Livre des Juges 20

JERUSALEM	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 Tous les Israélites sortirent donc, et, comme un seul homme, toute la communauté se réunit depuisDan jusqu'à Bersabée et le pays de Galaad, auprès de Yahvé à Miçpa.	1 And so all the sons of Israel went out like one man, from Dan to Beersheba, with the land of Gilead, and they gathered together, before the Lord, at Mizpah.
2 Les chefs de tout le peuple, toutes les tribus d'Israël assistèrent à l'assemblée du peuple de Dieu,400.000 hommes de pied, sachant tirer l'épée.	2 And all the chiefs of the people, and every tribe of Israel, convened as an assembly of the people of God, four hundred thousand foot soldiers for battle.
3 Les Benjaminites apprirent que les Israélites étaient montés à Miçpa... Les Israélites dirent alors:"Racontez-nous comment ce crime a été commis!"	3 (But it was not hidden from the sons of Benjamin that the sons of Israel had ascended to Mizpah.) And the Levite, the husband of the woman who was killed, being questioned as to how so great a crime had been perpetrated,
4 Le lévite, le mari de la femme qui avait été tuée, prit la parole et dit: "J'étais venu avec ma concubineà Gibéa de Benjamin pour y passer la nuit.	4 responded: “I went to Gibeah of Benjamin, with my wife, and I diverted to that place.
5 Les habitants de Gibéa se sont soulevés contre moi et, pendant la nuit, ils ont entouré la maison oùj'étais; moi, ils voulaient me tuer et, quant à ma concubine, ils lui ont fait violence au point qu'elle en est morte.	5 And behold, the men of that city, at night, surrounded the house in which I was staying, intending to kill me. And they abused my wife with such an incredible fury of lust that in the end she died.
6 J'ai pris alors ma concubine, je l'ai coupée en morceaux et je l'ai envoyée dans toute l'étendue del'héritage d'Israël, car ils ont commis une chose honteuse et une infamie en Israël.	6 And taking her up, I cut her into pieces, and I sent the parts into all the borders of your possession. For never before was such a nefarious crime, and so great a sin, committed in Israel.
7 Vous voici tous ici, Israélites. Consultez-vous et ici même prenez une décision."	7 You are all present here, O sons of Israel. Discern what you ought to do.”
8 Tout le peuple se leva comme un seul homme en disant: "Personne d'entre nous ne regagnera satente, personne d'entre nous ne retournera dans sa maison!	8 And all the people, standing, responded as if with the word of one man: “We shall not return to our own tents, nor shall anyone enter into his own house.
9 Maintenant, voici ce que nous allons faire contre Gibéa. Nous tirerons au sort,	9 But this we shall do in common against Gibeah:
10 et nous prendrons dans toutes les tribus d'Israël dix hommes sur cent, cent sur mille et mille sur10.000, ils chercheront des vivres pour le peuple, pour que dès leur arrivée, celui-ci traite Gibéa de Benjaminselon l'infamie qu'elle a commise en Israël."	10 We shall select ten men out of one hundred from all the tribes of Israel, and one hundred out of one thousand, and one thousand out of ten thousand, so that they may transport supplies for the army, and so that we will be able to fight against Gibeah of Benjamin, and to repay it for its crime as it deserves.”
11 Ainsi s'assemblèrent contre la ville tous les gens d'Israël, unis comme un seul homme.	11 And all of Israel convened against the city, like one man, with one mind and one counsel.
12 Les tribus d'Israël envoyèrent des émissaires dans toute la tribu de Benjamin pour dire: "Quel est cecrime qui a été commis parmi vous?	12 And they sent messengers to the entire tribe of Benjamin, who said: “Why has so great a wickedness been found among you?
13 Maintenant, livrez ces hommes, ces vauriens, qui sont à Gibéa, pour que nous les mettions à mort etque nous fassions disparaître le mal du milieu d'Israël." Mais les Benjaminites ne voulurent pas écouter leursfrères les Israélites.	13 Deliver the men of Gibeah, who have perpetrated this deplorable act, so that they may die, and so that the evil may be taken away from Israel.” And they were not willing to listen to the command of their brothers, the sons of Israel.
14 Les Benjaminites, quittant leurs villes, s'assemblèrent à Gibéa pour combattre les Israélites.	14 Instead, out of all the cities that were their lot, they convened at Gibeah, so that they might bring them assistance, and so that they might contend against the entire people of Israel.
15 En ce jour-là, on dénombra les Benjaminites venus des diverses villes, ils étaient 26.000 hommessachant tirer l'épée; c'est à part des habitants de Gibéa qu'ils furent dénombrés.	15 And there were found from Benjamin twenty-five thousand who drew the sword, aside from the inhabitants of Gibeah,
16 Dans toute cette armée, il y avait 700 hommes d'élite gauchers. Tous ceux-ci, avec la pierre de leurfronde, étaient capables de viser un cheveu sans le manquer.	16 who were seven hundred very strong men, fighting with the left hand as well as with the right hand, and casting stones from a sling so accurately that they were able to strike even a hair, and the path of the stone would by no means miss to either side.
17 Les gens d'Israël furent également dénombrés, sans compter Benjamin; ils étaient 400.000, sachanttirer l'épée, tous gens de guerre.	17 Then too, among the men of Israel apart from the sons of Benjamin, there were found four hundred thousand who drew the sword and who were prepared for battle.
18 Ils se mirent en marche pour monter à Béthel, pour consulter Dieu: "Qui de nous montera lepremier au combat contre les Benjaminites?" Demandèrent les Israélites. Et Yahvé répondit: "C'est Juda quimontera le premier."	18 And they rose up and went to the house of God, that is, to Shiloh. And they consulted God, and they said, “Who shall be, in our army, the first to contend against the sons of Benjamin?” And the Lord responded to them, “Let Judah be your leader.”
19 Au matin les Israélites se mirent en marche et ils dressèrent leur camp en face de Gibéa.	19 And immediately the sons of Israel, rising up in the morning, made camp near Gibeah.
20 Les gens d'Israël s'avancèrent au combat contre Benjamin, ils se rangèrent en bataille en face deGibéa.	20 And setting out from there to fight against Benjamin, they began to assault the city.
21 Mais les Benjaminites sortirent de Gibéa et, ce jour-là, ils massacrèrent 22.000 hommes d'Israël.	21 And the sons of Benjamin, departing from Gibeah, slew twenty-two thousand men from the sons of Israel, on that day.
22 Alors l'armée des gens d'Israël reprit courage et de nouveau se rangea en bataille au même endroitque le premier jour.	22 Again the sons of Israel, trusting in both strength and number, set their troops in order, in the same place where they had contended before.
23 Les Israélites vinrent pleurer devant Yahvé jusqu'au soir, puis ils consultèrent Yahvé en disant:"Dois-je encore engager le combat contre les fils de Benjamin mon frère?" Et Yahvé répondit: "Marchez contrelui!"	23 But first they also went up and wept before the Lord, even until night. And they consulted him and said, “Should I continue to go forth, so as to contend against the sons of Benjamin, my brothers, or not?” And he responded to them, “Ascend against them, and undertake the struggle.”
24 Le second jour les Israélites s'approchèrent donc des Benjaminites,	24 And when the sons of Israel had continued to do battle against the sons of Benjamin on the next day,
25 mais, en cette seconde journée, Benjamin sortit de Gibéa à leur rencontre et il massacra encore18.000 hommes des Israélites; c'étaient tous des guerriers sachant tirer l'épée.	25 the sons of Benjamin burst forth from the gates of Gibeah. And meeting them, they made such a frenzied slaughter against them that they struck down eighteen thousand men who drew the sword.
26 Alors tous les Israélites et tout le peuple s'en vinrent à Béthel, ils pleurèrent, ils s'assirent là devantYahvé, ils jeûnèrent toute la journée jusqu'au soir et ils offrirent des holocaustes et des sacrifices de communiondevant Yahvé;	26 As a result, all the sons of Israel went to the house of God, and sitting down, they wept before the Lord. And they fasted that day until evening, and they offered to him holocausts and victims of peace offerings.
27 puis les Israélites consultèrent Yahvé. -- L'arche de l'alliance de Dieu se trouvait alors en cet endroit	27 And they inquired about their state. At that time, the ark of the covenant of the Lord was in that place.
28 et Pinhas, fils d'Eléazar, fils d'Aaron, en ce temps-là, la desservait. -- Ils dirent: "Dois-je sortirencore pour combattre les fils de Benjamin mon frère, ou bien dois-je cesser?" Et Yahvé répondit: "Marchez, cardemain, je le livrerai entre vos mains."	28 And Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, was the first ruler of the house. And so, they consulted the Lord, and they said, “Should we continue to go forth in battle against the sons of Benjamin, our brothers, or should we cease?” And the Lord said to them: “Ascend. For tomorrow, I will deliver them into your hands.”
29 Alors Israël plaça des troupes en embuscade tout autour de Gibéa.	29 And the sons of Israel stationed ambushes around the city of Gibeah.
30 Le troisième jour, les Israélites marchèrent contre les Benjaminites, et comme les autres fois, ils serangèrent en bataille en face de Gibéa.	30 And they brought out their army against Benjamin a third time, just as they had done on the first and second times.
31 Les Benjaminites sortirent à la rencontre du peuple et se laissèrent attirer loin de la ville. Ilscommencèrent comme les autres fois à tuer du monde parmi le peuple, sur les chemins qui montent, l'un à Béthelet l'autre à Gibéa par la campagne: une trentaine d'hommes d'Israël.	31 But the sons of Benjamin again burst forth boldly from the city. And since their enemies were fleeing, they pursued them a long way, so that they might wound or kill some of them, just as they had done on the first and second days. And they turned their backs along two paths, one bringing them toward Bethel, and the other toward Gibeah. And they struck down about thirty men.
32 Les Benjaminites se dirent: "Les voilà battus devant nous comme la première fois", mais lesIsraélites s'étaient dit: "Nous allons fuir et nous les attirerons loin de la ville sur les chemins."	32 For they thought that they were falling back as they had done before. But instead, skillfully feigning flight, they undertook a plan to draw them away from the city, and by seeming to flee, to lead them along the above stated paths.
33 Alors tous les hommes d'Israël quittèrent leur position et se rangèrent à Baal-Tamar, tandis quel'embuscade d'Israël surgit de sa position, à l'ouest de Géba.	33 And so all the sons of Israel, rising up from their positions, set their troops in order, in the place which is called Baaltamar. Likewise, the ambushes that encircled the city began, little by little, to reveal themselves,
34 10.000 hommes d'élite, choisis dans tout Israël, parvinrent en face de Gibéa; le combat était acharnéet les autres ne se doutaient pas du malheur qui les frappait.	34 and to advance upon the western part of the city. Moreover, another ten thousand men from all of Israel were provoking a conflict with the inhabitants of the city. And the war grew heavy against the sons of Benjamin. And they did not realize that, on all sides of them, death was imminent.
35 Yahvé battit Benjamin devant Israël et, en ce jour, les Israélites tuèrent à Benjamin 25.100 hommes,tous sachant tirer l'épée.	35 And the Lord struck them down in the sight of the sons of Israel, and they put to death, on that day, twenty-five thousand of them, along with one hundred men, all warriors and those who drew the sword.
36 Les Benjaminites virent qu'ils étaient battus -- Les gens d'Israël cédèrent du terrain à Benjaminparce qu'ils comptaient sur l'embuscade qu'ils avaient placée contre Gibéa.	36 But the sons of Benjamin, when they had seen themselves to be the weaker, began to flee. And the sons of Israel discerning this, gave them room to flee, so that they might arrive at the ambushes that were prepared, which they had positioned near the city.
37 Ceux de l'embuscade se hâtèrent de s'élancer contre Gibéa; ils se déployèrent et passèrent toute laville au fil de l'épée.	37 And after they had risen up suddenly from hiding, and those of Benjamin had turned their backs to those who cut them down, they entered the city, and they struck it with the edge of the sword.
38 Or il y avait cette convention entre les gens d'Israël et ceux de l'embuscade: ceux-ci devaient, enguise de signal, faire monter de la ville une fumée;	38 Now the sons of Israel had given a sign to those whom they had stationed in ambushes, so that, after they had seized the city, they would light a fire, and by the smoke ascending on high, they would show that the city was captured.
39 alors les gens d'Israël engagés dans le combat feraient volte-face. Benjamin commença par tuer dumonde aux Israélites, une trentaine d'hommes. "Certainement les voilà encore battus devant nous, se disait-il,comme dans le premier combat."	39 And then, the sons of Israel discerned this sign during the battle (for the sons of Benjamin had thought that they fled, and they pursued them forcefully, cutting down thirty men from their army).
40 Mais le signal, une colonne de fumée, commença à s'élever de la ville, et Benjamin, se retournant,aperçut que la ville tout entière montait en feu vers le ciel.	40 And they saw something like a pillar of smoke ascending from the city. Likewise, Benjamin, looking back, discerned that the city was captured, for the flames were being carried on high.
41 Les gens d'Israël firent alors volte-face et les Benjaminites furent dans l'épouvante, car ils voyaientque le malheur les avait frappés.	41 And those who before had pretended to flee, turning their faces, withstood them more strongly. And when the sons of Benjamin had seen this, they turned their backs in flight,
42 Ils s'enfuirent devant les gens d'Israël en direction du désert, mais les combattants les serraient deprès et ceux qui venaient de la ville les massacrèrent en les prenant à revers.	42 and they began to go toward the way of the desert, with the adversary pursuing them to that place also. Moreover, those who had set fire to the city also met them.
43 Ils cernèrent Benjamin, le poursuivirent sans répit et l'écrasèrent en face de Gibéa, du côté du soleillevant.	43 And so it happened that they were cut down on both sides by the enemies, nor was there any respite for the dying. They were killed and struck down on the eastern side of the city of Gibeah.
44 De Benjamin, 18.000 hommes tombèrent, tous hommes vaillants. --	44 Now those who were put to death in the same place were eighteen thousand men, all very robust fighters.
45 Alors ils tournèrent le dos et s'enfuirent au désert, vers le Rocher de Rimmôn. Sur les chemins, onramassa 5.000 hommes, puis on serra Benjamin de près jusqu'à Gideôm, et on lui tua 2.000 hommes.	45 And when those who remained of Benjamin had seen this, they fled into the wilderness. And they were traveling toward the rock which is called Rimmon. In that flight also, among those who were scattering in different directions, they slew five thousand men. And though they scattered all the more, they continued to pursue them, and then they put to death another two thousand.
46 Le nombre total des Benjaminites qui tombèrent ce jour-là fut de 25.000 hommes sachant tirerl'épée, et c'étaient tous des hommes vaillants.	46 And so it happened that all of those who were slain from Benjamin, in various places, were twenty-five thousand fighters, very willing to go to war.
47 Six hommes tournèrent le dos et s'enfuirent au désert, vers le Rocher de Rimmôn. Ils y restèrentquatre mois.	47 And so there remained from the entire number of Benjamin six hundred men who were able to escape and to flee into the wilderness. And they settled at the rock of Rimmon, for four months.
48 Les gens d'Israël revinrent vers les Benjaminites, ils passèrent au fil de l'épée la population mâle dela ville, et même le bétail et tout ce qu'ils trouvaient. Ils mirent aussi le feu à toutes les villes qu'ils rencontrèrent.	48 But the sons of Israel, returning, had struck with the sword all that remained in the city, from men even to cattle. And all the cities and villages of Benjamin were consumed with devouring flames.