Revised Literal Translation

Judges 20:1-18

1Then all the childrenבְּנֵ֣יbe.NeiH1121of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵל֒Yis.ra.'ElH3478went outוַיֵּצְאוּ֮vai.ye.tze.'UH3318,and the congregationהָעֵדָ֜הha.'e.DahH5712was gathered togetherוַתִּקָּהֵ֨לva.ti.ka.HelH6950as oneאֶחָ֗ד'e.ChadH259manכְּאִ֣ישׁke.'IshH376,from Danלְמִדָּן֙le.mi.DanH1835even to Beer–shebaH884,with the landוְאֶ֖רֶץve.'E.retzH776of Gileadהַגִּלְעָ֑דha.gil.'AdH1568,unto Yhwhיְהוָ֖הYah.wehH3068in Mizpehהַמִּצְפָּֽה׃ha.mitz.PahH4709.

2And the chiefפִּנּ֣וֹתpi.NotH6438of all the peopleהָעָ֗םha.'AmH5971, evenof all the tribesשִׁבְטֵ֣יshiv.TeiH7626of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵ֔לYis.ra.'ElH3478,presentedוַיִּֽתְיַצְּב֞וּvai.yit.ya.tze.VuH3320themselves in the assemblyבִּקְהַ֖לbik.HalH6951of the peopleעַ֣ם'amH5971of Godהָאֱלֹהִ֑יםha.'E.lo.HimH430,fourאַרְבַּ֨ע'ar.Ba'H702hundredמֵא֥וֹתme.'otH3967thousandאֶ֛לֶף'E.lefH505footmenאִ֥ישׁ רַגְלִ֖י'ish rag.LiH7273 H376that drewשֹׁ֥לֵֽףSho.lefH8025swordחָֽרֶב׃ פCha.revH2719.

3(Now the childrenבְּנֵ֣יbe.NeiH1121of Benjaminבִנְיָמִ֔ןvin.ya.MinH1144heardוַֽיִּשְׁמְעוּ֙vai.yish.me.'UH8085that the childrenבְנֵֽי־ve.nei-H1121of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵ֖לYis.ra.'ElH3478were gone upעָל֥וּ'a.LuH5927to Mizpehהַמִּצְפָּ֑הha.mitz.PahH4709.)Then saidוַיֹּֽאמְרוּ֙vai.yo.me.RuH559the childrenבְּנֵ֣יbe.NeiH1121of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵ֔לYis.ra.'ElH3478,Tellדַּבְּר֕וּda.be.RuH1696us,how wasנִהְיְתָ֖הnih.ye.TahH1961this wickednessהָרָעָ֥הha.ra.'AhH7451?

4And the Leviteהָאִ֣ישׁ הַלֵּוִ֗יha.'Ish ha.le.ViH376 H3881,the husbandאִ֛ישׁ'ishH376of the womanהָאִשָּׁ֥הha.'i.ShahH802that was slainהַנִּרְצָחָ֖הha.nir.tza.ChahH7523,answeredוַיַּ֜עַןvai.Ya.'anH6030and saidוַיֹּאמַ֑רvai.yo.MarH559,I cameבָּ֛אתִיBa.tiH935into Gibeahהַגִּבְעָ֙תָה֙ha.giv.'A.tahH1390that belongethto Benjaminלְבִנְיָמִ֔ןle.vin.ya.MinH1144,I and my concubineוּפִֽילַגְשִׁ֖יu.fi.lag.ShiH6370,to lodgeלָלֽוּן׃la.LunH3885.

5And the menבַּעֲלֵ֣יba.'a.LeiH1167of Gibeahהַגִּבְעָ֔הha.giv.'AhH1390roseוַיָּקֻ֤מוּvai.ya.Ku.muH6965against me, and besetH5437the houseהַבַּ֖יִתha.Ba.yitH1004round aboutH5437upon me by nightלָ֑יְלָהLa.ye.lahH3915, andthoughtדִּמּ֣וּdi.MuH1819to have slainלַהֲרֹ֔גla.ha.RogH2026me: and my concubineפִּילַגְשִׁ֥יpi.lag.ShiH6370have they forcedעִנּ֖וּ'i.NuH6031,that she is deadוַתָּמֹֽת׃va.ta.MotH4191.

6And I tookוָֽאֹחֵ֤זva.'o.ChezH270my concubineבְּפִֽילַגְשִׁי֙be.fi.lag.ShiH6370,and cut her in piecesוָֽאֲנַתְּחֶ֔הָva.'a.na.te.Che.haH5408,and sentוָֽאֲשַׁלְּחֶ֔הָva.'a.sha.le.Che.haH7971her throughout all the countryשְׂדֵ֖הse.DehH7704of the inheritanceנַחֲלַ֣תna.cha.LatH5159of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵ֑לYis.ra.'ElH3478:for they have committedעָשׂ֛וּ'a.SuH6213lewdnessזִמָּ֥הzi.MahH2154and follyוּנְבָלָ֖הu.ne.va.LahH5039in Israelבְּיִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃be.Yis.ra.'ElH3478.

7Behold, ye areall childrenבְּנֵ֣יbe.NeiH1121of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵ֑לYis.ra.'ElH3478;giveהָב֥וּha.VuH3051hereהֲלֹֽם׃ha.LomH1988your adviceדָּבָ֥רda.VarH1697and counselוְעֵצָ֖הve.'e.TzahH6098.

8And all the peopleהָעָ֔םha.'AmH5971aroseוַיָּ֙קָם֙vai.Ya.komH6965as oneאֶחָ֖ד'e.ChadH259manכְּאִ֥ישׁke.'IshH376,sayingלֵאמֹ֑רle.MorH559,We will not anyאִ֣ישׁ'ishH376of usgoH3212to his tentלְאָהֳל֔וֹle.'o.ho.LoH168,neither will we anyאִ֥ישׁ'ishH376of usturnנָס֖וּרna.SurH5493into his houseלְבֵיתֽוֹ׃le.vei.ToH1004.

9But now this shall bethe thingהַדָּבָ֔רha.da.VarH1697which we will doנַעֲשֶׂ֖הna.'a.SehH6213to Gibeahלַגִּבְעָ֑הla.giv.'AhH1390; we will go upby lotבְּגוֹרָֽל׃be.go.RalH1486against it;

10And we will takeוְלָקַ֣חְנוּve.la.Kach.nuH3947tenעֲשָׂרָה֩'a.sa.RahH6235menאֲנָשִׁ֨ים'a.na.ShimH582of an hundredלַמֵּאָ֜הla.me.'AhH3967throughout all the tribesשִׁבְטֵ֣יshiv.TeiH7626of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵ֗לYis.ra.'ElH3478,and an hundredוּמֵאָ֤הu.me.'AhH3967of a thousandלָאֶ֙לֶף֙la.'E.lefH505,and a thousandוְאֶ֣לֶףve.'E.lefH505out of ten thousandלָרְבָבָ֔הla.re.va.VahH7233,to fetchלָקַ֥חַתla.Ka.chatH3947victualצֵדָ֖הtze.DahH6720for the peopleלָעָ֑םla.'AmH5971,that they may doלַעֲשׂ֗וֹתla.'a.SotH6213,when they comeלְבוֹאָם֙le.vo.'AmH935to Gibeahלְגֶ֣בַעle.Ge.va'H1387of Benjaminבִּנְיָמִ֔ןbin.ya.MinH1144,according to all the follyהַ֨נְּבָלָ֔הha.ne.va.LahH5039that they have wroughtעָשָׂ֖ה'a.SahH6213in Israelבְּיִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃be.Yis.ra.'ElH3478.

11So all the menאִ֤ישׁ'ishH376of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵל֙Yis.ra.'ElH3478were gatheredוַיֵּֽאָסֵ֞ףvai.ye.'a.SefH622against the cityהָעִ֔ירha.'IrH5892,knit togetherחֲבֵרִֽים׃ פcha.ve.RimH2270as oneאֶחָ֖ד'e.ChadH259manכְּאִ֥ישׁke.'IshH376.

12And the tribesשִׁבְטֵ֤יshiv.TeiH7626of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵל֙Yis.ra.'ElH3478sentוַֽיִּשְׁלְח֞וּvai.yish.le.ChuH7971menאֲנָשִׁ֔ים'a.na.ShimH582through all the tribeשִׁבְטֵ֥יshiv.TeiH7626of Benjaminבִנְיָמִ֖ןvin.ya.MinH1144,sayingלֵאמֹ֑רle.MorH559,What wickednessהָרָעָ֣הha.ra.'AhH7451isthis that is doneנִהְיְתָ֖הnih.ye.TahH1961among you?

13Now therefore deliverתְּנוּ֩te.NuH5414usthe menהָאֲנָשִׁ֨יםha.'a.na.ShimH582,the childrenבְּנֵֽי־be.nei-H1121of Belialבְלִיַּ֜עַלve.li.Ya.'alH1100, which arein Gibeahבַּגִּבְעָה֙ba.giv.'AhH1390,that we may put them to deathוּנְמִיתֵ֔םu.ne.mi.TemH4191,and put awayוּנְבַעֲרָ֥הu.ne.va.'a.RahH1197evilרָעָ֖הra.'AhH7451from Israelמִיִּשְׂרָאֵ֑לmi.Yis.ra.'ElH3478.But the childrenאָבוּ֙בְּנֵ֣י'a.Vu'a.Vu//be.neibe.neiH1121of Benjaminבִּנְיָמִ֔ןbin.ya.MinH1144wouldאָבוּ֙בְּנֵ֣י'a.Vu'a.Vu//be.neibe.neiH14not hearkenלִשְׁמֹ֕עַlish.Mo.a'H8085to the voiceבְּק֖וֹלbe.KolH6963of their brethrenאֲחֵיהֶ֥ם'a.chei.HemH251the childrenבְּנֵֽי־be.nei-H1121of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃Yis.ra.'ElH3478:

14But the childrenבְנֵֽי־ve.nei-H1121of Benjaminבִנְיָמִ֛ןvin.ya.MinH1144gathered themselves togetherוַיֵּאָסְפ֧וּvai.ye.'a.se.FuH622out of the citiesהֶעָרִ֖יםhe.'a.RimH5892unto Gibeahהַגִּבְעָ֑תָהha.giv.'A.tahH1390,to go outלָצֵ֥אתla.TzetH3318to battleלַמִּלְחָמָ֖הla.mil.cha.MahH4421against the childrenבְּנֵ֥יbe.NeiH1121of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃Yis.ra.'ElH3478.

15And the childrenבְנֵ֨יve.NeiH1121of Benjaminבִנְיָמִ֜ןvin.ya.MinH1144were numberedוַיִּתְפָּֽקְדוּ֩vai.yit.pa.ke.DuH6485at that timeבַּיּ֤וֹםbai.YomH3117out of the citiesמֵהֶ֣עָרִ֔יםme.He.'a.RimH5892twentyעֶשְׂרִ֨ים'es.RimH6242and sixוְשִׁשָּׁ֥הve.shi.ShahH8337thousandאֶ֛לֶף'E.lefH505menאִ֖ישׁ'ishH376that drewשֹׁ֣לֵֽףSho.lefH8025swordחָ֑רֶבCha.revH2719,beside the inhabitantsמִיֹּשְׁבֵ֤יmi.yo.she.VeiH3427of Gibeahהַגִּבְעָה֙ha.giv.'AhH1390,which were numberedהִתְפָּ֣קְד֔וּhit.Pa.ke.DuH6485sevenשְׁבַ֥עshe.Va'H7651hundredמֵא֖וֹתme.'otH3967chosenבָּחֽוּר׃ba.ChurH977menאִ֥ישׁ'ishH376.

16Among all this peopleהָעָ֣םha.'AmH5971there weresevenשְׁבַ֤עshe.Va'H7651hundredמֵאוֹת֙me.'OtH3967chosenבָּח֔וּרba.ChurH977menאִ֣ישׁ'ishH376lefthandedאִטֵּ֖ר יַד־ יְמִינ֑וֹ'i.Ter yad- ye.mi.NoH3225 H3027 H334;every one could slingקֹלֵ֧עַko.Le.a'H7049stonesבָּאֶ֛בֶןba.'E.venH68at an hairהַֽשַּׂעֲרָ֖הha.sa.'a.RahH8185breadth,and not missיַחֲטִֽא׃ פya.cha.Ti'H2398.

17And the menוְאִ֨ישׁve.'IshH376of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵ֜לYis.ra.'ElH3478,beside Benjaminמִבִּנְיָמִ֔ןmi.bin.ya.MinH1144,were numberedהִתְפָּֽקְד֗וּhit.pa.ke.DuH6485fourאַרְבַּ֨ע'ar.Ba'H702hundredמֵא֥וֹתme.'otH3967thousandאֶ֛לֶף'E.lefH505menאִ֖ישׁ'ishH376that drewשֹׁ֣לֵֽףSho.lefH8025swordחָ֑רֶבCha.revH2719: all these weremenאִ֥ישׁ'ishH376of warמִלְחָמָֽה׃mil.cha.MahH4421.

18And the childrenבְּנֵ֣יbe.NeiH1121of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵ֔לYis.ra.'ElH3478aroseוַיָּקֻ֜מוּvai.ya.Ku.muH6965,and went upוַיַּעֲל֣וּvai.ya.'a.LuH5927to the houseH1004of Godבֵאלֹהִים֒ve.lo.HimH1008 H430,and askedוַיִּשְׁאֲל֣וּvai.yish.'a.LuH7592counsel of GodH430,and saidוַיֹּֽאמְרוּ֙vai.yo.me.RuH559,Whichמִ֚יmiH4310of us shall go upיַעֲלֶה־ya.'a.leh-H5927firstבַתְּחִלָּ֔הva.te.chi.LahH8462to the battleלַמִּלְחָמָ֖הla.mil.cha.MahH4421against the childrenבְּנֵ֣יbe.NeiH1121of Benjaminבִנְיָמִ֑ןvin.ya.MinH1144?And Yhwhיְהוָ֖הYah.wehH3068saidוַיֹּ֥אמֶרvai.Yo.merH559,Judahיְהוּדָ֥הye.hu.DahH3063shall go upfirstבַתְּחִלָּֽה׃va.te.chi.LahH8462.

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