Biblia Platense (Straubinger) · Catholic Public Domain Version
Jueces 21
1Ahora bien, en Masfá los hombres de Israel habían hecho este juramento: “Nadie de nosotros dará su hija por mujer a uno de Benjamín.” The sons of Israel had also taken an oath at Mizpah, and they said, “None of us shall give his daughters as a wife to the sons of Benjamin.”2Y vino el pueblo a Betel, y sentados allí hasta la tarde delante de Dios alzaron la voz y lloraron con grandes alaridos. And they all went to the house of God at Shiloh. And sitting in his sight until evening, they lifted up their voice, and they began to weep, with a great wailing, saying,3Decían: “¿Por qué, oh Yahvé, Dios de Israel, ha acontecido esto en Israel, que falte hoy una tribu en Israel?” “Why, O Lord, God of Israel, has this evil happened among your people, so that this day one tribe would be taken away from us?”4Al día siguiente, se levantó el pueblo muy temprano; edificaron allí un altar, donde ofrecieron holocaustos y sacrificios pacíficos. Then, rising at first light on the next day, they built an altar. And they offered holocausts and victims of peace offerings there, and they said,5Y los hijos de Israel dijeron: “¿Quién hay de entre todas las tribus de Israel, que no haya subido a la asamblea de Yahvé? Porque habían hecho un gran juramento contra aquel que no subiere a Yahvé a Masfá, diciendo: “¡Morirá sin remedio!” “Who, out of all the tribes of Israel, did not ascend with the army of the Lord?” For they had bound themselves with a great oath, when they were at Mizpah, that whoever was not present would be slain.6Mas ahora los hijos de Israel compadecidos de Benjamín, su hermano, dijeron: “Ha sido cortada hoy una tribu de Israel. And the sons of Israel, having been led to repentance over their brother Benjamin, began to say: “One tribe has been taken away from Israel.7¿Qué haremos para dar mujeres a los que quedan, puesto que hemos jurado por Yahvé no darles por mujeres nuestras hijas?” From where shall they receive wives? For we have all sworn in common that we will not give our daughters to them.”8Preguntaron pues: “¿Quién hay de entre todas las tribus de Israel que no haya subido a Yahvé a Masfá?” Y he aquí que de Jabés-Galaad nadie había venido al campamento, a la asamblea. For this reason, they said, “Who is there, out of all the tribes of Israel, that did not ascend to the Lord at Mizpah?” And behold, the inhabitants of Jabesh-Gilead were found not to have been among that army.9E hicieron un recuento del pueblo y resultó que no se hallaba allí hombre alguno de los habitantes de Jabés-Galaad. (Likewise, in the time when they had been at Shiloh, not one of them was found to be there.)10Por lo cual la asamblea envió allá doce mil hombres de entre los valientes, y les dio esta orden: “Andad y pasad a filo de espada a los habitantes de Jabés-Galaad, también a las mujeres y a los niños. And so they sent ten thousand very robust men, and they instructed them, saying, “Go and strike down the inhabitants of Jabesh-Gilead with the edge of the sword, including their wives and little ones.”11Esto es lo que habéis de hacer: Ejecutaréis el anatema en todo varón, y en toda mujer que haya conocido varón.” And this shall be what you ought to do: “Every one of the male gender, as well as all the women who have known men, shall be put to death. But the virgins you shall reserve.”12Y hallaron entre los habitantes de Jabés-Galaad cuatrocientas doncellas vírgenes que no habían conocido varón; y las trajeron al campamento de Silo, que está en el país de Canaán. And four hundred virgins, who had not known the bed of a man, were found from Jabesh-Gilead. And they brought them to the camp at Shiloh, in the land of Canaan.13Entonces toda la asamblea mandó mensajeros que hablaran con los hijos de Benjamín que estaban en la peña de Remmón, y les anunciasen la paz. And they sent messengers to the sons of Benjamin, who were at the rock of Rimmon, and they instructed them, so that they would receive them in peace.14Volvieron en aquel tiempo los benjaminitas y les dieron por mujeres a aquellas de las mujeres de Jabés-Galaad a quienes habían perdonado la vida; mas no hallaron así el número suficiente para ellos. And the sons of Benjamin went, at that time, and wives were given to them from the daughters of Jabesh-Gilead. But others were not found, whom they might give in a similar manner.15El pueblo tuvo gran pesar a causa de Benjamín, por cuanto Yahvé había abierto una brecha en las tribus de Israel. And all of Israel was very saddened, and they did penance for destroying one tribe out of Israel.16Dijeron los ancianos de la asamblea: “¿Qué haremos a fin de dar mujeres a los que quedan? porque han sido extirpadas las mujeres de Benjamín.” And those greater by birth said: “What shall we do with the remainder, those who have not received wives? For all the females of Benjamin have been cut down,17Y declararon: “Debe haber una herencia para los que han escapado de Benjamín; no sea borrada una tribu de en medio de Israel. and we must take great care, and make provision with a very great diligence, so that one tribe may not be wiped away from Israel.18Nosotros, empero, no podemos darles por mujeres nuestras hijas.” Pues habían jurado los hijos de Israel, diciendo: “¡Maldito aquel que de mujer a los de Benjamín!” As for our own daughters, we are not able to give them, being bound by an oath and a curse, when we said, ‘Accursed is he who will give any of his daughters to Benjamin as a wife.’ ”19Y dijeron: “He aquí, que todos los años se celebra la fiesta de Yahvé en Silo, situada al norte de Betel, al oriente del camino que sube de Betel a Siquem, y al sur de Leboná.” And they took counsel, and they said, “Behold, there is a yearly solemnity of the Lord at Shiloh, which is situated to the north of the city of Bethel, and on the eastern side of the way that one takes from Bethel to Shechem, and to the south of the town of Lebonah.”20Por lo cual dieron a los hijos de Benjamín esta orden: “Id y poneos en emboscada en las viñas; And they instructed the sons of Benjamin, and they said: “Go, and hide in the vineyards.21y cuando veáis salir a las hijas de Silo a bailar en coro, salid de las viñas, y tomaos cada uno una mujer de las hijas de Silo, y llevadlas a tierra de Benjamín. And when you will have seen daughters of Shiloh being led out to dance, according to custom, go forth suddenly from the vineyards, and let each one seize one wife from among them, and travel into the land of Benjamin.22Y cuando los padres de ellas, o sus hermanos vengan para reclamárnoslas, les diremos: «Regaládnoslas a nosotros; pues no hemos podido tomar para cada cual una mujer en la guerra; y vosotros no se las habéis dado, pues en este caso os habríais hecho culpables».” And when their fathers and brothers arrive, and they begin to complain against you and to argue, we will say to them: ‘Take pity on them. For they have not seized them by right of war or conquest. Instead, begging to receive them, you did not give them, and so the sin was on your part.’ ”23Los hijos de Benjamín hicieron así; se llevaron mujeres según el número de ellos, de entre las que danzaban. Las arrebataron y se fueron. Y volvieron a su herencia, reedificaron las ciudades y habitaron en ellas. And so the sons of Benjamin did just as they had been ordered. And according to their number, they seized for themselves one wife each, out of those who were led out dancing. And they went into their own possession, and they built up their cities, and they lived in them.24Regresaron entonces de allí los hijos de Israel, cada uno a su tribu y a su familia. Volvieron de allí cada uno a su herencia. En aquellos días no había rey en Israel; cada cual hacía lo que mejor le parecía. The sons of Israel also returned, according to their tribes and families, to their tents. In those days, there was no king in Israel. Instead, each one did what seemed right to himself.