Judges 20:1-18

1All the Israelites from Dan to Beer-sheba and from the land of Gilead came out, and the community assembled as one body before the Lord at Mizpah.

2The leaders of all the people and of all the tribes of Israel presented themselves in the assembly of God’s people: four hundred thousand armed foot soldiers.

3The Benjaminites heard that the Israelites had gone up to Mizpah. The Israelites asked, “Tell us, how did this evil act happen?”

4The Levite, the husband of the murdered woman, answered, “I went to Gibeah in Benjamin with my concubine to spend the night.

5Citizens of Gibeah came to attack me and surrounded the house at night. They intended to kill me, but they raped my concubine, and she died.

6Then I took my concubine and cut her in pieces, and sent her throughout Israel’s territory, because they have committed a wicked outrage in Israel.

7Look, all of you are Israelites. Give your judgment and verdict here and now.”

8Then all the people stood united and said, “None of us will go to his tent or return to his house.

9Now this is what we will do to Gibeah: we will attack it. By lot

10we will take ten men out of every hundred from all the tribes of Israel, and one hundred out of every thousand, and one thousand out of every ten thousand to get provisions for the troops when they go to Gibeah in Benjamin to punish them for all the outrage they committed in Israel.”

11So all the men of Israel gathered united against the city.

12Then the tribes of Israel sent men throughout the tribe of Benjamin, saying, “What is this evil act that has happened among you?

13Hand over the wicked men in Gibeah so we can put them to death and purge evil from Israel.” But the Benjaminites would not listen to their fellow Israelites.

14Instead, the Benjaminites gathered together from their cities to Gibeah to go out and fight against the Israelites.

15On that day the Benjaminites mobilized twenty-six thousand armed men from their cities, besides seven hundred fit young men rallied by the inhabitants of Gibeah.

16There were seven hundred fit young men who were left-handed among all these troops; all could sling a stone at a hair and not miss.

17The Israelites, apart from Benjamin, mobilized four hundred thousand armed men, every one an experienced warrior.

18They set out, went to Bethel, and inquired of God. The Israelites asked, “Who is to go first to fight for us against the Benjaminites?” And the Lord answered, “Judah will be first.”