Judges 20

1 Then all the children of Israel went out, and the Congregation was gathered together as one man, from Dan to Beersheba, with the land of Gilead, vnto the Lord in Mizpeh.

And all the children of Israel went forth, and the assembly gathered together as one man, from Dan to Beer-sheba, and the land of Gilead, unto Jehovah at Mizpah.

2 And the chiefe of all the people, and all the tribes of Israel assembled in the Congregation of the people of God foure hundreth thousand footemen that drewe sword.

And the heads of all the people, of all the tribes of Israel, presented themselves in the congregation of the people of God, four hundred thousand footmen that drew sword.

3 (Now the children of Beniamin heard that the children of Israel were gone vp to Mizpeh) Then the children of Israel saide, Howe is this wickednesse committed?

And the children of Benjamin heard that the children of Israel had gone up to Mizpah. And the children of Israel said, Tell [us], how was this wickedness?

4 And the same Leuite, the womans husband that was slaine, answered and saide, I came vnto Gibeah that is in Beniamin with my concubine to lodge,

Then the Levite, the husband of the woman that was murdered, answered and said, I came to Gibeah that [belongs] to Benjamin, I and my concubine, to lodge.

5 And the men of Gibeah arose against me, and beset the house round about vpon mee by night, thinking to haue slaine me, and haue forced my concubine that she is dead.

And the citizens of Gibeah rose against me, and surrounded the house because of me, by night; they thought to slay me, and my concubine have they humbled so that she died.

6 Then I tooke my concubine, and cut her in pieces, and sent her throughout all the countrey of the inheritance of Israel: for they haue committed abomination and villenie in Israel.

Then I took my concubine, and cut her in pieces, and sent her throughout the country of the inheritance of Israel; for they have committed lewdness and villany in Israel.

7 Behold, ye are al children of Israel: giue your aduise, and counsell herein.

Behold, all ye, children of Israel, deliberate and give here [your] counsel.

8 Then all the people arose as one man, saying, There shall not a man of vs goe to his tent, neither any turne into his house.

And all the people rose up as one man, saying, We will not any one go to his tent, neither will we any one turn into his house.

9 But now this is that thing which we will do to Gibeah: we wil goe vp by lot against it,

But now this is the thing which we will do to Gibeah: [we go] by lot against it;

10 And we wil take ten men of the hundreth throughout al the tribes of Israel, and an hundreth of the thousand, and a thousand of ten thousand to bring vitaile for the people that they may do (when they come to Gibeah of Beniamin) according to all the villeny, that it hath done in Israel.

and we will take ten men of a hundred throughout all the tribes of Israel, and a hundred of a thousand, and a thousand of ten thousand, to fetch victuals for the people, that they may do, when they come to Gibeah of Benjamin, according to all the villany that they have wrought in Israel.

11 So all the men of Israel were gathered against the citie, knit together, as one man.

And all the men of Israel were gathered against the city, knit together as one man.

12 And the tribes of Israel sent men through al the tribe of Beniamin, saying, What wickednesse is this that is committed among you?

And the tribes of Israel sent men to all the families of Benjamin, saying, What wickedness is this that has been done among you?

13 Nowe therefore deliuer vs those wicked men which are in Gibeah, that we may put them to death, and put away euill from Israel: but the children of Beniamin would not obey the voyce of their brethren the children of Israel.

And now give up the men, the sons of Belial, who are in Gibeah, that we may put them to death, and put away evil from Israel. But [the children of] Benjamin would not hearken to the voice of their brethren the children of Israel.

14 But ye children of Beniamin gathered them selues together out of the cities vnto Gibeah, to come out and fight against the children of Israel.

And the children of Benjamin gathered themselves together out of the cities of Gibeah, to go out to battle against the children of Israel.

15 And ye children of Beniamin were nombred at that time out of the cities sixe and twenty thousand men that drewe sworde, beside the inhabitants of Gibeah, which were nombred seuen hundreth chosen men.

And the children of Benjamin were numbered at that time out of the cities, twenty-six thousand men that drew sword, besides the inhabitants of Gibeah, who were numbered seven hundred chosen men.

16 Of all this people were seuen hundreth chosen men, being left handed: all these could sling stones at an heare breadth, and not faile.

Among all this people there were seven hundred chosen men left-handed; all these slang stones at a hair [breadth], and missed not.

17 Also the men of Israel, beside Beniamin, were nombred foure hundreth thousande men that drew sword, euen all men of warre.

And the men of Israel, besides Benjamin, were numbered four hundred thousand men that drew sword: all these were men of war.

18 And the children of Israel arose, and went vp to the house of God, and asked of God, saying, Which of vs shall goe vp first to fight against the children of Beniamin? And the Lord said, Iudah shalbe first.

And the children of Israel arose and went up to Bethel, and inquired of God, and said, Which of us shall go up first to the battle against the children of Benjamin? And Jehovah said, Judah first.

19 Then the children of Israel arose vp earely and camped against Gibeah.

And the children of Israel rose up in the morning and encamped against Gibeah.

20 And the men of Israel went out to battell against Beniamin, and the men of Israel put themselues in aray to fight against the beside Gibeah.

And the men of Israel went out to battle against Benjamin; and the men of Israel put themselves in array to fight against them at Gibeah.

21 And the children of Beniamin came out of Gibeah, and slewe downe to the ground of the Israelites that day two and twentie thousand men.

And the children of Benjamin went forth out of Gibeah, and destroyed to the ground of the Israelites that day twenty-two thousand men.

22 And the people, the men of Israel plucked vp their hearts, and set their battel againe in aray in the place where they put them in aray the first day.

And the people, the men of Israel, took courage, and set the battle again in array in the place where they put themselves in array the first day.

23 (For the children of Israel had gone vp and wept before the Lord vnto the euening, and had asked of the Lord, saying, Shall I goe againe to battel against the children of Beniamin my brethren? and the Lord said, Go vp against them)

And the children of Israel went up and wept before Jehovah until even, and inquired of Jehovah, saying, Shall I go up again to battle against the children of Benjamin my brother? And Jehovah said, Go up against him.

24 Then the children of Israel came neere against the children of Beniamin the second day.

And the children of Israel came near against the children of Benjamin the second day.

25 Also the second day Beniamin came forth to meete them out of Gibeah, and slewe downe to the grounde of the children of Israel againe eighteene thousand men: all they could handle the sword.

And Benjamin went forth against them out of Gibeah the second day, and again destroyed to the ground of the children of Israel eighteen thousand men: all these drew the sword.

26 Then al the children of Israel went vp and all the people came also vnto the house of God, and wept and sate there before the Lord and fasted that day vnto the euening, and offred burnt offrings and peace offrings before the Lord.

Then all the children of Israel, and all the people, went up and came to Bethel, and wept, and abode there before Jehovah, and fasted that day until even, and offered up burnt-offerings and peace-offerings before Jehovah.

27 And the children of Israel asked the Lord (for there was the Arke of the couenat of God in those dayes,

And the children of Israel inquired of Jehovah (and the ark of the covenant of God was there in those days,

28 And Phinehas the sonne of Eleazar, the sonne of Aaron stoode before it at that time) saying, Shall I yet goe anie more to battel against the children of Beniamin my brethren, or shall I cease? And the Lord said, Go vp: for to morowe I will deliuer them into your hand.

and Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, stood before it in those days), saying, Shall I yet again go out to battle against the children of Benjamin my brother, or shall I cease? And Jehovah said, Go up; for to-morrow I will give them into thy hand.

29 And Israel set men to lie in waite round about Gibeah.

And Israel set liers in wait against Gibeah, round about.

30 And the children of Israel went vp against the children of Beniamin the third day, and put theselues in aray against Gibeah, as at other times.

And the children of Israel went up against the children of Benjamin on the third day, and put themselves in array against Gibeah, as at the other times.

31 Then the children of Beniamin comming out against the people, were drawen from the citie: and they began to smite of ye people and kill as at other times, euen by the wayes in the fielde (whereof one goeth vp to the house of God, and the other to Gibeah) vpon a thirtie men of Israel.

And the children of Benjamin went out against the people, and were drawn away from the city, and began to smite of the people, slaying as at the former times, in the highways, of which one leads to Bethel and the other to Gibeah in the field, about thirty men of Israel.

32 (For the children of Beniamin sayd, They are fallen before vs, as at the first. But the children of Israel saide, Let vs flee and plucke them away from the citie vnto the hie wayes)

And the children of Benjamin said, They are smitten down before us, as at the first. And the children of Israel said, Let us flee, that we may draw them from the city to the highways.

33 And all the men of Israel rose vp out of their place, and put themselues in aray at Baal-tamar: and the men that lay in wayte of the Israelites came forth of their place, euen out of the medowes of Gibeah,

And all the men of Israel rose up out of their place, and put themselves in array at Baal-Tamar; and the ambush of Israel rushed forth out of their place, out of the meadows of Geba.

34 And they came ouer against Gibeah, ten thousande chosen men of all Israel, and the battell was sore: for they knewe not that the euill was neere them.

And there came from opposite Gibeah ten thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and the battle was severe; but they knew not that disaster was coming upon them.

35 And the Lord smote Beniamin before Israel, and the children of Israel destroyed of the Beniamites the same day fiue and twenty thousand and an hundreth men: all they could handle the sword.

And Jehovah smote Benjamin before Israel; and the children of Israel destroyed of the Benjaminites that day twenty-five thousand one hundred men: all these drew the sword.

36 So the children of Beniamin sawe that they were striken downe: for the men of Israel gaue place to the Beniamites, because they trusted to the men that lay in waite, which they had laide beside Gibeah.

And the children of Benjamin saw that they were smitten. — And the men of Israel gave place to Benjamin, because they trusted to the ambush that they had set against Gibeah.

37 And they that lay in wait hasted, and brake forth toward Gibeah, and the ambushment drewe themselues along, and smote all the citie with the edge of the sword.

And the ambush hasted, and fell upon Gibeah; and the ambush drew along, and smote the whole city with the edge of the sword.

38 Also the men of Israel had appoynted a certaine time with the ambushmentes, that they should make a great flame and smoke rise vp out of the citie.

Now there was an appointed sign between the men of Israel and the ambush, that they should make a thick column of smoke rise up out of the city.

39 And when the men of Israel retired in the battel, Beniamin began to smite and kill of the men of Israel about thirtie persons: for they said, Surely they are striken downe before vs, as in the first battell.

And when the men of Israel turned back in the battle, Benjamin began to smite, slaying of the men of Israel about thirty men; for they said, Surely they are quite routed before us as in the first battle.

40 But when the flame bega to arise out of the citie, as a pillar of smoke, the Beniamites looked backe, and behold, the flame of the citie began to ascend vp to heauen.

And when the burning began to rise up out of the city as a pillar of smoke, Benjamin looked behind, and behold, the whole city ascended [in smoke] to the heavens.

41 Then the men of Israel turned againe, and the men of Beniamin were astonied: for they saw that euill was neere vnto them.

Then the men of Israel turned back, and the men of Benjamin were amazed, for they saw that disaster was come upon them.

42 Therefore they fled before the men of Israel vnto the way of the wildernesse, but the battell ouertooke them: also they which came out of the cities, slew them among them.

And they turned before the men of Israel to the way of the wilderness; but the battle overtook them; and those who came out of the cities destroyed them in their midst.

43 Thus they compassed the Beniamites about, and chased them at ease, and ouerranne them, euen ouer against Gibeah on the Eastside.

They encompassed the Benjaminites, chased them, trode them down at the resting-place over against Gibeah toward the sun-rising.

44 And there were slaine of Beniamin eyghteene thousad men, which were all men of warre.

And there fell of Benjamin eighteen thousand men: all these, men of valour.

45 And they turned and fled to the wildernes vnto the rocke of Rimmon: and the Israelites glayned of them by the way fiue thousand men, and pursued after them vnto Gidom, and slewe two thousand men of them,

And they turned and fled towards the wilderness to the cliff of Rimmon, and they gleaned of them in the highways five thousand men; and pursued hard after them to Gidom, and slew two thousand men of them.

46 So that all that were slayne that day of Beniamin, were fiue and twentie thousand men that drewe sword, which were all men of warre:

So that all who fell that day of Benjamin were twenty-five thousand men that drew the sword: all these, men of valour.

47 But sixe hundreth men turned and fled to the wildernesse vnto the rocke of Rimmon, and abode in the rocke of Rimmon foure moneths.

And six hundred men turned and fled to the wilderness to the cliff of Rimmon, and abode at the cliff of Rimmon four months.

48 Then the men of Israel returned vnto the children of Beniamin, and smote them with the edge of the sword from the men of the citie vnto the beasts, and all that came to hand: also they set on fire all the cities that they coulde come by.

And the men of Israel turned again upon the children of Benjamin, and smote them with the edge of the sword, as well the men of [every] city as the cattle, and all that was found; even all the cities that were found did they set on fire.