1 T hen all the Israelites came out, and the congregation assembled as one man to the Lord at Mizpah, from Dan even to Beersheba, including the land of Gilead.

Then all the children of Israel went out, and the congregation was gathered together as one man, from Dan even to Beersheba, with the land of Gilead, unto the Lord in Mizpeh.

2 A nd the chiefs of all the people, of all the tribes of Israel, presented themselves in the assembly of the people of God, 400, 000 men on foot who drew the sword.

And the chief of all the people, even of all the tribes of Israel, presented themselves in the assembly of the people of God, four hundred thousand footmen that drew sword.

3 ( Now the Benjamites heard that the Israelites had gone up to Mizpah.) There the Israelites asked, How did this wickedness happen?

(Now the children of Benjamin heard that the children of Israel were gone up to Mizpeh.) Then said the children of Israel, Tell us, how was this wickedness?

4 A nd the Levite, the husband of the woman who was murdered, replied, I came to Gibeah which belongs to Benjamin, I and my concubine, to spend the night.

And the Levite, the husband of the woman that was slain, answered and said, I came into Gibeah that belongeth to Benjamin, I and my concubine, to lodge.

5 A nd the men of Gibeah rose against me and beset the house round about me by night; they meant to kill me and they raped my concubine, and she is dead.

And the men of Gibeah rose against me, and beset the house round about upon me by night, and thought to have slain me: and my concubine have they forced, that she is dead.

6 A nd I took my concubine and cut her in pieces and sent her throughout all the country of the inheritance of Israel, for they have committed abomination and folly in Israel.

And I took my concubine, and cut her in pieces, and sent her throughout all the country of the inheritance of Israel: for they have committed lewdness and folly in Israel.

7 B ehold, you Israelites, all of you, give here your advice and counsel.

Behold, ye are all children of Israel; give here your advice and counsel.

8 A nd all the people arose as one man, saying, Not any of us will go to his tent, and none of us will return to his home.

And all the people arose as one man, saying, We will not any of us go to his tent, neither will we any of us turn into his house.

9 B ut now this we will do to Gibeah: we will go up by lot against it,

But now this shall be the thing which we will do to Gibeah; we will go up by lot against it;

10 A nd we will take ten men of 100 throughout all the tribes of Israel, and 100 of 1, 000, and 1, 000 out of 10, 000, to bring provisions for the men, that when they come to Gibeah of Benjamin they may do to them according to all the folly which they have committed in Israel.

And we will take ten men of an hundred throughout all the tribes of Israel, and an hundred of a thousand, and a thousand out of ten thousand, to fetch victual for the people, that they may do, when they come to Gibeah of Benjamin, according to all the folly that they have wrought in Israel.

11 S o all the men of Israel gathered against the city, united as one man.

So all the men of Israel were gathered against the city, knit together as one man.

12 A nd the tribes of Israel sent men through all the tribe of Benjamin, saying, What wickedness is this that has been done among you?

And the tribes of Israel sent men through all the tribe of Benjamin, saying, What wickedness is this that is done among you?

13 N ow therefore, give up the men, the base fellows in Gibeah, that we may put them to death and put away evil from Israel. But the Benjamites would not listen to the voice of their kinsmen the Israelites.

Now therefore deliver us the men, the children of Belial, which are in Gibeah, that we may put them to death, and put away evil from Israel. But the children of Benjamin would not hearken to the voice of their brethren the children of Israel.

14 B ut the Benjamites out of the cities assembled at Gibeah to go out to battle against the other Israelites.

But the children of Benjamin gathered themselves together out of the cities unto Gibeah, to go out to battle against the children of Israel.

15 A nd the Benjamites mustered out of their cities at that time 26, 000 men who drew the sword, besides the inhabitants of Gibeah, who mustered 700 chosen men.

And the children of Benjamin were numbered at that time out of the cities twenty and six thousand men that drew sword, beside the inhabitants of Gibeah, which were numbered seven hundred chosen men.

16 A mong all these were 700 chosen left-handed men; every one could sling stones at a hair and not miss.

Among all this people there were seven hundred chosen men lefthanded; every one could sling stones at an hair breadth, and not miss.

17 A nd the men of Israel, other than Benjamin, mustered 400, 000 men who drew the sword; all these were men of war.

And the men of Israel, beside Benjamin, were numbered four hundred thousand men that drew sword: all these were men of war.

18 T he Israelites arose and went up to the house of God and asked counsel of God and said, Which of us shall take the lead to battle against the Benjamites? And the Lord said, Judah shall go up first.

And the children of Israel arose, and went up to the house of God, and asked counsel of God, and said, Which of us shall go up first to the battle against the children of Benjamin? And the Lord said, Judah shall go up first.

19 T hen the Israelites rose in the morning and encamped against Gibeah.

And the children of Israel rose up in the morning, and encamped against Gibeah.

20 A nd the men of Israel went out to battle against Benjamin and set the battle in array against them at Gibeah.

And the men of Israel went out to battle against Benjamin; and the men of Israel put themselves in array to fight against them at Gibeah.

21 T he Benjamites came forth out of Gibeah and felled to the ground that day 22, 000 men of the Israelites.

And the children of Benjamin came forth out of Gibeah, and destroyed down to the ground of the Israelites that day twenty and two thousand men.

22 B ut the people, the men of Israel, took courage and strengthened themselves and again set their battle line in the same place where they formed it the first day.

And the people the men of Israel encouraged themselves, and set their battle again in array in the place where they put themselves in array the first day.

23 A nd the Israelites went up and wept before the Lord until evening and asked of the Lord, Shall we go up again to battle against our brethren the Benjamites? And the Lord said, Go up against them.

(And the children of Israel went up and wept before the Lord until even, and asked counsel of the Lord, saying, Shall I go up again to battle against the children of Benjamin my brother? And the Lord said, Go up against him.)

24 S o the Israelites came near against the Benjamites the second day.

And the children of Israel came near against the children of Benjamin the second day.

25 A nd Benjamin went forth out of Gibeah against them the second day and felled to the ground the Israelites again, 18, 000 men, all of whom were swordsmen.

And Benjamin went forth against them out of Gibeah the second day, and destroyed down to the ground of the children of Israel again eighteen thousand men; all these drew the sword.

26 T hen all the Israelites, the whole army, went up and came to the house of God and wept; and they sat there before the Lord and fasted that day until evening and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the Lord.

Then all the children of Israel, and all the people, went up, and came unto the house of God, and wept, and sat there before the Lord, and fasted that day until even, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the Lord.

27 A nd the Israelites inquired of the Lord—for the ark of the covenant of God was there in those days,

And the children of Israel enquired of the Lord, (for the ark of the covenant of God was there in those days,

28 A nd Phinehas son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, ministered before it in those days—saying, Shall we yet again go out to battle against our brethren the Benjamites or shall we quit? And the Lord said, Go up, for tomorrow I will deliver them into your hand.

And Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, stood before it in those days,) saying, Shall I yet again go out to battle against the children of Benjamin my brother, or shall I cease? And the Lord said, Go up; for to morrow I will deliver them into thine hand.

29 S o Israel set men in ambush round about Gibeah.

And Israel set liers in wait round about Gibeah.

30 A nd the Israelites went up against the Benjamites on the third day and set themselves in array against Gibeah as at other times.

And the children of Israel went up against the children of Benjamin on the third day, and put themselves in array against Gibeah, as at other times.

31 A nd the Benjamites went out against their army and were drawn away from the city; and they began to smite and kill some of the people as at other times, in the highways, one of which goes up to Bethel and the other to Gibeah, and in the open country—about thirty men of Israel.

And the children of Benjamin went out against the people, and were drawn away from the city; and they began to smite of the people, and kill, as at other times, in the highways, of which one goeth up to the house of God, and the other to Gibeah in the field, about thirty men of Israel.

32 A nd the Benjamites said, They are routed before us as at first. But the Israelites said, Let us flee and draw them from the city to the highways.

And the children of Benjamin said, They are smitten down before us, as at the first. But the children of Israel said, Let us flee, and draw them from the city unto the highways.

33 A nd all the men of Israel rose out of their places and set themselves in array at Baal-tamar, and the men of Israel in ambush rushed out of their place in the meadow of Geba.

And all the men of Israel rose up out of their place, and put themselves in array at Baaltamar: and the liers in wait of Israel came forth out of their places, even out of the meadows of Gibeah.

34 A nd there came against Gibeah 10, 000 chosen men out of all Israel, and the battle was hard; but the Benjamites did not know disaster was close upon them.

And there came against Gibeah ten thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and the battle was sore: but they knew not that evil was near them.

35 A nd the Lord overcame Benjamin before Israel, and the Israelites destroyed of the Benjamites that day 25, 100 men, all of whom were swordsmen.

And the Lord smote Benjamin before Israel: and the children of Israel destroyed of the Benjamites that day twenty and five thousand and an hundred men: all these drew the sword.

36 S o the Benjamites saw that they were defeated. The men of Israel gave ground to the Benjamites, because they trusted in the men in ambush whom they had set against Gibeah.

So the children of Benjamin saw that they were smitten: for the men of Israel gave place to the Benjamites, because they trusted unto the liers in wait which they had set beside Gibeah.

37 A nd the men in ambush quickly rushed upon Gibeah, and the liers-in-wait moved out and smote all the city with the sword.

And the liers in wait hasted, and rushed upon Gibeah; and the liers in wait drew themselves along, and smote all the city with the edge of the sword.

38 N ow the appointed signal between the men of Israel and the men in ambush was that when they made a great cloud of smoke arise from the city,

Now there was an appointed sign between the men of Israel and the liers in wait, that they should make a great flame with smoke rise up out of the city.

39 T he men of Israel should all turn back in battle. Now Benjamin had begun to smite and kill some of the men of Israel, about thirty persons. They said, Surely they are falling before us as in the first battle.

And when the men of Israel retired in the battle, Benjamin began to smite and kill of the men of Israel about thirty persons: for they said, Surely they are smitten down before us, as in the first battle.

40 B ut when the cloud began to rise out of the city in a pillar of smoke, the Benjamites looked behind them, and behold, the whole of the city went up in smoke to the heavens.

But when the flame began to arise up out of the city with a pillar of smoke, the Benjamites looked behind them, and, behold, the flame of the city ascended up to heaven.

41 W hen the men of Israel turned back again, the men of Benjamin were dismayed, for they saw that disaster had come upon them.

And when the men of Israel turned again, the men of Benjamin were amazed: for they saw that evil was come upon them.

42 T herefore they turned their backs before the men of Israel and fled toward the wilderness, but the battle followed close behind and overtook them; and the inhabitants of the cities destroyed those who came through them in their midst.

Therefore they turned their backs before the men of Israel unto the way of the wilderness; but the battle overtook them; and them which came out of the cities they destroyed in the midst of them.

43 T hey surrounded the Benjamites, pursued them, and overtook and trod them down at their resting-place as far as opposite Gibeah toward the east.

Thus they inclosed the Benjamites round about, and chased them, and trode them down with ease over against Gibeah toward the sunrising.

44 A nd there fell 18, 000 men of Benjamin, all of them men of valor.

And there fell of Benjamin eighteen thousand men; all these were men of valour.

45 A nd turned and fled toward the wilderness to the rock of Rimmon, and Israel picked off on the highways 5, 000 men of them; they pursued hard after them to Gidom and slew 2, 000 more of them.

And they turned and fled toward the wilderness unto the rock of Rimmon: and they gleaned of them in the highways five thousand men; and pursued hard after them unto Gidom, and slew two thousand men of them.

46 S o that all of Benjamin who fell that day were 25, 000 men who drew the sword, all of them men of valor.

So that all which fell that day of Benjamin were twenty and five thousand men that drew the sword; all these were men of valour.

47 B ut 600 men turned and fled to the wilderness to the rock Rimmon and remained at the rock Rimmon four months.

But six hundred men turned and fled to the wilderness unto the rock Rimmon, and abode in the rock Rimmon four months.

48 A nd the men of Israel turned back against the Benjamites and smote them with the sword, men and beasts and all that they found. Also they set on fire all the towns to which they came.

And the men of Israel turned again upon the children of Benjamin, and smote them with the edge of the sword, as well the men of every city, as the beast, and all that came to hand: also they set on fire all the cities that they came to.