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 assembled as one man, from Dan even to Beersheba, with the land of Gilead, to Yahweh at Mizpah.

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.

The chiefs of all the people, even of all the tribes of Israel, presented themselves in the assembly of the people of God, four hundred thousand footmen who drew 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 Benjamin heard that the children of Israel had gone up to Mizpah.) The children of Israel said, “Tell us, how did this wickedness happen?”

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.

The Levite, the husband of the woman who was murdered, answered, “I came into Gibeah that belongs to Benjamin, I and my concubine, to spend the night.

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.

The men of Gibeah rose against me, and surrounded the house by night. They intended to kill me and they raped my concubine, and 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.

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

7 Lo! ye all, are sons of Israel, —give your word and counsel, here.

Behold, you children of Israel, all of you, give here your advice and counsel.”

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.

All the people arose as one man, saying, “None of us will go to his tent, neither will any of us turn to his house.

9 Now, therefore, this is the thing, that we will do to Gibeah, —[Go] against it by lot;

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

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 will take ten men of one hundred throughout all the tribes of Israel, and one hundred of one thousand, and a thousand out of ten thousand to get food for the people, that they may do, when they come to Gibeah of Benjamin, according to all the folly that the men of Gibeah have 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 city, 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?

The tribes of Israel sent men through all the tribe of Benjamin, saying, “What wickedness is this that has happened 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.

Now therefore deliver up the men, the wicked fellows who are in Gibeah, that we may put them to death and put away evil from Israel.” But Benjamin would not listen to the voice of their brothers, 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.

The children of Benjamin gathered themselves together out of the cities to Gibeah, to go out to battle 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.

The children of Benjamin were counted on that day out of the cities twenty-six thousand men who drew the sword, in addition to the inhabitants of Gibeah, who were counted seven hundred 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.

Among all these soldiers there were seven hundred chosen men who were left-handed. Every one of them could sling a stone at a hair and not miss.

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.

The men of Israel, besides Benjamin, were counted four hundred thousand men who drew sword. All these were men of war.

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.

The children of Israel arose, went up to Bethel, and asked counsel of God. They asked, “Who shall go up for us first to battle against the children of Benjamin?” Yahweh said, “Judah first.”

19 And the sons of Israel arose in the morning, —and encamped against Gibeah.

The children of Israel rose up in the morning and encamped 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.

The men of Israel went out to battle against Benjamin; and the men of Israel set the battle in array against them at 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.

The children of Benjamin came out of Gibeah, and on that day destroyed twenty-two thousand of the Israelite men down to the ground.

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.

The people, the men of Israel, encouraged themselves, and set the battle again in array in the place where they set themselves in array 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.

The children of Israel went up and wept before Yahweh until evening; and they asked of Yahweh, saying, “Shall I again draw near to battle against the children of Benjamin my brother?” Yahweh said, “Go up against him.”

24 So the sons of Israel came near against the sons of Benjamin, on the second day.

The children of Israel came near against the children of Benjamin 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.

Benjamin went out against them out of Gibeah the second day, and destroyed down to the ground of the children of Israel again eighteen thousand men. All these drew 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 all the children of Israel and all the people went up, and came to Bethel, and wept, and sat there before Yahweh, and fasted that day until evening; then they offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before Yahweh.

27 And the sons of Israel asked of Yahweh, —there, being the ark of the covenant of God, in those days;

The children of Israel asked Yahweh (for the ark of the covenant of God was there in those days,

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 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?” Yahweh said, “Go up; for tomorrow I will deliver him into your hand.”

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

Israel set ambushes all around 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.

The children of Israel went up against the children of Benjamin on the third day, and set themselves in array 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.

The children of Benjamin went out against the people, and were drawn away from the city; and they began to strike and kill of the people as at other times, in the highways, of which one goes up to Bethel and the other to Gibeah, in the field, about thirty 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.

The children of Benjamin said, “They are struck down before us, as at the first.” But the children of Israel said, “Let’s flee, and draw them away from the city to the highways.”

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.

All the men of Israel rose up out of their place and set themselves in array at Baal Tamar. Then the ambushers of Israel broke out of their place, even out of Maareh Geba.

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.

Ten thousand chosen men out of all Israel came over against Gibeah, and the battle was severe; but they didn’t know that disaster was close to 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.

Yahweh struck Benjamin before Israel; and the children of Israel destroyed of Benjamin that day twenty-five thousand one hundred men. All these drew 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 Benjamin saw that they were struck, for the men of Israel yielded to Benjamin because they trusted the ambushers whom they had set against 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.

The ambushers hurried, and rushed on Gibeah; then the ambushers spread out, and struck all the city 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.

Now the appointed sign between the men of Israel and the ambushers was that they should make a great cloud of smoke rise up out of the city.

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,

The men of Israel turned in the battle, and Benjamin began to strike and kill of the men of Israel about thirty persons; for they said, “Surely they are struck down before us, as in the first battle.”

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 cloud began to arise up out of the city in a pillar of smoke, the Benjamites looked behind them; and behold, the whole city went up in smoke to the sky.

41 And, when, the men of Israel, turned, then were the men of Benjamin dismayed, —for they saw that disaster had overtaken them.

The men of Israel turned, and the men of Benjamin were dismayed; for they saw that disaster had come on 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 turned their backs before the men of Israel to the way of the wilderness, but the battle followed hard after them; and those who came out of the cities destroyed them in the middle of it.

43 they hemmed in the Benjamites, they pursued them, with ease, trode they them down, —as far as over against Gibeah, towards sunrise.

They surrounded the Benjamites, chased them, and trod them down at their resting place, as far as near Gibeah toward the sunrise.

44 So there fell of Benjamin, eighteen thousand men, —all these being men of valour.

Eighteen thousand men of Benjamin fell; all these were men of valor.

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.

They turned and fled toward the wilderness to the rock of Rimmon. They gleaned five thousand men of them in the highways, and followed hard after them to Gidom, and struck 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 who fell that day of Benjamin were twenty-five thousand men who drew the sword. All these were men of valor.

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 six hundred men turned and fled toward the wilderness to the rock of Rimmon, and stayed in the rock of Rimmon four months.

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.

The men of Israel turned again on the children of Benjamin, and struck them with the edge of the sword—including the entire city, the livestock, and all that they found. Moreover they set all the cities which they found on fire.