Then all the sons
of Israel
from Dan
to Beersheba
, including the land
of Gilead
, came
out, and the congregation
assembled
as one
man
to the LORD
at aMizpah
.
The 1chiefs of all
the people
, even of all
the tribes
of Israel
, took
their stand
in the assembly
of the people
of God
, 400,000
foot
2soldiers
awho drew
the sword
.
(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
did this
wickedness
take
place
?"
So the Levite, the husband
of the woman
who was murdered
, answered
and said
, "I came
with my concubine
to spend
the night
at Gibeah
which
belongs to Benjamin
.
"But the amen of Gibeah
rose
up against
me and surrounded
the house
at night
because
of me. They intended
to kill
me; instead, they bravished
my concubine
so that she died
.
"And I atook hold
of my concubine
and cut
her in pieces
and sent
her throughout
the land
of Israel's
inheritance
; for bthey have committed
a lewd
and disgraceful
act
in Israel
.
"Behold, all
you sons
of Israel
, agive
your advice
and counsel
here
."
Then all the people
arose
as one
man
, saying
, "Not one
of us will go
to his tent
, nor
will any
of us return
to his house
.
"But now this
is the thing
which
we will do
to Gibeah
; we will go up against
it by lot
.
"And we will take 10
men
out of 100
throughout
the tribes
of Israel
, and 100
out of 1,000
, and 1,000
out of 10,000
to 1supply
food
for the people
, that when they come
to 2Gibeah
of Benjamin
, they may 3punish
them for all
the disgraceful
acts
that they have committed
in Israel
."
Thus all the men
of Israel
were gathered
against
the city
, united
as one
man
.
Then the tribes of Israel
sent
men
through the entire
1tribe
of Benjamin
, saying
, "What
is this
wickedness
that has taken
place
among you?
"Now then, deliver
up the men
, the 1 aworthless
fellows
in Gibeah
, that we may put
them to death
and bremove
this wickedness
from Israel
." But the sons
of Benjamin
would
not listen
to the voice
of their brothers
, the sons
of Israel
.
The sons of Benjamin
gathered
from the cities
to Gibeah
, to go
out to battle
against
the sons
of Israel
.
From the cities on that day
the asons
of Benjamin
were 1numbered
, 26,000
men
who draw
the sword
, besides
the inhabitants
of Gibeah
who were 1numbered
, 700
choice
men
.
Out of all these
people
700
achoice
men
were left-handed
; each
one
could sling
a stone
at a hair
and not miss
.
Then the men of Israel
besides
Benjamin
were 1numbered
, 400,000
men
who draw
the sword
; all
these
were men
of war
.
Now the sons of Israel
arose
, went
up to Bethel
, and ainquired
of God
and said
, "Who
shall go
up first
for us to battle
against
the sons
of Benjamin
?" Then the LORD
said
, "Judah
shall go up first
."
So the sons of Israel
arose
in the morning
and camped
against
Gibeah
.
The men of Israel
went
out to battle
against
Benjamin
, and the men
of Israel
arrayed
for battle
against
them at Gibeah
.
Then the sons of Benjamin
came
out of Gibeah
and 1 afelled
to the ground
on that day
22,000
men
of Israel
.
But the people, the men
of Israel
, encouraged
themselves and arrayed
for battle
again
in the place
where
they had arrayed
themselves the first
day
.
aThe sons of Israel
went
up and wept
before
the LORD
until
evening
, and binquired
of the LORD
, saying
, "Shall we again
draw
near
for battle
against
the sons
of my brother
Benjamin
?" And the LORD
said
, "Go
up against
him."
Then the sons of Israel
1came
against
the sons
of Benjamin
the second
day
.
Benjamin went
out 1against
them from Gibeah
the second
day
and 2felled
to the ground
again
18,000
men
of the sons
of Israel
; all
these
drew
the sword
.
Then aall the sons
of Israel
and all
the people
went
up and came
to Bethel
and wept
; thus they remained
there
before
the LORD
and fasted
that day
until
evening
. And they offered
burnt
offerings
and peace
offerings
before
the LORD
.
The sons of Israel
ainquired
of the LORD
(for the ark
of the covenant
of God
was there
in those
days
,
and Phinehas the son
of Eleazar
, Aaron's
son
, stood
before
it to minister in those
days
), saying
, "Shall I yet
again
go
out to battle
against
the sons
of my brother
Benjamin
, or
shall I cease
?" And the LORD
said
, "Go
up, afor tomorrow
I will deliver
them into your hand
."
aSo Israel set
men in ambush
around
Gibeah
.
The sons of Israel
went
up against
the sons
of Benjamin
on the third
day
and arrayed
themselves against
Gibeah
as at other
times
.
aThe sons of Benjamin
went
out 1against
the people
and were drawn
away
from the city
, and they began
to strike
2and kill
some
of the people
as at other
times
, on the highways
, one
of which
goes
up to Bethel
and the other
to Gibeah
, and in the field
, about thirty
men
of Israel
.
The sons of Benjamin
said
, "They are struck
down
before
us, as at the first
." But the sons
of Israel
said
, "Let us flee
that we may draw
them away
from the city
to the highways
."
Then all the men
of Israel
arose
from their place
and arrayed
themselves at Baal-tamar
; aand the men of Israel
in ambush
broke
out of their place
, even out of Maareh-geba
.
When ten thousand
choice
men
from all
Israel
came
against
Gibeah
, the battle
became
1fierce
; abut 2Benjamin did not know
that 3disaster
was 4close
to them.
And the LORD struck
Benjamin
before
Israel
, so that the sons
of Israel
destroyed
25,100
men
of Benjamin
that day
, all
1who
draw
the sword
.
So the sons of Benjamin
saw
that they were 1defeated
. aWhen the men
of Israel
gave
2ground
to Benjamin
because
they relied
on the men in ambush
whom
they had set
against
Gibeah
,
athe men in ambush hurried
and rushed
against
Gibeah
; the men in ambush
also deployed
and struck
all
the city
with the edge
of the sword
.
Now the appointed sign
between the men
of Israel
and the men in ambush
was athat they would make a great
cloud
of smoke
rise
from the city
.
Then the men of Israel
turned
in the battle
, and Benjamin
began
to strike
1and kill
about thirty
men
of Israel
, afor they said
, "Surely
they are 2defeated
before
us, as in the first
battle
."
But when the cloud began
to rise
from the city
in a column
of smoke
, Benjamin
looked
abehind
them; and behold
, the whole
city
was going
up in smoke to heaven
.
Then the men of Israel
turned
, and the men
of Benjamin
were terrified
; for they saw
that 1 adisaster
was 2close
to them.
Therefore, they turned their backs before
the men
of Israel
atoward
the direction
of the wilderness
, but the battle
overtook
them while
those who
came out of the cities
destroyed
them in the midst
of them.
aThey surrounded Benjamin
, pursued
them without rest
and trod
them down
opposite
Gibeah
toward
the 1east
.
Thus 18,000 men
of Benjamin
fell
; all
these
were valiant
warriors
.
1The rest turned and fled
toward the wilderness
to the rock
of aRimmon
, but they 2caught
5,000
of them on the highways
and overtook
them 3at Gidom
and 4killed
2,000
of them.
So all of Benjamin
who fell
that day
were 25,000
men
who draw
the sword
; all
these
were valiant
warriors
.
But 600 men
turned
and fled
toward the wilderness
to the rock
of Rimmon
, and they remained
at the rock
of Rimmon
four
months
.
The men of Israel
then turned
back
against
the sons
of Benjamin
and struck
them with the edge
of the sword
, both
the entire
city
with the cattle
and all
that they found
; they also
set
on fire
all
the cities
which they found
.