Judges 20:1-18

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.

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.”