Judges 20

Resolve to Punish the Guilty

1Then allH3605 the sonsH1121 of IsraelH3478 from DanH1835 to BeershebaH884, including the landH776 of GileadH1568, cameH3318 outH3318, and the congregationH5712 assembledH6950 as oneH259 personH376 to the LordH3068 at 1MizpahH4709. 2And the 2leadersH6438 of allH3605 the peopleH5971, allH3605 the tribesH7626 of IsraelH3478, tookH3320 their standH3320 in the assemblyH6951 of the peopleH5971 of GodH430, fourH702 hundredH3967 thousandH505 footH7273 3soldiersH376 4who drewH8025 the swordH2719. 3(Now the sonsH1121 of BenjaminH1144 heardH8085 that the sonsH1121 of IsraelH3478 had goneH5927 upH5927 to MizpahH4709.) And the sonsH1121 of IsraelH3478 saidH559, “TellH1696 us, howH351 did thisH2088 wickednessH7463 takeH1961 placeH1961?” 4So the LeviteH3881, the husbandH376 of the womanH802 who was murderedH7523, answeredH6030 and saidH559, “I cameH935 with my concubineH6370 to spendH3885 theH3885 nightH3885 at GibeahH1390 whichH834 belongs to BenjaminH1144. 5But the 56citizensH1167 of GibeahH1390 roseH6965 upH6965 againstH5921 me and surroundedH5437 the houseH1004 at nightH3915, 7threateningH5921 me. They intendedH1819 to killH2026 me; instead, they 8rapedH6031 my concubineH6370 so that she diedH4191. 6And I 9tookH270 holdH270 of my concubineH6370 and cutH5408 her inH5408 piecesH5408, and sentH7971 her throughoutH3605 the landH7704 of Israel’sH3478 inheritanceH5159; for 10they have committedH6213 an outrageousH2154 sinH2154 and vileH5039 actH5039 in IsraelH3478. 7BeholdH2009, allH3605 you sonsH1121 of IsraelH3478, 11giveH3051 your 12responseH1697 and adviceH6098 hereH1988.”

8Then allH3605 the peopleH5971 roseH6965 upH6965 as oneH259 personH376, sayingH559, “Not oneH376 of us will goH1980 to his tentH168, norH3808 will anyH376 of us goH5493 homeH1004. 9But nowH6258 thisH2088 is the thingH1697 whichH834 we will doH6213 to GibeahH1390; we will go up againstH5921 it by lotH1486. 10And we will takeH3947 tenH6235 menH376 out of a hundredH3967 throughoutH3605 the tribesH7626 of IsraelH3478, and a hundredH3967 out of a thousandH505, and a thousandH505 out of tenH6235 thousandH505 to 13supplyH3947 provisionsH6720 for the peopleH5971, so that when they comeH935 to 14GibeahH1390 of BenjaminH1144, they may 15punishH6213 them for allH3605 the vileH5039 sinH5039 that they have committedH6213 in IsraelH3478.” 11So allH3605 the menH376 of IsraelH3478 were gatheredH622 againstH413 the cityH5892, 16unitedH2270 as oneH259 manH376.

12Then the tribesH7626 of IsraelH3478 sentH7971 menH376 through the entireH3605 17tribeH7626 of BenjaminH1144, sayingH559, “WhatH4100 is thisH2088 wickednessH7463 that has takenH1961 placeH1961 among you? 13NowH6258 then, turnH5414 overH5414 the menH376, the 1819worthlessH1100 menH1121 whoH834 are in GibeahH1390, so that we may putH4191 them toH4191 deathH4191 and 20removeH1197 this wickednessH7463 from IsraelH3478.” But the sonsH1121 of BenjaminH1144 wouldH14 not listenH8085 to the voiceH6963 of their brothersH251, the sonsH1121 of IsraelH3478. 14Instead, the sonsH1121 of BenjaminH1144 gatheredH622 from the citiesH5892 to GibeahH1390, to goH3318 outH3318 to battleH4421 againstH5973 the sonsH1121 of IsraelH3478. 15From the citiesH5892 on that dayH3117 the 21sonsH1121 of BenjaminH1144 were 22countedH6485, twenty-sixH6242H8337 thousandH505 menH376 who drewH8025 the swordH2719, besidesH905H4480 the inhabitantsH3427 of GibeahH1390 who were 23countedH6485, sevenH7651 hundredH3967 choiceH977 menH376. 16Out of allH3605 theseH2088 peopleH5971 sevenH7651 hundredH3967 24choiceH977 menH376 were left-handedH334H3225H3027; eachH3605 oneH2088 could slingH7049 a stoneH68 at a hairH8185 and not missH2398.

17Then the menH376 of IsraelH3478 besidesH905H4480 BenjaminH1144 were 25countedH6485, fourH702 hundredH3967 thousandH505 menH376 who drewH8025 the swordH2719; allH3605 of theseH2088 were menH376 of warH4421.

Civil War, Benjamin Defeated

18Now the sonsH1121 of IsraelH3478 setH6965 outH6965, wentH5927 upH5927 to BethelH1008, and 26inquiredH7592 of GodH430 and saidH559, “WhoH4310 shall goH5927 upH5927 firstH8462 for us to battleH4421 againstH5973 the sonsH1121 of BenjaminH1144?” Then the LordH3068 saidH559, “JudahH3063 shall go up firstH8462.”

19So the sonsH1121 of IsraelH3478 gotH6965 upH6965 in the morningH1242 and campedH2583 againstH5921 GibeahH1390. 20The menH376 of IsraelH3478 wentH3318 to battleH4421 againstH5973 BenjaminH1144, and the menH376 of IsraelH3478 linedH6186 upH6186 for battleH4421 againstH854 them at GibeahH1390. 21Then the sonsH1121 of BenjaminH1144 cameH3318 outH3318 of GibeahH1390 and 2728struckH7843 to the groundH776 on that dayH3117 twenty-twoH8147H6242 thousandH505 menH376 of IsraelH3478. 22But the peopleH5971, the menH376 of IsraelH3478, showedH2388 themselves courageousH2388 and linedH6186 upH6186 for battleH4421 againH3254 in the placeH4725 whereH834H8033 they had linedH6186 themselves upH6186 on the firstH7223 dayH3117. 23And 29the sonsH1121 of IsraelH3478 wentH5927 upH5927 and weptH1058 beforeH6440 the LordH3068 untilH5704 eveningH6153, and 30inquiredH7592 of the LordH3068, sayingH559, “Shall we againH3254 advanceH5066 for battleH4421 againstH5973 the sonsH1121 of my brotherH251 BenjaminH1144?” And the LordH3068 saidH559, “GoH5927 upH5927 againstH413 him.”

24So the sonsH1121 of IsraelH3478 31cameH7126 againstH413 the sonsH1121 of BenjaminH1144 on the secondH8145 dayH3117. 25And BenjaminH1144 wentH3318 outH3318 againstH7122 them from GibeahH1390 the secondH8145 dayH3117 and struckH7843 to the groundH776 againH5750 eighteenH8083H6240 thousandH505 menH376 of the sonsH1121 of IsraelH3478; allH3605 of theseH428 drewH8025 the swordH2719. 26Then 32allH3605 the sonsH1121 of IsraelH3478 and allH3605 the peopleH5971 wentH5927 upH5927 and cameH935 to BethelH1008, and they weptH1058 and remainedH3427 thereH8033 beforeH6440 the LordH3068, and fastedH6684 that dayH3117 untilH5704 eveningH6153. And they offeredH5927 burntH5930 offeringsH5930 and peaceH8002 offeringsH8002 beforeH6440 the LordH3068. 27And the sonsH1121 of IsraelH3478 33inquiredH7592 of the LordH3068 (for the arkH727 of the covenantH1285 of GodH430 was thereH8033 in thoseH1992 daysH3117, 28and PhinehasH6372 the sonH1121 of EleazarH499, Aaron’sH175 sonH1121, stoodH5975 beforeH6440 it to minister in thoseH1992 daysH3117), sayingH559, “Shall I yetH5750 againH3254 goH3318 outH3318 to battleH4421 againstH5973 the sonsH1121 of my brotherH251 BenjaminH1144, orH518 shall I stopH2308?” And the LordH3068 saidH559, “GoH5927 upH5927, 34for tomorrowH4279 I will handH5414H3027 them overH5414 to you.”

2935So IsraelH3478 setH7760 men inH693 ambushH693 aroundH5439 GibeahH1390. 30And the sonsH1121 of IsraelH3478 wentH5927 upH5927 againstH413 the sonsH1121 of BenjaminH1144 on the thirdH7992 dayH3117 and linedH6186 upH6186 againstH413 GibeahH1390 as at otherH6471 timesH6471. 3136When the sonsH1121 of BenjaminH1144 wentH3318 outH3318 againstH7122 the peopleH5971, they were luredH5423 awayH5423 from the cityH5892, and they beganH2490 to strikeH5221 andH5221 killH5221H2490 someH4480 of the peopleH5971 as at otherH6471 timesH6471, on the roadsH4546 (oneH259 of whichH834 goesH5927 upH5927 to BethelH1008, and the otherH259 to GibeahH1390), and in the fieldH7704, about thirtyH7970 menH376 of IsraelH3478. 32And the sonsH1121 of BenjaminH1144 saidH559, “They are defeatedH5062 beforeH6440 us, like the firstH7223 timeH7223.” But the sonsH1121 of IsraelH3478 saidH559, “Let’s fleeH5127, so that we may drawH5423 them awayH5423 from the cityH5892 to the roadsH4546.” 33Then allH3605 the menH376 of IsraelH3478 roseH6965 from their placeH4725 and linedH6186 upH6186 at Baal-tamarH1193; 37and the men of IsraelH3478 inH693 ambushH693 chargedH1518 from their placeH4725, from Maareh-gebaH4626H1387. 34When tenH6235 thousandH505 choiceH977 menH376 from allH3605 IsraelH3478 cameH935 againstH5048 GibeahH1390, the battleH4421 becameH3513 38fierceH3513; 39but 40Benjamin did not knowH3045 that disasterH7463 was 41closeH5060 to them. 35And the LordH3068 struckH5062 BenjaminH1144 beforeH6440 IsraelH3478, so that the sonsH1121 of IsraelH3478 destroyedH7843 25,100H6242H2568H505H3967 menH376 of BenjaminH1144 that 42dayH3117, allH3605 whoH428 drewH8025 the swordH2719.

36So the sonsH1121 of BenjaminH1144 sawH7200 that they were 43defeatedH5062. 44When the menH376 of IsraelH3478 gaveH5414 45groundH4725 to BenjaminH1144 becauseH3588 they reliedH982 on the men inH693 ambushH693 whomH834 they had setH7760 againstH413 GibeahH1390, 3746the men inH693 ambushH693 hurriedH2363 and rushedH6584 againstH413 GibeahH1390; the men inH693 ambushH693 also deployedH4900 and struckH5221 allH3605 the cityH5892 with the edgeH6310 of the swordH2719. 38Now the agreedH4150 signH4150 between the menH376 of IsraelH3478 and the men inH693 ambushH693 was 47that they would makeH7235 a greatH7235 cloudH4864 of smokeH6227 riseH5927 from the cityH5892. 39Then the menH376 of IsraelH3478 turnedH2015 in the battleH4421, and BenjaminH1144 beganH2490 to strikeH5221 andH5221 killH5221H2490 about thirtyH7970 menH376 of IsraelH3478, 48for they saidH559, “UndoubtedlyH389H5062 they are 49defeatedH5062 beforeH6440 us, as in the firstH7223 battleH4421.” 40But when the cloudH4864 beganH2490 to riseH5927 from the cityH5892 in a columnH5982 of smokeH6227, BenjaminH1144 lookedH6437 50behindH310 them; and beholdH2009, the entireH3632 cityH5892 was goingH5927 upH5927 in smoke to heavenH8064. 41Then the menH376 of IsraelH3478 turnedH2015, and the menH376 of BenjaminH1144 were terrifiedH926; for they sawH7200 that 51disasterH7463 was 52closeH5060 to them. 42Therefore, they turnedH6437 their backs beforeH6440 the menH376 of IsraelH3478 to flee in the 53directionH413H1870 of the wildernessH4057, but the battleH4421 overtookH1692 them whileH834 those whoH834 attacked from the citiesH5892 were annihilatingH7843 them in the midstH8432 of them. 4354They surroundedH3803 BenjaminH1144, pursuedH7291 them without restH4496, and trampledH1869 them downH1869 oppositeH5227 GibeahH1390 towardH4480 the 55eastH4217H8121. 44So eighteenH8083H6240 thousandH505 menH376 of BenjaminH1144 fellH5307; allH3605 of theseH428 were valiantH2428 menH376. 4556The rest turnedH6437 and fledH5127 toward the wildernessH4057 to the rockH5553 of 57RimmonH7417, but they 58caughtH5953 fiveH2568 thousandH505 of them on the roadsH4546 and overtookH1692 them 59at GidomH1440, and 60killedH5221 twoH505 thousandH505 of them. 46So allH3605 those of BenjaminH1144 who fellH5307 that dayH3117 were twenty-fiveH2568H6242 thousandH505 menH376 who drewH8025 the swordH2719; allH3605 of theseH428 were valiantH2428 menH376. 47But sixH8337 hundredH3967 menH376 turnedH6437 and fledH5127 toward the wildernessH4057 to the rockH5553 of RimmonH7417; and they remainedH3427 at the rockH5553 of RimmonH7417 for fourH702 monthsH2320. 48The menH376 of IsraelH3478 then turnedH7725 backH7725 againstH413 the sonsH1121 of BenjaminH1144 and struckH5221 them with the edgeH6310 of the swordH2719, bothH4480 the entireH4974 cityH5892 with the cattleH929 and allH3605 that they foundH4672; they alsoH1571 setH7971 on fireH784 allH3605 the citiesH5892 which they foundH4672.