Iudicum 20

1 Egressi itaque sunt omnes filii Israel, et pariter congregati, quasi vir unus, de Dan, usque Bersabee, et Terra Galaad ad Dominum in Maspha:

Then all the children of Israel went out, and the congregation was gathered together as one man, from Dan even to Beer-sheba, with the land of Gilead, unto the LORD in Mizpeh.

2 Omnesque anguli populorum, et cunctæ tribus Israel in ecclesiam populi Dei convenerunt quadringenta millia peditum pugnatorum.

And the chief 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 that drew sword.

3 (Nec latuit filios Beniamin quod ascendissent filii Israel in Maspha.) Interrogatusque Levita, maritus mulieris interfectæ, quomodo tantum scelus perpetratum esset,

(Now the children of Benjamin heard that the children of Israel were gone up to Mizpeh.) Then said the children of Israel, Tell [us], how was this wickedness?

4 respondit: Veni in Gabaa Beniamin cum uxore mea, illucque diverti:

And the Levite, the husband of the woman that was slain, answered and said, I came into Gibeah that [belongeth] to Benjamin, I and my concubine, to lodge.

5 et ecce homines civitatis illius circumdederunt nocte domum, in qua manebam, volentes me occidere, et uxorem meam incredibili furore libidinis vexantes, denique mortua est.

And the men of Gibeah rose against me, and beset the house round about upon me by night, [and] thought to have slain me: and my concubine have they forced, that she is dead.

6 Quam arreptam, in frustra concidi, misique partes in omnes terminos possessionis vestræ: quia numquam tantum nefas, et tam grande piaculum factum est in Israel.

And 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 Adestis omnes filii Israel, decernite quid facere debeatis.

Behold, ye [are] all children of Israel; give here your advice and counsel.

8 Stansque omnis populus, quasi unius hominis sermone respondit: Non recedemus in tabernacula nostra, nec suam quisquam intrabit domum:

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

9 sed hoc contra Gabaa in commune faciamus.

But now this [shall be] the thing which we will do to Gibeah; [we will go up] by lot against it;

10 Decem viri eligantur e centum ex omnibus tribubus Israel, et centum de mille, et mille de decem millibus, ut comportent exercitui cibaria, et possimus pugnare contra Gabaa Beniamin, et reddere ei pro scelere, quod meretur.

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

11 Convenitque universus Israel ad civitatem, quasi homo unus eadem mente, unoque consilio.

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

12 Et miserunt nuncios ad omnem tribum Beniamin, qui dicerent: Cur tantum nefas in vobis repertum est?

And the tribes of Israel sent men through all the tribe of Benjamin, saying, What wickedness [is] this that is done among you?

13 Tradite homines de Gabaa, qui hoc flagitium perpetrarunt, ut moriantur, et auferatur malum de Israel. Qui noluerunt fratrum suorum filiorum Israel audire mandatum:

Now therefore deliver [us] the men, the children of Belial, which [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 sed ex cunctis urbibus, quæ sortis suæ erant, convenerunt in Gabaa, ut illis ferrent auxilium, et contra universum populum Israel dimicarent.

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

15 Inventique sunt viginti quinque millia de Beniamin educentium gladium, præter habitatores Gabaa,

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

16 qui septingenti erant viri fortissimi, ita sinistra ut dextra prœliantes: et sic fundis lapides ad certum iacientes, ut capillum quoque possent percutere, et nequaquam in alteram partem ictus lapidis deferretur.

Among all this people [there were] seven hundred chosen men lefthanded; every one could sling stones at an hair [breadth], and not miss.

17 Virorum quoque Israel, absque filiis Beniamin, inventa sunt quadringenta millia educentium gladium, et paratorum ad pugnam.

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

18 Qui surgentes venerunt in domum Dei, hoc est, in Silo: consulueruntque Deum, atque dixerunt: Quis erit in exercitu nostro princeps certaminis contra filios Beniamin? Quibus respondit Dominus: Iudas sit dux vester.

And the children of Israel arose, and went up to the house of God, and asked counsel of God, and said, Which of us shall go up first to the battle against the children of Benjamin? And the LORD said, Judah [shall go up] first.

19 Statimque filii Israel surgentes mane, castrametati sunt iuxta Gabaa:

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

20 et inde procedentes ad pugnam contra Beniamin, urbem oppugnare cœperunt.

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 Egressique filii Beniamin de Gabaa, occiderunt de filiis Israel die illo viginti duo millia virorum.

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

22 Rursum filii Israel et fortitudine et numero confidentes, in eodem loco, in quo prius certaverant, aciem direxerunt:

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

23 ita tamen ut prius ascenderent et flerent coram Domino usque ad noctem: consulerentque eum, et dicerent: Debeo ultra procedere ad dimicandum contra filios Beniamin fratres meos, an non? Quibus ille respondit: Ascendite ad eos, et inite certamen.

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

24 Cumque filii Israel altera die contra filios Beniamin ad prœlium processissent,

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

25 eruperunt filii Beniamin de portis Gabaa: et occurrentes eis tanta in illos cæde bacchati sunt, ut decem et octo millia virorum educentium gladium prosternerent.

And Benjamin went forth 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 Quam ob rem omnes filii Israel venerunt in domum Dei, et sedentes flebant coram Domino: ieiunaveruntque die illo usque ad vesperam, et obtulerunt ei holocausta, atque pacificas victimas,

Then all the children of Israel, and all the people, went up, and came unto the house of God, and wept, and sat there before the LORD, and fasted that day until even, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the LORD.

27 et super statu suo interrogaverunt. Eo tempore ibi erat arca fœderis Dei,

And the children of Israel enquired of the LORD, (for the ark of the covenant of God [was] there in those days,

28 et Phinees filius Eleazari filii Aaron præpositus domus. Consuluerunt igitur Dominum, atque dixerunt: Exire ultra debemus ad pugnam contra filios Beniamin fratres nostros, an quiescere? Quibus ait Dominus: Ascendite, cras enim tradam eos in manus vestras.

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 the LORD said, Go up; for to morrow I will deliver them into thine hand.

29 Posueruntque filii Israel insidias per circuitum urbis Gabaa:

And Israel set liers in wait round about Gibeah.

30 et tertia vice, sicut semel et bis, contra Beniamin exercitum produxerunt.

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 other times.

31 Sed et filii Beniamin audacter eruperunt de civitate, et fugientes adversarios longius persecuti sunt, ita ut vulnerarent ex eis sicut primo die et secundo, et cæderent per duas semitas vertentes terga, quarum una ferebatur in Bethel, et altera in Gabaa, atque prosternerent triginta circiter viros:

And the children of Benjamin went out against the people, [and] were drawn away from the city; and they began to smite of the people, [and] kill, as at other times, in the highways, of which one goeth up to the house of God, and the other to Gibeah in the field, about thirty men of Israel.

32 putaverunt enim solito eos more cedere. Qui fugam arte simulantes inierunt consilium ut abstraherent eos de civitate, et quasi fugientes ad supradictas semitas perducerent.

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

33 Omnes itaque filii Israel surgentes de sedibus suis, tetenderunt aciem in loco, qui vocatur Baalthamar. Insidiæ quoque, quæ circa urbem erant, paulatim se aperire cœperunt,

And all the men of Israel rose up out of their place, and put themselves in array at Baal-tamar: and the liers in wait of Israel came forth out of their places, [even] out of the meadows of Gibeah.

34 et ab Occidentali urbis parte procedere. Sed et alia decem millia virorum de universo Israel, habitatores urbis ad certamina provocabant. Ingravatumque est bellum contra filios Beniamin: et non intellexerunt quod ex omni parte illis instaret interitus.

And there came against Gibeah ten thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and the battle was sore: but they knew not that evil [was] near them.

35 Percussitque eos Dominus in conspectu filiorum Israel, et interfecerunt ex eis in illo die viginti quinque millia, et centum viros, omnes bellatores et educentes gladium.

And the LORD smote Benjamin before Israel: and the children of Israel destroyed of the Benjamites that day twenty and five thousand and an hundred men: all these drew the sword.

36 Filii autem Beniamin cum se inferiores esse vidissent, cœperunt fugere. Quod cernentes filii Israel, dederunt eis ad fugiendum locum, ut ad præparatas insidias devenirent, quas iuxta urbem posuerant.

So the children of Benjamin saw that they were smitten: for the men of Israel gave place to the Benjamites, because they trusted unto the liers in wait which they had set beside Gibeah.

37 Qui cum repente de latibulis surrexissent, et Beniamin terga cædentibus daret, ingressi sunt civitatem, et percusserunt eam in ore gladii.

And the liers in wait hasted, and rushed upon Gibeah; and the liers in wait drew [themselves] along, and smote all the city with the edge of the sword.

38 Signum autem dederant filii Israel his, quos in insidiis collocaverant, ut postquam urbem cepissent, ignem accenderent: ut ascendente in altum fumo, captam urbem demonstrarent.

Now there was an appointed sign between the men of Israel and the liers in wait, that they should make a great flame with smoke rise up out of the city.

39 Quod cum cernerent filii Israel in ipso certamine positi (putaverunt enim filii Beniamin eos fugere, et instantius persequebantur, cæsis de exercitu eorum triginta viris)

And when the men of Israel retired in the battle, Benjamin began to smite [and] kill of the men of Israel about thirty persons: for they said, Surely they are smitten down before us, as [in] the first battle.

40 et viderent quasi columnam fumi de civitate conscendere. Beniamin quoque aspiciens retro, cum captam cerneret civitatem, et flammas in sublime ferri:

But when the flame began to arise up out of the city with a pillar of smoke, the Benjamites looked behind them, and, behold, the flame of the city ascended up to heaven.

41 qui prius simulaverant fugam, versa facie fortius resistebant. Quod cum vidissent filii Beniamin, in fugam versi sunt,

And when the men of Israel turned again, the men of Benjamin were amazed: for they saw that evil was come upon them.

42 et ad viam deserti ire cœperunt, illuc quoque eos adversariis persequentibus. Sed et hi, qui urbem succenderant, occurrerunt eis.

Therefore they turned [their backs] before the men of Israel unto the way of the wilderness; but the battle overtook them; and them which [came] out of the cities they destroyed in the midst of them.

43 Atque ita factum est, ut ex utraque parte ab hostibus cæderentur, nec erat ulla requies morientium. Ceciderunt, atque prostrati sunt ad Orientalem plagam urbis Gabaa.

[Thus] they inclosed the Benjamites round about, [and] chased them, [and] trode them down with ease over against Gibeah toward the sunrising.

44 Fuerunt autem qui in eodem loco interfecti sunt, decem et octo millia virorum, omnes robustissimi pugnatores.

And there fell of Benjamin eighteen thousand men; all these [were] men of valour.

45 Quod cum vidissent, qui remanserant de Beniamin, fugerunt in solitudinem: et pergebant ad Petram, cuius vocabulum est Remmon. In illa quoque fuga palantes, et in diversa tendentes, occiderunt quinque millia virorum. Et cum ultra tenderent, persecuti sunt eos, et interfecerunt etiam alia duo millia.

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 pursued hard after them unto Gidom, and slew two thousand men of them.

46 Et sic factum est, ut omnes qui ceciderant de Beniamin in diversis locis essent viginti quinque millia, pugnatores ad bella promptissimi.

So that all which fell that day of Benjamin were twenty and five thousand men that drew the sword; all these [were] men of valour.

47 Remanserunt itaque de omni numero Beniamin, qui evadere, et fugere in solitudinem potuerunt, sexcenti viri: sederuntque in Petra Remmon mensibus quattuor.

But six hundred men turned and fled to the wilderness unto the rock Rimmon, and abode in the rock Rimmon four months.

48 Regressi autem filii Israel, omnes reliquias civitatis a viris usque ad iumenta gladio percusserunt, cunctasque urbes et viculos Beniamin vorax flamma consumpsit.

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 beast, and all that came to hand: also they set on fire all the cities that they came to.