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 in Mizpeh, saying, There shall not any of us give his daughter to Benjamin to wife.
2 Ndipo watu wakaenda Betheli, wakakaa huko mbele ya Mungu hata jioni; wakalia kwa sauti kubwa.
And the people came to the house of God, and stayed there till even before God, and lifted up their voices, and wept sore;
3 Walipiga kelele, “Kwa nini, Bwana, Mungu wa Israeli, amefanya jambo hili kwa Waisraeli, kwamba moja ya makabila yetu linapotea leo?”
And said, O LORD God of Israel, why is this come to pass in Israel, that there should be to day one tribe lacking in Israel?
4 Siku iliyofuata watu waliamka mapema na wakajenga madhabahu huko na kutoa sadaka za kuteketezwa na sadaka za amani.
And it came to pass on the morrow, that the people rose early, and built there an altar, and offered 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.”
And the children of Israel said, Who is there among all the tribes of Israel that came not up with the congregation to the LORD? For they had made a great oath concerning him that came not up to the LORD to Mizpeh, saying, He shall 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 children of Israel repented them for Benjamin their brother, and said, There is one tribe cut off from Israel this day.
7 Ni nani atakayewapa wale walioachwa wake, kwa kuwa tumeahidi kwa Bwana kwamba hatuwezi kuwaruhusu yeyote kati yao aoe binti zetu?”
How shall we do for wives for them that remain, seeing we have sworn by the LORD that we will not give them of our daughters to wives?
8 Wakasema, “Ni nani kati ya kabila za Israeli hawakuja kwa Bwana huko Mispa? Ilionekana kuwa hakuna mtu aliyekuja kwenye mkusanyiko kutoka Jabeshi-Gileadi.
And they said, What one is there of the tribes of Israel that came not up to Mizpeh to the LORD? And, behold, there came none to the camp from Jabeshgilead to the assembly.
9 Kwa maana watu walipokuwa wamepangwa kwa utaratibu, tazama, hakuna hata mmoja wa wenyeji wa Yabeshi Gileadi.
For the people were numbered, and, behold, there were none of the inhabitants of Jabeshgilead 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.
And the congregation sent thither twelve thousand men of the most valiant, and commanded them, saying, Go and smite the inhabitants of Jabeshgilead with the edge of the sword, with the women and the children.
11 “Fanya hivi unapaswa kuua kila mume na kila mwanamke aliyelala na mwanaume.”
And this is the thing that you shall do, You shall utterly destroy every male, and every woman that has lain by 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.
And they found among the inhabitants of Jabeshgilead four hundred young virgins, that had known no man by lying with any male: and they brought them to the camp to Shiloh, which is in the land of Canaan.
13 Mkutano wote ukatuma ujumbe na kuwaambia watu wa Benyamini waliokuwa kwenye mwamba wa Rimoni kwamba walikuwa wanawapa amani.
And the whole congregation sent some to speak to the children of Benjamin that were in the rock Rimmon, and to call peaceably to them.
14 Wabenyamini walirudi wakati huo na walipewa wanawake wa Yabeshi Gileadi, lakini hapakuwa na wanawake wa kutosha kwa wote.
And Benjamin came again at that time; and they gave them wives which they had saved alive of the women of Jabeshgilead: and yet so they sufficed them not.
15 Watu waliomboleza kwa kile kilichotokea Benyamini, kwa kuwa Bwana alifanya mgawanyiko kati ya makabila ya Israeli.
And the people repented them for Benjamin, because that the LORD had made a breach 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, How shall we do for wives for them that remain, seeing the women are destroyed out of Benjamin?
17 Wakasema, 'Lazima kuwe na urithi kwa Wabenyamini waliosalia, ili kabila lisiharibiwe kutoka Israeli.
And they said, There must be an inheritance for them that be escaped of Benjamin, that a tribe be not destroyed out of Israel.
18 Hatuwezi kuwapa wake kutoka kwa binti zetu, kwa kuwa wana wa Israeli walikuwa wametoa ahadi, 'Na alaaniwe mtu atakayempa Benyamini mke.'”
However, we may not give them wives of our daughters: for the children of Israel have sworn, saying, Cursed be he that gives a wife to Benjamin.
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).
Then they said, Behold, there is a feast of the LORD in Shiloh yearly in a place which is on the north side of Bethel, on the east side of the highway that goes up from Bethel to Shechem, and on the south of Lebonah.
20 Wakawaagiza wana wa Benyamini, wakisema, “Nendeni, mjifiche kwa siri, na kusubiri katika mashamba ya mizabibu.
Therefore they commanded the children of Benjamin, saying, Go and lie in wait 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 see, and, behold, if the daughters of Shiloh come out to dance in dances, then come you out of the vineyards, and catch you every man his wife of 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.'”
And it shall be, when their fathers or their brothers come to us to complain, that we will say to them, Be favorable to them for our sakes: because we reserved not to each man his wife in the war: for you did not give to them at this time, that you should be guilty.
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.
And the children of Benjamin did so, and took them wives, according to their number, of them that danced, whom they caught: and they went and returned to their inheritance, and repaired the cities, and dwelled 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 the children of Israel departed there at that time, every man to his tribe and to his family, and they went out from there every man to his 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: every man did that which was right in his own eyes.
