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.
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.
