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.
Banisirayilankoolu ye i paree ka taa keloo la
1 Banisirayilankoolu, mennu bee be Dani ka taa fo Beeriseba, aniŋ mennu be Kileyadi tundoo kaŋ, ì bee le taata ka beŋ Misipa. Ì bee kambenta Yaawe* ñaatiliŋo la jee. 2 Banisirayila lasili kuntiyolu bee le maabeeta Alla la moolu la ñiŋ beŋo to. Kelediŋolu moo wuli keme naani, wolu le benta jee, ì bee niŋ hawusaroo*. 3 Bari Benjamini lasiloo moolu ye a moyi le ko, Banisirayila lasili toomaalu naata Misipa le.
Beŋ waatoo, Banisirayilankoolu ye ñininkaaroo ke ko, “Ñiŋ kuu tilimbali siifaa keta ñaadii le? Ali a fo ǹ ye!” 4 Bituŋ Lewi lasiloo moo, ì ye meŋ na musoo faa, a ye jaabiroo ke ko, “N naata Kibeya le, meŋ be Benjamini la maroo to, n niŋ n na kaŋ foroyandi musoo*, ka suutoo laa jee. 5 Bituŋ Kibeya saatee moolu naata finti naŋ ka m mantoora. Ì ye buŋo ñiŋ muruŋ-muruŋ suutoo, m be meŋ kono. Ì lafita ka m faa, bari ì maŋ naa wo ke, ì ñapita n na musoo kaŋ, ka a laañooyaa, fo a faata. 6 Bituŋ ŋa n na musoo furewo sika, ŋa a baloo bee kuntuŋ-kuntuŋ kudewo ti, ka a kii Banisirayila bankoo bee to. Kaatu ì ye malu kuu baa le ke Banisirayila kono. A kuwo jawuyaata baake le. 7 Saayiŋ, alitolu mennu bee be jaŋ, ali mu Banisirayilankoolu le ti. Ali ye a miira, ǹ ñanta ñoo yaamari la ka muŋ ne ke? Ali kuma fo ñiŋ kuwo to.”
8 Bituŋ ñiŋ moolu bee wulita ñoo la, ì kumata ko, “Ntolu kono hani moo kiliŋ ne te muru la ǹ na buŋolu kono. 9 Saayiŋ ǹ ñanta ñiŋ kuwo le ke la Kibeya saatee moolu la: M̀ be wuli la le ka ì kele, niŋ ŋà a kuwo juubee ko alikuuroo* ye a yitandi ñaameŋ. 10 Moo keme-wo-keme, m̀ be moo taŋ ne tomboŋ na ka bo Banisirayila lasiloolu bee kono. Ì ye domoroo parendi kelediŋolu ye, mennu be taa Kibeyankoolu jarabi la ì la ñiŋ kuu kuruŋ kewo la, ì ye meŋ ke Banisirayila.” 11 Bituŋ Banisirayila kewolu bee benta ñoo kaŋ ka saatewo ñiŋ kele. Ì bee le keta kiliŋ ti.
12 Banisirayila lasiloolu ye kewolu kii ka taa Benjamini lasiloo bee kaŋ. Ì ko ì ye ko, “Ali ye muŋ kuu jawu siifaa le ke teŋ? 13 Ali ñiŋ kee tilimbaloolu duŋ m̀ bulu, mennu be Kibeya. M̀ be ì faa la le, ka ñiŋ kuu kuruŋo dunoo bo Banisirayila kaŋ.” Bari Benjamini lasiloo moolu maŋ i lamoyi ì baadiŋ Banisirayilankoolu la kumoo la. 14 Benjamini lasiloo moolu fintita naŋ ñoo la ka bo ì la saatewolu kono, ka taa beŋ Kibeya ka Banisirayilankoolu kele. 15 Wo luŋo la, Benjamini lasiloo moolu ye hawusaritii wuli muwaŋ niŋ wooro le tomboŋ ka bo ì la saatewolu to, aniŋ ka bo Kibeya kewolu kono, ì ye moo keme woorowula tomboŋ fanaa, mennu ye keloo noo kendeke. 16 Ñiŋ kelediŋolu bee kono, ì ye kelediŋ keme woorowula le tomboŋ. Wolu bee mu maraamaalu le ti. Aduŋ ì bee kiliŋ-kiliŋ naa si kuntiña kesoo sumaŋ noo kampuraŋo la le, ì te foo la. 17 Banisirayilankoolu ye hawusaritii wuli keme naani le tomboŋ. Wolu bee kiliŋ-kiliŋ naa mu kelelaa baalu le ti.
Keloo meŋ keta Benjamini lasiloo kamma
18 Banisirayilankoolu wulita, ì taata Beteli, ì ye Alla ñininkaa jee ko, “Ntolu kono, lasili jumaa le foloo be taa ka Benjamini lasiloo dati keloo la?” Bituŋ Yaawe ye ì jaabi ko, “Yahuuda lasiloo le ñanta a dati la.” 19 Bituŋ Banisirayilankoolu wulita soomandaa, ì ye daakaa loo Kibeya saatewo daala. 20 Ì taata ka Benjamini lasiloo kele. Ì ye ì ñaa tiliŋ Kibeya la, ì bee ye ì la loodulaalu muta ka paree keloo la. 21 Benjamini lasiloo moolu naata ka bo Kibeya wo luŋo la, ì ye Banisirayilankoolu moo wuli muwaŋ niŋ fula le faa.
22-23 Banisirayilankoolu taata, ì kumboota Yaawe ñaatiliŋo la fo wulaaroo. Bituŋ ì naata Yaawe ñininkaa ko, “Fo ǹ si taa noo kotenke baŋ ka m̀ baadiŋ Benjamini lasiloo moolu kele?” Yaawe ko ì ye ko, “Ali taa, ali ye ì kele.”
Banisirayilankoolu naata fatiyaa. Bituŋ ì ye ì la keledulaalu muta wo dulaa kiliŋo to kotenke, ì ye a parendi nuŋ daameŋ tili foloo. 24 Tili fulanjaŋo Banisirayilankoolu kirimbaasita Benjamini lasiloo moolu kaŋ. 25 Benjamini lasiloo moolu fanaa fintita naŋ wo luŋ kiliŋo la ka bo Kibeya ka naa ì kele. Ì ye Banisirayilanka moo wuli taŋ niŋ seyi le faa kotenke, wolu bee kiliŋ-kiliŋ naa mu hawusaritiyolu le ti.
26 Banisirayila la kelediŋ kafoo bee le muruta ka taa Beteli ka sii Yaawe ñaatiliŋo la jee ka kumboo. Ì sunta wo luŋ fo wulaaroo. Bituŋ ì ye jani sadaalu* bo Yaawe ñaatiliŋo la, aniŋ kayira sabatindiraŋ sadaalu. 27-28 Wo tiloolu la, Alla la Kambeŋ Kunewo* be Beteli le. Pineha, Eleyasa dinkewo, Haaruna mamariŋo, wo le tarata nuŋ piriisiyaa* la jee. Banisirayilankoolu naata Yaawe ñininkaa ko, “Fo ŋà finti kotenke baŋ, ka taa m̀ baadiŋ Benjamini lasiloo kele, waraŋ fo ǹ kana taa?” Yaawe ye ì jaabi ko, “Ali taa, saama m be ì duŋ na ali bulu le.”
29 Bituŋ Banisirayilankoolu ye kewolu kii ka deleŋo laa dulaalu to Kibeya dandaŋo la. 30 Bituŋ ì taata ka Benjamini lasiloo kele tili sabanjaŋ luŋo. Ì ye ì la keledaalu muta, ì ye ì ñaa tiliŋ Kibeya la, ko ì ye a ke nuŋ ñaameŋ. 31 Kabiriŋ Benjamini lasiloo moolu taata ka ñiŋ kelediŋ kafoo kele, Banisirayilankoolu ye ì saba naŋ ka jamfa saatewo la. Ko ì ka a ke nuŋ ñaameŋ, ì ye a dati ka Banisirayilankoolu la kelediŋolu faa siloolu kaŋ, siloo meŋ ka taa fo Beteli, aniŋ meŋ ka taa fo Kibeya, aniŋ ka taa fo kene kenseŋo to. Ì ye kee taŋ saba ñoŋ kontoo le faa Banisirayilankoolu kono. 32 Benjamini lasiloo moolu ye a miira, ì ye Banisirayilankoolu noo le, komeŋ ì ye meŋ ñoŋo ke ì la nuŋ. Bari Banisirayilankoolu ye feeroo le siti ka muru ì koo la, ka ì saba naŋ ka bo saatewo kono ka naa siloolu kaŋ. 33 Kabiriŋ Banisirayilankoolu bee muruta fo Baali-Tamari ka ì la keledaalu muta jee to, Banisirayila kewolu mennu ye deleŋo laa Kibeya tilijii karoo la, ì terentoo fintita naŋ. 34 Bituŋ kelelaa baa wuli taŋ ka bo Banisirayilankoolu bee kono naata Kibeya kele. Keloo naata kandi. Bari Benjamini lasiloo moolu maŋ a loŋ ko, kasaaroo bundaa le sutiyaata ì la. 35 Yaawe ye Benjamini lasiloo moolu kele Banisirayilankoolu ñaatiliŋo la. Banisirayilankoolu ye Benjamini lasiloo kee wuli muwaŋ niŋ luulu, aniŋ kee keme le kasaara wo luŋo la. Ì bee mu hawusaritiyolu le ti. 36 Labaŋo la, Benjamini lasiloo moolu ye a je le ko, ì ye ì noo le.
Banisirayilankoolu ye keloo kañee ñaameŋ
Banisirayilankoolu ye siloo dii Benjamini lasiloo moolu la le, kaatu ì be jikiriŋ kelediŋ kafoo la le, mennu ye deleŋo laa Kibeya kamma. 37 Kelediŋolu mennu ye deleŋo laa, wulita kataba kiliŋ ka Kibeya saatewo kele, ka a moolu bee faa niŋ hawusaroo la. 38 Banisirayilankoolu la kelediŋ kafu baa faŋo, aniŋ kelediŋolu mennu ye deleŋo laa, benta kaŋ to ñiŋ ne la ko, ì be dimbaa le mala la, siisii baa ye wuli santo ka bo saatewo ñiŋ kono. 39 Bituŋ Banisirayilankoolu si muru ì koo la ka duŋ kele wuloo kono.
Bari a ye a tara, Benjamini lasiloo moolu ye Banisirayilanka kee taŋ saba le faa. Bituŋ ì kumata ko, “Ŋà ì noo le, komeŋ wo kele koteŋolu, mennu tambita.” 40 Bituŋ siisii baa naata wuli saatewo kono. Kabiriŋ Benjamini lasiloo moolu ye ì kooma juubee, ì ye siisiyo je budubudu la saatewo karoo bee la, a be wuli kaŋ santo. 41 Kabiriŋ Banisirayilankoolu muruta naŋ ì koolaa, Benjamini lasiloo moolu kijoo farata, kaatu ì ye a je le ko, kasaaroo le ka naa ì kaŋ. 42 Wo kamma la, ì ye ì koo dii Banisirayilankoolu la ka bori. Ì ye siloo muta, meŋ ka taa keñewuloo* kono. Ì bayindilaalu ye ì muta jee le to. Bituŋ Banisirayilankoolu mennu fintita naŋ ka bo saatewo kono, ì niŋ ì la kelediŋ kafu baa faŋo ye ì bula teema, ì tarata ì faa kaŋ. 43 Ì ye Benjamini lasiloo moolu murubeŋ, ì ye ì bayi, ì tuta ì bayi la doroŋ. Ì ye ì faa le fo Kibeya tilibo karoo la. 44 Benjamini lasiloo kee wuli taŋ niŋ seyi le faata. Wolu bee mu kelelaa fatiŋolu le ti. 45 Bituŋ wo moo toomaalu borita ka taa maabo keñewuloo maafaŋo to la, Rimmoni bere baa to. Bari Banisirayilankoolu naata Benjamini lasiloo moo wuli luulu le faa kotenke siloolu kaŋ. Ì tententa ka ì bayi fo ka naki Kidomu la. Ì naata kee wuli fula faa ì kono kotenke.
46 Wo luŋo la, Benjamini lasiloo kewolu mennu faata, a taata kaañaŋ kee wuli muwaŋ niŋ luulu le fee. Ì bee mu hawusaritiyolu le ti, aduŋ ì bee mu kelelaa fatiŋolu le ti. 47 Benjamini lasiloo kee keme wooro dammaa le kanata ka taa keñewuloo maafaŋo to la, Rimmoni bere baa to. Ì tarata jee le fo kari naani. 48 Bituŋ wo waatoo le mu, Banisirayilankoolu naata muru Benjamini tundoo moo toomaalu kaŋ. Ì ye ì faa niŋ hawusaroo la, saatee moolu, suukono beeyaŋolu, aniŋ feŋolu, mennu bee tarata jee. Ì ye saatewolu bee jani wo tundoo kaŋ.
