Shoftim (שופטים) - Giudici 11

STUTTGARTENSIA-DELITZSCH	NEW JERUSALEM
1 וְיִפְתָּח הַגִּלְעָדִי הָיָה גִּבֹּור חַיִל וְהוּא בֶּן־אִשָּׁה זֹונָה וַיֹּולֶד גִּלְעָד אֶת־יִפְתָּח	1 Jephthah the Gileadite was a valiant warrior. He was a prostitute's son. Gilead was Jephthah's father,
2 וַתֵּלֶד אֵשֶׁת־גִּלְעָד לֹו בָּנִים וַיִּגְדְּלוּ בְנֵי־הָאִשָּׁה וַיְגָרְשׁוּ אֶת־יִפְתָּח וַיֹּאמְרוּ לֹו לֹא־תִנְחַל בְּבֵית־אָבִינוּ כִּי בֶּן־אִשָּׁה אַחֶרֶת אָתָּה	2 but Gilead's wife also bore him sons, and the sons of this wife, when they grew up, drove Jephthahaway, saying, 'No share of the paternal heritage for you, since you are a son of another woman.'
3 וַיִּבְרַח יִפְתָּח מִפְּנֵי אֶחָיו וַיֵּשֶׁב בְּאֶרֶץ טֹוב וַיִּתְלַקְּטוּ אֶל־יִפְתָּח אֲנָשִׁים רֵיקִים וַיֵּצְאוּ עִמֹּו׃ פ	3 Jephthah fled far from his brothers and settled in the territory of Tob. Jephthah enlisted a group ofadventurers who used to go raiding with him.
4 וַיְהִי מִיָּמִים וַיִּלָּחֲמוּ בְנֵי־עַמֹּון עִם־יִשְׂרָאֵל	4 It was some time after this that the Ammonites made war on Israel.
5 וַיְהִי כַּאֲשֶׁר־נִלְחֲמוּ בְנֵי־עַמֹּון עִם־יִשְׂרָאֵל וַיֵּלְכוּ זִקְנֵי גִלְעָד לָקַחַת אֶת־יִפְתָּח מֵאֶרֶץ טֹוב	5 And when the Ammonites had attacked Israel, the elders of Gilead went to fetch Jephthah from theterritory of Tob.
6 וַיֹּאמְרוּ לְיִפְתָּח לְכָה וְהָיִיתָה לָּנוּ לְקָצִין וְנִלָּחֲמָה בִּבְנֵי עַמֹּון	6 'Come', they said, 'and be our commander, so that we can fight the Ammonites.'
7 וַיֹּאמֶר יִפְתָּח לְזִקְנֵי גִלְעָד הֲלֹא אַתֶּם שְׂנֵאתֶם אֹותִי וַתְּגָרְשׁוּנִי מִבֵּית אָבִי וּמַדּוּעַ בָּאתֶם אֵלַי עַתָּה כַּאֲשֶׁר צַר לָכֶם	7 Jephthah replied to the elders of Gilead, 'Didn't you hate me and drive me out of my father's house?Why come to me now, when you are in trouble?'
8 וַיֹּאמְרוּ זִקְנֵי גִלְעָד אֶל־יִפְתָּח לָכֵן עַתָּה שַׁבְנוּ אֵלֶיךָ וְהָלַכְתָּ עִמָּנוּ וְנִלְחַמְתָּ בִּבְנֵי עַמֹּון וְהָיִיתָ לָּנוּ לְרֹאשׁ לְכֹל יֹשְׁבֵי גִלְעָד	8 The elders of Gilead said to Jephthah, 'That is why we are turning to you now. Come with us; fight theAmmonites and be our chief, chief of al the people living in Gilead.'
9 וַיֹּאמֶר יִפְתָּח אֶל־זִקְנֵי גִלְעָד אִם־מְשִׁיבִים אַתֶּם אֹותִי לְהִלָּחֵם בִּבְנֵי עַמֹּון וְנָתַן יְהוָה אֹותָם לְפָנָי אָנֹכִי אֶהְיֶה לָכֶם לְרֹאשׁ	9 Jephthah then said to the elders of Gilead, 'If you bring me home to fight the Ammonites and Yahwehdefeats them for me, I am to be your chief?'
10 וַיֹּאמְרוּ זִקְנֵי־גִלְעָד אֶל־יִפְתָּח יְהוָה יִהְיֶה שֹׁמֵעַ בֵּינֹותֵינוּ אִם־לֹא כִדְבָרְךָ כֵּן נַעֲשֶׂה	10 And the elders of Gilead then said to Jephthah, 'Yahweh be witness between us, if we do not do asyou have said!'
11 וַיֵּלֶךְ יִפְתָּח עִם־זִקְנֵי גִלְעָד וַיָּשִׂימוּ הָעָם אֹותֹו עֲלֵיהֶם לְרֹאשׁ וּלְקָצִין וַיְדַבֵּר יִפְתָּח אֶת־כָּל־דְּבָרָיו לִפְנֵי יְהוָה בַּמִּצְפָּה׃ פ	11 So Jephthah set off with the elders of Gilead. The people put him at their head as chief andcommander; and Jephthah repeated al his conditions at Mizpah in Yahweh's presence.
12 וַיִּשְׁלַח יִפְתָּח מַלְאָכִים אֶל־מֶלֶךְ בְּנֵי־עַמֹּון לֵאמֹר מַה־לִּי וָלָךְ כִּי־בָאתָ אֵלַי לְהִלָּחֵם בְּאַרְצִי	12 Jephthah sent messengers to the king of the Ammonites to say to him, 'What do you have against us,for you to come and make war on my country?'
13 וַיֹּאמֶר מֶלֶךְ בְּנֵי־עַמֹּון אֶל־מַלְאֲכֵי יִפְתָּח כִּי־לָקַח יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת־אַרְצִי בַּעֲלֹותֹו מִמִּצְרַיִם מֵאַרְנֹון וְעַד־הַיַּבֹּק וְעַד־הַיַּרְדֵּן וְעַתָּה הָשִׁיבָה אֶתְהֶן בְּשָׁלֹום	13 The king of the Ammonites replied to Jephthah's messengers, 'The reason is that when Israel cameup from Egypt, they seized my country from the Arnon to the Jabbok and to the Jordan; so now restore it to mepeaceful y.'
14 וַיֹּוסֶף עֹוד יִפְתָּח וַיִּשְׁלַח מַלְאָכִים אֶל־מֶלֶךְ בְּנֵי עַמֹּון	14 Jephthah sent messengers back to the king of the Ammonites
15 וַיֹּאמֶר לֹו כֹּה אָמַר יִפְתָּח לֹא־לָקַח יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת־אֶרֶץ מֹואָב וְאֶת־אֶרֶץ בְּנֵי עַמֹּון	15 with this answer, 'Jephthah says this, "Israel seized neither the country of Moab nor the country of theAmmonites.
16 כִּי בַּעֲלֹותָם מִמִּצְרָיִם וַיֵּלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל בַּמִּדְבָּר עַד־יַם־סוּף וַיָּבֹא קָדֵשָׁה	16 When Israel came out of Egypt, they marched through the desert as far as the Sea of Reeds and,having reached Kadesh,
17 וַיִּשְׁלַח יִשְׂרָאֵל מַלְאָכִים ׀ אֶל־מֶלֶךְ אֱדֹום ׀ לֵאמֹר אֶעְבְּרָה־נָּא בְאַרְצֶךָ וְלֹא שָׁמַע מֶלֶךְ אֱדֹום וְגַם אֶל־מֶלֶךְ מֹואָב שָׁלַח וְלֹא אָבָה וַיֵּשֶׁב יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּקָדֵשׁ	17 Israel then sent messengers to the king of Edom to say: Please let me pass through your country, butthe king of Edom would not listen. They sent similarly to the king of Moab, but he refused, and Israel remained atKadesh;
18 וַיֵּלֶךְ בַּמִּדְבָּר וַיָּסָב אֶת־אֶרֶץ אֱדֹום וְאֶת־אֶרֶץ מֹואָב וַיָּבֹא מִמִּזְרַח־שֶׁמֶשׁ לְאֶרֶץ מֹואָב וַיַּחֲנוּן בְּעֵבֶר אַרְנֹון וְלֹא־בָאוּ בִּגְבוּל מֹואָב כִּי אַרְנֹון גְּבוּל מֹואָב	18 later, moving on through the desert and skirting the countries of Edom and Moab until arriving to theeast of Moabite territory, the people camped on the other side of the Arnon but did not enter Moabite territory,the Arnon being the Moabite frontier.
19 וַיִּשְׁלַח יִשְׂרָאֵל מַלְאָכִים אֶל־סִיחֹון מֶלֶךְ־הָאֱמֹרִי מֶלֶךְ חֶשְׁבֹּון וַיֹּאמֶר לֹו יִשְׂרָאֵל נַעְבְּרָה־נָּא בְאַרְצְךָ עַד־מְקֹומִי	19 Israel then sent messengers to Sihon, king of the Amorites, ruling in Heshbon. Israel's message was:Please let me pass through your country to my destination.
20 וְלֹא־הֶאֱמִין סִיחֹון אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵל עֲבֹר בִּגְבֻלֹו וַיֶּאֱסֹף סִיחֹון אֶת־כָּל־עַמֹּו וַיַּחֲנוּ בְּיָהְצָה וַיִּלָּחֶם עִם־יִשְׂרָאֵל	20 But Sihon would not let Israel pass through his territory; he mustered his whole army; they encampedat Jahaz, and he then joined battle with Israel.
21 וַיִּתֵּן יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת־סִיחֹון וְאֶת־כָּל־עַמֹּו בְּיַד יִשְׂרָאֵל וַיַּכּוּם וַיִּירַשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל אֵת כָּל־אֶרֶץ הָאֱמֹרִי יֹושֵׁב הָאָרֶץ הַהִיא	21 Yahweh, God of Israel, delivered Sihon and his whole army into the power of Israel, who defeatedthem; as the result of which, Israel took possession of the entire territory of the Amorites living in that region.
22 וַיִּירְשׁוּ אֵת כָּל־גְּבוּל הָאֱמֹרִי מֵאַרְנֹון וְעַד־הַיַּבֹּק וּמִן־הַמִּדְבָּר וְעַד־הַיַּרְדֵּן	22 Israel took possession of all the Amorite territory from the Arnon to the Jabbok and from the desert tothe Jordan.
23 וְעַתָּה יְהוָה ׀ אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל הֹורִישׁ אֶת־הָאֱמֹרִי מִפְּנֵי עַמֹּו יִשְׂרָאֵל וְאַתָּה תִּירָשֶׁנּוּ	23 And now that Yahweh, God of Israel, has dispossessed the Amorites before his people Israel, do youthink you can dispossess us?
24 הֲלֹא אֵת אֲשֶׁר יֹורִישְׁךָ כְּמֹושׁ אֱלֹהֶיךָ אֹותֹו תִירָשׁ וְאֵת כָּל־אֲשֶׁר הֹורִישׁ יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ מִפָּנֵינוּ אֹותֹו נִירָשׁ	24 Will you not keep as your possession whatever Chemosh, your god, has given you? And, just thesame, we shal keep as ours whatever Yahweh our God has given us, to inherit from those who were before us!
25 וְעַתָּה הֲטֹוב טֹוב אַתָּה מִבָּלָק בֶּן־צִפֹּור מֶלֶךְ מֹואָב הֲרֹוב רָב עִם־יִשְׂרָאֵל אִם־נִלְחֹם נִלְחַם בָּם	25 Are you a better man than Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab? Did he pick a quarrel with Israel? Didhe make war on them?
26 בְּשֶׁבֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּחֶשְׁבֹּון וּבִבְנֹותֶיהָ וּבְעַרְעֹור וּבִבְנֹותֶיהָ וּבְכָל־הֶעָרִים אֲשֶׁר עַל־יְדֵי אַרְנֹון שְׁלֹשׁ מֵאֹות שָׁנָה וּמַדּוּעַ לֹא־הִצַּלְתֶּם בָּעֵת הַהִיא	26 When Israel settled in Heshbon and its dependencies, and in Aroer and its dependencies, or in any ofthe towns on the banks of the Arnon (three hundred years ago), why did you not recover them then?
27 וְאָנֹכִי לֹא־חָטָאתִי לָךְ וְאַתָּה עֹשֶׂה אִתִּי רָעָה לְהִלָּחֶם בִּי יִשְׁפֹּט יְהוָה הַשֹּׁפֵט הַיֹּום בֵּין בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וּבֵין בְּנֵי עַמֹּון	27 I for my part have done you no harm, but you are wronging me by making war on me. Let Yahwehthe Judge give judgement today between the Israelites and the king of the Ammonites." '
28 וְלֹא שָׁמַע מֶלֶךְ בְּנֵי עַמֹּון אֶל־דִּבְרֵי יִפְתָּח אֲשֶׁר שָׁלַח אֵלָיו׃ פ	28 But the king of the Ammonites took no notice of the message that Jephthah sent him.
29 וַתְּהִי עַל־יִפְתָּח רוּחַ יְהוָה וַיַּעֲבֹר אֶת־הַגִּלְעָד וְאֶת־מְנַשֶּׁה וַיַּעֲבֹר אֶת־מִצְפֵּה גִלְעָד וּמִמִּצְפֵּה גִלְעָד עָבַר בְּנֵי עַמֹּון	29 The spirit of Yahweh was on Jephthah, who crossed Gilead and Manasseh, crossed by way ofMizpah in Gilead, and from Mizpah in Gilead crossed into Ammonite territory.
30 וַיִּדַּר יִפְתָּח נֶדֶר לַיהוָה וַיֹּאמַר אִם־נָתֹון תִּתֵּן אֶת־בְּנֵי עַמֹּון בְּיָדִי	30 And Jephthah made a vow to Yahweh, 'If you deliver the Ammonites into my grasp,
31 וְהָיָה הַיֹּוצֵא אֲשֶׁר יֵצֵא מִדַּלְתֵי בֵיתִי לִקְרָאתִי בְּשׁוּבִי בְשָׁלֹום מִבְּנֵי עַמֹּון וְהָיָה לַיהוָה וְהַעֲלִיתִהוּ עֹולָה׃ פ	31 the first thing to come out of the doors of my house to meet me when I return in triumph from fightingthe Ammonites shal belong to Yahweh, and I shal sacrifice it as a burnt offering.'
32 וַיַּעֲבֹר יִפְתָּח אֶל־בְּנֵי עַמֹּון לְהִלָּחֶם בָּם וַיִּתְּנֵם יְהוָה בְּיָדֹו	32 Jephthah crossed into Ammonite territory to attack them, and Yahweh delivered them into his grasp.
33 וַיַּכֵּם מֵעֲרֹועֵר וְעַד־בֹּואֲךָ מִנִּית עֶשְׂרִים עִיר וְעַד אָבֵל כְּרָמִים מַכָּה גְּדֹולָה מְאֹד וַיִּכָּנְעוּ בְּנֵי עַמֹּון מִפְּנֵי בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל׃ פ	33 He beat them from Aroer to the border of Minnith (twenty towns) and to Abel-Keramim. It was a verysevere defeat, and the Ammonites were humbled by the Israelites.
34 וַיָּבֹא יִפְתָּח הַמִּצְפָּה אֶל־בֵּיתֹו וְהִנֵּה בִתֹּו יֹצֵאת לִקְרָאתֹו בְתֻפִּים וּבִמְחֹלֹות וְרַק הִיא יְחִידָה אֵין־לֹו מִמֶּנּוּ בֵּן אֹו־בַת	34 As Jephthah returned to his house at Mizpah, his daughter came out to meet him, dancing to thesound of tambourines. She was his only child; apart from her, he had neither son nor daughter.
35 וַיְהִי כִרְאֹותֹו אֹותָהּ וַיִּקְרַע אֶת־בְּגָדָיו וַיֹּאמֶר אֲהָהּ בִּתִּי הַכְרֵעַ הִכְרַעְתִּנִי וְאַתְּ הָיִיתְ בְּעֹכְרָי וְאָנֹכִי פָּצִיתִי־פִי אֶל־יְהוָה וְלֹא אוּכַל לָשׁוּב	35 When he saw her, he tore his clothes and exclaimed, 'Oh my daughter, what misery you havebrought upon me! You have joined those who bring misery into my life! I have made a promise before Yahwehwhich I cannot retract.'
36 וַתֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו אָבִי פָּצִיתָה אֶת־פִּיךָ אֶל־יְהוָה עֲשֵׂה לִי כַּאֲשֶׁר יָצָא מִפִּיךָ אַחֲרֵי אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה לְךָ יְהוָה נְקָמֹות מֵאֹיְבֶיךָ מִבְּנֵי עַמֹּון	36 She replied, 'Father, you have made a promise to Yahweh; treat me as the promise that you havemade requires, since Yahweh has granted you vengeance on your enemies the Ammonites.'
37 וַתֹּאמֶר אֶל־אָבִיהָ יֵעָשֶׂה לִּי הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה הַרְפֵּה מִמֶּנִּי שְׁנַיִם חֳדָשִׁים וְאֵלְכָה וְיָרַדְתִּי עַל־הֶהָרִים וְאֶבְכֶּה עַל־בְּתוּלַי אָנֹכִי [וְרַעִיתִי כ] (וְרֵעֹותָי׃ ק)	37 She then said to her father, 'Grant me this! Let me be free for two months. I shal go and wander inthe mountains, and with my companions bewail my virginity.'
38 וַיֹּאמֶר לֵכִי וַיִּשְׁלַח אֹותָהּ שְׁנֵי חֳדָשִׁים וַתֵּלֶךְ הִיא וְרֵעֹותֶיהָ וַתֵּבְךְּ עַל־בְּתוּלֶיהָ עַל־הֶהָרִים	38 He replied, 'Go,' and let her go away for two months. So she went away with her companions andbewailed her virginity in the mountains.
39 וַיְהִי מִקֵּץ ׀ שְׁנַיִם חֳדָשִׁים וַתָּשָׁב אֶל־אָבִיהָ וַיַּעַשׂ לָהּ אֶת־נִדְרֹו אֲשֶׁר נָדָר וְהִיא לֹא־יָדְעָה אִישׁ וַתְּהִי־חֹק בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל	39 When the two months were over she went back to her father, and he treated her as the vow that hehad uttered bound him. She had remained a virgin. And hence, the custom in Israel
40 מִיָּמִים ׀ יָמִימָה תֵּלַכְנָה בְּנֹות יִשְׂרָאֵל לְתַנֹּות לְבַת־יִפְתָּח הַגִּלְעָדִי אַרְבַּעַת יָמִים בַּשָּׁנָה׃ ס	40 for the daughters of Israel to leave home year by year and lament over the daughter of Jephthah theGileadite for four days every year.