Judges 20
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
The Other Tribes Attack Benjamin
20 Then all the Israelites came out, from Dan to Beer-sheba, including the land of Gilead, and the congregation assembled in one body before the Lord at Mizpah.(A) 2 The chiefs of all the people, of all the tribes of Israel, presented themselves in the assembly of the people of God, four hundred thousand foot soldiers bearing arms. 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?” 4 The Levite, the husband of the woman who was murdered, answered, “I came to Gibeah that belongs to Benjamin, I and my concubine, to spend the night.(B) 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 until she died.(C) 6 Then I took my concubine and cut her into pieces and sent her throughout the whole extent of Israel’s territory, for they have committed a vile outrage in Israel.(D) 7 So now, you Israelites, all of you, give your advice and counsel here.”(E)
8 All the people got up as one, saying, “We will not any of us go to our tents, nor will any of us return to our houses. 9 But now this is what we will do to Gibeah: we will go up[a] against it by lot. 10 We will take ten men of a hundred throughout all the tribes of Israel, and a hundred of a thousand, and a thousand of ten thousand, to bring provisions for the troops who will go to repay[b] Gibeah of Benjamin for all the disgrace that they have done in Israel.” 11 So all the men of Israel gathered against the city, united as one.
12 The tribes of Israel sent men through all the tribe of Benjamin, saying, “What crime is this that has been committed among you?(F) 13 Now then, hand over those scoundrels in Gibeah so that we may put them to death and purge the evil from Israel.” But the Benjaminites would not listen to their kinsfolk, the Israelites.(G) 14 The Benjaminites came together out of the towns to Gibeah, to go out to battle against the Israelites. 15 On that day the Benjaminites mustered twenty-six thousand armed men from their towns, besides the inhabitants of Gibeah, who mustered seven hundred picked men. 16 Of all this force, there were seven hundred picked men who were left-handed; every one could sling a stone at a hair and not miss. 17 And the Israelites, apart from Benjamin, mustered four hundred thousand armed men, all of them warriors.
18 The Israelites proceeded to go up to Bethel, where they inquired of God, “Which of us shall go up first to battle against the Benjaminites?” And the Lord answered, “Judah shall go up first.”(H)
19 Then the Israelites got up in the morning and encamped against Gibeah. 20 The Israelites went out to battle against Benjamin, and the Israelites drew up the battle line against them at Gibeah. 21 The Benjaminites came out of Gibeah and struck down on that day twenty-two thousand of the Israelites.(I) 23 [c]The Israelites went up and wept before the Lord until the evening, and they inquired of the Lord, “Shall we again draw near to battle against our kinsfolk the Benjaminites?” And the Lord said, “Go up against them.”(J) 22 The Israelites strengthened themselves and again formed the battle line in the same place where they had formed it on the first day.
24 So the Israelites advanced against the Benjaminites the second day. 25 Benjamin moved out against them from Gibeah the second day and struck down eighteen thousand of the Israelites, all of them armed men.(K) 26 Then all the Israelites, the whole army, went back to Bethel and wept, sitting there before the Lord; they fasted that day until evening. Then they offered burnt offerings and sacrifices of well-being before the Lord.(L) 27 And the Israelites inquired of the Lord (for the ark of the covenant of God was there in those days,(M) 28 and Phinehas son of Eleazar, son of Aaron, ministered before it in those days), saying, “Shall we go out once more to battle against our kinsfolk the Benjaminites, or shall we desist?” The Lord answered, “Go up, for tomorrow I will give them into your hand.”(N)
29 So Israel stationed men in ambush around Gibeah.(O) 30 Then the Israelites went up against the Benjaminites on the third day and set themselves in array against Gibeah as before. 31 When the Benjaminites went out against the army, they were drawn away from the city. As before, they began to inflict casualties on the troops along the main roads, one of which goes up to Bethel and the other to Gibeah, as well as in the open country, killing about thirty men of Israel.(P) 32 The Benjaminites thought, “They are being routed before us, as previously.” But the Israelites said, “Let us retreat and draw them away from the city toward the roads.” 33 The main body of the Israelites drew back its battle line to Baal-tamar, while those Israelites who were in ambush rushed out of their place west[d] of Geba.(Q) 34 There came against Gibeah ten thousand picked men out of all Israel, and the battle was fierce. But the Benjaminites did not realize that disaster was close upon them.(R)
35 The Lord defeated Benjamin before Israel, and the Israelites struck down twenty-five thousand one hundred men of Benjamin that day, all of them armed.
36 Then the Benjaminites saw that they were defeated.
The Israelites gave ground to Benjamin because they relied on the troops in ambush that they had stationed against Gibeah.(S) 37 The troops in ambush rushed quickly upon Gibeah. Then they put the whole city to the sword.(T) 38 Now the agreement between the main body of Israel and the men in ambush was that when they sent up a cloud of smoke out of the city(U) 39 the main body of Israel should turn in battle. But Benjamin had begun to inflict casualties on the Israelites, killing about thirty of them, so they thought, “Surely they are defeated before us, as in the first battle.”(V) 40 But when the cloud, a column of smoke, began to rise out of the city, the Benjaminites looked behind them—and there was the whole city going up in smoke toward the sky!(W) 41 Then the main body of Israel turned, and the Benjaminites were dismayed, for they saw that disaster was close upon them. 42 Therefore they turned away from the Israelites in the direction of the wilderness, but the battle overtook them, and those who came out of the city[e] were striking them down in between.[f] 43 Surrounding the Benjaminites, they pursued them from Nohah[g] and trod them down as far as a place east of Gibeah. 44 Eighteen thousand Benjaminites fell, all of them courageous fighters. 45 When they turned and fled toward the wilderness to the rock of Rimmon, five thousand of them were cut down on the main roads, and they were pursued as far as Gidom, and two thousand of them were slain.(X) 46 So all who fell that day of Benjamin were twenty-five thousand arms-bearing men, all of them courageous fighters. 47 But six hundred turned and fled toward the wilderness to the rock of Rimmon and remained at the rock of Rimmon for four months.(Y) 48 Meanwhile, the Israelites turned back against the Benjaminites and put them to the sword—the city, the people, the animals, and all that remained. Also the remaining towns they set on fire.
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Judges 20
New American Standard Bible
Resolve to Punish the Guilty
20 Then all the sons of Israel from Dan to Beersheba, including the land of Gilead, came out, and the congregation assembled as one person to the Lord at (A)Mizpah. 2 And the [a]leaders of all the people, all the tribes of Israel, took their stand in the assembly of the people of God, four hundred thousand foot [b]soldiers (B)who drew the sword. 3 (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?” 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 But the [c](C)citizens of Gibeah rose up against me and surrounded the house at night, [d]threatening me. They intended to kill me; instead, they (D)raped my concubine so that she died. 6 And I (E)took hold of my concubine and cut her in pieces, and sent her throughout the land of Israel’s inheritance; for (F)they have committed an outrageous sin and vile act in Israel. 7 Behold, all you sons of Israel, (G)give your [e]response and advice here.”
8 Then all the people rose up as one person, saying, “Not one of us will go to his tent, nor will any of us go home. 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 ten men out of a hundred throughout the tribes of Israel, and a hundred out of a thousand, and a thousand out of ten thousand to [f]supply provisions for the people, so that when they come to [g]Gibeah of Benjamin, they may [h]punish them for all the vile sin that they have committed in Israel.” 11 So all the men of Israel were gathered against the city, [i]united as one man.
12 Then the tribes of Israel sent men through the entire [j]tribe of Benjamin, saying, “What is this wickedness that has taken place among you? 13 Now then, turn over the men, the [k](H)worthless men who are in Gibeah, so that we may put them to death and (I)remove this wickedness from Israel.” But the sons of Benjamin would not listen to the voice of their brothers, the sons of Israel. 14 Instead, the sons of Benjamin gathered from the cities to Gibeah, to go out to battle against the sons of Israel. 15 From the cities on that day the (J)sons of Benjamin were [l]counted, twenty-six thousand men who drew the sword, besides the inhabitants of Gibeah who were [m]counted, seven hundred choice men. 16 Out of all these people seven hundred (K)choice men were left-handed; each one could sling a stone at a hair and not miss.
17 Then the men of Israel besides Benjamin were [n]counted, four hundred thousand men who drew the sword; all of these were men of war.
Civil War, Benjamin Defeated
18 Now the sons of Israel set out, went up to Bethel, and (L)inquired 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.”
19 So the sons of Israel got up in the morning and camped against Gibeah. 20 The men of Israel went to battle against Benjamin, and the men of Israel lined up for battle against them at Gibeah. 21 Then the sons of Benjamin came out of Gibeah and [o](M)struck to the ground on that day twenty-two thousand men of Israel. 22 But the people, the men of Israel, showed themselves courageous and lined up for battle again in the place where they had lined themselves up on the first day. 23 And (N)the sons of Israel went up and wept before the Lord until evening, and (O)inquired of the Lord, saying, “Shall we again advance for battle against the sons of my brother Benjamin?” And the Lord said, “Go up against him.”
24 So the sons of Israel [p]came against the sons of Benjamin on the second day. 25 And Benjamin went out against them from Gibeah the second day and struck to the ground again eighteen thousand men of the sons of Israel; all of these drew the sword. 26 Then (P)all the sons of Israel and all the people went up and came to Bethel, and they wept and remained there before the Lord, and fasted that day until evening. And they offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the Lord. 27 And the sons of Israel (Q)inquired of the Lord (for 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 stop?” And the Lord said, “Go up, (R)for tomorrow I will hand them over to you.”
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 lined up against Gibeah as at other times. 31 (T)When the sons of Benjamin went out against the people, they were lured away from the city, and they began to strike and kill some of the people as at other times, on the roads (one of which goes up to Bethel, and the other to Gibeah), and in the field, about thirty men of Israel. 32 And the sons of Benjamin said, “They are defeated before us, like the first time.” But the sons of Israel said, “Let’s flee, so that we may draw them away from the city to the roads.” 33 Then all the men of Israel rose from their place and lined up at Baal-tamar; (U)and the men of Israel in ambush charged from their place, from Maareh-geba. 34 When ten thousand choice men from all Israel came against Gibeah, the battle became [q]fierce; (V)but [r]Benjamin did not know that disaster was [s]close to them. 35 And the Lord struck Benjamin before Israel, so that the sons of Israel destroyed 25,100 men of Benjamin that [t]day, all who drew the sword.
36 So the sons of Benjamin saw that they were [u]defeated. (W)When the men of Israel gave [v]ground to Benjamin because they relied on the men in ambush whom they had set against Gibeah, 37 (X)the 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. 38 Now the agreed 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 Then the men of Israel turned in the battle, and Benjamin began to strike and kill about thirty men of Israel, (Z)for they said, “Undoubtedly they are [w]defeated before us, as in the first battle.” 40 But when the cloud began to rise from the city in a column of smoke, Benjamin looked (AA)behind them; and behold, the entire city was going up in smoke to heaven. 41 Then the men of Israel turned, and the men of Benjamin were terrified; for they saw that (AB)disaster was [x]close to them. 42 Therefore, they turned their backs before the men of Israel to flee in the (AC)direction of the wilderness, but the battle overtook them while those who attacked from the cities were annihilating them in the midst of them. 43 (AD)They surrounded Benjamin, pursued them without rest, and trampled them down opposite Gibeah toward the [y]east. 44 So eighteen thousand men of Benjamin fell; all of these were valiant men. 45 [z]The rest turned and fled toward the wilderness to the rock of (AE)Rimmon, but they [aa]caught five thousand of them on the roads and overtook them [ab]at Gidom, and [ac]killed two thousand of them. 46 So all those of Benjamin who fell that day were twenty-five thousand men who drew the sword; all of these were valiant men. 47 But six hundred men turned and fled toward the wilderness to the rock of Rimmon; and they remained at the rock of Rimmon for four months. 48 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.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Judges 20:2 Lit cornerstones
- Judges 20:2 Lit men
- Judges 20:5 Or landowners
- Judges 20:5 Lit against me
- Judges 20:7 Lit word
- Judges 20:10 Lit take
- Judges 20:10 Heb Geba
- Judges 20:10 Lit do
- Judges 20:11 Lit companions as
- Judges 20:12 Lit tribes
- Judges 20:13 Lit sons of Belial
- Judges 20:15 Or mustered
- Judges 20:15 Or mustered
- Judges 20:17 Or mustered
- Judges 20:21 Lit destroyed
- Judges 20:24 Lit approached
- Judges 20:34 Lit heavy
- Judges 20:34 Lit they
- Judges 20:34 Lit touching
- Judges 20:35 Lit day; all these drew
- Judges 20:36 Lit struck
- Judges 20:36 Lit place
- Judges 20:39 Lit struck
- Judges 20:41 Lit touching
- Judges 20:43 Lit sunrise
- Judges 20:45 As in LXX; Heb And they
- Judges 20:45 Lit gleaned
- Judges 20:45 Lit as far as
- Judges 20:45 Lit struck
New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
