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 gathered together as one man from Dan to Bersabee, with the land of Galaad, to the Lord in Maspha:

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

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

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

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

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 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 Quam arreptam, in frustra concidi, misique partes in omnes terminos possessionis vestrae: quia numquam tantum nefas, et tam grande piaculum factum est 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 Adestis omnes filii Israel, decernite quid facere debeatis.

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

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

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 sed hoc contra Gabaa in commune faciamus.

But this we will do in common against Gabaa:

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.

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

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

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

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

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 sed ex cunctis urbibus, quae sortis suae erant, convenerunt in Gabaa, ut illis ferrent auxilium, et contra universum populum Israel dimicarent.

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

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

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

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

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

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 Statimque filii Israel surgentes mane, castrametati sunt iuxta Gabaa:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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 Cumque filii Israel altera die contra filios Beniamin ad proelium processissent,

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

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

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 Quamobrem 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,

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 et super statu suo interrogaverunt. Eo tempore ibi erat arca foederis Domini,

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

28 et Phinees filius Eleazari filii Aaron praepositus 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 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 Posueruntque filii Israel insidias per circuitum urbis Gabaa:

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

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

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

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 caederent per duas semitas vertentes terga, quarum una ferebatur in Bethel, et altera in Gabaa, atque prosternerent triginta circiter viros:

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

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 Omnes itaque filii Israel surgentes de sedibus suis, tetenderunt aciem in loco, qui vocatur Baalthamar. Insidiae quoque, quae circa urbem erant, paulatim se aperire coeperunt,

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

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

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

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

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

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 et ad viam deserti ire coeperunt, illuc quoque eos adversariis persequentibus. sed et hi, qui urbem succenderant, occurrerunt eis.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.