Judges 20
Modern English Version
The Children of Israel Punish the Benjamites
20 All the children of Israel from Dan to Beersheba, and also from the land of Gilead, went out and gathered together in an assembly as one man before the Lord at Mizpah. 2 The leaders of all the people from all the tribes of Israel presented themselves in an assembly of the people of God, who numbered four hundred thousand infantrymen bearing swords. 3 (The Benjamites heard that the children of Israel had gone up to Mizpah.) The children of Israel said, “Tell how this evil happened!”
4 So the Levite, the husband of the murdered woman, answered, “My concubine and I came to Gibeah, in Benjamin, to spend the night. 5 Then the leaders of Gibeah rose up against me. At night they surrounded the house where I was staying. They wanted to kill me; instead they ravished my concubine so that she died. 6 I seized my concubine, cut her into pieces, and sent her throughout all the territory of Israel, because they committed an infamous and disgraceful act in Israel. 7 Now, all of you are children of Israel. Give your advice and counsel here.”
8 All the people arose as one man and said, “Not a man among us will go to his tent, and no one will turn aside to his house. 9 Now this is what we will do to Gibeah. We will go against it by lot. 10 We will take ten men out of every hundred, from every tribe of Israel, a hundred from every thousand, and a thousand from every ten thousand, to bring provisions for the troops. Then when they come to Gibeah in Benjamin, they may repay them for all the evil that they committed in Israel.” 11 So all the men of Israel gathered at the city, united like one man.
12 The tribes of Israel sent men throughout the whole tribe of Benjamin, saying, “What is this evil that has been committed among you? 13 Now hand over the wicked men in Gibeah, so that we can kill them and purge the evil from Israel.”
Yet the Benjamites were not willing to listen to their fellow children of Israel. 14 The Benjamites gathered from their cities at Gibeah in order to go out and wage war against the children of Israel. 15 That day, the Benjamites mustered twenty-six thousand armed men from the cities and seven hundred specially chosen men from Gibeah. 16 Out of all these people there were seven hundred specially chosen men who were left-handed, all of whom could sling a stone at a hair and not miss.
17 The men of Israel, apart from Benjamin, gathered four hundred thousand armed men who drew the sword; all of them were men of war.
18 The children of Israel arose, went up to Bethel, and asked God, “Who should go up first to wage war against the Benjamites?”
The Lord said, “Judah first.”
19 The children of Israel got up in the morning and camped against Gibeah. 20 The men of Israel went out for battle with Benjamin, and the men of Israel lined up for battle at Gibeah. 21 Then the Benjamites came out from Gibeah and struck twenty-two thousand Israelite men down to the ground. 22 The people, the men of Israel, rallied and lined up for battle again in the place where they had lined up on the first day. 23 Then the children of Israel went up and wept before the Lord until evening. They asked the Lord, “Should we advance and fight our brother-tribesmen the Benjamites again?”
The Lord said, “Advance against them.”
24 So the children of Israel advanced against the Benjamites for the second day. 25 And on the second day, the Benjamites went out from Gibeah to meet them and again struck eighteen thousand men down to the ground, every one of them armed.
26 Then all the children of Israel, all the people, went up to Bethel where they wept and sat before the Lord. They fasted that day until evening and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the Lord. 27 The children of Israel asked the Lord (because the ark of the covenant of God was there in those days, 28 and Phinehas the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, stood before it then), “Should we go out again to wage war with our brother-tribesmen the Benjamites, or should we not?”
The Lord said, “Go up, for tomorrow I will give them into your hands.”
29 So Israel set an ambushing force around Gibeah. 30 The children of Israel went up against the Benjamites on the third day and lined up at Gibeah as before. 31 The Benjamites went out to engage the people and were drawn away from the city. They began to strike the people down as before. On the main roads that go up to Bethel and Gibeah and in the field, they struck down about thirty children of Israel. 32 The Benjamites said, “They are struck down before us like at the beginning.” But the children of Israel said, “Let us retreat and draw them away from the city toward the main roads.”
33 So all the men of Israel rose up out of their place and assumed their battle positions at Baal Tamar. Then the men of Israel in ambush charged out of their places, out of the meadows of Gibeah. 34 Ten thousand specially chosen men from all of Israel came against Gibeah. The battle was fierce, and the Benjamites did not know that disaster was upon them. 35 The Lord defeated Benjamin before Israel, and that day the children of Israel struck down twenty-five thousand one hundred Benjamites, every one of them armed. 36 The Benjamites saw that they were defeated.
Now the men of Israel had withdrawn from Benjamin, because they relied on the men in ambush whom they had set against Gibeah. 37 So the ambushing force rushed on and attacked Gibeah. They struck down the whole city with the edge of the sword. 38 The men of Israel had made an agreement with the ambushing force that when they sent up a large amount of smoke from the city, 39 the children of Israel would turn around in battle.
When the Benjamites had begun to strike the children of Israel down, about thirty men, they said, “Surely they are struck down before us like at the beginning.” 40 Yet when the smoke began to rise up from the city in a column, the Benjamites looked behind them and suddenly noticed the whole city going up in smoke to the sky. 41 Then the men of Israel turned around, and the men of Benjamin were horrified because they saw that disaster had come on them. 42 So they fled from the men of Israel toward the direction of the wilderness, but the battle overtook them. Whoever came out of the cities destroyed them in their midst. 43 They surrounded the Benjamites, chased them without rest, and trampled them down near Gibeah toward the east. 44 Eighteen thousand men from Benjamin fell; all these were men of valor. 45 The rest turned and fled toward the wilderness to Rimmon Rock, and they cut down five thousand men on the main roads. They pursued them relentlessly until they reached Gidom and killed two thousand of them.
46 So the Benjamites who fell that day numbered twenty-five thousand, every one of them armed, valorous men. 47 However, six hundred men turned and fled toward the wilderness, to Rimmon Rock. They dwelled at Rimmon Rock for four months. 48 Yet the men of Israel turned back against the Benjamites and struck them with the edge of the sword—city inhabitants, animals, and everything that could be found. Indeed, they set on fire every city that could be found.
Judges 20
Lexham English Bible
The Punishment of Benjamin
20 All the Israelites[a] went out, from Dan to Beersheba, including the land of Gilead, and they gathered as one body[b] to Yahweh at Mizpah. 2 And the leaders of all the people, all the tribes of Israel, presented themselves in the assembly of the people of God, four hundred thousand sword-bearing infantry. 3 (The descendants[c] of Benjamin heard that the Israelites[d] had gone up to Mizpah.) And the Israelites[e] said, “Tell us, how did this evil act occur?” 4 The Levite, the husband of the murdered woman, answered and said, “I came to Gibeah, which belongs to Benjamin, I and my concubine, to spend the night. 5 The lords of Gibeah rose up against me and surrounded the house at night. They intended to kill me, and they raped my concubine, and she died. 6 Then I grabbed my concubine and cut her into pieces, and I sent her throughout all the territory of Israel’s inheritance; for they committed a shameful and disgraceful thing in Israel. 7 Look, all you Israelites![f] Make your decision[g] and advice here.”
8 All the people got up as one body,[h] saying, “Not one of us will go to his tent, or will any of us return to his house. 9 So then, this is what we will do to Gibeah: we will go up against her by lot. 10 We will take ten men of one hundred from all the tribes of Israel, and one hundred of one thousand, and one thousand of ten thousand, to bring provisions to the troops, to repay them when they come to Gibeah[i] of Benjamin for all the disgraceful things[j] they did in Israel.” 11 And all the men of Israel were gathered to the city as one body[k] united.
12 Then the tribes of Israel sent men throughout all the tribes of Benjamin, saying, “What is this wickedness that happened among you? 13 So then, hand over the men, the perverse lot,[l] who are in Gibeah, so that we may kill them and purge this wickedness from Israel.” But the descendants[m] of Benjamin were not willing to listen to the voice of their relatives,[n] the Israelites.[o] 14 And the descendants[p] of Benjamin were gathered from the cities to Gibeah to go out for battle against the Israelites.[q] 15 From the cities the descendants[r] of Benjamin were counted on that day twenty-six thousand sword-wielding men,[s] besides the inhabitants of Gibeah, who were counted seven hundred well-trained[t] men. 16 From all these troops were seven hundred well-trained[u] men who were left-handed;[v] each one could sling with a stone at a hair and not miss. 17 And the men of Israel besides Benjamin were counted four hundred thousand sword-wielding men;[w] all were warriors.[x]
18 Then the Israelites[y] got up and went up to Bethel, and they inquired of God, saying, “Who will go up first for the battle against the descendants[z] of Benjamin?” And Yahweh said, “Judah will go first.” 19 And the Israelites[aa] got up in the morning, and they encamped against Gibeah. 20 Then the men of Israel marched out for the battle against Benjamin, and the men of Israel took up positions against them for battle at Gibeah. 21 The descendants[ab] of Benjamin went out from Gibeah, and they struck down on that day twenty-two thousand men of Israel to the ground. 22 But the troops, the men of Israel, encouraged themselves,[ac] and again they arranged their battle lines in the place where they had arranged themselves the first day. 23 The Israelites[ad] went up and wept before Yahweh until evening and inquired of Yahweh, saying, “Should we again draw near from the battle against the descendants[ae] of Benjamin, our relatives?”[af] And Yahweh said, “Go up against them.”[ag]
24 And the Israelites[ah] drew near to the descendants[ai] of Benjamin on the second day. 25 And Benjamin went out from Gibeah to meet them on the second day, and they struck down the Israelites[aj] again, eighteen thousand men to the ground; all of these were sword-wielding.[ak] 26 And all the Israelites[al] and all the troops went up and came to Bethel and wept; and they sat there before Yahweh and fasted on that day until evening; and they offered burnt offerings and fellowship offerings before Yahweh. 27 And the Israelites[am] inquired of Yahweh (In those days the ark of the covenant of God was there, 28 and Phinehas son of Eleazar, son of Aaron, was standing before it[an] to minister in those days), saying, “Should we go out once more to battle against the descendants[ao] of Benjamin our relatives,[ap] or should we stop?” And Yahweh said, “Go up tomorrow; I will give them[aq] into your hand.”
29 So Israel stationed an ambush all around Gibeah. 30 And the Israelites[ar] went up against the descendants[as] of Benjamin on the third day, and they took up positions against Gibeah as before. 31 The descendants[at] of Benjamin went out to meet the troops, and they lured them away from the city and began to inflict casualties on the troops as before, on the main road, one of which goes up to Bethel, the other to Gibeah; and in the field there were about thirty men of Israel. 32 And the descendants[au] of Benjamin thought,[av] “They are being defeated before us as previously,”[aw] and the Israelites[ax] said, “Let us flee and lure them[ay] away from the city to the main roads.” 33 And all the men of Israel got up from their places[az] and took up positions in Baal Tamar; and the ambush of Israel charged from their places,[ba] from the vicinity of Gibeah.[bb] 34 Then ten thousand well-trained[bc] men from all Israel came out against Gibeah, and the battle became fierce;[bd] they did not know that disaster was about to close in[be] on them. 35 And Yahweh defeated Benjamin in the presence of Israel, and the Israelites[bf] destroyed on that day twenty-five thousand one hundred men of Benjamin, all of them sword-wielding.[bg]
36 The descendants[bh] of Benjamin saw that they were defeated, and the men of Israel gave ground[bi] to Benjamin because they trusted the ambush that they had set against Gibeah. 37 And the ambush came quickly and advanced against Gibeah, and it put the whole city to the sword.[bj] 38 Now the appointed time for the men of Israel with the ambush was that they sent up for them a great amount of smoke from the city. 39 And the men of Israel turned in the battle, and Benjamin began to inflict casualties on about thirty men of Israel because they thought,[bk] “They will be completely defeated before us as in the first battle.” 40 And the cloud of smoke began to go up from the city in a column of smoke, and Benjamin turned backward, and behold, the whole city was going up in smoke![bl] 41 And the men of Israel turned, and the men of Benjamin were dismayed because they saw that disaster was closing in[bm] on them. 42 And they retreated from before the men of Israel to the way of the wilderness, but the battle caught up to them, and those who came from the cities[bn] destroyed them in the midst of them. 43 They surrounded Benjamin; they pursued them[bo] without rest[bp] and trod them[bq] down opposite Gibeah to the east. 44 And eighteen thousand men from Benjamin fell, all of them able men.[br] 45 And they turned and fled toward the wilderness, to the rock of Rimmon, but they cut down on the main roads five thousand men; and they pursued after them up to Gidom, and they struck down two thousand men. 46 So all of Benjamin who fell on that day were twenty-five thousand sword-wielding men;[bs] all of these were able men.[bt] 47 But six hundred turned and fled toward the wilderness, to the rock of Rimmon, and they remained at the rock of Rimmon for four months. 48 And the men of Israel returned to the descendants[bu] of Benjamin, and they put them to the edge of the sword,[bv] both the inhabitants of city and the animals that were found; they also set on fire all the cities that they found.
Footnotes
- Judges 20:1 Literally “sons/children of Israel”
- Judges 20:1 Hebrew “man”
- Judges 20:3 Or “sons/children”
- Judges 20:3 Literally “sons/children of Israel”
- Judges 20:3 Literally “sons of Israel” or “children of “Israel”
- Judges 20:7 Literally “sons/children of Israel”
- Judges 20:7 Literally “give your word”
- Judges 20:8 Hebrew “man”
- Judges 20:10 Hebrew “Geba”
- Judges 20:10 Hebrew “thing”
- Judges 20:11 Hebrew “man”
- Judges 20:13 Literally “sons of uselessness”
- Judges 20:13 Or “sons/children”
- Judges 20:13 Or “brothers”
- Judges 20:13 Literally “sons/children of Israel”
- Judges 20:14 Or “sons/children”
- Judges 20:14 Literally “sons/children of Israel”
- Judges 20:15 Or “sons/children”
- Judges 20:15 Literally “men drawing sword”
- Judges 20:15 Or “chosen”
- Judges 20:16 Or “choice/chosen”
- Judges 20:16 Literally “bound by his right hand”
- Judges 20:17 Literally “men drawing sword”
- Judges 20:17 Literally “all were men of war”
- Judges 20:18 Literally “sons/children of Israel”
- Judges 20:18 Or “sons/children”
- Judges 20:19 Literally “sons/children of Israel”
- Judges 20:21 Or “sons/children”
- Judges 20:22 Literally “took heart”
- Judges 20:23 Literally “sons/children of Israel”
- Judges 20:23 Or “sons/children”
- Judges 20:23 Hebrew “my brother”
- Judges 20:23 Hebrew “him”
- Judges 20:24 Literally “sons/children of Israel”
- Judges 20:24 Or “sons/children”
- Judges 20:25 Literally “sons/children of Israel”
- Judges 20:25 Literally “drawers of sword”
- Judges 20:26 Literally “sons/children of Israel”
- Judges 20:27 Literally “sons/children of Israel”
- Judges 20:28 Literally “before presence of it/him”
- Judges 20:28 Or “sons/children”
- Judges 20:28 Hebrew “my brother”
- Judges 20:28 Hebrew “him”
- Judges 20:30 Literally “sons/children of Israel”
- Judges 20:30 Or “sons/children”
- Judges 20:31 Or “sons/children”
- Judges 20:32 Or “sons/children”
- Judges 20:32 Or “said”
- Judges 20:32 Literally “on the first”
- Judges 20:32 Literally “sons/children of Israel”
- Judges 20:32 Hebrew “him”
- Judges 20:33 Hebrew “place”
- Judges 20:33 Hebrew “place”
- Judges 20:33 Hebrew “Geba”
- Judges 20:34 Or “choice/chosen”
- Judges 20:34 Or “the battle became heavy”
- Judges 20:34 Literally “touching”
- Judges 20:35 Literally “sons/children of Israel”
- Judges 20:35 Literally “drawing sword”
- Judges 20:36 Or “sons/children”
- Judges 20:36 Or “a place” or “space”
- Judges 20:37 Literally “struck the whole city with the mouth of the sword”
- Judges 20:39 Or “said”
- Judges 20:40 Literally “to heaven”
- Judges 20:41 Literally “touching”
- Judges 20:42 Other ancient translations “city”
- Judges 20:43 Hebrew “him”
- Judges 20:43 Or “at Nohah,” a location
- Judges 20:43 Hebrew “him”
- Judges 20:44 Literally “men of strength”
- Judges 20:46 Literally “men drawing sword”
- Judges 20:46 Literally “men of strength”
- Judges 20:48 Or “sons/children”
- Judges 20:48 Literally the mouth of the sword”
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