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Judges 20
Legacy Standard Bible

A Battle Between Israel and Benjamin

20 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 Yahweh at (A)Mizpah. 2 And the [a]chiefs 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 [b]soldiers (B)who draw the sword. 3 (Then 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 evil take place?” 4 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. 5 Then the (C)men of Gibeah rose up against me and surrounded the house at night because of me. They intended to kill me; instead, they (D)violated my concubine, and she died. 6 And I (E)seized my concubine and cut her in pieces and sent her throughout the land of Israel’s inheritance; for (F)they have committed a lewd and disgraceful act in Israel. 7 Behold, all you sons of Israel, (G)give your advice and counsel here.”

8 Then all the people arose as one man, saying, “Not one of us will go to his tent, nor will any of us turn aside to his house. 9 But now this is the thing which we will do to Gibeah; we will go up against it by lot. 10 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 in order to take up provisions for the people, that when they come to [c]Gibeah of Benjamin, they may do to them according to all the disgraceful acts that they have done in Israel.” 11 Thus all the men of Israel were gathered against the city, united as one man.

12 Then the tribes of Israel sent men through the entire [d]tribe of Benjamin, saying, “What is this evil that has taken place among you? 13 So now, give up the men, the [e](H)vile fellows in Gibeah, that we may put them to death and (I)purge this evil from Israel.” But the sons of Benjamin were not willing to listen to the voice of their brothers, the sons of Israel. 14 Then the sons of Benjamin gathered from the cities to Gibeah, to go out to battle against the sons of Israel. 15 And from the cities on that day the (J)sons of Benjamin were [f]numbered, 26,000 men who draw the sword, besides the inhabitants of Gibeah who were [g]numbered, 700 choice men. 16 Out of all these people 700 (K)choice men were left-handed; each one could sling a stone at a hair and not miss.

17 And the men of Israel besides Benjamin were [h]numbered, 400,000 men who draw the sword; all these were men of war.

18 Then the sons of Israel arose, went up to Bethel, and (L)asked of God and said, “Who shall go up for us to begin the battle against the sons of Benjamin?” Then Yahweh said, “Judah shall begin it.”

19 So the sons of Israel arose in the morning and camped against Gibeah. 20 And the men of Israel went out to battle against Benjamin, and the men of Israel arranged themselves for battle against them at Gibeah. 21 Then the sons of Benjamin came out of Gibeah and (M)destroyed to the ground on that day 22,000 men of Israel. 22 But the people, the men of Israel, strengthened themselves and arranged themselves for battle again in the place where they had arranged themselves the first day. 23 (N)And the sons of Israel went up and wept before Yahweh until evening and (O)asked of Yahweh, saying, “Shall we again approach for battle against the sons of my brother Benjamin?” And Yahweh said, “Go up against him.”

24 Then the sons of Israel drew near to the sons of Benjamin the second day. 25 And Benjamin went out to meet them from Gibeah the second day and destroyed to the ground again 18,000 men of the sons of Israel; all these drew the sword. 26 Then (P)all the sons of Israel and all the people went up and came to Bethel and wept; thus they remained there before Yahweh and fasted that day until evening. And they offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before Yahweh. 27 Then the sons of Israel (Q)asked of Yahweh (now the ark of the covenant of God was there in those days, 28 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 Yahweh said, “Go up, (R)for tomorrow I will give them into your hand.”

29 (S)So Israel set men in ambush around Gibeah. 30 And the sons of Israel went up against the sons of Benjamin on the third day and arrayed themselves against Gibeah as at other times. 31 (T)So the sons of Benjamin went out to meet the people and were drawn away from the city, and they began to strike [i]and slay 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. 32 The sons of Benjamin said, “They are [j]defeated 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.” 33 Then all the men of Israel arose from their place and arrayed themselves at Baal-tamar; (U)and the men of Israel in ambush burst forth of their place, even out of Maareh-geba. 34 Then 10,000 choice men from all Israel came against Gibeah, and the battle became heavy; (V)but [k]Benjamin did not know that [l]calamity was [m]about to reach them. 35 Then Yahweh [n]defeated Benjamin before Israel, so that the sons of Israel destroyed 25,100 men of Benjamin that day, all [o]who drew the sword.

36 So the sons of Benjamin saw that they were [p]defeated. (W)Now the men of Israel had given [q]ground to Benjamin because they relied on the men in ambush whom they had set against Gibeah. 37 (X)So the men in ambush hurried and rushed against Gibeah. Then the men in ambush deployed and struck all the city with the edge of the sword. 38 Now the appointed sign between the men of Israel and the men in ambush was (Y)that they would make a great cloud of smoke rise from the city. 39 So the men of Israel had turned around in the battle, and Benjamin had begun to strike [r]and slay about thirty men of Israel, (Z)for they said, “Surely they are [s]defeated before us, as in the first battle.” 40 But the cloud began to rise from the city in a column of smoke, and Benjamin turned (AA)behind them; and behold, the whole city was going up in smoke to heaven. 41 Then the men of Israel turned around again, and the men of Benjamin were dismayed; for they saw that [t](AB)calamity had [u]reached them. 42 Therefore, they turned their backs before the men of Israel (AC)toward the direction of the wilderness, but the battle overtook them, and those who came out of the cities destroyed them in the midst of them. 43 (AD)They surrounded Benjamin, pursued them without rest, and trod them down opposite Gibeah to the east toward the sunrise. 44 Thus 18,000 men of Benjamin fell; all these were valiant men. 45 [v]And the rest turned and fled toward the wilderness to the rock of (AE)Rimmon, but they [w]caught 5,000 of them on the highways and overtook them [x]at Gidom and struck down 2,000 of them. 46 So all of Benjamin who fell that day were 25,000 men who drew the sword; all these were valiant men. 47 But 600 men turned and fled toward the wilderness to the rock of Rimmon, and they remained at the rock of Rimmon four months. 48 Now the men of Israel returned to 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.

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Footnotes

  1. Judges 20:2 Lit cornerstones
  2. Judges 20:2 Lit men
  3. Judges 20:10 Heb Geba
  4. Judges 20:12 Lit tribes
  5. Judges 20:13 Lit sons of Belial, cf. 2 Cor 6:15
  6. Judges 20:15 Or mustered
  7. Judges 20:15 Or mustered
  8. Judges 20:17 Or mustered
  9. Judges 20:31 Lit slain ones
  10. Judges 20:32 Lit smitten
  11. Judges 20:34 Lit they
  12. Judges 20:34 Lit evil
  13. Judges 20:34 Lit touching
  14. Judges 20:35 Lit smote
  15. Judges 20:35 Lit these
  16. Judges 20:36 Lit smitten
  17. Judges 20:36 Lit place
  18. Judges 20:39 Lit slain ones
  19. Judges 20:39 Lit smitten
  20. Judges 20:41 Lit evil
  21. Judges 20:41 Lit touched
  22. Judges 20:45 As in Gr; Heb And they
  23. Judges 20:45 Lit gleaned
  24. Judges 20:45 Lit as far as
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Judges 20
New International Version

The Israelites Punish the Benjamites

20 Then all Israel(A) from Dan to Beersheba(B) and from the land of Gilead came together as one(C) and assembled(D) before the Lord in Mizpah.(E) 2 The leaders of all the people of the tribes of Israel took their places in the assembly of God’s people, four hundred thousand men(F) armed with swords. 3 (The Benjamites heard that the Israelites had gone up to Mizpah.) Then the Israelites said, “Tell us how this awful thing happened.”

4 So the Levite, the husband of the murdered woman, said, “I and my concubine came to Gibeah(G) in Benjamin to spend the night.(H) 5 During the night the men of Gibeah came after me and surrounded the house, intending to kill me.(I) They raped my concubine, and she died.(J) 6 I took my concubine, cut her into pieces and sent one piece to each region of Israel’s inheritance,(K) because they committed this lewd and outrageous act(L) in Israel. 7 Now, all you Israelites, speak up and tell me what you have decided to do.(M)”

8 All the men rose up together as one, saying, “None of us will go home. No, not one of us will return to his house. 9 But now this is what we’ll do to Gibeah: We’ll go up against it in the order decided by casting lots.(N) 10 We’ll take ten men out of every hundred from all the tribes of Israel, and a hundred from a thousand, and a thousand from ten thousand, to get provisions for the army. Then, when the army arrives at Gibeah[a] in Benjamin, it can give them what they deserve for this outrageous act done in Israel.” 11 So all the Israelites got together and united as one against the city.(O)

12 The tribes of Israel sent messengers throughout the tribe of Benjamin, saying, “What about this awful crime that was committed among you?(P) 13 Now turn those wicked men(Q) of Gibeah over to us so that we may put them to death and purge the evil from Israel.(R)”

But the Benjamites would not listen to their fellow Israelites. 14 From their towns they came together at Gibeah to fight against the Israelites. 15 At once the Benjamites mobilized twenty-six thousand swordsmen from their towns, in addition to seven hundred able young men from those living in Gibeah. 16 Among all these soldiers there were seven hundred select troops who were left-handed,(S) each of whom could sling a stone at a hair and not miss.

17 Israel, apart from Benjamin, mustered four hundred thousand swordsmen, all of them fit for battle.

18 The Israelites went up to Bethel[b](T) and inquired of God.(U) They said, “Who of us is to go up first(V) to fight(W) against the Benjamites?”

The Lord replied, “Judah(X) shall go first.”

19 The next morning the Israelites got up and pitched camp near Gibeah. 20 The Israelites went out to fight the Benjamites and took up battle positions against them at Gibeah. 21 The Benjamites came out of Gibeah and cut down twenty-two thousand Israelites(Y) on the battlefield that day. 22 But the Israelites encouraged one another and again took up their positions where they had stationed themselves the first day. 23 The Israelites went up and wept before the Lord(Z) until evening,(AA) and they inquired of the Lord.(AB) They said, “Shall we go up again to fight(AC) against the Benjamites, our fellow Israelites?”

The Lord answered, “Go up against them.”

24 Then the Israelites drew near to Benjamin the second day. 25 This time, when the Benjamites came out from Gibeah to oppose them, they cut down another eighteen thousand Israelites,(AD) all of them armed with swords.

26 Then all the Israelites, the whole army, went up to Bethel, and there they sat weeping before the Lord.(AE) They fasted(AF) that day until evening and presented burnt offerings(AG) and fellowship offerings(AH) to the Lord.(AI) 27 And the Israelites inquired of the Lord.(AJ) (In those days the ark of the covenant of God(AK) was there, 28 with Phinehas son of Eleazar,(AL) the son of Aaron, ministering before it.)(AM) They asked, “Shall we go up again to fight against the Benjamites, our fellow Israelites, or not?”

The Lord responded, “Go, for tomorrow I will give them into your hands.(AN)”

29 Then Israel set an ambush(AO) around Gibeah. 30 They went up against the Benjamites on the third day and took up positions against Gibeah as they had done before. 31 The Benjamites came out to meet them and were drawn away(AP) from the city. They began to inflict casualties on the Israelites as before, so that about thirty men fell in the open field and on the roads—the one leading to Bethel(AQ) and the other to Gibeah. 32 While the Benjamites were saying, “We are defeating them as before,”(AR) the Israelites were saying, “Let’s retreat and draw them away from the city to the roads.”

33 All the men of Israel moved from their places and took up positions at Baal Tamar, and the Israelite ambush charged out of its place(AS) on the west[c] of Gibeah.[d] 34 Then ten thousand of Israel’s able young men made a frontal attack on Gibeah. The fighting was so heavy that the Benjamites did not realize(AT) how near disaster was.(AU) 35 The Lord defeated Benjamin(AV) before Israel, and on that day the Israelites struck down 25,100 Benjamites, all armed with swords. 36 Then the Benjamites saw that they were beaten.

Now the men of Israel had given way(AW) before Benjamin, because they relied on the ambush(AX) they had set near Gibeah. 37 Those who had been in ambush made a sudden dash into Gibeah, spread out and put the whole city to the sword.(AY) 38 The Israelites had arranged with the ambush that they should send up a great cloud of smoke(AZ) from the city,(BA) 39 and then the Israelites would counterattack.

The Benjamites had begun to inflict casualties on the Israelites (about thirty), and they said, “We are defeating them as in the first battle.”(BB) 40 But when the column of smoke began to rise from the city, the Benjamites turned and saw the whole city going up in smoke.(BC) 41 Then the Israelites counterattacked,(BD) and the Benjamites were terrified, because they realized that disaster had come(BE) on them. 42 So they fled before the Israelites in the direction of the wilderness, but they could not escape the battle. And the Israelites who came out of the towns cut them down there. 43 They surrounded the Benjamites, chased them and easily[e] overran them in the vicinity of Gibeah on the east. 44 Eighteen thousand Benjamites fell, all of them valiant fighters.(BF) 45 As they turned and fled toward the wilderness to the rock of Rimmon,(BG) the Israelites cut down five thousand men along the roads. They kept pressing after the Benjamites as far as Gidom and struck down two thousand more.

46 On that day twenty-five thousand Benjamite(BH) swordsmen fell, all of them valiant fighters. 47 But six hundred of them turned and fled into the wilderness to the rock of Rimmon, where they stayed four months. 48 The men of Israel went back to Benjamin and put all the towns to the sword, including the animals and everything else they found. All the towns they came across they set on fire.(BI)

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Footnotes

  1. Judges 20:10 One Hebrew manuscript; most Hebrew manuscripts Geba, a variant of Gibeah
  2. Judges 20:18 Or to the house of God; also in verse 26
  3. Judges 20:33 Some Septuagint manuscripts and Vulgate; the meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.
  4. Judges 20:33 Hebrew Geba, a variant of Gibeah
  5. Judges 20:43 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.
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