Shoftim (שופטים) - Giudici 11

STUTTGARTENSIA-DELITZSCH	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 וְיִפְתָּח הַגִּלְעָדִי הָיָה גִּבֹּור חַיִל וְהוּא בֶּן־אִשָּׁה זֹונָה וַיֹּולֶד גִּלְעָד אֶת־יִפְתָּח	1 At that time, there was a Gileadite, Jephthah, a very strong man and a fighter, the son of a kept woman, and he was born of Gilead.
2 וַתֵּלֶד אֵשֶׁת־גִּלְעָד לֹו בָּנִים וַיִּגְדְּלוּ בְנֵי־הָאִשָּׁה וַיְגָרְשׁוּ אֶת־יִפְתָּח וַיֹּאמְרוּ לֹו לֹא־תִנְחַל בְּבֵית־אָבִינוּ כִּי בֶּן־אִשָּׁה אַחֶרֶת אָתָּה	2 Now Gilead had a wife, from whom he received sons. And they, after growing up, cast out Jephthah, saying, “You cannot inherit in the house of our father, because you were born of another mother.”
3 וַיִּבְרַח יִפְתָּח מִפְּנֵי אֶחָיו וַיֵּשֶׁב בְּאֶרֶץ טֹוב וַיִּתְלַקְּטוּ אֶל־יִפְתָּח אֲנָשִׁים רֵיקִים וַיֵּצְאוּ עִמֹּו׃ פ	3 And so, fleeing and avoiding them, he lived in the land of Tob. And men who were indigent and robbers joined with him, and they followed him as their leader.
4 וַיְהִי מִיָּמִים וַיִּלָּחֲמוּ בְנֵי־עַמֹּון עִם־יִשְׂרָאֵל	4 In those days, the sons of Ammon fought against Israel.
5 וַיְהִי כַּאֲשֶׁר־נִלְחֲמוּ בְנֵי־עַמֹּון עִם־יִשְׂרָאֵל וַיֵּלְכוּ זִקְנֵי גִלְעָד לָקַחַת אֶת־יִפְתָּח מֵאֶרֶץ טֹוב	5 And being steadfastly attacked, the elders of Gilead traveled so that they might obtain for their assistance Jephthah, from the land of Tob.
6 וַיֹּאמְרוּ לְיִפְתָּח לְכָה וְהָיִיתָה לָּנוּ לְקָצִין וְנִלָּחֲמָה בִּבְנֵי עַמֹּון	6 And they said to him, “Come and be our leader, and fight against the sons of Ammon.”
7 וַיֹּאמֶר יִפְתָּח לְזִקְנֵי גִלְעָד הֲלֹא אַתֶּם שְׂנֵאתֶם אֹותִי וַתְּגָרְשׁוּנִי מִבֵּית אָבִי וּמַדּוּעַ בָּאתֶם אֵלַי עַתָּה כַּאֲשֶׁר צַר לָכֶם	7 But he answered them: “Are you not the ones who hated me, and who cast me out of my father’s house? And yet now you come to me, compelled by necessity?”
8 וַיֹּאמְרוּ זִקְנֵי גִלְעָד אֶל־יִפְתָּח לָכֵן עַתָּה שַׁבְנוּ אֵלֶיךָ וְהָלַכְתָּ עִמָּנוּ וְנִלְחַמְתָּ בִּבְנֵי עַמֹּון וְהָיִיתָ לָּנוּ לְרֹאשׁ לְכֹל יֹשְׁבֵי גִלְעָד	8 And the leaders of Gilead said to Jephthah, “But it is due to this necessity that we have approached you now, so that you may set out with us, and fight against the sons of Ammon, and be commander over all who live 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 also said to them: “If you have come to me so that I may fight for you against the sons of Ammon, and if the Lord will deliver them into my hands, will I truly be your leader?”
10 וַיֹּאמְרוּ זִקְנֵי־גִלְעָד אֶל־יִפְתָּח יְהוָה יִהְיֶה שֹׁמֵעַ בֵּינֹותֵינוּ אִם־לֹא כִדְבָרְךָ כֵּן נַעֲשֶׂה	10 They answered him, “The Lord who hears these things is himself the Mediator and the Witness that we shall do what we have promised.”
11 וַיֵּלֶךְ יִפְתָּח עִם־זִקְנֵי גִלְעָד וַיָּשִׂימוּ הָעָם אֹותֹו עֲלֵיהֶם לְרֹאשׁ וּלְקָצִין וַיְדַבֵּר יִפְתָּח אֶת־כָּל־דְּבָרָיו לִפְנֵי יְהוָה בַּמִּצְפָּה׃ פ	11 And so Jephthah went with the leaders of Gilead, and all the people made him their leader. And Jephthah spoke all his words, in the sight of the Lord, at Mizpah.
12 וַיִּשְׁלַח יִפְתָּח מַלְאָכִים אֶל־מֶלֶךְ בְּנֵי־עַמֹּון לֵאמֹר מַה־לִּי וָלָךְ כִּי־בָאתָ אֵלַי לְהִלָּחֵם בְּאַרְצִי	12 And he sent messengers to the king of the sons of Ammon, who said on his behalf, “What is there between you and me, that you would approach against me, so that you might lay waste to my land?”
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 And he responded to them, “It is because Israel took my land, when he ascended from Egypt, from the parts of Arnon, as far as the Jabbok and the Jordan. Now therefore, restore these to me with peace.”
14 וַיֹּוסֶף עֹוד יִפְתָּח וַיִּשְׁלַח מַלְאָכִים אֶל־מֶלֶךְ בְּנֵי עַמֹּון	14 And Jephthah again commissioned them, and he ordered them to say to the king of Ammon:
15 וַיֹּאמֶר לֹו כֹּה אָמַר יִפְתָּח לֹא־לָקַח יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת־אֶרֶץ מֹואָב וְאֶת־אֶרֶץ בְּנֵי עַמֹּון	15 “Jephthah says this: Israel did not take the land of Moab, nor the land of the sons of Ammon.
16 כִּי בַּעֲלֹותָם מִמִּצְרָיִם וַיֵּלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל בַּמִּדְבָּר עַד־יַם־סוּף וַיָּבֹא קָדֵשָׁה	16 But when they ascended together from Egypt, he walked through the desert as far as the Red Sea, and he went into 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 And he sent messengers to the king of Edom, saying, ‘Permit me to pass through your land.’ But he was not willing to agree to his petition. Likewise, he sent to the king of Moab, who also refused to offer him passage. And so he delayed in Kadesh,
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 and he circled around the side of the land of Edom and the land of Moab. And he arrived opposite the eastern region of the land of Moab. And he made camp across the Arnon. But he was not willing to enter the borders of Moab. (Of course, Arnon is the border of the land of Moab.)
19 וַיִּשְׁלַח יִשְׂרָאֵל מַלְאָכִים אֶל־סִיחֹון מֶלֶךְ־הָאֱמֹרִי מֶלֶךְ חֶשְׁבֹּון וַיֹּאמֶר לֹו יִשְׂרָאֵל נַעְבְּרָה־נָּא בְאַרְצְךָ עַד־מְקֹומִי	19 And so Israel sent messengers to Sihon, the king of the Amorites, who was living at Heshbon. And they said to him, “Permit me to cross through your land as far as the river.”
20 וְלֹא־הֶאֱמִין סִיחֹון אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵל עֲבֹר בִּגְבֻלֹו וַיֶּאֱסֹף סִיחֹון אֶת־כָּל־עַמֹּו וַיַּחֲנוּ בְּיָהְצָה וַיִּלָּחֶם עִם־יִשְׂרָאֵל	20 But he, too, despising the words of Israel, would not permit him to cross through his borders. Instead, gathering an innumerable multitude, he went out against him at Jahaz, and he resisted strongly.
21 וַיִּתֵּן יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת־סִיחֹון וְאֶת־כָּל־עַמֹּו בְּיַד יִשְׂרָאֵל וַיַּכּוּם וַיִּירַשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל אֵת כָּל־אֶרֶץ הָאֱמֹרִי יֹושֵׁב הָאָרֶץ הַהִיא	21 But the Lord delivered him, with his entire army, into the hands of Israel. And he struck him down, and he possessed all the land of the Amorite, the inhabitant of that region,
22 וַיִּירְשׁוּ אֵת כָּל־גְּבוּל הָאֱמֹרִי מֵאַרְנֹון וְעַד־הַיַּבֹּק וּמִן־הַמִּדְבָּר וְעַד־הַיַּרְדֵּן	22 with all its parts, from the Arnon as far as the Jabbok, and from the wilderness even to the Jordan.
23 וְעַתָּה יְהוָה ׀ אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל הֹורִישׁ אֶת־הָאֱמֹרִי מִפְּנֵי עַמֹּו יִשְׂרָאֵל וְאַתָּה תִּירָשֶׁנּוּ	23 Therefore, it was the Lord, the God of Israel, who overthrew the Amorites, by means of his people Israel fighting against them. And now you wish to possess his land?
24 הֲלֹא אֵת אֲשֶׁר יֹורִישְׁךָ כְּמֹושׁ אֱלֹהֶיךָ אֹותֹו תִירָשׁ וְאֵת כָּל־אֲשֶׁר הֹורִישׁ יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ מִפָּנֵינוּ אֹותֹו נִירָשׁ	24 Are not the things that your god Chemosh possesses owed to you by right? And so, what the Lord our God has obtained by victory falls to us as a possession.
25 וְעַתָּה הֲטֹוב טֹוב אַתָּה מִבָּלָק בֶּן־צִפֹּור מֶלֶךְ מֹואָב הֲרֹוב רָב עִם־יִשְׂרָאֵל אִם־נִלְחֹם נִלְחַם בָּם	25 Or are you, perhaps, better than Balak, the son of Zippor, the king of Moab? Or are you able to explain what his argument was against Israel, and why he fought against him?
26 בְּשֶׁבֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּחֶשְׁבֹּון וּבִבְנֹותֶיהָ וּבְעַרְעֹור וּבִבְנֹותֶיהָ וּבְכָל־הֶעָרִים אֲשֶׁר עַל־יְדֵי אַרְנֹון שְׁלֹשׁ מֵאֹות שָׁנָה וּמַדּוּעַ לֹא־הִצַּלְתֶּם בָּעֵת הַהִיא	26 And though he has lived in Heshbon, and its villages, and in Aroer, and its villages, and in all the cities near the Jordan for three hundred years, why have you, for such long a time, put forward nothing about this claim?
27 וְאָנֹכִי לֹא־חָטָאתִי לָךְ וְאַתָּה עֹשֶׂה אִתִּי רָעָה לְהִלָּחֶם בִּי יִשְׁפֹּט יְהוָה הַשֹּׁפֵט הַיֹּום בֵּין בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וּבֵין בְּנֵי עַמֹּון	27 Therefore, I am not sinning against you, but you are doing evil against me, by declaring an unjust war against me. May the Lord be the Judge and the Arbiter this day, between Israel and the sons of Ammon.”
28 וְלֹא שָׁמַע מֶלֶךְ בְּנֵי עַמֹּון אֶל־דִּבְרֵי יִפְתָּח אֲשֶׁר שָׁלַח אֵלָיו׃ פ	28 But the king of the sons of Ammon was not willing to agree to the words of Jephthah that he commissioned by the messengers.
29 וַתְּהִי עַל־יִפְתָּח רוּחַ יְהוָה וַיַּעֲבֹר אֶת־הַגִּלְעָד וְאֶת־מְנַשֶּׁה וַיַּעֲבֹר אֶת־מִצְפֵּה גִלְעָד וּמִמִּצְפֵּה גִלְעָד עָבַר בְּנֵי עַמֹּון	29 Therefore, the Spirit of the Lord rested upon Jephthah, and circling around Gilead, and Manasseh, and also Mizpah of Gilead, and crossing from there to the sons of Ammon,
30 וַיִּדַּר יִפְתָּח נֶדֶר לַיהוָה וַיֹּאמַר אִם־נָתֹון תִּתֵּן אֶת־בְּנֵי עַמֹּון בְּיָדִי	30 he made a vow to the Lord, saying, “If you will deliver the sons of Ammon into my hands,
31 וְהָיָה הַיֹּוצֵא אֲשֶׁר יֵצֵא מִדַּלְתֵי בֵיתִי לִקְרָאתִי בְּשׁוּבִי בְשָׁלֹום מִבְּנֵי עַמֹּון וְהָיָה לַיהוָה וְהַעֲלִיתִהוּ עֹולָה׃ פ	31 whoever will be the first to depart from the doors of my house to meet me, when I return in peace from the sons of Ammon, the same will I offer as a holocaust to the Lord.”
32 וַיַּעֲבֹר יִפְתָּח אֶל־בְּנֵי עַמֹּון לְהִלָּחֶם בָּם וַיִּתְּנֵם יְהוָה בְּיָדֹו	32 And Jephthah crossed to the sons of Ammon, so that he might fight against them. And the Lord delivered them into his hands.
33 וַיַּכֵּם מֵעֲרֹועֵר וְעַד־בֹּואֲךָ מִנִּית עֶשְׂרִים עִיר וְעַד אָבֵל כְּרָמִים מַכָּה גְּדֹולָה מְאֹד וַיִּכָּנְעוּ בְּנֵי עַמֹּון מִפְּנֵי בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל׃ פ	33 And he struck them down from Aroer, as far as the entrance to Minnith, twenty cities, and as far as Abel, which is covered with vineyards, in an exceedingly great slaughter. And the sons of Ammon were humbled by the sons of Israel.
34 וַיָּבֹא יִפְתָּח הַמִּצְפָּה אֶל־בֵּיתֹו וְהִנֵּה בִתֹּו יֹצֵאת לִקְרָאתֹו בְתֻפִּים וּבִמְחֹלֹות וְרַק הִיא יְחִידָה אֵין־לֹו מִמֶּנּוּ בֵּן אֹו־בַת	34 But when Jephthah returned to Mizpah, to his own house, his only daughter met him with timbrels and dances. For he had no other children.
35 וַיְהִי כִרְאֹותֹו אֹותָהּ וַיִּקְרַע אֶת־בְּגָדָיו וַיֹּאמֶר אֲהָהּ בִּתִּי הַכְרֵעַ הִכְרַעְתִּנִי וְאַתְּ הָיִיתְ בְּעֹכְרָי וְאָנֹכִי פָּצִיתִי־פִי אֶל־יְהוָה וְלֹא אוּכַל לָשׁוּב	35 And upon seeing her, he tore his garments, and he said: “Alas, my daughter! You have cheated me, and you yourself have been cheated. For I opened my mouth to the Lord, and I can do nothing else.”
36 וַתֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו אָבִי פָּצִיתָה אֶת־פִּיךָ אֶל־יְהוָה עֲשֵׂה לִי כַּאֲשֶׁר יָצָא מִפִּיךָ אַחֲרֵי אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה לְךָ יְהוָה נְקָמֹות מֵאֹיְבֶיךָ מִבְּנֵי עַמֹּון	36 And she answered him, “My father, if you have opened your mouth to the Lord, do to me whatever you have promised, since victory has been granted to you, as well as vengeance against your enemies.”
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 And she said to her father: “Grant to me this one thing, which I request. Permit me, that I may wander the hillsides for two months, and that I may mourn my virginity with my companions.”
38 וַיֹּאמֶר לֵכִי וַיִּשְׁלַח אֹותָהּ שְׁנֵי חֳדָשִׁים וַתֵּלֶךְ הִיא וְרֵעֹותֶיהָ וַתֵּבְךְּ עַל־בְּתוּלֶיהָ עַל־הֶהָרִים	38 And he answered her, “Go.” And he released her for two months. And when she had departed with her friends and companions, she wept over her virginity in the hillsides.
39 וַיְהִי מִקֵּץ ׀ שְׁנַיִם חֳדָשִׁים וַתָּשָׁב אֶל־אָבִיהָ וַיַּעַשׂ לָהּ אֶת־נִדְרֹו אֲשֶׁר נָדָר וְהִיא לֹא־יָדְעָה אִישׁ וַתְּהִי־חֹק בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל	39 And when the two months expired, she returned to her father, and he did to her just as he had vowed, though she knew no man. From this, the custom grew up in Israel, and the practice has been preserved,
40 מִיָּמִים ׀ יָמִימָה תֵּלַכְנָה בְּנֹות יִשְׂרָאֵל לְתַנֹּות לְבַת־יִפְתָּח הַגִּלְעָדִי אַרְבַּעַת יָמִים בַּשָּׁנָה׃ ס	40 such that, after each year passes, the daughters of Israel convene as one, and they lament the daughter of Jephthah, the Gileadite, for four days.