Judges 20

1 Then went out all the children of Israel, and the congregation was assembled together as one man, from Dan even to Beer-sheba', with the land of Gil'ad, unto the Lord in Mizpah.

Then all the children of Israel went out and gathered together as one man from Dan to Bersabee, with the land of Galaad, to the Lord in Maspha:

2 and there presented themselves the chiefs of all the people, of all the tribes of Israel, in the assembly of the people of God, four hundred thousand men on foot that drew the sword.

And all the chiefs of the people, and all the tribes of Israel met together in the assembly of the people of God, four hundred thousand footmen fit for war.

3 (And the children of Benjamin heard that the children of Israel were gone up to Mizpah.) And the children of Israel said, Speak, how did this wickedness take place?

(Nor were the children of Benjamin ignorant that the children of Israel were come up to Maspha.) And the Levite the husband of the woman that was killed, being asked, how so great a wickedness had been committed,

4 And the Levite, the husband of the woman that was murdered, answered and said, I came to Gib'ah that belongeth to Benjamin, I and my concubine, to stay one night,

Answered: I came into Gabaa of Benjamin with my wife, and there I lodged:

5 When the men of Gib'ah rose against me, and beset the house round about against me by night; me they intended to slay; and my concubine they humbled, so that she died.

And behold the men of that city in the night beset the house wherein I was, intending to kill me, and abused my wife with an incredible fury of lust, so that at last she died.

6 And I took hold of my concubine and cut her in pieces, and sent her about throughout all the fields of the inheritance of Israel; for they had committed incest and scandal in Israel.

And I took her and cut her in pieces, and sent the, parts into all the borders of your possession: because there never was so heinous a crime, and so great an abomination committed in Israel.

7 Behold, ye are all here children of Israel: furnish for yourselves here advice and counsel.

You are all here, O children of Israel, determine what you ought to do.

8 And all the people then arose as one man, saying, We will not go any of us to his tent, neither will we turn any of us into his house.

And all the people standing, answered as by the voice of one man: We will not return to our tents, neither shall any one of us go into his own house:

9 And now this shall be the thing which we will do to Gib'ah: We will go up against it by lot;

But this we will do in common against Gabaa:

10 And we will take ten men out of every hundred throughout all the tribes of Israel, and a hundred out of every thousand, and a thousand out of every ten thousand, to procure provisions for the people; that they may do, when they come to Gib'ah of Benjamin, in accordance with all the scandalous deed that they have wrought in Israel.

We will take ten men of a hundred out of all the tribes of Israel, and a hundred out of a thousand, and a thousand out of ten thousand, to bring victuals for the army, that we might fight against Gabaa of Benjamin, and render to it for its wickedness, what it deserveth.

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

And all Israel were gathered together against the city, as one man, with one mind, and one counsel:

12 And the tribes of Israel sent men through all the divisions of Benjamin, saying, What wickedness is this that hath been done among you?

And they sent messengers to all the tribe of Benjamin to say to them: Why hath so great an abomination been found among you?

13 Now therefore deliver up the men, those worthless people, who are in Gib'ah, that we may put them to death, and remove evil from Israel. But the children of Benjamin would not hearken to the voice of their brethren the children of Israel.

Deliver up the men of Gabaa, that have committed this heinous crime, that they may die, and the evil may be taken away out of Israel. But they would not hearken to the proposition of their brethren the children of Israel:

14 And the children of Benjamin gathered themselves together out of the cities unto Gib'ah, to go out to battle with the children of Israel.

But out of all the cities which were of their lot, they gathered themselves together into Gabaa, to aid them, and to fight against the whole people of Israel.

15 And at that time there were numbered of the children of Benjamin out of the cities twenty and six thousand men that drew the sword, beside the inhabitants of Gib'ah, who were numbered seven hundred chosen men.

And there were found of Benjamin five and twenty thousand men that drew the sword, besides the inhabitants of Gabaa,

16 Among all this people there were seven hundred chosen men lame in the right hand: every one of these could sling a stone at a hair, and would not miss.

Who were seven hundred most valiant men, fighting with the left hand as well as with the right: and slinging stones so sure that they could hit even a hair, and not miss by the stone’s going on either side.

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

Of the men of Israel also, beside the children of Benjamin, were found four hundred thousand that drew swords, and were prepared to fight.

18 And they arose, and went up to Beth-el, and asked counsel of God; and the children of Israel said, Who of us shall go up at first to the battle with the children of Benjamin? And the Lord said, Judah, at first.

And they arose and came to the house of God, that is, to Silo: and they consulted God, and said: Who shall be in our army the first to go to the battle against the children of Benjamin? And the Lord answered them: Let Juda be your leader.

19 And the children of Israel rose up in the morning, and encamped against Gib'ah.

And forthwith the children of Israel rising in the morning, camped by Gabaa:

20 And the men of Israel went out to battle with Benjamin; and the men of Israel put themselves in battle-array against them by Gib'ah.

And going out from thence to fight against Benjamin, began to assault the city.

21 And the Children of Benjamin came forth out of Gib'ah, and struck down to the ground of the Israelites on that day twenty and two thousand men.

And the children of Benjamin coming out of Gabaa, slew of the children of Israel that day two and twenty thousand men.

22 And the people the men of Israel took courage, and set themselves again in battle-array in the place where they had arrayed themselves on the first day.

Again Israel trusting in their strength and their number, set their army in array in the same place, where they had fought before:

23 And the children of Israel went up and wept before the Lord until the evening, and asked counsel of the Lord, saying, Shall I again approach to battle with the children of Benjamin my brother? And the Lord said, Go up against him.

Yet so that they first went up and wept before the Lord until night: and consulted him, and said: Shall I go out any more to fight against the children of Benjamin my brethren, or not? And he answered them: Go up against them, and join battle.

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

And when the children of Israel went out the next day to fight against the children of Benjamin,

25 And Benjamin went forth against them out of Gib'ah on the second day, and struck down to the ground of the children of Israel again eighteen thousand men: all these were men that drew the sword.

The children of Benjamin sallied forth out of the gates of Gabaa: and meeting them made so great a slaughter of them, as to kill eighteen thousand men that drew the sword.

26 Now all the children of Israel, and all the people, went up, and came unto Beth-el, and wept, and sat there before the Lord, and fasted on that day until the evening, and offered burnt-offerings and peace-offerings before the Lord.

Wherefore all the children of Israel came to the house of God, and sat and wept before the Lord: and they fasted that day till the evening, and offered to him holocausts, and victims of peace offerings,

27 And the children of Israel inquired of the Lord, (for there was the ark of the covenant of God in those days,

And inquired of him concerning their state. At that time the ark of the covenant of the Lord was there,

28 And Phinehas, the son of Elazar, the son of Aaron, stood before it in those days, ) saying, shall I yet continue to go out to battle with the children of Benjamin my brother, or shall I forbear? And the Lord said, Go up; for tomorrow will I deliver him into thy hand.

And Phinees the son of Eleazar the son of Aaron was over the house. So they consulted the Lord and said: Shall we go out any more to fight against the children of Benjamin our brethren, or shall we cease? And the Lord said to them: Go up, for tomorrow I will deliver them into your hands.

29 And Israel sent men to lie in wait round about Gib'ah.

And the children of Israel set ambushes round about the city of Gabaa:

30 And the children of Israel went up against the children of Benjamin on the third day, and put themselves in array against Gib'ah, as at previous times.

And they drew up their army against Benjamin the third time, as they had done the first and second.

31 And the children of Benjamin went out against the people, and were drawn away from the city; and they began to smite some of the people, and kill, as at previous times, in the highways, of which one goeth up to Beth-el, and the other to Gib'ah in the field, about thirty men of Israel.

And the children of Benjamin boldly issued out of the city, and seeing their enemies flee, pursued them a long way, so as to wound and kill some of them, as they had done the first and second day, whilst they fled by two highways, whereof one goeth up to Bethel, and the other to Gabaa, and they slew about thirty men:

32 And the children of Benjamin said, They are defeated before us, as at the first. But the children of Israel said, Let us flee, and draw them from the city unto the highways.

For they thought to cut them off, as they did before. But they artfully feigning a flight, designed to draw them away from the city, and by their seeming to flee to bring them to the highways aforesaid.

33 And all the men of Israel rose up out of their place, and put themselves in array at Ba'al-thamar: and those that lay in wait of Israel rushed forth out of their place, out of the meadows of Gib'ah.

Then all the children of Israel rising up out of the places where they were, set their army in battle array, in the place which is called Baalthamar. The ambushes also which were about the city, began by little and little to come forth,

34 And there came against Gib'ah ten thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and the battle was severe; but they knew not that the evil was overtaking them.

And to march from the west side of the city. And other ten thousand men chosen out of all Israel attacked the inhabitants of the city. And the battle grew hot against the children of Benjamin: and they understood not that present death threatened them on every side.

35 And the Lord smote Benjamin before Israel; and the children of Israel destroyed of the Benjamites on that day twenty and five thousand and one hundred men: all these were those that drew the sword.

And the Lord defeated them before the children of Israel, and they slew of them in that day five and twenty thousand, and one hundred, all fighting men and that drew the sword.

36 And the children of Benjamin saw that they were defeated; for the men of Israel gave place to the Benjamites, because they trusted unto those that lay in wait whom they had set against Gib'ah.

But the children of Benjamin when they saw themselves to be too weak, began to flee. Which the children of Israel seeing, gave them place to flee, that they might come to the ambushes that were prepared, which they had set near the city.

37 And those in ambush hastened, and spread themselves over Gib'ah; and those that lay in wait moved along, and smote all the city with the edge of the sword.

And they that were in ambush arose on a sudden out of their coverts, and whilst Benjamin turned their backs to the slayers, went into the city, and smote it with the edge of the sword.

38 Now there was an understanding between the men of Israel and those that lay in wait, that they should make an abundance of columns of smoke rise up out of the city.

Now the children of Israel had given a sign to them, whom they had laid in ambushes, that after they had taken the city, they should make a fire: that by the smoke rising on high, they might shew that the city was taken.

39 And when the men of Israel turned round in the battle, and Benjamin began to smite and kill of the men of Israel about thirty persons; for they said, Surely they are entirely defeated before us, as in the first battle:

And when the children of Israel saw this in the battle (for the children of Benjamin thought they fled and pursued them vigorously, killing thirty men of their army)

40 Then began the cloud to arise up out of the city as a pillar of smoke; and when the Benjamites looked behind them, behold, the flames of all the city were ascending up to heaven.

And perceived as it were a pillar of smoke rise up from the city; and Benjamin looking back, saw that the city was taken, and that the flames ascended on high:

41 And when the men of Israel turned again, the men of Benjamin were amazed; for they saw that the evil had overtaken them.

They that before had made as if they fled, turning their faces stood bravely against them; which the children of Benjamin seeing, turned their backs,

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

And began to go towards the way of the desert, the enemy pursuing them thither also. And they that fired the city came also out to meet them.

43 They enclosed the Benjamites round about, chased them, they overtook them in their places of rest, as far as opposite to Gib'ah toward the rising of the sun.

And so it was, that they were slain on both sides by the enemies, and there was no rest of their men dying. They fell and were beaten down on the east side of the city Gabaa.

44 And there fell of Benjamin eighteen thousand men: all these were men of valor.

And they that were slain in the same place were eighteen thousand men, all most valiant soldiers.

45 And they turned and fled toward the wilderness unto the rock of Rimmon; and they gleaned of them in the highways five thousand men; and they pursued hard after them as far as Gid'om, and slew of them two thousand men.

And when they that remained of Benjamin saw this, they fled into the wilderness and made towards the rock that is called Remmon. In that flight, also as they were straggling and going different ways, they slew of them five thousand men. And as they went farther, they still pursued them, and slew also other two thousand.

46 So that all who fell on that day of Benjamin were twenty and five thousand men that drew the sword: all these were men of valor.

And so it came to pass, that all that were slain of Benjamin in divers places, were five and twenty thousand fighting men, most valiant for war.

47 But six hundred men turned and fled into the wilderness unto the rock Rimmon, and they abode on the rock Rimmon four months.

And there remained of all the number of Benjamin only six hundred men that were able to escape, and flee to the wilderness: and they abode in the rock Remmon four months.

48 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 beasts, and all that was found: also all the cities that they came upon did they set on fire.

But the children of Israel returning, put all the remains of the city to the sword, both men and beasts, and all the cities and villages of Benjamin were consumed with devouring flames.