Israel Gets Ready for War
1-3 The Israelites called a meeting of the nation. And since they were God's people, the meeting was held at the place of worship in Mizpah. Men who could serve as soldiers came from everywhere in Israel—from Dan in the north, Beersheba in the south, and Gilead east of the Jordan River. Four hundred thousand of them came to Mizpah, and they each felt the same about what those men from the tribe of Benjamin had done.
News about the meeting at Mizpah reached the tribe of Benjamin.
As soon as the leaders of the tribes of Israel took their places, the Israelites said, “How could such a horrible thing happen?”
4 The husband of the murdered woman answered:
My wife and I went into the town of Gibeah in Benjamin to spend the night. 5 Later that night, the men of Gibeah surrounded the house. They wanted to kill me, but instead they raped and killed my wife. 6 It was a terrible thing for Israelites to do! So I cut up her body and sent the pieces everywhere in Israel.
7 You are the people of Israel, and you must decide today what to do about the men of Gibeah.
8 The whole army was in agreement, and they said, “None of us will go home. 9-10 We'll send one tenth of the men from each tribe to get food for the army. And we'll ask God who should attack Gibeah, because those men deserve to be punished for committing such a horrible crime in Israel.”
11 Everyone agreed that Gibeah had to be punished.
12 The tribes of Israel sent messengers to every town and village in Benjamin. And wherever the messengers went, they said, “How could those worthless men in Gibeah do such a disgusting thing? 13 We can't allow such a terrible crime to go unpunished in Israel! Hand the men over to us, and we will put them to death.”
But the people of Benjamin refused to listen to the other Israelites. 14 Men from towns all over Benjamin's territory went to Gibeah and got ready to fight Israel. 15 The Benjamin tribe had 26,000 soldiers, not counting the 700 who were Gibeah's best warriors. 16 In this army there were 700 left-handed experts who could sling a rock at a target the size of a hair and hit it every time.
17 The other Israelite tribes organized their army and found they had 400,000 experienced soldiers. 18 So they went to the place of worship at Bethel and asked God, “Which tribe should be the first to attack the people of Benjamin?”
“Judah,” the Lord answered.
19 The next morning the Israelite army moved its camp to a place near Gibeah. 20 Then they left their camp and got into position to attack the army of Benjamin.
The War Between Israel and Benjamin
21 Benjamin's soldiers came out of Gibeah and attacked, and when the day was over, 22,000 Israelite soldiers lay dead on the ground.
22-24 The people of Israel went to the place of worship and cried until sunset. Then they asked the Lord, “Should we attack the people of Benjamin again, even though they are our relatives?”
“Yes,” the Lord replied, “attack them again!”
The Israelite soldiers encouraged each other to be brave and to fight hard. Then the next day they went back to Gibeah and took up the same positions as they had before.
25 That same day, Benjamin's soldiers came out of Gibeah and attacked, leaving another 18,000 Israelite soldiers dead on the battlefield.
26-28 The people of Israel went to the place of worship at Bethel, where the sacred chest was being kept. They sat on the ground, crying and not eating for the rest of the day. Then about sunset, they offered sacrifices to please the Lord and to ask his blessing. Phinehas the priest then prayed, “Our Lord, the people of Benjamin are our relatives. Should we stop fighting or attack them again?”
“Attack!” the Lord answered. “Tomorrow I will let you defeat them.”
29 The Israelites surrounded Gibeah, but stayed where they could not be seen. 30 Then the next day, they took the same positions as twice before, 31-41 but this time they had a different plan. They said, “When the men of Benjamin attack, we will run off and let them chase us away from the town and into the country roads.”
The soldiers of Benjamin attacked the Israelite army and started pushing it back from the town. They killed about 30 Israelites in the fields and along the road between Gibeah and Bethel. The men of Benjamin were thinking, “We're mowing them down like we did before.”
The Israelites were running away, but they headed for Baal-Tamar, where they regrouped. They had set an ambush, and they were sure it would work. Ten thousand of Israel's best soldiers had been hiding west of Gibeah, and as soon as the men of Benjamin chased the Israelites into the countryside, these 10,000 soldiers made a surprise attack on the town gates. They dashed in and captured Gibeah, killing everyone there. Then they set the town on fire, because the smoke would be the signal for the other Israelite soldiers to turn and attack the soldiers of Benjamin.
The fighting had been so heavy around the soldiers of Benjamin, that they did not know the trouble they were in. But then they looked back and saw clouds of smoke rising from the town. They looked in front and saw the soldiers of Israel turning to attack. This terrified them, because they realized that something horrible was happening. And it was horrible—over 25,000 soldiers of Benjamin died that day, and those who were left alive knew that the Lord had given Israel the victory.
42 The men of Benjamin headed down the road toward the desert, trying to escape from the Israelites. But the Israelites stayed right behind them, keeping up their attack. Men even came out of the nearby towns to help kill the men of Benjamin, 43 who were having to fight on all sides. The Israelite soldiers never let up their attack. They chased and killed the warriors of Benjamin as far as a place directly east of Gibeah, 44 until 18,000 of these warriors lay dead.
45 Some other warriors of Benjamin turned and ran down the road toward Rimmon Rock in the desert. The Israelites killed 5,000 of them on the road, then chased the rest until they had killed 2,000 more. 46 Twenty-five thousand soldiers of Benjamin died that day, all of them experienced warriors. 47 Only 600 of them finally made it into the desert to Rimmon Rock, where they stayed for four months.
48 The Israelites turned back and went to every town in Benjamin's territory, killing all the people and animals, and setting the towns on fire.
Ovaisrael mave rirongerere ovita
1 Okuzambo Ovaisrael avehe va kumuka okuza kOdan nga kOberseba, novandu va Gilead wina, nombongo ya worongana otja omurumendu umwe komurungu wa Muhona mOmispa. 2 Novanane vomihoko avihe vyOvaisrael va ri pombongarero ndji yotjiwaṋa tja Ndjambi. Nu pa ri ovarumendu ovarwe wovita mbe kayenda pehi omayovi omasere yane mba ri nomangaruvyo. 3 Nu Ovabenjamin va zuva kutja Ovaisrael va woronganena mOmispa.
Ovaisrael va purasana nai: “Ouhasemba otja imbwi wa tjitwa vi?” 4 NOmulevi, omurumendu womukazendu ngwa ṱa, arire tja serekarere a tja: “Ami mbe ya puna omukazendu wandje omumbanda kOgibea tjomuhoko wa Benjamin okurara mo. 5 Novature va Gibea ve ndji sekamena nave kovere ondjuwo ouṱuku. Owo va vanga okundjizepa nave tjere omukazendu wandje omumbanda nga tja koka. 6 Notji mba toora orurova romukazendu wandje omumbanda, e ru kondo movindimbu omurongo na vivari ne vi hindi komihoko omurongo na vivari vya Israel, orondu owo tjinga ava tjita otjiṋa otjiyaukise mOisrael. 7 Eṋe amuhe mbu mu ri mba oweṋe Ovaisrael. Nambano ripureye notjiṋa hi, nu mu zuvasane kutja mamu tjiti vi.”
8 Notjiwaṋa atjihe tja sekama otja omundu umwe natji tja: “Kape na umwe wetu ngu ma yaruka konganda poo kondjuwo ye! 9 Nambano otjiṋa tji matu vanga okutjita kOgibea, otjo hi: Ngatu yumbe ozohanga! 10 Ovarumendu Ovaisrael omurongo kesere, nesere rimwe keyovi, neyovi rimwe komayovi omurongo, ve kapahere otjimbumba tjovita onguta. Nu kombunda yomakotokero wawo ngatu verere Gibea tjomuhoko wa Benjamin ondjito ondjaukise, ndji tja tjita kOisrael.” 11 Ovaisrael avehe otji va wongara otja omurumendu umwe okukarwisa otjihuro ho.
12 Tjazumba omihoko vya Israel vya tuma ovarumendu komuhoko wa Benjamin nombuze ndji: “Ondjito yatjike ondjaukise ndja tjitwa mokati keṋu? 13 Nambano tu peye ovarumendu mba ovarunde mOgibea tu ve zepe kutja ourunde mbwi u yandisiwe mOisrael.” Nungwari Ovabenjamin kave zuvire kOvaisrael ovakwao. 14 Nowo otji ve ya kOgibea okuza kovirongo avihe vyOvabenjamin okurwisa Ovaisrael ovakwao. 15 Nu meyuva ndo pa worongana Ovabenjamin ovarwe mbe ri pangiṋa novirwise omayovi omirongo vivari na hamboumwe okuza kovirongo vyawo, nokuhinovature va Gibea; mOgibea mwa worongana ovarumendu omasere hambombari ovatoororwa. 16 Nu mokati kovandu mba avehe mwa ri ovarumendu ovatoororwa omasere hambombari ovamoho, auhe wawo aa yumbu ewe nawa nokuhinokuparwisa. 17 Ovaisrael wina tji va varwa, nokuhinomuhoko wa Benjamin, pa munika otjivaro tjovarumendu mbe ri pangiṋa novirwise omayovi omasere yane, avehe ozombangaṋe.
Ovita kuna Ovabenjamin
18 Ovaisrael va ya kObetel okukapura ku Ndjambi kutja omuhoko uṋe mokati komihoko vyawo mbu mau tenge po okurwisa Ovabenjamin.
Nu Muhona wa zira a tja: “Omuhoko wa Juda nga rire mbwa tenge po.”
19 Mependukirwa ra indo Ovaisrael otji va womboroka nave katona ozondanda popezu na Gibea. 20 Nowo va kayenda okukarwisa Ovabenjamin nave kakurama motuteto twomarwiro ava hungama Gibea. 21 NOvabenjamin otji va pita mOgibea nave nyono Ovaisrael omayovi omirongo vivari na yevari meyuva ndo. 22-23 Nu moruveze tjingero ndo Ovaisrael va karonda kObetel nave karirira komurungu wa Muhona nga kongurova. Owo va pura Muhona ave tja: “Ngatu karwe rukwao novakwetu votjiwaṋa tjOvabenjamin?”
Muhona wa zira a tja: “Twendeye mu keverwise!”
Notjimbumba tjOvaisrael tjovita tja yanḓipara; notjo tja kurama rukwao motuteto twomarwiro, imba pu va kuramene meyuva etenga. 24 Ovaisrael va kumuka rukwao meyuva oritjavari okukarwisa Ovabenjamin. 25 NOvabenjamin wina va pita okuza mOgibea meyuva oritjavari ndo; nu otjikando hi va zepa Ovaisrael ovarwe ovanavirwise omayovi omurongo na hambondatu. 26 Tjazumba Ovaisrael avehe va ronda kObetel. Ovo va kahaama mbo komurungu wa Ndjambi amave riri nokuhinokurya nga kongurova; nowo va punguhira Muhona ozombunguhiro ozoningiririsiwa nozohange. 27 NOvaisrael va pura Muhona, orondu omayuva ngo Otjipwikiro tjOmerikutiropamwe wa Ndjambi, tja ri mObetel. 28 Nu Pinhas, omuzandu wa Eleasar, omuzandu wa Aron, omayuva ngo aa karere Muhona otja omupristeri. Novandu va pura Muhona ave tja: “Ngatu kumuke rukwao okukarwa novakwetu Ovabenjamin poo ngatu ve ese?”
Muhona arire tja ziri a tja: “Kumukeye uri, muhuka tjinga ame ve yandja mouvara weṋu.”
29 Okuzambo Ovaisrael otji va twa ovarumendu ovarwe wovita motutatwa okukondoroka Gibea. 30 Nu meyuva oritjatatu Ovaisrael va sekamena Ovabenjamin, nave twa ovarwe vawo motuteto twomarwiro ouhunga na Gibea tjimuna ovikando imbi vivari ovitenga. 31 NOvabenjamin va pita okurwa nave hemenwa i Ovaisrael okuhumburuka kokure notjihuro. Otja tji va tjita rutenga, Ovabenjamin va uta okuzepa Ovaisrael tjiva mondjira ya Betel na mondjira ya Gibea; mehi eparanga ndi va zepa mo Ovaisrael mangara omirongo vitatu. 32 Ovabenjamin otji va tjangovasi va toṋa Ovaisrael tjimuna otjikando hi otjitenga.
Nu vari Ovaisrael va zuvasana ave tja: “Ngatu yaruke ovihahambunda okuvehemena ve ze ko kotjihuro nu ve yende kozondjira ozonene.” 33 Ovaisrael avehe opu va zira po poṋa pu va kuramene nave kaworongenena mObaal-Tamar. Nungwari Ovaisrael ovarwe, mba ṱarere motutatwa, va purukuta tjimanga motutatwa twawo tu twa ri kuṱa kongurova kwa Geba. 34 Ovarumendu ovarwe wovita omayovi omurongo mba toororwa mOvaisrael avehe va rwisa Gibea; notjirwa hi tja ri otjizeu tjinene. NOvabenjamin kave tjizire kutja ve ri pokuyandekwa. 35 Muhona wa yandja outoṋi kOvaisrael kombanda yotjimbumba tjOvabenjamin tjovita. Ovaisrael va zepa ovanavita omayovi omirongo vivari na yetano nesere rimwe meyuva ndo. 36 Ovabenjamin otji ve rimuna kutja va haverwa.
Nu vari Ovaisrael ve riyarura ombunda tjinene okuza kOvabenjamin, tjinga ave riyameka kovarumendu, mba ri motutatwa tu twa kondorokere Gibea. 37 Nu imba mba ri motutatwa va ṋiṋikiza okutupuka kOgibea, ave taurire motjihuro nave zepa ovature vatjo avehe. 38 NOvaisrael va zuvasana na imba mba ri motutatwa kutja ve twimise otjikamba otjinene tjomuise motjihuro. 39 Notjimbumba tjOvaisrael tjovita tja tanauka okutupuka. NOvabenjamin va uta okuzepa tjiva motjimbumba tjOvaisrael, ovarumendu mangara omirongo vitatu. Nowo otji ve rihungirira ave tja: “Twe ve havere tjimuna rutenga.” 40 Nu mokamanga otjikamba tjomuise tja uta okuronda meyuru okuza motjihuro. NOvabenjamin tji va taviza kombunda va muna otjihuro atjihe atja rundu motururumo. 41 Notjimbumba tjOvaisrael tji tja tanauka, Ovabenjamin arire tji va uruma, tjinga ave rimuna kutja ve ri moumba. 42 Nowo va yaruka ombunda okuza po pOvaisrael nave tupuka okuhungama okuti onguza; nungwari otjimbumba tjOvaisrael tje ve vaza, nu imba mba zire movihuro ve ve kovera nave ve nyono. 43 Ovaisrael va tezera Ovabenjamin nave kevekoverera pomasuviro wawo, ombarakana na Gibea kuṱa komuhuka. 44 Nu pa ṱa ovarumendu Ovabenjamin omayovi omurongo na hambondatu, avehe ovarwe omapenda porwe. 45 Nu imba mba hupa va tanauka nave tupuka mokuti onguza kuṱa kOruuwa rwa Rimon. Omayovi yetano wawo ya ṱira mozondjira. NOvaisrael ve ve tezera nga kOgidom, nave zepa Ovabenjamin omayovi yevari. 46 Otjivaro atjihe kumwe tjOvabenjamin, mba ṱa meyuva ndo, tja ri ovarumendu omayovi omirongo vivari na yetano, avehe porwe ovanavirwise ovizeu nozombangaṋe.
47 Nungwari ovarumendu omasere hamboumwe va tanauka ave tupuka okuhungama okuti onguza kOruuwa rwa Rimon, nave kakara ngo omieze vine. 48 NOvaisrael va yaruka kOvabenjamin mba sewa mOgibea, nave zepa ovandu novinamuinyo na ngamwa atjihe tji va muna. Wina va hwika ovihuro avihe mbya ri mehi ndo.
