Israel Prepares for War
1 All the people of Israel from Dan in the north to Beersheba in the south, as well as from the land of Gilead in the east, answered the call. They gathered in one body in the Lord's presence at Mizpah. 2 The leaders of all the tribes of Israel were present at this gathering of God's people, and there were 400,000 foot soldiers. 3 Meanwhile the people of Benjamin heard that all the other Israelites had gathered at Mizpah.
The Israelites asked, “Tell us, how was this crime committed?” 4 The Levite whose concubine had been murdered answered, “My concubine and I went to Gibeah in the territory of Benjamin to spend the night. 5 The men of Gibeah came to get me and surrounded the house at night. They intended to kill me; instead they raped my concubine, and she died. 6 I took her body, cut it in pieces, and sent one piece to each of the twelve tribes of Israel. These people have committed an evil and immoral act among us. 7 All of you here are Israelites. What are we going to do about this?”
8 All the people stood up together and said, “None of us, whether he lives in a tent or in a house, will go home. 9 This is what we will do: we will draw lots and choose some men to attack Gibeah. 10 One tenth of the men in Israel will provide food for the army, and the others will go and punish Gibeah for this immoral act that they have committed in Israel.” 11 So all the men in Israel assembled with one purpose—to attack the town.
12 The Israelite tribes sent messengers all through the territory of the tribe of Benjamin to say, “What is this crime that you have committed? 13 Now hand over those perverts in Gibeah, so that we can kill them and remove this evil from Israel.” But the people of Benjamin paid no attention to the other Israelites. 14 From all the cities of Benjamin they came to Gibeah to fight the other people of Israel. 15-16 They called out twenty-six thousand soldiers from their cities that day. Besides these, the citizens of Gibeah gathered seven hundred specially chosen men who were left-handed. Every one of them could sling a stone at a strand of hair and never miss. 17 Not counting the tribe of Benjamin, the Israelites gathered 400,000 trained soldiers.
The War against the Benjaminites
18 The Israelites went to the place of worship at Bethel, and there they asked God, “Which tribe should attack the Benjaminites first?”
The Lord answered, “The tribe of Judah.”
19 So the Israelites started out the next morning and camped near the city of Gibeah. 20 They went to attack the army of Benjamin, and placed the soldiers in position facing the city. 21 The army of Benjamin came out of the city, and before the day was over they had killed twenty-two thousand Israelite soldiers. 22-23 Then the Israelites went to the place of worship and mourned in the presence of the Lord until evening. They asked him, “Should we go again into battle against our brothers the Benjaminites?”
The Lord answered, “Yes.”
So the Israelite army was encouraged, and they placed their soldiers in position again, where they had been the day before. 24 They marched against the army of Benjamin a second time. 25 And for the second time the Benjaminites came out of Gibeah, and this time they killed eighteen thousand trained Israelite soldiers. 26 Then all the people of Israel went up to Bethel and mourned. They sat there in the Lord's presence and did not eat until evening. They offered fellowship sacrifices and burned some sacrifices whole—all in the presence of the Lord. 27-28 God's Covenant Box was there at Bethel in those days, and Phinehas, the son of Eleazar and grandson of Aaron, was in charge of it. The people asked the Lord, “Should we go out to fight our brothers the Benjaminites again, or should we give up?”
The Lord answered, “Fight. Tomorrow I will give you victory over them.”
29 So the Israelites put some soldiers in hiding around Gibeah. 30 Then for the third straight day they marched against the army of Benjamin and placed their soldiers in battle position facing Gibeah, as they had done before. 31 The Benjaminites came out to fight and were led away from the city. As they had before, they began killing some Israelites in the open country, on the road to Bethel and on the road to Gibeah. They killed about thirty Israelites. 32 The Benjaminites said, “We've beaten them just as before.”
But the Israelites had planned to retreat and lead them away from the city onto the roads. 33 So when the main army of the Israelites pulled back and regrouped at Baaltamar, the men surrounding Gibeah suddenly rushed out of their hiding places in the rocky country around the city. 34 Ten thousand men, specially chosen out of all Israel, attacked Gibeah, and the fighting was hard. The Benjaminites had not realized that they were about to be destroyed. 35 The Lord gave Israel victory over the army of Benjamin. The Israelites killed 25,100 of the enemy that day, 36 and the Benjaminites realized they were defeated.
How the Israelites Won
The main body of the Israelite army had retreated from the Benjaminites because they were relying on the men that they had put in hiding around Gibeah. 37 These men ran quickly toward Gibeah; they spread out in the city and killed everyone there. 38 The main Israelite army and the men in hiding had arranged a signal. When they saw a big cloud of smoke going up from the town, 39 the Israelites out on the battlefield were to turn around. By this time the Benjaminites had already killed the thirty Israelites. They told themselves, “Yes, we've beaten them just as before.” 40 Then the signal appeared; a cloud of smoke began to go up from the town. The Benjaminites looked behind them and were amazed to see the whole city going up in flames. 41 Then the Israelites turned around, and the Benjaminites were thrown into panic because they realized that they were about to be destroyed. 42 They retreated from the Israelites and ran toward the open country, but they could not escape. They were caught between the main army and the men who were now coming out of the city, and they were destroyed. 43 The Israelites had the enemy trapped, and without stopping they pursued them as far as a point east of Gibeah, killing them as they went. 44 Eighteen thousand of the best Benjaminite soldiers were killed. 45 The others turned and ran toward the open country to Rimmon Rock. Five thousand of them were killed on the roads. The Israelites continued to pursue the rest to Gidom, killing two thousand. 46 In all, twenty-five thousand Benjaminites were killed that day—all of them brave soldiers.
47 But six hundred men were able to escape to the open country to Rimmon Rock, and they stayed there four months. 48 The Israelites turned back against the rest of the Benjaminites and killed them all—men, women, and children, and animals as well. They burned every town in the area.
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.
