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 Mizpah, saying, “None of us will give his daughter to Benjamin as a wife.”
2 Ndipo watu wakaenda Betheli, wakakaa huko mbele ya Mungu hata jioni; wakalia kwa sauti kubwa.
The people came to Bethel and sat there until evening before God, and lifted up their voices, and wept severely.
3 Walipiga kelele, “Kwa nini, Bwana, Mungu wa Israeli, amefanya jambo hili kwa Waisraeli, kwamba moja ya makabila yetu linapotea leo?”
They said, “Yahweh, the God of Israel, why has this happened in Israel, that there should be one tribe lacking in Israel today?”
4 Siku iliyofuata watu waliamka mapema na wakajenga madhabahu huko na kutoa 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 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 children of Israel said, “Who is there among all the tribes of Israel who didn’t come up in the assembly to Yahweh?” For they had made a great oath concerning him who didn’t come up to Yahweh to Mizpah, 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.
The children of Israel grieved for Benjamin their brother, and said, “There is one tribe cut off from Israel today.
7 Ni nani atakayewapa wale walioachwa wake, kwa kuwa tumeahidi kwa Bwana kwamba hatuwezi kuwaruhusu yeyote kati yao aoe binti zetu?”
How shall we provide wives for those who remain, since we have sworn by Yahweh 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.
They said, “What one is there of the tribes of Israel who didn’t come up to Yahweh to Mizpah?” Behold, no one came from Jabesh Gilead to the camp to 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, behold, there were none of the inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead 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.
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 “Fanya hivi unapaswa kuua kila mume na kila mwanamke aliyelala na mwanaume.”
This is the thing that you shall do: you shall utterly destroy every male, and every woman who has lain 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.
They found among 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 Mkutano wote ukatuma ujumbe na kuwaambia watu wa Benyamini waliokuwa kwenye mwamba wa Rimoni kwamba walikuwa wanawapa amani.
The whole congregation sent and spoke to the children of Benjamin who were in the rock of Rimmon, and proclaimed peace to them.
14 Wabenyamini walirudi wakati huo na walipewa wanawake wa Yabeshi Gileadi, lakini hapakuwa na wanawake wa kutosha kwa 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 Watu waliomboleza kwa kile kilichotokea Benyamini, kwa kuwa Bwana alifanya mgawanyiko kati ya makabila ya Israeli.
The people grieved for Benjamin, because Yahweh 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 provide wives for those who remain, since the women are destroyed out of Benjamin?”
17 Wakasema, 'Lazima kuwe na urithi kwa Wabenyamini waliosalia, ili kabila lisiharibiwe kutoka Israeli.
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 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 had sworn, saying, ‘Cursed is he who 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).
They said, “Behold, there is a feast of Yahweh 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 Wakawaagiza wana wa Benyamini, wakisema, “Nendeni, mjifiche kwa siri, na kusubiri katika mashamba ya mizabibu.
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 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 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.'”
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 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 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 Kisha watu wa Israeli wakatoka mahali hapo na kwenda nyumbani, kila mmoja kwa kabila lake na ukoo, na kila mmoja kwa 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 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 that which was right in his own eyes.
