< Judges 20 >

1 And all the children of Israel went out, and all the congregation was gathered as one man, from Dan even to Bersabee, and in the land of Galaad, to the Lord at Massepha.
Khona bonke abantwana bakoIsrayeli baphuma, inhlangano yonke yabuthana njengamuntu munye, kusukela eDani kusiya eBherishebha lelizwe leGileyadi, eNkosini eMizipa.
2 And all the tribes of Israel stood before the Lord in the assembly of the people of God, four hundred thousand footmen that drew sword.
Njalo induna zabo bonke abantu, zazo zonke izizwe zakoIsrayeli, zazimisa ebandleni labantu bakaNkulunkulu, izinkulungwane ezingamakhulu amane zamadoda ahamba ngenyawo, ahwatsha inkemba.
3 And the children of Benjamin heard that the children of Israel were gone up to Massepha: and the children of Israel came and said, Tell us, where did this wickedness take place?
(Abantwana bakoBhenjamini basebesizwa ukuthi abantwana bakoIsrayeli babenyukele eMizipa.) Abantwana bakoIsrayeli basebesithi: Tshono, lobububi benziwa njani?
4 And the Levite, the husband of the woman that was slain, answered and said, I and my concubine went to Gabaa of Benjamin to lodge.
Indoda engumLevi, indoda yalowo owesifazana owayebulewe, yasiphendula yathi: Ngafika eGibeya engeyakoBhenjamini, mina lomfazi wami omncane, ukuze silale khona.
5 And the men of Gabaa rose up against me, and compassed the house by night against me; they wished to slay me, and they have humbled my concubine, and she is dead.
Abahlali beGibeya basebengivukela, bazingelezela indlu bemelene lami ebusuku, befuna ukungibulala, bamdlova umfazi wami omncane, waze wafa.
6 And I laid hold of my concubine, and divided her in pieces, and sent [the parts] into every coast of the inheritance of the children of Israel; for they have wrought lewdness and abomination in Israel.
Ngasengimbamba umfazi wami omncane, ngamquma iziqa, ngamthumela elizweni lonke lelifa lakoIsrayeli, ngoba benza amanyala lobuwula koIsrayeli.
7 Behold, all ye [are] children of Israel; and consider and take counsel here among yourselves.
Khangelani, lina lonke lingabantwana bakoIsrayeli, phanini ilizwi leseluleko senu lapha.
8 And all the people rose up as one man, saying, No one of us shall return to his tent, and no one of us shall return to his house.
Abantu bonke basebesukuma njengamuntu munye besithi: Asiyikuya, ngulowo ethenteni lakhe, njalo asiyikuphambukela, ngulowo endlini yakhe.
9 And now this [is] the thing which shall be done in Gabaa; we will go up against it by lot.
Kodwa khathesi, nansi into esizayenza kuyo iGibeya. Sizamelana layo ngenkatho,
10 Moreover we will take ten men for a hundred for all the tribes of Israel, and a hundred for a thousand, and a thousand for ten thousand, to take provision, to cause them to come to Gabaa of Benjamin, to do to it according to all the abomination, which they wrought in Israel.
sithathe abantu abalitshumi phakathi kwekhulu ezizweni zonke zakoIsrayeli, lekhulu phakathi kwenkulungwane, lenkulungwane phakathi kwenkulungwane ezilitshumi, ukuze bathathele abantu umphako, ukuze, nxa sebefike eGibeya koBhenjamini, benze ngokobuwula bonke ababenze koIsrayeli.
11 And all the men of Israel were gathered to the city as one man.
Ngakho wonke amadoda akoIsrayeli ahlanganyela umuzi, njengamuntu munye emoya munye.
12 And the tribes of Israel sent men through the whole tribe of Benjamin, saying, What [is] this wickedness that has been wrought among you?
Izizwe zakoIsrayeli zasezithuma amadoda esizweni sonke sakoBhenjamini zisithi: Yibubi bani lobu obenzeke phakathi kwenu?
13 Now then give up the men the sons of transgressors that are in Gabaa, and we will put them to death, and purge out wickedness from Israel: but the children of Benjamin consented not to hearken to the voice of their brethren the children of Israel.
Ngakho-ke anikeleni lawomadoda, abantwana bakaBheliyali, abaseGibeya ukuze siwabulale, sisuse ububi koIsrayeli. Kodwa abakoBhenjamini kabafunanga ukulalela ilizwi labafowabo, abantwana bakoIsrayeli.
14 And the children of Benjamin were gathered from their cities to Gabaa, to go forth to fight with the children of Israel.
Kodwa abantwana bakoBhenjamini babuthana bevela emizini baya eGibeya, ukuze baphume ukuya empini labantwana bakoIsrayeli.
15 And the children of Benjamin from their cities were numbered in that day, twenty-three thousand, [every] man drawing a sword, besides the inhabitants of Gabaa, who were numbered seven hundred chosen men of all the people, able to use both hands alike;
Abantwana bakoBhenjamini basebebalwa ngalolosuku bevela emizini, amadoda azinkulungwane ezingamatshumi amabili lesithupha ahwatsha inkemba, ngaphandle kwabahlali beGibeya, ababalwa baba ngamadoda angamakhulu ayisikhombisa akhethiweyo.
16 All these could sling with stones at a hair, and not miss.
Phakathi kwabo bonke lababantu kwakulamadoda akhethiweyo angamakhulu ayisikhombisa angamanxele; wonke la ayejikijela ilitshe ngesavutha enweleni engakhuthi.
17 And the men of Israel, exclusive of Benjamin, were numbered four hundred thousand men that drew sword; all these [were] men of war.
Amadoda akoIsrayeli asebalwa, ngaphandle kukaBhenjamini, amadoda azinkulungwane ezingamakhulu amane ahwatsha inkemba; wonke la ayengamadoda empi.
18 And they arose and went up to Baethel, and enquired of God: and the children of Israel said, Who shall go up for us first to fight with the children of Benjamin? And the Lord said, Juda shall go up first as leader.
Abantwana bakoIsrayeli basebesukuma benyukela eBhetheli, babuza uNkulunkulu bathi: Ngubani phakathi kwethu ozakwenyukela kuqala empini labantwana bakoBhenjamini? INkosi yasisithi: NguJuda kuqala.
19 And the children of Israel rose up in the morning, and encamped against Gabaa.
Abantwana bakoIsrayeli basebevuka ekuseni, bamisa inkamba maqondana leGibeya.
20 And they went out, all the men of Israel, to fight with Benjamin, and engaged with them at Gabaa.
Amadoda akoIsrayeli asephuma ukuya empini loBhenjamini; amadoda akoIsrayeli azihlelela ukumelana labo empini eGibeya.
21 And the sons of Benjamin went forth from Gabaa, and they destroyed in Israel on that day two and twenty thousand men down to the ground.
Abantwana bakoBhenjamini basebephuma eGibeya, babhubhisela emhlabathini koIsrayeli ngalolosuku amadoda azinkulungwane ezingamatshumi amabili lambili.
22 And the men of Israel strengthened themselves, and again engaged in battle in the place where they had engaged on the first day.
Abantu, amadoda akoIsrayeli, basebeziqinisa bahlela futhi impi kuleyondawo ababezihlelele khona ngosuku lokuqala.
23 And the children of Israel went up, and wept before the Lord till evening, and enquired of the Lord, saying, Shall we again draw nigh to battle with our brethren the children of Benjamin? and the Lord said, Go up against them.
Abantwana bakoIsrayeli basebesenyuka bakhala inyembezi phambi kweNkosi kwaze kwahlwa. Babuza eNkosini bathi: Ngisondele yini futhi empini ngimelane labantwana bakoBhenjamini umfowethu? INkosi yasisithi: Yenyukani limelane laye.
24 And the children of Israel advanced against the children of Benjamin on the second day.
Abantwana bakoIsrayeli basebesondela ebantwaneni bakoBhenjamini ngosuku lwesibili.
25 And the children of Benjamin went forth to meet them from Gabaa on the second day, and destroyed of the children of Israel yet further eighteen thousand men down to the ground: all these drew sword.
UBhenjamini wasephuma eGibeya emelene labo ngosuku lwesibili, babuya babhubhisela emhlabathini ebantwaneni bakoIsrayeli amadoda azinkulungwane ezilitshumi leziyisificaminwembili; bonke labo bahwatsha inkemba.
26 And the children of Israel and all the people went up, and came to Baethel; and they wept, and sat there before the Lord; and they fasted on that day until evening, and offered whole-burnt-offerings and perfect sacrifices, before the Lord,
Ngakho bonke abantwana bakoIsrayeli labo bonke abantu benyuka bafika eBhetheli, bakhala inyembezi bahlala lapho phambi kweNkosi, bazila ukudla ngalolosuku kwaze kwahlwa, banikela iminikelo yokutshiswa leminikelo yokuthula phambi kweNkosi.
27 for the ark of the Lord God [was] there in those days,
Abantwana bakoIsrayeli basebebuza eNkosini (ngoba umtshokotsho wesivumelwano sikaNkulunkulu wawulapho ngalezonsuku,
28 and Phinees the son of Eleazar the son of Aaron stood before it in those days; and the children of Israel enquired of the Lord, saying, Shall we yet again go forth to fight with our brethren the sons of Benjamin? and the Lord said, Go up, to-morrow I will give them into your hands.
loPhinehasi indodana kaEleyazare indodana kaAroni wema phambi kwawo ngalezonsuku) besithi: Ngibuye ngiphinde yini ukuphuma impi ngimelene labantwana bakoBhenjamini umfowethu, loba ngiyekele? INkosi yasisithi: Yenyukani, ngoba kusasa ngizabanikela esandleni sakho.
29 And the children of Israel set an ambush against Gabaa round about [it].
Ngakho uIsrayeli wamisa abacathami maqondana leGibeya inhlangothi zonke.
30 And the children of Israel went up against the children of Benjamin on the third day, and arrayed themselves against Gabaa as before.
Abantwana bakoIsrayeli basebesenyuka ukumelana labantwana bakoBhenjamini ngosuku lwesithathu, bazihlelela ukumelana leGibeya njengakwezinye izikhathi.
31 And the children of Benjamin went out to meet the people, and were all drawn out of the city, and began to smite and slay the people as before in the roads, whereof one goes up to Baethel, and one to Gabaa in the field, about thirty men of Israel.
Abantwana bakoBhenjamini basebephuma ukumelana labantu, badonswa besuka emzini, baqala ukutshaya ebantwini, ukubulala njengakwezinye izikhathi, emigwaqweni emikhulu, enye yazo eyenyukela eBhetheli lenye eya eGibeya emagcekeni, phose amadoda angamatshumi amathathu akoIsrayeli.
32 And the children of Benjamin said, They fall before us as at the first: but the children of Israel said, Let us flee, and draw them out from the city into the roads; and they did so.
Abantwana bakoBhenjamini basebesithi: Sebetshayiwe phambi kwethu njengakuqala. Kodwa abantwana bakoIsrayeli bathi: Asibalekeni, sibadonse besuka emzini baye emigwaqweni emikhulu.
33 And all the men rose up out of their places, and engaged in Baal Thamar; and the liers in wait of Israel advanced from their place from Maraagabe.
Wonke amadoda akoIsrayeli asevuka endaweni zawo, azihlela eBhali-Tamari, labacathami bakoIsrayeli bavumbuluka endaweni yabo emadlelweni eGibeya.
34 And there came over against Gabaa ten thousand chosen men out of all Israel; and the fight [was] severe; and they knew not that evil was coming upon them.
Kwasekusiza kuvela maqondana leGibeya amadoda akhethiweyo azinkulungwane ezilitshumi evela kuIsrayeli wonke; lempi yaba nzima. Kodwa bona babengazi ukuthi ububi buzatshaya phezu kwabo.
35 And the Lord smote Benjamin before the children of Israel; and the children of Israel destroyed of Benjamin in that day a hundred and twenty-five thousand men: all these drew sword.
INkosi yasimtshaya uBhenjamini phambi kukaIsrayeli. Abantwana bakoIsrayeli basebebhubhisa koBhenjamini amadoda azinkulungwane ezingamatshumi amabili lanhlanu lekhulu elilodwa ngalolosuku; bonke laba bahwatsha inkemba.
36 And the children of Benjamin saw that they were smitten; and the men of Israel gave place to Benjamin, because they trusted in the ambuscade which they had prepared against Gabaa.
Abantwana bakoBhenjamini basebebona ukuthi sebetshayiwe, ngoba amadoda akoIsrayeli amdedela uBhenjamini, ngoba bethembe abacathami ababebamise maqondana leGibeya.
37 And when they retreated, then the liers in wait rose up, and they moved toward Gabaa, and the whole ambush came forth, and they smote the city with the edge of the sword.
Labacathami baphangisa bahlasela iGibeya baqhubeka batshaya umuzi wonke ngobukhali benkemba.
38 And the children of Israel had a signal of battle with the liers in wait, that they should send up a signal of smoke from the city.
Kwasekusiba lesiboniso esimisiweyo phakathi kwamadoda akoIsrayeli labacathami sokuthunqisa insika yentuthu enkulu evela emzini.
39 And the children of Israel saw that the liers in wait had seized Gabaa, and they stood in line of battle; and Benjamin began to smite down wounded ones among the men of Israel about thirty men; for they said, Surely they fall again before us, as in the first battle.
Kwathi amadoda akoIsrayeli aphenduka empini, uBhenjamini waqalisa ukuwatshaya ukubulala emadodeni akoIsrayeli phose amadoda angamatshumi amathathu, ngoba bathi: Isibili atshayiwe lokutshaywa phambi kwethu njengempini yakuqala.
40 And the signal went up increasingly over the city as a pillar of smoke; and Benjamin looked behind him, and behold the destruction of the city went up to heaven.
Kwathi iyezi liqalisa ukuthunqa liphuma emzini, insika yentuthu, uBhenjamini enyemukula, khangela-ke ilangabi lomuzi lenyukela emazulwini.
41 And the men of Israel turned back, and the men of Benjamin hasted, because they saw that evil had come upon them.
Lapho amadoda akoIsrayeli etshibilika, amadoda akoBhenjamini atshaywa luvalo, ngoba abona ukuthi ububi sebuwehlele.
42 And they turned to the way of the wilderness from before the children of Israel, and fled: but the battle overtook them, and they from the cities destroyed them in the midst of them.
Ngakho afulathela phambi kwamadoda akoIsrayeli esiya endleleni yenkangala; kodwa impi yawanamathela, lalabo abaphuma emizini bawabhubhisa phakathi kwabo.
43 And they cut down Benjamin, and pursued him from Nua closely till they came opposite Gabaa on the east.
Bamhanqa uBhenjamini, baxotshana labo, babanyathelela phansi lula, kwaze kwaba maqondana leGibeya lapho okuphuma khona ilanga.
44 And there fell of Benjamin eighteen thousand men: all these [were] men of might.
Kwasekusiwa koBhenjamini amadoda azinkulungwane ezilitshumi leziyisificaminwembili; wonke la ayengamaqhawe.
45 And the rest turned, and fled to the wilderness to the rock of Remmon; and the children of Israel picked off of them five thousand men; and the children of Israel went down after them as far as Gedan, and they smote of them two thousand men.
Basebephenduka babalekela enkangala edwaleni leRimoni. Bakhothoza kibo emigwaqweni emikhulu abantu abazinkulungwane ezinhlanu, babanamathela kwaze kwaba seGideyomu, batshaya futhi kibo abantu abazinkulungwane ezimbili.
46 And all that fell of Benjamin were twenty-five thousand men that drew sword in that day: all these were men of might.
Ngakho bonke abawayo koBhenjamini mhlalokho babeyizinkulungwane ezingamatshumi amabili lanhlanu, amadoda ahwatsha inkemba; bonke labo babengamaqhawe.
47 And the rest turned, and fled to the wilderness to the rock of Remmon, even [six] hundred men; and they sojourned four months in the rock of Remmon.
Kodwa amadoda angamakhulu ayisithupha aphenduka abalekela enkangala edwaleni leRimoni; ahlala edwaleni leRimoni inyanga ezine.
48 And the children of Israel returned to the children of Benjamin, and smote them with the edge of the sword from the city of Methla, even to the cattle, and every thing that was found in all the cities: and they burnt with fire the cities they found.
Amadoda akoIsrayeli asebuyela ebantwaneni bakoBhenjamini, abatshaya ngobukhali benkemba, kusukela emzini wonke kusiya ezinyamazaneni, njalo kusiya kukho konke okwaficwayo. Layo yonke imizi abayificayo bayithungela ngomlilo.

< Judges 20 >