Atemmufoɔ 21
1 Israelfoɔ aka ntam wɔ Mispa sɛ, wɔremfa wɔn mmammaa mma ɔbarima biara a ɔfiri Benyamin abusuakuo mu awadeɛ.
Now the children of Israel had also sworn in Maspha, saying: None of us shall give of his daughters to the children of Benjamin to wife.
2 Nnipa no kɔɔ Bet-El kɔtenaa Onyankopɔn anim kɔsii anwummerɛ, maa wɔn nne so, suu dendeenden kaa sɛ,
And they all came to the house of God in Silo, and abiding before him till the evening, lifted up their voices, and began to lament and weep, saying:
3 “Ao Awurade, Israel Onyankopɔn, adɛn enti na saa asɛm yi asi? Seesei yɛn mmusuakuo no mu baako ayera!”
O Lord God of Israel, why is so great an evil come to pass in thy people, that this day one tribe should be taken away from among us?
4 Adekyeɛ mu no, nnipa no tuaa nhema sii afɔrebukyia, na wɔbɔɔ ɔhyeɛ ne asomdwoeɛ afɔdeɛ.
And rising early the next day, they built an altar: and offered there holocausts, and victims of peace, and they said:
5 Wɔbisaa sɛ, “Abusuakuo bi wɔ hɔ a wannya ɔnanmusini ɛberɛ a yɛkɔɔ nhyiamu kɛseɛ wɔ Awurade anim wɔ Mispa no anaa?” Saa ɛberɛ no, na wɔaka ntankɛseɛ wɔ Awurade anim sɛ, obiara a wamma no, ɛsɛ sɛ ɔwu.
Who is there among all the tribes of Israel that came not up with the army of the Lord? for they had bound themselves with a great oath, when they were in Maspha, that whosoever were wanting should be slain.
6 Na Israelfoɔ no dii yea wɔ Benyaminfoɔ no ho kaa sɛ, “Ɛnnɛ yi, abusuakuo baako afiri yɛn mu; na nʼase reyɛ atɔre.
And the children of Israel being moved with repentance for their brother Benjamin, began to say: One tribe is taken away from Israel.
7 Na ɛbɛyɛ dɛn na yɛanya yerenom ama wɔn a wɔaka no, ɛsiane sɛ, yɛaka Awurade ntam sɛ yɛremfa yɛn mmammaa mu biara mma wɔn awadeɛ?”
Whence shall they take wives? For we have all in general sworn, not to give our daughters to them.
8 Enti wɔbisaa sɛ, “Ɛberɛ a yɛde yɛn ho kyerɛɛ Awurade wɔ Mispa no na obi nni hɔ bi anaa?” Ɛhɔ na wɔhunuu sɛ, obiara amfiri Yabes Gilead amma saa badwa no mu bi.
Therefore they said: Who is thereof all the tribes of Israel, that came not up to the Lord to Maspha. And behold the inhabitants of Jabes Galaad were found not to have been in that army.
9 Na wɔkan nnipa no nyinaa no, wɔannya obiara a ɔfiri Yabes Gilead.
(At that time also when they were in Silo, no one of them was found there.)
10 Enti, wɔsomaa akofoɔ mpem dumienu kɔɔ Yabes Gilead sɛ wɔnkɔkunkum obiara a ɔwɔ hɔ a mmaa ne mmɔfra ka ho.
So they sent ten thousand of the most valiant men, and commanded them, saying: Go and put the inhabitants of Jabes Galaad to the sword, with their wives and their children.
11 Wɔkaa sɛ, “Yei na ɛsɛ sɛ moyɛ. Monkum ɔbarima ne ɔbaa biara a ɔnyɛ ɔbaabunu.”
And this is what you shall observe: Every male, and all women that have known men, you shall kill, but the virgins you shall save.
12 Yabes Gileadfoɔ mu no, wɔhunuu mmaabunu ahanan a wɔne mmarima nnaa da, na wɔde wɔn baa nsraban a ɛwɔ Silo wɔ Kanaan asase so hɔ.
And there were found of Jabes Galaad four hundred virgins, that had not known the bed of a man, and they brought them to the camp Silo, into the land of Chanaan.
13 Na Israelfoɔ badwa no somaa asomdwoeɛ abɔfoɔ ma wɔkɔɔ Benyaminfoɔ nkaeɛ no a na wɔte Rimon botan ho no nkyɛn.
And they sent messengers to the children of Benjamin, that were in the rock Remmon, and commanded them to receive them in peace.
14 Na Benyaminfoɔ no sane kɔɔ wɔn afie mu, na wɔde mmaabunu a wɔfiri Yabes Gilead a wɔankum bi no maa wɔn awadeɛ. Nanso, mmaa no anso wɔn so.
And the children of Benjamin came at that time, and wives were given them of the daughters of Jabes Galaad: but they found no others, whom they might give in like manner.
15 Nnipa no dii Benyaminfoɔ no ho yea, sɛ Awurade ama mpaapaemu aba Israel mmusuakuo no mu.
And all Israel was very sorry, and repented for the destroying of one tribe out of Israel.
16 Enti, Israel ntuanofoɔ no bisaa sɛ, “Sɛ wɔatɔre mmaa a wɔfiri Benyamin ase yi, ɛbɛyɛ dɛn na yɛanya yerenom ama mmarima a aka no?
And the ancients said: What shall we do with the rest, that have not received wives? for all the women in Benjamin are dead.
17 Ɛsɛ sɛ Benyaminfoɔ a aka no nya adedifoɔ sɛdeɛ ɛbɛyɛ a, Israel abusuakuo bi ase ntɔre.
And we must use all care, and provide with great diligence, that one tribe be not destroyed out of Israel.
18 Nanso yɛrentumi mfa yɛn mmammaa mma wɔn awadeɛ, ɛfiri sɛ, yɛaka ntankɛseɛ sɛ, obiara a ɔde ne babaa bɛma Benyaminni awadeɛ no, Awurade nnome mmra ne so.”
For as to our own daughters we cannot give them, being bound with an oath and a curse, whereby we said: Cursed be he that shall give Benjamin any of his daughters to wife.
19 Afei wɔdwenee Awurade afeafe afahyɛ no ho, deɛ wɔdi wɔ Silo, a ɛwɔ Lebona ne Bet-El ntam, wɔ ɛkwan a ɛfiri Bet-El kɔsi Sekem no apueeɛ fam.
So they took counsel, and said: Behold there is a yearly solemnity of the Lord in Silo, which is situate on the north of the city of Bethel, and on the east side of the way, that goeth from Bethel to Sichem, and on the south of the town of Lebona.
20 Na wɔka kyerɛɛ Benyamin mmarima a wɔda so hwehwɛ yerenom no sɛ, “Monkɔtɛ wɔ bobe nturo no mu.
And they commanded the children of Benjamin, and said: Go, and lie hid in the vineyards,
21 Sɛ mmaa a wɔfiri Silo no ba bɛsa wɔn asa no a, mompue mfiri bobe nturo no mu, na mo mu biara bɛtumi afa wɔn mu baako de no akɔ efie sɛ ne yere.
And when you shall see the daughters of Silo come out, as the custom is, to dance, come ye on a sudden out of the vineyards, and catch you every man his wife among them, and go into the land of Benjamin.
22 Na sɛ wɔn agyanom ne wɔn nuanom mmarima ba sɛ wɔmpene so a, yɛbɛka akyerɛ wɔn sɛ, ‘Yɛsrɛ mo, monte aseɛ. Momma wɔmfa mo mmammaa no, ɛfiri sɛ, ɛberɛ a yɛkunkumm Yabes Gileadfoɔ no, yɛannya mmaa a ɛbɛso wɔn nyinaa so amma wɔn. Monnni ntam no ho fɔ, ɛfiri sɛ, ɛnyɛ mo na mode mo mmammaa maa wɔn awadeɛ.’”
And when their fathers and their brethren shall come, and shall begin to complain against you, and to chide, we will say to them: Have pity on them for they took them not away as by the right of war or conquest, but when they asked to have them, you gave them not, and the fault was committed on your part.
23 Enti, Benyamin mmarima no yɛɛ sɛdeɛ wɔkyerɛɛ wɔn no. Wɔwiawiaa mmaa a wɔbaa afahyɛ no ase, de wɔn kɔɔ asase a ɛyɛ wɔn agyapadeɛ no so. Na wɔkyekyeree wɔn nkuro no bio tenaa mu.
And the children of Benjamin did, as they had been commanded: and according to their number, they carried off for themselves every man his wife of them that were dancing: and they went into their possession and built up their cities, and dwelt in them.
24 Na Israelfoɔ mmusuakuo ne mmusua no firii hɔ sane kɔɔ wɔn ankasa afie mu.
The children of Israel also returned by their tribes, and families, to their dwellings.
25 Saa ɛberɛ no na Israel nni ɔhene, enti na deɛ nnipa no gye di sɛ ɛyɛ wɔ wɔn ani so no na wɔyɛ.
In those days there was no king in Israel: but every one did that which seemed right to himself.
