Judges

Chapter 20

1 Then all3605 the children1121 of Israel3478 went3318 out, and the congregation5712 was gathered6950 together as one259 man,376 from Dan1835 even to Beersheba,884 with the land776 of Gilead,1568 to the LORD3068 in Mizpeh.4709

2 And the chief6438 of all3605 the people,5971 even of all3605 the tribes7626 of Israel,3478 presented3320 themselves in the assembly6951 of the people5971 of God,430 four702 hundred3967 thousand505 footmen376 7273 that drew8025 sword.2719

3 (Now the children1121 of Benjamin1144 heard8085 that the children1121 of Israel3478 were gone5927 up to Mizpeh.4709) Then said559 the children1121 of Israel,3478 Tell1696 us, how349 was this2063 wickedness?7451

4 And the Levite,3881 the husband376 of the woman802 that was slain,7523 answered6030 and said,559 I came935 into Gibeah1390 that belongs to Benjamin,1144 I and my concubine,6370 to lodge.3885

5 And the men1167 of Gibeah1390 rose6965 against5921 me, and beset5437 the house1004 round5437 about on me by night,3915 and thought1819 to have slain2026 me: and my concubine6370 have they forced,6031 that she is dead.4191

6 And I took270 my concubine,6370 and cut5408 her in pieces, and sent7971 her throughout all3605 the country7704 of the inheritance5159 of Israel:3478 for they have committed6213 lewdness2154 and folly5039 in Israel.3478

7 Behold,2009 you are all3605 children1121 of Israel;3478 give3051 here1988 your advice1697 and counsel.6098

8 And all3605 the people5971 arose6965 as one259 man,376 saying,559 We will not any376 of us go3212 to his tent,168 neither3808 will we any376 of us turn5493 into his house.1004

9 But now6258 this2063 shall be the thing1697 which834 we will do6213 to Gibeah;1390 we will go up by lot1486 against5921 it;

10 And we will take3947 ten6235 men582 of an hundred3967 throughout all3605 the tribes7626 of Israel,3478 and an hundred3967 of a thousand,505 and a thousand505 out of ten7233 thousand,7233 to fetch3947 victual6720 for the people,5971 that they may do,6213 when they come935 to Gibeah1390 of Benjamin,1144 according to all3605 the folly5039 that they have worked6213 in Israel.3478

11 So all3605 the men376 of Israel3478 were gathered622 against413 the city,5892 knit2270 together as one259 man.376

12 And the tribes7626 of Israel3478 sent7971 men582 through all3605 the tribe7626 of Benjamin,1144 saying,559 What4100 wickedness7451 is this2063 that is done1961 among you?

13 Now6258 therefore deliver5414 us the men,582 the children1121 of Belial,1100 which834 are in Gibeah,1390 that we may put them to death,4191 and put1197 away1197 evil7451 from Israel.3478 But the children1121 of Benjamin1144 would14 not listen8085 to the voice6963 of their brothers251 the children1121 of Israel.3478

14 But the children1121 of Benjamin1144 gathered622 themselves together out of the cities5892 to Gibeah,1390 to go3318 out to battle4421 against5973 the children1121 of Israel.3478

15 And the children1121 of Benjamin1144 were numbered6485 at that time out of the cities5892 twenty6242 and six8337 thousand505 men376 that drew8025 sword,2719 beside905 the inhabitants3427 of Gibeah,1390 which were numbered6485 seven7651 hundred3967 chosen970 men.376

16 Among all3605 this2088 people5971 there were seven7651 hundred3967 chosen970 men376 left handed;334 3027 3225 every one3605 could sling7049 stones68 at413 an hair8185 breadth, and not3808 miss.2398

17 And the men376 of Israel,3478 beside905 Benjamin,1144 were numbered6485 four702 hundred3967 thousand505 men376 that drew sword:2719 all3605 these2088 were men376 of war.4421

18 And the children1121 of Israel3478 arose,6965 and went5927 up to the house1008 of God,1008 and asked7592 counsel of God,430 and said,559 Which4310 of us shall go5927 up first8462 to the battle4421 against5973 the children1121 of Benjamin?1144 And the LORD3068 said,559 Judah3063 shall go5927 up first.8462

19 And the children1121 of Israel3478 rose6965 up in the morning,1242 and encamped2583 against5921 Gibeah.1390

20 And the men376 of Israel3478 went3318 out to battle4421 against5973 Benjamin;1144 and the men376 of Israel3478 put themselves in array6186 to fight4421 against them at Gibeah.1390

21 And the children1121 of Benjamin1144 came3318 forth3318 out of Gibeah,1390 and destroyed7843 down to the ground776 of the Israelites3478 that day3117 twenty6242 and two8147 thousand505 men.376

22 And the people5971 the men376 of Israel3478 encouraged2388 themselves, and set their battle4421 again3254 in array6186 in the place4725 where834 8033 they put themselves in array6186 the first7223 day.3117

23 (And the children1121 of Israel3478 went5927 up and wept1058 before6440 the LORD3068 until5704 even,6153 and asked7592 counsel of the LORD,3068 saying,559 Shall I go5066 up again3254 to battle4421 against5973 the children1121 of Benjamin1144 my brother?251 And the LORD3068 said,559 Go5927 up against413 him.)

24 And the children1121 of Israel3478 came7126 near7126 against413 the children1121 of Benjamin1144 the second8145 day.3117

25 And Benjamin1144 went3318 forth3318 against7125 them out of Gibeah1390 the second8145 day,3117 and destroyed7843 down to the ground776 of the children1121 of Israel3478 again5750 eighteen8083 6240 thousand505 men;376 all3605 these428 drew the sword.2719

26 Then all3605 the children1121 of Israel,3478 and all3605 the people,5971 went5927 up, and came935 to the house1008 of God,1008 and wept,1058 and sat3427 there8033 before6440 the LORD,3068 and fasted6684 that day3117 until5704 even,6153 and offered5927 burnt5930 offerings and peace8002 offerings before6440 the LORD.3068

27 And the children1121 of Israel3478 inquired7592 of the LORD,3068 (for the ark727 of the covenant1285 of God430 was there8033 in those1992 days,3117

28 And Phinehas,6372 the son1121 of Eleazar,499 the son1121 of Aaron,175 stood5975 before6440 it in those1992 days,3117) saying,559 Shall I yet5750 again3254 go3318 out to battle4421 against5973 the children1121 of Benjamin1144 my brother,251 or shall I cease?2308 And the LORD3068 said,559 Go5927 up; for to morrow4279 I will deliver5414 them into your hand.3027

29 And Israel3478 set7760 liers in wait693 round5439 about Gibeah.1390

30 And the children1121 of Israel3478 went5927 up against413 the children1121 of Benjamin1144 on the third7992 day,3117 and put themselves in array6186 against413 Gibeah,1390 as at other times.6471

31 And the children1121 of Benjamin1144 went3318 out against7125 the people,5971 and were drawn5423 away from the city;5892 and they began2490 to smite5221 of the people,5971 and kill,2491 as at other times,6471 in the highways,4546 of which834 one259 goes5927 up to the house1008 of God,1008 and the other259 to Gibeah1390 in the field,7704 about thirty7970 men376 of Israel.3478

32 And the children1121 of Benjamin1144 said,559 They are smitten5062 down before6440 us, as at the first.7223 But the children1121 of Israel3478 said,559 Let us flee,5127 and draw5423 them from the city5892 to the highways.4546

33 And all3605 the men376 of Israel3478 rose6965 up out of their place,4725 and put themselves in array6186 at Baaltamar:1193 and the liers in wait693 of Israel3478 came1518 forth1518 out of their places,4725 even out of the meadows4629 of Gibeah.1390

34 And there came935 against5048 Gibeah1390 ten6235 thousand505 chosen970 men376 out of all3605 Israel,3478 and the battle4421 was sore:3513 but they knew3045 not that evil7451 was near5060 them.

35 And the LORD3068 smote5062 Benjamin1144 before6440 Israel:3478 and the children1121 of Israel3478 destroyed7843 of the Benjamites1145 that day3117 twenty6242 and five2568 thousand505 and an hundred3967 men:376 all3605 these428 drew the sword.2719

36 So the children1121 of Benjamin1144 saw7200 that they were smitten:5062 for the men376 of Israel3478 gave5414 place4725 to the Benjamites,1145 because3588 they trusted982 to the liers in wait693 which834 they had set7760 beside413 Gibeah.1390

37 And the liers in wait693 hurried,2363 and rushed6584 on Gibeah;1390 and the liers in wait693 drew4900 themselves along, and smote5221 all3605 the city5892 with the edge6310 of the sword.2719

38 Now there was an appointed4150 sign between5973 the men376 of Israel3478 and the liers in wait,693 that they should make a great7235 flame4864 with smoke6227 rise5927 up out of the city.5892

39 And when the men376 of Israel3478 retired2015 in the battle,4421 Benjamin1144 began2490 to smite5221 and kill2491 of the men376 of Israel3478 about thirty7970 persons:376 for they said,559 Surely389 they are smitten5062 down before6440 us, as in the first7223 battle.4421

40 But when the flame4864 began2490 to arise5927 up out of the city5892 with a pillar5982 of smoke,6227 the Benjamites1145 looked6437 behind310 them, and, behold,2009 the flame3632 of the city5892 ascended5927 up to heaven.8064

41 And when the men376 of Israel3478 turned2015 again, the men376 of Benjamin1144 were amazed:926 for they saw7200 that evil7451 was come5060 on them.

42 Therefore they turned6437 their backs before6440 the men376 of Israel3478 to the way1870 of the wilderness;4057 but the battle4421 overtook1692 them; and them which834 came out of the cities5892 they destroyed7843 in the middle8432 of them.

43 Thus they enclosed3803 the Benjamites1145 round3803 about,3803 and chased7291 them, and stepped1869 them down with ease4496 over5227 against5227 Gibeah1390 toward the sun rise.4217 8121

44 And there fell5307 of Benjamin1144 eighteen8083 6240 thousand505 men;376 all3605 these428 were men582 of valor.2428

45 And they turned6437 and fled5127 toward the wilderness4057 to the rock5553 of Rimmon:7417 and they gleaned5953 of them in the highways4546 five2568 thousand505 men;376 and pursued1692 hard after310 them to Gidom,1440 and slew5221 two thousand505 men376 of them.

46 So that all3605 which fell5307 that day3117 of Benjamin1144 were twenty6242 and five2568 thousand505 men376 that drew8025 the sword;2719 all3605 these428 were men582 of valor.2428

47 But six8337 hundred3967 men376 turned6437 and fled5127 to the wilderness4057 to the rock5553 Rimmon,7417 and stayed3427 in the rock5553 Rimmon7417 four702 months.2320

48 And the men376 of Israel3478 turned7725 again7725 on the children1121 of Benjamin,1144 and smote5221 them with the edge6310 of the sword,2719 as well the men4974 of every city,5892 as the beast,929 and all3605 that came4672 to hand:4672 also they set7971 on fire784 all3605 the cities5892 that they came4672 to.