Judges 20

The Decree of the Assembly

1Then allH3605 the IsraelitesH1121H3478 from DanH1835 toH5704 BeershebaH884 and from the landH776 of GileadH1568 came outH3318, and the congregationH5712 assembledH6950 as oneH259 manH376 beforeH413 the LORDH3068 at MizpahH4709. 2The leadersH6438 of allH3605 the peopleH5971 and allH3605 the tribesH7626 of IsraelH3478 presented themselvesH3320 in the assemblyH6951 of God’sH430 peopleH5971: 400,000H702H3967H505 menH376 on footH7273, armedH8025 with swordsH2719. 3(Meanwhile the BenjamitesH1121H1144 heardH8085 thatH3588 the IsraelitesH1121H3478 had gone upH5927 to MizpahH4709.) And the IsraelitesH1121H3478 askedH559, “TellH1696 us, howH349 did thisH2063 wicked thingH7451 happenH1961?”

4So the LeviteH3881H376, the husbandH376 of the murderedH7523H559 womanH802, answeredH6030: “IH589 and my concubineH6370 cameH935 to GibeahH1390 in BenjaminH1144 to spend the nightH3885. 5And during the nightH3915, the menH1167 of GibeahH1390 rose upH6965 against meH5921 and surroundedH5437H5921 the houseH1004. They intendedH1819 to kill meH2026, but they abusedH6031 my concubineH6370, and she diedH4191. 6Then I tookH270 my concubineH6370, cut her into piecesH5408, and sent herH7971 throughoutH3605 the landH7704 of Israel’sH3478 inheritanceH5159, becauseH3588 they had committedH6213 a lewdH2154 and disgraceful actH5039 in IsraelH3478. 7BeholdH2009, allH3605 you IsraelitesH1121H3478, giveH3051 your adviceH1697 and verdictH6098 here and nowH1988.”

8Then allH3605 the peopleH5971 stoodH6965 as oneH259 manH376 and saidH559, “Not oneH3808H376 of us will returnH1980 to his tentH168H3808 or to his houseH1004. 9NowH6258 thisH2088H1697 is whatH834 we will doH6213 to GibeahH1390: We will go against itH5921 as the lot dictatesH1486. 10We will takeH3947 tenH6235 menH582 out of every hundredH3967 from allH3605 the tribesH7626 of IsraelH3478, and a hundredH3967 out of every thousandH505, and a thousandH505 out of every ten thousandH7233, to supplyH3947 provisionsH6720 for the armyH5971 when they goH935 to GibeahH13871 in BenjaminH1144 to punish themH6213 for the atrocityH3605H5039 they have committedH6213 in IsraelH3478.”

11So allH3605 the menH376 of IsraelH3478 gatheredH622 as oneH259 manH376, unitedH2270 againstH413 the cityH5892. 12And the tribesH7626 of IsraelH3478 sentH7971 menH582 throughoutH3605 the tribeH7626 of BenjaminH1144, sayingH559, “WhatH4100 is thisH2063 wickednessH7451 thatH834 has occurredH1961 among you? 13Hand overH5414 the wickedH1100 menH1121 of GibeahH1390 so we can put them to deathH4191 and purgeH1197 IsraelH3478 of this evilH7451.”

But the BenjamitesH1144 refusedH14H3808 to heedH8085 the voiceH6963 of their fellowH251 IsraelitesH1121H3478. 14And fromH4480 their citiesH5892 they came togetherH622 at GibeahH1390 to go outH3318 and fightH4421 againstH5973 the IsraelitesH1121H3478. 15On thatH1931 dayH3117 the BenjamitesH1121H1144 mobilizedH6485 26,000H6242H8337H505 swordsmenH8025H2719H376 from their citiesH5892, in addition toH905 the 700H7651H3967 selectH977 menH376 of GibeahH1390. 16Among allH3605 theseH2088 soldiersH5971 there were 700H7651H3967 selectH977 left-handersH334H3027H3225H376, each of whomH3605H2088 could slingH7049 a stoneH68 atH413 a hairH8185 withoutH3808 missingH2398.

17The IsraelitesH376H3478, apart fromH905 BenjaminH1144, mobilizedH6485 400,000H702H3967H505 swordsmenH8025H2719H376, each oneH3605H2088 an experienced warriorH376H4421.

Civil War against Benjamin

18The IsraelitesH1121H3478 set outH6965, went upH5927 to BethelH1008, and inquiredH7592 of GodH430, “WhoH4310 of us shall go upH5927 firstH8462 to fightH4421 againstH5973 the BenjamitesH1121H1144?”

“Judah will be firstH3063H8462,” the LORDH3068 repliedH559.

19The next morningH1242 the IsraelitesH1121H3478 set outH6965 and campedH2583 nearH5921 GibeahH1390. 20And the menH376 of IsraelH3478 went outH3318 to fightH4421 againstH5973 BenjaminH1144H376H3478 and took up their battleH4421H413 positionsH6186 at GibeahH1390.

21And the BenjamitesH1121H1144 came outH3318 ofH4480 GibeahH1390 and cut downH7843 22,000H8147H6242H505 IsraelitesH376H3478 on the battlefieldH776 thatH1931 dayH3117.

22But the IsraeliteH376H3478 armyH5971 took courageH2388 and againH3254 took their battleH4421 positionsH6186 in the same placeH4725 whereH834 they had arrayed themselvesH6186H8033 on the firstH7223 dayH3117. 23TheyH1121H3478 went upH5927 and weptH1058 beforeH6440 the LORDH3068 untilH5704 eveningH6153, inquiringH7592 of HimH3068, “Should we againH3254 draw nearH5066 for battleH4421 againstH5973 our brothersH251 the BenjamitesH1121H1144?”

And the LORDH3068 answeredH559, “Go upH5927 against themH413.”

24On the secondH8145 dayH3117 the IsraelitesH1121H3478 advancedH7126 againstH413 the BenjamitesH1121H1144. 25That same dayH3117H8145 the BenjamitesH1144 came outH3318 against themH7122 fromH4480 GibeahH1390 and cut downH7843 anotherH5750 18,000H8083H6240H505H376 IsraelitesH1121H3478, allH3605 of themH428 armedH8025 with swordsH2719.

26ThenH3605 the IsraelitesH1121H3478, allH3605 the peopleH5971, went upH5927H935 to BethelH1008, whereH8033 they satH3427 weepingH1058 beforeH6440 the LORDH3068. ThatH1931 dayH3117 they fastedH6684 untilH5704 eveningH6153 and presentedH5927 burnt offeringsH5930 and peace offeringsH8002 toH6440 the LORDH3068. 27And the IsraelitesH1121H3478 inquiredH7592 of the LORDH3068. (In thoseH1992 daysH3117 the arkH727 of the covenantH1285 of GodH430 was thereH8033, 28and PhinehasH6372 sonH1121 of EleazarH499, the sonH1121 of AaronH175, servedH5975 before itH6440H3117H1992.) The Israelites askedH559, “Should we againH3254H5750 go outH3318 to battleH4421 againstH5973 our brothersH251 the BenjamitesH1121H1144, orH518 should we stopH2308?”

The LORDH3068 answeredH559, “FightH5927, forH3588 tomorrowH4279 I will deliver themH5414 into your handH3027.”

29So IsraelH3478 set upH7760 an ambushH693H413 aroundH5439 GibeahH1390. 30On the thirdH7992 dayH3117 the IsraelitesH1121H3478 went upH5927 againstH413 the BenjamitesH1121H1144 and arrayed themselvesH6186 againstH413 GibeahH1390 as they had done beforeH6471. 31The BenjamitesH1121H1144 came outH3318 againstH7122 them and were drawn awayH5423 fromH4480 the cityH5892. They beganH2490 to attackH5221 the peopleH5971 as beforeH6471, killingH2491 about thirtyH7970 menH376 of IsraelH3478 in the fieldsH7704 and on the roadsH4546, oneH259 of whichH834 led upH5927 toH1008 BethelH1008 and the otherH259 to GibeahH1390.

32“We are defeating themH5062 as beforeH1992H6440H7223,” saidH559 the BenjamitesH1121H1144.

But the IsraelitesH1121H3478 saidH559, “Let us retreatH5127 and draw them awayH5423 fromH4480 the cityH5892 ontoH413 the roadsH4546.”

33So allH3605 the menH376 of IsraelH3478 got upH6965 from their placesH4725 and arrayed themselvesH6186 at Baal-tamarH1193, and the IsraelitesH3478 in ambushH693 chargedH1518 from their positionsH4725 westH4629 of GibeahH1387.2 34Then 10,000H6235H505 selectH977 menH376 from allH3605 IsraelH3478 made a frontalH5048 assaultH935 against GibeahH1390, and the battleH4421 was fierceH3513. But the BenjamitesH1992 did notH3808 realizeH3045 thatH3588 disasterH7451 was uponH5060 themH5921. 35The LORDH3068 defeatedH5062 BenjaminH1144 in the presenceH6440 of IsraelH3478, and on thatH1931 dayH3117 the IsraelitesH1121H3478 slaughteredH7843 25,100H6242H2568H505H3967 BenjamitesH376H1144, allH3605H428 armedH8025 with swordsH2719. 36Then the BenjamitesH1121H1144 realizedH7200 they had been defeatedH5062.

Now the menH376 of IsraelH3478 had retreatedH5414H4725 before BenjaminH1144 becauseH3588 they were relyingH982 onH413 the ambushH693 they had setH7760 againstH413 GibeahH1390. 37The men in ambushH693 rushedH6584 suddenlyH2363 againstH413 GibeahH1390; theyH693 advancedH4900 and putH5221 the wholeH3605 cityH5892 to the swordH6310H2719.

38The menH376 of IsraelH3478 had arrangedH1961 a signalH4150 withH5973 the men in ambushH693: When they sent upH5927 a greatH7235 cloudH4864 of smokeH6227 fromH4480 the cityH5892, 39the menH376 of IsraelH3478 would turnH2015 in the battleH4421.

When the BenjamitesH1144 had begunH2490 to strike them downH5221, killingH2491 about thirtyH7970H376H3588 menH376 of IsraelH3478, they saidH559H389, “They areH1931 defeatedH5062 before usH6440 as in the firstH7223 battleH4421.” 40But when the columnH5982 of smokeH6227 beganH2490 to go upH5927 fromH4480 the cityH5892, the BenjamitesH1144 lookedH6437 behind themH310 and sawH2009 the wholeH3632 cityH5892 going upH5927 in smokeH8064.

41Then the menH376 of IsraelH3478 turned back on themH2015, and the menH376 of BenjaminH1144 were terrifiedH926 whenH3588 they realizedH7200 thatH3588 disasterH7451 had comeH5060 upon themH5921. 42So they fledH6437 beforeH6440 the menH376 of IsraelH3478 towardH413H1870 the wildernessH4057, but the battleH4421 overtook themH1692, and the menH834 coming out of the citiesH5892 struck them downH7843 thereH8432. 43They surroundedH3803 the BenjamitesH1144, pursued themH7291, and easilyH4496 overtook themH1869 in the vicinityH5704H5227 of GibeahH1390 on the eastH4217H8121. 44And 18,000H8083H6240H505 BenjamitesH1144 fellH5307, allH3605H428 menH582 of valorH2428.

45Then the Benjamites turnedH6437 and fledH5127 toward the wildernessH4057 toH413 the rockH5553 of RimmonH7417, and Israel cut downH5953 5,000H2568H505 menH376 on the roadsH4546. And they overtook themH1692H310 atH5704 GidomH1440 and struck downH5221H4480 2,000 moreH505H376.

46ThatH1931 dayH3117 25,000H6242H2568H505 BenjamiteH1144 swordsmenH8025H2719H376 fellH5307, allH3605H428 menH582 of valorH2428. 47But 600H8337H3967 menH376 turnedH6437 and fledH5127 into the wildernessH4057 toH413 the rockH5553 of RimmonH7417, where they stayedH3427H5553H7417 fourH702 monthsH2320. 48And the menH376 of IsraelH3478 turned backH7725 againstH413 the other BenjamitesH1121H1144 and putH5221 to the swordH6310H2719 allH4974 the citiesH5892, including the animalsH929H5704 andH5704 everything elseH3605 they foundH4672. And theyH1571 burned downH7971H784 allH3605 the citiesH5892 in their pathH4672.