Israel ti ilongekidhile iita
1 Aantu ayehe muIsrael okuza kuDan kuumbangalantu, sigo oBeersheba muumbugantu, osho wo evi lyaGilead muuzilo, oya tondoka onkugo. Oya gongala puMispa ya ya omuyo gumwe miipathi yOmuwa. 2 Aawiliki yomazimo agehe gaIsrael omo ya li moshigongi shika shoshigwana shaKalunga, nokwa li aakwiita yokolupadhi 400 000. 3 Pokati mpoka Aabenjamin oya kundana kutya Aaisraeli yalwe ayehe oya gongala muMispa.
Aaisraeli oya pula: “Tu hokololeleni, iihuna mbika nkene ya longwa.” 4 Omulevi ngoka gwoshikumbu sha dhipagwa okwa yamukula: “Tse noshikumbu shandje otwa yile kuGibea moshilongo shaBenjamin, tu ka konge omulalo uusiku mboka. 5 Aalumentu yokuGibea oya ponokele ndje noya kondeke egumbo moka nda li nda lala. Oya li ya hala okudhipaga ndje; peha lyaashoka oya lala oshikumbu shandje koonkondo e tashi si. 6 Ngame onda kutha omudhimba gwasho nonde gu tete miitopolwa e te tumu oshitopolwa shimwe kukehe ezimo lyaIsrael. Aantu mbaka oya longo iihuna mokati ketu. 7 Amuhe mbaka mu li mpaka, Aaisraeli. Otatu shi ningi ngiini?”
8 Aantu ayehe oya thikama e taa ti: “Kape na nande gumwe gwetu, ongele a kala motenda nenge megumbo, ta ka shuna kaandjawo. 9 Shika osho shoka tatu ningi. Otatu umbu oshihogololitho, tu hogolole aalumentu yamwe ya matukile Gibea. 10 Oshitimulongo shimwe shaalumentu muIsrael otashi sile iikulya yaakwiita oshimpwiyu, nayalwe otaa yi e taa geele Gibea molwiihuna mbika ya longo muIsrael.” 11 Osho ngaaka aalumentu ayehe ya gongala muIsrael ye na elalakano limwe — ya matukile oshilando shoka.
12 Omazimo gaIsrael oga tumu aatumwa momikunda adhihe dhezimo lyaBenjamin taa ti: “Iihuna oya tya ngiini mbyoka mwa longo? 13 Ngashingeyi gandjeni aapwidhuki mboka yomuGibea, opo tu ya dhipage, tu kuthe mo oshipwe muIsrael.” Ihe Aabenjamin inaa pupa ko kAaisraeli ooyakwawo. 14 Oya kongoloka kiilando ayihe yaBenjamin noye ya kuGibea, ya kondjithe Aaisraeli ooyakwawo. 15-16 Oyi ithana aakwiita omayuvi omilongo mbali nagahamano ya zi kiilando yawo. Kakele nee kaambaka Aagibea oya gongele natango aalumentu aahogololwa omathele gaheyali aanalumoho. Shaa ngoka gwomuyo okwa li e shi kuumba nomamanya itaa palutha nando. 17 Oshihupe shomazimo gaIsrael osha gongele aakwiita ya dheukika 400 000.
Iita yokukondjitha Aabenjamin
18 Aaisraeli oya yi kehala lyelongelokalunga Betel. Oko nkoka ya pula Kalunga ya ti: “Ezimo olini tali matukile tango Aabenjamin?”
Omuwa okwa yamukula: “Ezimo lyaJuda.”
19 Osho Aaisraeli oya penduka ongula ya landula noya yungu ontanda ontega naGibea. 20 Oya yi e taa ponokele etangakwiita lyaBenjamin, noya tula aakwiita ya taalela oshilando. 21 Aakwiita Aabenjamin oya zi moshilando nuuna ndoka oya dhipaga aakwiita Aaisraeli omayuvi omilongo mbali nagaali. 22-23 Nena Aaisraeli oya yi kehala lyelongelokalunga noya lili oosa koshipala shOmuwa, sigo ongulohi. Oye mu pula: “Natu shune natango molugodhi, tu kondjithe aamwameme Aabenjamin?”
Omuwa okwa yamukula: “Eeno.”
Aakwiita Aaisraeli oya li yi itula mo noya tula aakwiita yawo melandulathano, ngaashi ya ningile nale. 24 Oya katuka yu ukilila aakwiita Aabenjamin olutiyali. 25 Olutiyali Aabenjamin oya zi muGibea nomoshikando shika oya dhipaga aakwiita ya dheuka yaIsrael omayuvi omulongo nagahetatu. 26 Nena oshigwana ashihe shaIsrael osha yi kuBetel, shi ka lile oosa. Oya kuutumba hoka koshipala shOmuwa yo inaa lya, sigo ongulohi. Oya yamba omakwatathanondjambo noya lungunitha omidhidhindjambo koshipala shOmuwa. 27-28 Oshikethahangano shaKalunga osha li muBetel momasiku ngeyaka, naPinehas yaEleasar, omutekulu gwaMoses, okwa li omudhiginini gwasho. Aaisraeli oya pula Omuwa: “Natu ye, tu ka kondjithe aamwameme Aabenjamin ishewe nenge natu shi ethe?”
Omuwa okwa yamukula: “Ke ya kondjitheni. Ongula otandi ke ye mu sinditha.”
29 Aaisraeli oya tula aakwiita miilangela momudhingoloko gwaGibea. 30 Nena esiku etitatu lya landula ko oya ka homona etangakwiita lyAabenjamin noya tula aakwiita yawo melandulathano ya taalela oshilando, ngaashi haa ningi shito. 31 Aabenjamin oya zi mo, ya kondje, noya hekelwa kondje yoshilando. Ngaashi shito oya tameke okudhipaga Aaisraeli meyalala moondjila ndhoka tadhi uka kuBetel nokuGibea. Oya dhipaga konyala Aaisraeli omilongo ndatu. 32 Aabenjamin oya ti: “Otwe ya dhenge nale, ngaashi hatu ningi shito.”
Ihe Aaisraeli oya ti: “Natu ningeni twa fa tatu yi ontuku e tatu ya heke, ye ye kokule noshilando ya lamba oondjila.”
33 Manga etangakwiita lyAaisraeli lya shuna lwanima nokutula ishewe moongundu puBaaltamar, aalumentu mboka ya li miilangela momudhingoloko gwaGibea gwa nika omamanya, oya hololoka ohaluka. 34 Aalumentu omayuvi omulongo ya tothwa muIsrael alihe, oya ponokele Gibea, nolugodhi olwa li olulululu. Aabenjamin inaa dhimbulula kutya oye li pokuhanagulwa po. 35 Omuwa okwa gandja kAaisraeli esindano okusinda etangakwiita lyAabenjamin. Esiku ndyoka Aaisraeli oya dhipaga aatondi 25 100. 36 Aabenjamin oya dhimbulula kutya oya sindika.
Nkene Aaisraeli ya sindi
Ombinga onene yetangakwiita lyAaisraeli oya li ya shuna lwanima molwAabenjamin, oshoka oyi inekele aalangeli mboka ya li momudhingoloko gwaGibea ya holama. 37 Aalangeli mbaka oya matukile Gibea; oyi ihana noshilando ashihe e taa dhipaga omuntu kehe moka. 38 Ombinga onene yetangakwiita oya li yu uvathana naalangeli kutya ngele tayi mono oshikogo sholwithi moshilando, 39 nena oyi na okupiluka. Manga shika inaashi ningwa, Aabenjamin oya adhika ya dhipaga Aaisraeli mbeyaka omilongo ndatu. Oya lombwelathana: “Eeno, otwe ya dhenge, ngaashi hatu ningi shito.” 40 Opo mpoka oshikogo sholwithi osha tameke okutsinagala moshilando. Aabenjamin oya tala lwanima noya li ya kumwa, sho ye wete oshilando tashi lokota komulilo. 41 Nena Aaisraeli oya piluka ko. Aabenjamin oya li ya haluka, oshoka oya dhimbulula kutya oye li pokukombwa po. 42 Oya fadhuka po yu uka meyalala, ihe inaa vula we okuhenuka. Oya kondekwa kombinga onene yetangakwiita nokaalumentu mboka taa zi moshilando, noya thekekwa po. 43 Aaisraeli oya li ya tula aatondi momwigo noinaa zimbuka oku ya tidhagana, sigo okuuzilo waGibea, noye ya dhipaga. 44 Omayuvi omulongo nagahetatu yomaakwiita Aabenjamin ya pyokoka oya dhipagwa. 45 Yalwe oya punguluka noya yi ontuku yu uka komalundu, kemanya Rimmon. Omayuvi gatano gomuyo oya dhipagelwa mondjila. Aaisraeli oya tsikile okutidhagana oshihupe, sigo oGidom, noya dhipaga musho omayuvi gaali. 46 Aabenjamin ayehe kumwe mboka ya dhipagwa esiku ndyoka, oya li omayuvi omilongo mbali nagatano — ayehe oya li aakwiita ya pyokoka.
47 Ihe aalumentu omathele gahamano oya vulu okuya ontuku komalundu, kemanya Rimmon noya kala ko oomwedhi ne. 48 Aaisraeli oya galukile oshihupe shoka shAabenjamin noye shi dhipaga po ashihe — aalumentu, aakiintu naanona, osho wo iinamwenyo. Iilando ayihe oya fikwa po.
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.
