Iudicum 20

1 Egressi itaque sunt omnes filii Israël, et pariter congregati, quasi vir unus, de Dan usque Bersabee, et terra Galaad, ad Dominum in Maspha.

Then all the sons of Israel went out. And the congregation was assembled as one man, from Dan even to Beersheba, with the land of Gilead, to Jehovah at Mizpah.

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

And 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 a sword.

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

(Now the sons of Benjamin heard that the sons of Israel had gone up to Mizpah.) And the sons of Israel said, Tell us, how was this wickedness brought to pass?

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

And the Levite, the husband of the woman who was murdered, answered and said, I came into Gibeah that belongs 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 me by night. They thought to have me slain, and they forced my concubine, and 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 Israël.

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 Israël: decernite quid facere debeatis.

Behold, ye sons of Israel, all of you, 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 to his house.

9 sed hoc contra Gabaa in commune faciamus.

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

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

and we will take ten men of a hundred throughout all the tribes of Israel, and a hundred of a thousand, and a thousand out of ten thousand, to fetch provision 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 Israël 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 nuntios ad omnem tribum Benjamin, 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 has come to pass among you?

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

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

14 sed ex cunctis urbibus, quæ sortis suæ erant, convenerunt in Gabaa, ut illis ferrent auxilium, et contra universum populum Israël dimicarent.

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

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

And the sons of Benjamin were numbered on that day out of the cities twenty-six thousand men who drew a sword, besides the inhabitants of Gibeah, who were numbered seven hundred chosen men.

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

Among all this people there were seven hundred chosen men left-handed. Every one could sling stones at a hair-breadth, and not miss.

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

And the men of Israel, besides Benjamin, were numbered four hundred thousand men who drew a 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 Benjamin? Quibus respondit Dominus: Judas sit dux vester.

And the sons of Israel arose, and went up to Bethel, and asked counsel of God. And they said, Who shall go up for us first to battle against the sons of Benjamin? And Jehovah said, Judah first.

19 Statimque filii Israël surgentes mane, castrametati sunt juxta Gabaa:

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

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

And 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 Egressique filii Benjamin de Gabaa, occiderunt de filiis Israël die illo viginti duo millia virorum.

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

22 Rursum filii Israël 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 the battle again in array in the place where they set 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 Benjamin fratres meos, an non? Quibus ille respondit: Ascendite ad eos, et inite certamen.

And the sons of Israel went up and wept before Jehovah until evening. And they asked of Jehovah, saying, Shall I again draw near to battle against the sons of Benjamin my brother? And Jehovah said, Go up against him.

24 Cumque filii Israël altera die contra filios Benjamin ad prælium processissent,

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

25 eruperunt filii Benjamin 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 sons of Israel again eighteen thousand men. All these drew the sword.

26 Quam ob rem omnes filii Israël venerunt in domum Dei, et sedentes flebant coram Domino: jejunaveruntque die illo usque ad vesperam, et obtulerunt ei holocausta, atque pacificas victimas,

Then all the sons of Israel, and all the people, went up, and came to Bethel, and wept, and sat there before Jehovah, and fasted that day until evening, and they offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before Jehovah.

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

And the sons of Israel asked of Jehovah (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 Benjamin 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 sons of Benjamin my brother, or shall I cease? And Jehovah said, Go up, for tomorrow I will deliver him into thy hand.

29 Posueruntque filii Israël insidias per circuitum urbis Gabaa:

And Israel set an ambushment against Gibeah round about.

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

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

31 Sed et filii Benjamin 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 sons of Benjamin went out against the people, and were drawn away from the city. And they began to smite 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 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 sons of Benjamin said, They are smitten down before us as at the first. But the sons of Israel said, Let us flee, and draw them away from the city to the highways.

33 Omnes itaque filii Israël 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 set themselves in array at Baal-tamar, and the ambushment of Israel broke forth out of their place, even out of Maareh-geba.

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

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

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

And Jehovah smote Benjamin before Israel, and the sons of Israel destroyed of Benjamin that day twenty-five thousand and a hundred men. All these drew the sword.

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

So the sons of Benjamin saw that they were smitten, for the men of Israel gave place to Benjamin because they trusted to the ambushment whom they had set against Gibeah.

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

And the ambushment hastened, and rushed upon Gibeah. And the ambushment drew themselves along, and smote all the city with the edge of the sword.

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

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

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

And the men of Israel turned in the battle, and 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: Benjamin quoque aspiciens retro, cum captam cerneret civitatem, et flammas in sublime ferri:

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 of the city went up in smoke to heaven.

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

And the men of Israel turned, and the men of Benjamin were dismayed, for they saw that evil had 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 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 midst of it.

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.

They enclosed the Benjamites round about, and chased them, and trod them down at their resting-place, as far as opposite Gibeah toward the sunrise.

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 valor.

45 Quod cum vidissent qui remanserant de Benjamin, fugerunt in solitudinem: et pergebant ad petram, cujus 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 to the rock of Rimmon. And they gleaned of them in the highways five thousand men, and followed hard after them to Gidom, and smote of them two thousand men.

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

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 Remanserunt itaque de omni numero Benjamin, qui evadere et fugere in solitudinem potuerunt, sexcenti viri: sederuntque in petra Remmon mensibus quatuor.

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

48 Regressi autem filii Israël, omnes reliquias civitatis a viris usque ad jumenta gladio percusserunt, cunctasque urbes et viculos Benjamin vorax flamma consumpsit.

And the men of Israel turned again upon the sons of Benjamin, and smote them with the edge of the sword, both the entire city, and the cattle, and all that they found. Moreover they set on fire all the cities which they found.