Giudici 20

NOVA VULGATA	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 Egressi sunt itaque omnes fi lii Israel et pariter congrega ti, quasi vir unus, de Dan usque Bersabee et terra Galaad ad Dominum in Maspha.	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 Omnisque populi anguli et cunctae tribus Israel in ecclesiam populi Dei convenerunt: quadringenta milia peditum pugnatorum.	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 Nec latuit filios Beniamin, quod ascendissent filii Israel in Maspha. Interrogatusque Levita maritus mulieris interfectae quo modo tantum scelus perpetratum esset,	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 respondit: “ Veni in Gabaa Beniamin cum uxore mea illucque diverti.	4 responded: “I went to Gibeah of Benjamin, with my wife, and I diverted to that place.
5 Et ecce homines civitatis illius circumdederunt nocte domum, in qua manebam, volentes me occidere et uxorem meam incredibili libidinis furore vexantes; denique mortua est.	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 Quam arreptam in frusta concidi misique partes in omnes terminos possessionis Israel, quia fecerunt nefas et piaculum in Israel.	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 Adestis omnes, filii Israel: decernite quid facere debeatis ”.	7 You are all present here, O sons of Israel. Discern what you ought to do.”
8 Stansque omnis populus quasi unius hominis sermone respondit: “ Non recedemus in tabernacula nostra, nec suam quisquam intrabit domum,	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 sed hoc contra Gabaa in commune faciemus secundum sortem:	9 But this we shall do in common against Gibeah:
10 decem viri eligantur e centum ex omnibus tribubus Israel et centum de mille et mille de decem milibus, ut comportent exercitui cibaria illis, qui venerunt, ut reddant Gabaa Beniamin pro scelere, quod meretur ”.	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 Convenitque universus Israel ad civitatem quasi unus homo, eadem mente unoque consilio,	11 And all of Israel convened against the city, like one man, with one mind and one counsel.
12 et miserunt nuntios ad omnem tribum Beniamin, qui dicerent: “ Quale nefas in vobis repertum est!	12 And they sent messengers to the entire tribe of Benjamin, who said: “Why has so great a wickedness been found among you?
13 Tradite homines filios Belial in Gabaa, qui hoc flagitium perpetrarunt, ut moriantur, et auferatur malum de Israel ”. Qui noluerunt fratrum suorum filiorum Israel audire mandatum,	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 sed ex cunctis urbibus, quae suae sortis erant, convenerunt in Gabaa, ut illis ferrent auxilium et contra universum Israel populum dimicarent.	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 Recensitique sunt in die illa viginti sex milia de civitatibus Beniamin educentium gladium, praeter habitatores Gabaa, qui septingenti erant viri fortissimi.	15 And there were found from Benjamin twenty-five thousand who drew the sword, aside from the inhabitants of Gibeah,
16 In universo hoc populo erant septingenti viri electi, qui sinistra pro dextra utebantur et sic fundis lapides ad certum iaciebant, ut capillum quoque possent percutere, et nequaquam in alteram partem ictus lapidis deferretur.	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 Virorum quoque Israel, absque filiis Beniamin, recensita sunt quadringenta milia educentium gladios et paratorum ad pugnam.	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 Qui surgentes venerunt in Bethel consulueruntque Deum atque dixerunt: “ Quis erit in exercitu nostro princeps certaminis contra filios Beniamin? ”. Quibus respondit Dominus: “ Iuda ascendet primus ”.	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 Statimque filii Israel surgentes mane castrametati sunt contra Gabaa;	19 And immediately the sons of Israel, rising up in the morning, made camp near Gibeah.
20 et inde procedentes ad pugnam contra Beniamin, contra urbem aciem direxerunt.	20 And setting out from there to fight against Benjamin, they began to assault the city.
21 Egressique filii Beniamin de Gabaa occiderunt de filiis Israel die illo viginti duo milia viros.	21 And the sons of Benjamin, departing from Gibeah, slew twenty-two thousand men from the sons of Israel, on that day.
22 Rursum filii Israel confortati in eodem loco, in quo prius certaverant, aciem direxerunt,	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 ita tamen ut prius ascenderent et flerent coram Domino usque ad noctem consulerentque eum et dicerent: “ Debeo ultra procedere ad dimicandum contra filios Beniamin fratres meos, an non? ”. Quibus ille respondit: “ Ascendite ad eos ”.	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 Cumque filii Israel altero die contra filios Beniamin ad proelium processissent,	24 And when the sons of Israel had continued to do battle against the sons of Benjamin on the next day,
25 eruperunt filii Beniamin de Gabaa et occurrentes eis iterum decem et octo milia virorum educentium gladium prostraverunt.	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 Quam ob rem omnes filii Israel, universus populus, venerunt in Bethel et sedentes flebant coram Domino ieiunaveruntque die illo usque ad vesperam et obtulerunt ei holocausta et pacificas victimas	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 et super statu suo interrogaverunt. Eo tempore ibi erat arca foederis Dei,	27 And they inquired about their state. At that time, the ark of the covenant of the Lord was in that place.
28 et Phinees filius Eleazari filii Aaron stabat coram eo. Consuluerunt igitur Dominum atque dixerunt: “ Exire ultra debemus ad pugnam contra filios Beniamin fratres nostros, an quiescere? ”. Quibus ait Dominus: “ Ascendite, cras enim tradam eos in manus vestras ”.	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 Posueruntque filii Israel insidias per circuitum urbis Gabaa	29 And the sons of Israel stationed ambushes around the city of Gibeah.
30 et tertia vice sicut semel et bis contra Beniamin et Gabaa exercitum produxerunt.	30 And they brought out their army against Benjamin a third time, just as they had done on the first and second times.
31 Sed et filii Beniamin eruperunt in occursum populi et abstracti de civitate coeperunt caedere ex eis sicut primo et secundo die, per duas semitas terga vertentes, quarum una ferebat in Bethel, altera in Gabaa, atque prosternere in campo triginta circiter viros.	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 Putaverunt enim solito eos more percussos cedere; qui fugam simulaverunt, ut abstraherent eos de civitate et quasi fugientes ad supradictas semitas perducerent.	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 Omnes itaque viri Israel surgentes de sedibus suis tetenderunt aciem in loco, qui vocatur Baalthamar. Insidiae quoque eruperunt de loco suo, de regione in occidente Gabaa.	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 Venerunt ergo adversus Gabaa decem milia virorum electorum de universo Israel. Ingravatumque est bellum contra filios Beniamin, et non intellexerunt quod ex omni parte illis instaret interitus.	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 Percussitque eos Dominus in conspectu filiorum Israel, et interfecerunt ex eis in illo die viginti quinque milia et centum viros, omnes bellatores et educentes gladium.	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 Filii autem Beniamin, cum se inferiores esse vidissent, coeperunt fugere. Quod cernentes filii Israel, dederunt eis ad fugiendum locum, quia confidebant in insidiis, quas iuxta urbem posuerant.	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 Qui cum repente de latibulis surrexissent, irruerunt super Gabaa et ingressi celeriter percusserunt totam civitatem in ore gladii.	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 Signum autem dederant filii Israel his, quos in insidiis collocaverant, ut ignem accenderent et, ascendente in altum fumo, captam urbem demonstrarent.	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 Verterant ergo terga filii Israel in ipso certamine positi, et filii Beniamin putantes quod percussissent eos sicut in priore pugna, coeperant de exercitu eorum caedere triginta fere viros.	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 Cum autem columna fumi de civitate conscendere coepisset, et Beniamin quoque retro aspiciens cerneret de civitate flammas in sublime ferri,	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 cumque vir Israel versa facie aggrederetur, vir Beniamin conturbatus est, quia vidit se apprehensum a malo.	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 Et ad viam deserti ire coeperunt, illuc quoque eos adversariis persequentibus. Sed et hi, qui urbem succenderant, occurrerunt eis,	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 atque ita factum est ut ex utraque parte ab hostibus caederentur, nec erat eis ulla requies. Prostrati sunt usque ad orientalem plagam urbis Gabaa.	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 Fuerunt autem, qui interfecti sunt de Beniamin, decem et octo milia virorum omnes robustissimi pugnatores.	44 Now those who were put to death in the same place were eighteen thousand men, all very robust fighters.
45 Qui remanserant, fugerunt in solitudinem et pergebant ad petram, cuius vocabulum est Remmon. Quasi racemos colligentes occiderunt in viis quinque milia viros. Et cum instantius eos persequerentur usque Gadaam, interfecerunt etiam alios duo milia.	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 Et sic factum est ut omnes, qui ceciderant de Beniamin in die illa, essent viginti quinque milia pugnatores ad bella promptissimi.	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 Remanserunt itaque, qui evadere potuerant et fugere in solitudinem, sescenti viri; sederuntque in petra Remmon mensibus quattuor.	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 Regressi autem filii Israel ex civitatibus a viris usque ad iumenta, usque ad omne, quod inveniri poterat, gladio percusserunt, cunctasque urbes et viculos Beniamin vorax flamma consumpsit.	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.