< Judges 20 >
1 Then went forth all the sons of Israel, and the assembly came together as one man, from Dan even to Beersheba with the land of Gilead, —unto Yahweh at Mizpah.
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.
2 And the chiefs of all the people—all the tribes of Israel—presented themselves in the convocation of the people of God, —four hundred thousand footmen, that drew the sword.
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.
3 And the sons of Benjamin heard that the sons of Israel had gone up to Mizpah. Then said the sons of Israel, Tell [us], In what manner was brought to pass this vileness?
(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?
4 And the Levite, husband of the woman that was cut in pieces, responded and said, —Into Gibeah that pertaineth to Benjamin, I entered, I and my concubine, to tarry the night.
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,
5 And the owners of Gibeah rose up against me, and beset the house, for my sake, by night, —me, they thought to slay, and, my concubine, they so humbled, that she died.
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.
6 So I laid hold on my concubine, and cut her in pieces, and sent her throughout all the country of the inheritance of Israel, —because they had wrought lewdness and impiety, in Israel.
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.
7 Lo! ye all, are sons of Israel, —give your word and counsel, here.
Behold, ye are al children of Israel: giue your aduise, and counsell herein.
8 Then arose all the people, as one man, saying, —No man of us will go to his tent, and no man of us will turn aside to his house.
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.
9 Now, therefore, this is the thing, that we will do to Gibeah, —[Go] against it by lot;
But now this is that thing which we will do to Gibeah: we wil goe vp by lot against it,
10 and we will take ten men of a hundred, of all the tribes of Israel, and a hundred of a thousand, and a thousand of ten thousand, to fetch provisions for the people, —that they may do, when they come to Gibeah of Benjamin, according to all the impiety that it hath wrought in Israel.
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.
11 So all the men of Israel were gathered together against the city, as one man knit together.
So all the men of Israel were gathered against the citie, knit together, as one man.
12 And the tribes of Israel sent men throughout all the divisions of Benjamin, saying, —What is this vile thing that hath been brought to pass, among you?
And the tribes of Israel sent men through al the tribe of Beniamin, saying, What wickednesse is this that is committed among you?
13 Now, therefore, deliver up the men—the sons of the Abandoned One—who are in Gibeah, that we may put them to death, and vileness be consumed out of Israel. But [the sons of] Benjamin would not hearken unto the voice of their brethren, the sons of Israel.
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.
14 Then did the sons of Benjamin gather themselves together out of the cities, unto Gibeah, —to go forth to battle against the sons of Israel.
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.
15 And the sons of Benjamin were numbered on that day, out of the cities, twenty-six thousand men, that drew the sword, —besides, of the inhabitants of Gibeah, were numbered seven hundred chosen men.
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.
16 Out of all this people, were seven hundred chosen men, left-handed, —any one of whom could sling with a stone to a hair’s-breadth, and not miss.
Of all this people were seuen hundreth chosen men, being left handed: all these could sling stones at an heare breadth, and not faile.
17 And, the men of Israel, were numbered, apart from Benjamin, four hundred thousand men, that drew the sword, —every one of these being a man of war.
Also the men of Israel, beside Beniamin, were nombred foure hundreth thousande men that drew sword, euen all men of warre.
18 And they arose, and went up to Bethel, and asked of God, and the sons of Israel said, Who shall go up for us first, to fight against the sons of Benjamin? And Yahweh said—Judah, first.
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.
19 And the sons of Israel arose in the morning, —and encamped against Gibeah.
Then the children of Israel arose vp earely and camped against Gibeah.
20 And the men of Israel went forth, to fight against Benjamin, —so the men of Israel set themselves in array against them, to fight against Gibeah.
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.
21 Then came forth the sons of Benjamin out of Gibeah, —and laid low of Israel, on that day, twenty-two thousand men, to the ground.
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.
22 And the people, the men of Israel, encouraged themselves, —and again set themselves in array for battle in the place where they had set themselves in array on the first day.
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.
23 Now the sons of Israel had gone up, and wept before Yahweh, until the evening, and asked of Yahweh, saying, Shall I again draw near to battle against the sons of Benjamin, my brother? And Yahweh said, Go up against him.
(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)
24 So the sons of Israel came near against the sons of Benjamin, on the second day.
Then the children of Israel came neere against the children of Beniamin the second day.
25 And Benjamin came forth to meet them out of Gibeah, on the second day, and laid low, of the sons of Israel, yet eighteen thousand men, to the ground, —all these, drew the sword.
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.
26 Then went up all the sons of Israel, and all the people, and came to Bethel, and wept, and tarried there before Yahweh, and fasted on that day, until the evening, —and caused to go up ascending-sacrifices and peace-offerings, before Yahweh.
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.
27 And the sons of Israel asked of Yahweh, —there, being the ark of the covenant of God, in those days;
And the children of Israel asked the Lord (for there was the Arke of the couenat of God in those dayes,
28 and Phinehas, son of Eleazar, son of Aaron, was standing before it in those days, saying: Shall I yet again go forth to battle, against the sons of Benjamin, my brother, or shall I forbear? And Yahweh said—Go up, for, to-morrow, will I deliver him into thy hand.
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.
29 And Israel set liers in wait against Gibeah, round about.
And Israel set men to lie in waite round about Gibeah.
30 So the sons of Israel went up against the sons of Benjamin, on the third day, —and set themselves in array against Gibeah, as time after time.
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.
31 And the sons of Benjamin came forth against the people, they were drawn away from the city, —and began to smite of the people, slaying as time after time, in the highways, whereof, one, goeth up to Bethel, and, the other, to Gibeah in the field, about thirty men in Israel.
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.
32 Then said the sons of Benjamin, They are, being smitten, before us, as at the first. But the sons of Israel had said—Let us flee, and draw them away from the city, into the highways.
(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)
33 And, all the men of Israel, rose up out of their place, and set themselves in array in Baal-tamar, —and, the liers in wait of Israel, began to break forth out of their place, out of the forest of Gibeah.
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,
34 And there came over against Gibeah ten thousand chosen men, out of all Israel, and the battle was severe, —they, not knowing that disaster was overtaking them.
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.
35 Thus Yahweh smote Benjamin before Israel, and the sons of Israel destroyed in Benjamin, that day, twenty-five thousand and one hundred men, —all these, drew the sword.
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.
36 So the sons of Benjamin saw that they were smitten, —and that the men of Israel had given place to Benjamin, because they trusted to the liers in wait, whom they had set near Gibeah.
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.
37 And, the liers in wait, hasted, and rushed upon Gibeah, —and the liers in wait marched forward, and smote all the city with the edge of the sword.
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.
38 Now, the appointed sign, between the men of Israel and the liers in wait, had been, —to cause a great cloud of smoke to ascend out of the city.
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.
39 So, when the men of Israel turned in the battle, —and, the Benjamites, began to smite and slay of the sons of Israel, about thirty men, for they said, Yea! they are, smitten, before us, as in the first battle,
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.
40 then, the cloud, began to ascend out of the city, a pillar of smoke, —and the Benjamites looked behind them, and lo! the whole city flamed up towards the heavens.
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.
41 And, when, the men of Israel, turned, then were the men of Benjamin dismayed, —for they saw that disaster had overtaken them.
Then the men of Israel turned againe, and the men of Beniamin were astonied: for they saw that euill was neere vnto them.
42 And, when they turned before the men of Israel unto the way of the desert, the battle, over took them, —while, as for them that came out of the cities, they began to destroy them in their midst: —
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.
43 they hemmed in the Benjamites, they pursued them, with ease, trode they them down, —as far as over against Gibeah, towards sunrise.
Thus they compassed the Beniamites about, and chased them at ease, and ouerranne them, euen ouer against Gibeah on the Eastside.
44 So there fell of Benjamin, eighteen thousand men, —all these being men of valour.
And there were slaine of Beniamin eyghteene thousad men, which were all men of warre.
45 And, when they turned and fled towards the desert unto the cliff Rimmon, then gleaned they of them, in the highways, five thousand men, —and they followed hard after them as far as Gidom, and smote of them, two thousand men.
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,
46 So then it came to pass that, all the fallen of Benjamin, were twenty-five thousand men, that drew the sword, on that day, —all these being men of valour.
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:
47 But there turned and fled, towards the desert, unto the cliff Rimmon, six hundred men, —who abode in the cliff Rimmon, four months.
But sixe hundreth men turned and fled to the wildernesse vnto the rocke of Rimmon, and abode in the rocke of Rimmon foure moneths.
48 Thus, the men of Israel, turned against the sons of Benjamin, and smote them with the edge of the sword, beginning with the city, each and every one down to the beast, even to every one that was met with, —moreover, all the cities they came to, they set on fire.
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.