³ (Now the Benjaminites heard that the Israelites had gone up to Mizpah.) And the Israelites said, “Tell us, how did this criminal act come about?”

Gibeah’s Crime

²² While they were enjoying themselves, the men of the city, a perverse lot, surrounded the house and started pounding on the door. They said to the old man, the master of the house, “Bring out the man who came into your house, so that we may have intercourse with him.”^{(A) 23} And the man, the master of the house, went out to them and said to them, “No, my brothers, do not act so wickedly. Since this man is my guest, do not do this vile thing.^{(B) 24} Here are my virgin daughter and his concubine; let me bring them out now. Ravish them and do whatever you want to them, but against this man do not do such a vile thing.”^{(C) 25} But the men would not listen to him. So the man seized his concubine and put her out to them. They wantonly raped her and abused her all through the night until the morning. And as the dawn began to break, they let her go. ²⁶ As morning appeared, the woman came and fell down at the door of the man’s house where her master was, until it was light.

²⁷ In the morning her master got up, opened the doors of the house, and when he went out to go on his way, there was the woman, his concubine, lying at the door of the house, with her hands on the threshold.

³¹ Or what king, going out to wage war against another king, will not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to oppose the one who comes against him with twenty thousand? ³² If he cannot, then while the other is still far away, he sends a delegation and asks for the terms of peace.

⁵⁸ Thus when you go with your accuser before a magistrate, on the way make an effort to reach a settlement,^[a] or you may be dragged before the judge, and the judge hand you over to the officer, and the officer throw you in prison.^{(A) 59} I tell you, you will never get out until you have paid the very last penny.”^(B)

²⁵ Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are on the way to court^[a] with him, or your accuser may hand you over to the judge and the judge to the guard, and you will be thrown into prison.^(A)