1
Basi watu wa Israeli walikuwa wameapa huko katika Mispa, wakisema, Hapana mtu awaye yote kwetu sisi atakayemwoza binti yake kumpa Benyamini.
Now the men of Israel had sworn an oath at Mizpah, saying, “Not one of us will give his daughter in marriage to a Benjamite.”
2
Basi hao watu wakafikilia Betheli, wakaketi kuko mbele ya Mungu hata jioni, nao wakainua sauti zao na kulia sana.
So the people came to Bethel and sat there before God until evening, lifting up their voices and weeping bitterly.
3
Wakasema, Ee Bwana, Mungu wa Israeli, kwani jambo hili kuwa katika Israeli, ya kwamba hivi leo ni kabila moja limepunguka katika Israeli?
“Why, O LORD God of Israel,” they cried out, “has this happened in Israel? Today in Israel one tribe is missing!”
4
Kisha ikawa siku ya pili yake, hao watu wakaamka asubuhi na mapema, wakajenga madhabahu huko, wakasongeza sadaka za kuteketezwa na sadaka za amani.
The next day the people got up early, built an altar there, and presented burnt offerings and peace offerings.
5
Wana wa Israeli wakasema, Katika hizi kabila zote za Israeli ni ipi isiyofika katika mkutano kumkaribia Bwana? Kwa maana walikuwa wameweka kiapo kikuu katika habari za huyo asiyefika kumkaribia Bwana huko Mispa, huku wakisema, Hakika yake atauawa huyo.
The Israelites asked, “Who among all the tribes of Israel did not come to the assembly before the LORD?” For they had taken a solemn oath that anyone who failed to come up before the LORD at Mizpah would surely be put to death.
6
Nao wana wa Israeli wakaghairi kwa ajili ya ndugu yao Benyamini, wakasema, Kabila moja imekatiliwa mbali na Israeli hivi leo.
And the Israelites grieved for their brothers, the Benjamites, and said, “Today a tribe is cut off from Israel.
7
Tufanyeje sisi ili tuwapatie wake hao waliosalia, kwa kuwa tumeapa kwa Bwana ya kwamba hatutawapa binti zetu ili wawaoe?
What should we do about wives for the survivors, since we have sworn by the LORD not to give them our daughters in marriage?”
8
Basi wakasema, Ni ipi katika kabila za Israeli ambayo haikufika mbele ya Bwana huko Mispa? Na tazama, hakuja mmoja maragoni aliyetoka Yabeshi gileadi aufikilie huo mkutano.
So they asked, “Which one of the tribes of Israel failed to come up before the LORD at Mizpah?” And, in fact, no one from Jabesh-gilead had come to the camp for the assembly.
9
Kwa maana hapo watu walipohesabiwa, hakuwapo hata mtu mmoja katika wenyeji wa Yabesh-gileadi.
For when the people were counted, none of the residents of Jabesh-gilead were there.
10
Basi mkutano walipeleka huko watu kumi na mbili elfu wa hao waliokuwa mashujaa sana, kisha wakawaamuru, wakisema, Endeni mkawapige wenyeji wa Yabesh-gileadi kwa makali ya upanga, na hata wanawake na watoto wadogo.
So the congregation sent 12,000 of their most valiant men and commanded them: “Go and put to the sword those living in Jabesh-gilead, including women and children.
11
Na jambo mtakalotenda ni hili; mtamwangamiza kila mume kabisa, na kila mwanamke ambaye amelala na mume.
This is what you are to do: Devote to destruction every male, as well as every female who has had relations with a man.”
12
Nao wakapata katika wenyeji wa Yabesh-gileadi wanawali mia nne, ambao hawajamjua mtu mume kwa kulala naye; basi wakawaleta maragoni huko Shilo, ulioko katika nchi ya Kanaani.
So they found among the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead four hundred young women who had not had relations with a man, and they brought them to the camp at Shiloh in the land of Canaan.
13
Basi mkutano ukatuma watu na kunena na wana wa Benyamini waliokuwako huko katika jabali la Rimoni, wakawatangazia amani.
Then the whole congregation sent a message of peace to the Benjamites who were at the rock of Rimmon.
14
Basi Benyamini wakarudi wakati huo; nao wakawapa wale wanawake waliowaponya wali hai katika hao wanawake wa Yabesh-gileadi; lakini hawakuwatosha.
And at that time the Benjamites returned and were given the women who were spared from Jabesh-gilead. But there were not enough women for all of them.
15
Nao watu wakaghairi kwa ajili ya Benyamini, kwa sababu Bwana alikuwa amefanya pengo katika hizo kabila za Israeli.
The people grieved for Benjamin, because the LORD had made a void in the tribes of Israel.
16
Ndipo hao wazee wa huo mkutano walisema, Je! Tufanyeje ili tuwapatie wake hao waliosalia, kwa kuwa wanawake wameangamizwa katika Benyamini?
Then the elders of the congregation said, “What should we do about wives for those who remain, since the women of Benjamin have been destroyed?”
17
Wakasema, Lazima kuwa urithi kwa hao wa Benyamini waliopona, isiwe kabila kufutika katika Israeli.
They added, “There must be heirs for the survivors of Benjamin, so that a tribe of Israel will not be wiped out.
18
Lakini sisi hatuwezi kuwaoza binti zetu kwa maana wana wa Israeli walikuwa wameapa, wakisema, Na alaaniwe huyo atakayempa Benyamini mke.
But we cannot give them our daughters as wives.” For the Israelites had sworn, “Cursed is he who gives a wife to a Benjamite.”
19
Kisha wakasema, Angalieni, iko sikukuu ya Bwana mwaka baada ya mwaka katika Shilo, ulioko upande kaskazini wa Betheli, upande wa mashariki wa hiyo njia kuu iendeayo kutoka Betheli kwenda Shekemu, nao ni upande wa kusini wa Lebona.
“But look,” they said, “there is a yearly feast to the LORD in Shiloh, which is north of Bethel east of the road that goes up from Bethel to Shechem, and south of Lebonah.”
20
Basi wakawaagiza hao wana wa Benyamini wakisema, Haya, endeni, mkaotee katika mashamba ya mizabibu,
So they commanded the Benjamites: “Go, hide in the vineyards
21
mkaangalie, kisha tazameni, kwamba hao binti za Shilo watoka ili wacheze katika hiyo michezo, basi tokeni ninyi mizabibuni, nanyi kila mtu na amshike mkewe katika hao binti za Shilo, kisha rudini nchi ya Benyamini.
and watch. When you see the daughters of Shiloh come out to perform their dances, each of you is to come out of the vineyards, catch for himself a wife from the daughters of Shiloh, and go to the land of Benjamin.
22
Kisha itakuwa, hapo baba zao au ndugu zao, watakapokuja kushitaki, sisi tutawaambia, Kwa ihisani yenu tupeni sisi; kwa kuwa hatukumtwalia kila mtu mkewe katika vita; wala ninyi hamkuwapa wao, au kama sivyo ninyi sasa mngekuwa na hatia.
When their fathers or brothers come to us to complain, we will tell them, ‘Do us a favor by helping them, since we did not get wives for each of them in the war. Since you did not actually give them your daughters, you have no guilt.’”
23
Wana wa Benyamini wakafanya vivyo, wakajitwalia wake, sawasawa na hesabu yao, katika hao waliocheza, wakawachukua wakaenda nao; kisha wakaenda kuurudia urithi wao, na kuijenga miji na kuikaa.
The Benjamites did as instructed and carried away the number of women they needed from the dancers they caught. They went back to their own inheritance, rebuilt their cities, and settled in them.
24
Nao wana wa Israeli wakati huo wakaenda zao, kila mtu akaenda kwa kabila yake na kwa jamaa yake; nao wakatoka huko, waende kila mtu kuuendea urithi wake.
And at that time, each of the Israelites returned from there to his own tribe and clan, each to his own inheritance.
25
Siku hizo hapakuwa na mfalme katika Israeli; kila mtu alifanya yaliyokuwa ni mema machoni pake mwenyewe.
In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.