Livre des Juges 20

BIBLES DES PEUPLES	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 Tous les Israélites sortirent de chez eux, depuis Dan jusqu’à Bersabée, et la communauté se rassembla comme un seul homme auprès de Yahvé à Mispa. Même les gens de Galaad étaient là.	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 du peuple et toutes les tribus d’Israël participaient à cette assemblée du peuple de Dieu: c’étaient 400 000 hommes sachant manier 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 fils de Benjamin apprirent que les Israélites étaient montés à Mispa. Les Israélites dirent: “Racontez-nous comment s’est commis ce crime?”	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 Alors le Lévite, le mari de la femme assassinée prit la parole et dit: “Je suis entré à Guibéa de Benjamin avec ma concubine pour y passer la nuit,	4 responded: “I went to Gibeah of Benjamin, with my wife, and I diverted to that place.
5 et les propriétaires de Guibéa ont décidé de me faire du tort. Durant toute la nuit ils ont cerné la maison où je me trouvais avec l’intention de me tuer; ils ont fait violence à ma concubine de telle façon 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 Alors j’ai pris ma concubine et je l’ai coupée en morceaux, je les ai envoyés par toutes les terres qui appartiennent à Israël, car ils ont fait quelque chose d’ignoble 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 Puisque vous êtes tous venus ici, tout Israël, traitez l’affaire et décidez ici-même.”	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 et dit: “Que nul d’entre nous ne se retire sous sa tente, que personne ne retourne à 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 Voici comment nous allons procéder avec Guibéa. Nous allons tirer au sort	9 But this we shall do in common against Gibeah:
10 dix hommes sur cent dans toutes les tribus d’Israël, ou cent sur mille, ou mille sur dix mille. Ils iront chercher des vivres pour ceux qui partiront à Guibéa de Benjamin afin de la traiter comme elle le mérite, après le crime qu’elle a commis 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 C’est ainsi que les Israélites se rassemblèrent comme un seul homme face à la ville.	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 hommes dans tout le territoire de Benjamin pour dire: “Quel est ce crime que l’on a commis chez 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 Livrez-nous donc ces hommes, ces criminels de Guibéa, nous les mettrons à mort et nous éliminerons d’Israël le mal.” Mais les gens de Benjamin ne voulurent pas écouter la voix de leurs frères 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 arrivèrent de leurs villes et se rassemblèrent à Guibéa 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 On recensa ce jour-là les Benjaminites venus de leurs villes: 26 000 hommes de guerre. On les recensa à part des habitants de Guibéa.	15 And there were found from Benjamin twenty-five thousand who drew the sword, aside from the inhabitants of Gibeah,
16 Il y avait dans cette armée 700 hommes d’élite, des gauchers capables avec leur fronde de lancer une pierre au but sans le manquer d’un cheveu.	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 On recensa aussi les Israélites sans les gens de Benjamin: 400 000 hommes sachant manier l’épée, tous des hommes 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 levèrent et montèrent à Béthel pour consulter Dieu. Les Israélites demandèrent: “Qui d’entre nous montera le premier à l’attaque contre les gens de Benjamin?” Yahvé répondit: “Juda sera 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 Les Israélites se levèrent de bon matin et établirent leur camp face à Guibéa.	19 And immediately the sons of Israel, rising up in the morning, made camp near Gibeah.
20 Ceux d’Israël prirent l’initiative et ils se rangèrent pour attaquer ceux de Benjamin qui étaient à Guibéa.	20 And setting out from there to fight against Benjamin, they began to assault the city.
21 Les gens de Benjamin sortirent alors de Guibéa et massacrèrent en ce jour-là 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 20:23 Les Israélites montèrent alors à Béthel et ils pleurèrent devant Yahvé jusqu’au soir. Puis ils consultèrent Yahvé en ces termes: “Devons-nous recommencer à combattre nos frères de Benjamin?” Yahvé répondit: “Attaquez-les!”	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 20:22 L’armée d’Israël reprit courage et de nouveau elle se rangea au même endroit que le premier jour.	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 Les Israélites attaquèrent donc les 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 ce second jour encore, ceux de Benjamin sortirent de Guibéa à leur rencontre et tuèrent chez les Israélites 18 000 hommes sachant manier 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 Tous les Israélites et tout le peuple montèrent de nouveau à Béthel. Là, assis devant Yahvé, ils pleurèrent et jeûnèrent ce jour-là jusqu’au soir, puis ils offrirent à Yahvé des holocaustes et des sacrifices de communion.	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 Les Israélites consultèrent Yahvé ce jour-là: en effet l’Arche de l’Alliance de Dieu se trouvait en ce lieu,	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’Éléazar, fils d’Aaron, en avait la charge. Les Israélites demandèrent: “Devons-nous une nouvelle fois attaquer nos frères de Benjamin, ou devons-nous renoncer?” Yahvé répondit: “Montez, car demain je les 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 Israël plaça des hommes en embuscade autour de Guibéa.	29 And the sons of Israel stationed ambushes around the city of Gibeah.
30 Quand les Israélites montèrent à l’attaque le troisième jour contre ceux de Benjamin, ils se rangèrent devant Guibéa comme les autres fois.	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 firent alors une sortie pour rencontrer l’armée, et ils s’éloignèrent de la ville. Comme les autres fois ils commencèrent à massacrer des hommes de l’armée d’Israël (ils en tuèrent environ 30 sur les routes qui vont à Béthel et à Guibéa par la campagne).	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 pensaient: “Les voilà battus devant nous comme les autres fois.” Mais les Israélites s’étaient dit: “Nous prendrons la fuite pour les attirer sur les routes loin de la ville.”	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 Tous les Israélites se regroupèrent et firent face à Baal-Tamar, au moment même où ceux de l’embuscade débouchaient du lieu où ils s’étaient postés à l’ouest de Guéba.	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 C’étaient 10 000 hommes d’élite de l’armée d’Israël qui arrivaient sur Guibéa. La bataille fut rude et les Benjaminites ne savaient pas que le malheur allait les frapper.	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 Car Yahvé donna la défaite à Benjamin devant Israël et, ce jour-là, les Israélites tuèrent 25 100 hommes de Benjamin, tous habiles à manier 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 Israélites ne leur avaient cédé du terrain que parce qu’ils comptaient sur l’embuscade qu’ils avaient placée contre Guibéa.	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 En effet, les gens de l’embuscade se jetèrent sur Guibéa, se déployèrent et passèrent toute la ville 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 Les Israélites avaient convenu d’un signe avec ceux de l’embuscade: ces derniers feraient monter de la ville un nuage de 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 Quand les Benjaminites leur avaient déjà tué une trentaine d’hommes et se disaient: “Les voilà bien battus devant nous comme la dernière fois”, à ce moment même les Israélites se retournèrent contre eux.	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 Le signal de fumée s’élevait de la ville et, en se retournant, Benjamin aperçut la lueur qui montait vers les cieux: toute la ville était en flammes.	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 hommes d’Israël attaquaient, et ce fut l’épouvante chez les Benjaminites; ils comprirent que le malheur tombait sur eux.	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 Comme ils tentaient de s’enfuir devant les Israélites par les chemins du désert, la bataille les y rejoignit et ceux qui descendaient de la ville les massacrèrent.	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 Benjamin fut cerné, harcelé, écrasé jusqu’à l’orient de Guibéa.	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 18 000 hommes de Benjamin tombèrent, tous de courageux guerriers.	44 Now those who were put to death in the same place were eighteen thousand men, all very robust fighters.
45 Ceux qui purent s’échapper gagnèrent le désert vers le Rocher-de-Rimon. On en tua 5 000 sur les routes et 2 000 parmi ceux que l’on poursuivit jusqu’à Guidéon.	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 total des gens de Benjamin qui tombèrent ce jour-là, fut de 25 000 hommes sachant manier l’épée, tous de courageux guerriers.	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 Ceux qui avaient pu s’échapper et qui s’étaient enfuis au désert vers le Rocher-de-Rimon y restèrent pendant quatre mois, ils étaient 600.	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 Quand les Israélites se retournèrent contre le peuple de Benjamin, ils passèrent tout au fil de l’épée: la ville, les hommes, le bétail et tout ce qui s’y trouvait. Ils mirent ensuite le feu à toutes les villes qu’ils rencontraient.	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.