwapa wake kutoka kwa binti zetu, kwa kuwa wana wa Israeli walikuwa wametoa ahadi, 'Na alaaniwe mtu atakayempa Benyamini mke.'”
But we cannot give them our daughters as wives.” For the Israelites had sworn, “Cursed is he who gives a wife to a Benjamite.”
19 Wakasema, “Mnajua kuwa kuna sikukuu kwa Bwana kila mwaka huko Shilo ( ambayo ni kaskazini ya Betheli, mashariki ya barabara inayopanda kutoka Betheli hadi Shekemu, na kusini mwa Lebona).
“But look,” they said, “there is a yearly feast to the LORD in Shiloh, which is north of Bethel east of the road that goes up from Bethel to Shechem, and south of Lebonah.”
20 Wakawaagiza wana wa Benyamini, wakisema, “Nendeni, mjifiche kwa siri, na kusubiri katika mashamba ya mizabibu.
So they commanded the Benjamites: “Go, hide in the vineyards
21 Tazama wakati ambapo wasichana kutoka Shilo watatoka kucheza, Tokeni nje ya mizabibu na kila mmoja wenu anapaswa kunyakua mke kutoka kwa wasichana wa Shilo, kisha kurudi kwenye nchi ya Benyamini.
and watch. When you see the daughters of Shiloh come out to perform their dances, each of you is to come out of the vineyards, catch for himself a wife from the daughters of Shiloh, and go to the land of Benjamin.
22 Wakati baba zao au ndugu zao watakapokuja kutupinga, tutawaambia, 'Tupeni neema! Waache wabaki kwa sababu hatukupata wake kwa kila mtu wakati wa vita. Na ninyi hamna hatia juu ya ahadi, kwa sababu hamkuwapa wao binti zenu.'”
When their fathers or brothers come to us to complain, we will tell them, ‘Do us a favor by helping them, since we did not get wives for each of them in the war. Since you did not actually give them your daughters, you have no guilt.’”
23 Watu wa Benyamini walifanya hivyo. Walichukua idadi ya wake waliowahitaji kutoka kwa wasichana waliokuwa wakicheza, nao wakawachukua ili wawe wake zao. Wakaenda na kurudi mahali pa urithi wao; wakajenga tena miji, na wakaishi ndani yao.
The Benjamites did as instructed and carried away the number of women they needed from the dancers they caught. They went back to their own inheritance, rebuilt their cities, and settled in them.
24 Kisha watu wa Israeli wakatoka mahali hapo na kwenda nyumbani, kila mmoja kwa kabila lake na ukoo, na kila mmoja kwa urithi wake mwenyewe.
And at that time, each of the Israelites returned from there to his own tribe and clan, each to his own inheritance.
25 Siku hizo hapakuwa na mfalme huko Israeli. Kila mtu alifanya yaliyo sawa machoni pake mwenyewe.
In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.
