Judges 20:1-18

1All the people of Israel from Dan to Beersheba and from Gilead came to Mizpah. The congregation stood united in the presence of the Lord.

2The leaders of all Israel’s tribes took their places in the congregation of God’s people. There were 400,000 foot soldiers with swords.

3The people of Benjamin heard that Israel had come to Mizpah. The people of Israel said, “Tell us how such an evil thing could happen.”

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

5The citizens of Gibeah came to attack me. They surrounded the house ⌞where I was staying⌟ that night. They intended to kill me, but instead, they raped my concubine until she died.

6So I took my concubine and cut her into pieces. Then I sent the pieces throughout the territory of Israel. I did this because the citizens of Gibeah did this perverted and godless thing in Israel.

7All you people of Israel, tell me what you think. Give me your advice right now!”

8All the people stood united, saying, “None of us will go to his tent or return to his house.

9This is what we’ll do to Gibeah. We’ll decide by lot who should attack it.

10We’ll take one-tenth  of all the men from the tribes of Israel to get supplies for the troops. When the troops go to Gibeah in the territory of Benjamin they can punish the citizens of Gibeah for the godless thing they did in Israel.”

11So all the men of Israel assembled. They stood united against the city.

12The tribes of Israel sent men throughout the tribe of Benjamin. They asked, “How could such an evil thing happen among you?

13Now hand over those worthless men in Gibeah. We must put them to death to rid ourselves of this kind of evil in Israel.” But the men of Benjamin refused to listen to the men of Israel.

14So the men of Benjamin went from their towns and assembled at Gibeah to go to war with the men of Israel.

15That day 26,000 men armed with swords came from Benjamin’s cities and organized for battle along with 700 of Gibeah’s best men.

16Out of all these troops, the best 700 were left-handed. Each could sling a stone at a hair and not miss.

17The men of Israel (Benjamin not included) totaled 400,000 soldiers armed with swords.

18The men of Israel went to Bethel. They asked God, “Who will go first to fight Benjamin?” The Lord answered, “Judah will go first.”