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

Then all the children of Israel went out, and the congregation was assembled as one man, from Dan even to Beersheba, with the land of Gilead, to Yahweh at Mizpah.

2 T he 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 soldiers who drew the sword.

The chiefs 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 who drew 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?”

(Now the children of Benjamin heard that the children of Israel had gone up to Mizpah.) The children of Israel said, “Tell us, how did this wickedness happen?”

4 S o 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.

The Levite, the husband of the woman who was murdered, answered, “I came into Gibeah that belongs to Benjamin, I and my concubine, to spend the night.

5 B ut the men of Gibeah rose up against me and surrounded the house at night because of me. They intended to kill me; instead, they ravished my concubine so that she died.

The men of Gibeah rose against me, and surrounded the house by night. They intended to kill me, and they raped my concubine, and she is dead.

6 A nd I took hold of my concubine and cut her in pieces and sent her throughout the land of Israel’s inheritance; for they have committed a lewd and disgraceful act in Israel.

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, all you sons of Israel, give your advice and counsel here.”

Behold, you children of Israel, all of you, give here your advice and counsel.”

8 T hen all the people arose as one man, saying, “Not one of us will go to his tent, nor will any of us return to his house.

All the people arose as one man, saying, “None of us will go to his tent, neither will any of us turn to his house.

9 B ut now this is the thing which we will do to Gibeah; we will go up against it by lot.

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

10 A nd 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 to supply food for the people, that when they come to Gibeah of Benjamin, they may punish them for all the disgraceful acts that they have committed in Israel.”

and we will take ten men of one hundred throughout all the tribes of Israel, and one hundred of one thousand, and a thousand out of ten thousand, to get food for the people, that they may do, when they come to Gibeah of Benjamin, according to all the folly that they have worked in Israel.”

11 T hus all the men of Israel were 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 T hen the tribes of Israel sent men through the entire tribe of Benjamin, saying, “What is this wickedness that has taken place among you?

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

13 N ow then, deliver up the men, the worthless fellows in Gibeah, that we may put them to death and remove this wickedness from Israel.” But the sons of Benjamin would not listen to the voice of their brothers, the sons of Israel.

Now therefore deliver up the men, the base fellows, who are in Gibeah, that we may put them to death, and put away evil from Israel.” But Benjamin would not listen to the voice of their brothers the children of Israel.

14 T he sons of Benjamin gathered from the cities to Gibeah, to go out to battle against the sons of Israel.

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

15 F rom the cities on that day the sons of Benjamin were numbered, 26, 000 men who draw the sword, besides the inhabitants of Gibeah who were numbered, 700 choice men.

The children of Benjamin were numbered on that day out of the cities twenty-six thousand men who drew the sword, besides the inhabitants of Gibeah, who were numbered seven hundred chosen men.

16 O ut of all these people 700 choice men were left-handed; each one could sling a stone at a hair and not miss.

Among all these soldiers there were seven hundred chosen men who were left-handed. Every one of them could sling a stone at a hair and not miss.

17 T hen the men of Israel besides Benjamin were numbered, 400, 000 men who draw the sword; all these were men of war. Civil War, Benjamin Defeated

The men of Israel, besides Benjamin, were numbered four hundred thousand men who drew sword. All these were men of war.

18 N ow the sons of Israel arose, went up to Bethel, and 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.”

The children of Israel arose, went up to Bethel, and asked counsel of God. They asked, “Who shall go up for us first to battle against the children of Benjamin?” Yahweh said, “Judah first.”

19 S o the sons of Israel arose in the morning and camped against Gibeah.

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

20 T he men of Israel went out to battle against Benjamin, and the men of Israel arrayed for battle against them at Gibeah.

The men of Israel went out to battle against Benjamin; and the men of Israel set the battle in array against them at Gibeah.

21 T hen the sons of Benjamin came out of Gibeah and felled to the ground on that day 22, 000 men of Israel.

The children of Benjamin came out of Gibeah, and on that day destroyed twenty-two thousand of the Israelite men down to the ground.

22 B ut the people, the men of Israel, encouraged themselves and arrayed for battle again in the place where they had arrayed themselves the first day.

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

23 T he sons of Israel went up and wept before the Lord until evening, and inquired of the Lord, saying, “Shall we again draw near for battle against the sons of my brother Benjamin?” And the Lord said, “Go up against him.”

The children of Israel went up and wept before Yahweh until evening; and they asked of Yahweh, saying, “Shall I again draw near to battle against the children of Benjamin my brother?” Yahweh said, “Go up against him.”

24 T hen the sons of Israel came against the sons of Benjamin the second day.

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

25 B enjamin went out against them from Gibeah the second day and felled to the ground again 18, 000 men of the sons of Israel; all these drew the sword.

Benjamin went out 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 sons of Israel and all the people went up and came to Bethel and wept; thus they remained there before the Lord and fasted that day until evening. And they offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the Lord.

Then all the children of Israel, and all the people, went up, and came to Bethel, and wept, and sat there before Yahweh, and fasted that day until evening; then they offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before Yahweh.

27 T he sons of Israel inquired of the Lord (for the ark of the covenant of God was there in those days,

The children of Israel asked Yahweh (for the ark of the covenant of God was there in those days,

28 a nd 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 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?” Yahweh said, “Go up; for tomorrow I will deliver him into your hand.”

29 S o Israel set men in ambush around Gibeah.

Israel set ambushes all around Gibeah.

30 T he sons of Israel went up against the sons of Benjamin on the third day and arrayed themselves against Gibeah as at other times.

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

31 T he sons of Benjamin went out against the people and were drawn away from the city, and they began to strike and kill 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.

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

32 T he sons of Benjamin said, “They are struck down 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.”

The children of Benjamin said, “They are struck down before us, as at the first.” But the children of Israel said, “Let us flee, and draw them away from the city to the highways.”

33 T hen all the men of Israel arose from their place and arrayed themselves at Baal-tamar; and the men of Israel in ambush broke out of their place, even out of Maareh-geba.

All the men of Israel rose up out of their place, and set themselves in array at Baal Tamar. Then the ambushers of Israel broke out of their place, even out of Maareh Geba.

34 W hen ten thousand choice men from all Israel came against Gibeah, the battle became fierce; but Benjamin did not know that disaster was close to them.

Ten thousand chosen men out of all Israel came over against Gibeah, and the battle was severe; but they didn’t know that disaster was close to them.

35 A nd the Lord struck Benjamin before Israel, so that the sons of Israel destroyed 25, 100 men of Benjamin that day, all who draw the sword.

Yahweh struck Benjamin before Israel; and the children of Israel destroyed of Benjamin that day twenty-five thousand one hundred men. All these drew the sword.

36 S o the sons of Benjamin saw that they were defeated. When the men of Israel gave ground to Benjamin because they relied on the men in ambush whom they had set against Gibeah,

So the children of Benjamin saw that they were struck; for the men of Israel yielded to Benjamin, because they trusted the ambushers whom they had set against Gibeah.

37 t he 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.

The ambushers hurried, and rushed on Gibeah; then the ambushers spread out, and struck all the city with the edge of the sword.

38 N ow the appointed sign between the men of Israel and the men in ambush was that they would make a great cloud of smoke rise from the city.

Now the appointed sign between the men of Israel and the ambushers was that they should make a great cloud of smoke rise up out of the city.

39 T hen the men of Israel turned in the battle, and Benjamin began to strike and kill about thirty men of Israel, for they said, “Surely they are defeated before us, as in the first battle.”

The men of Israel turned in the battle, and Benjamin began to strike and kill of the men of Israel about thirty persons; for they said, “Surely they are struck down before us, as in the first battle.”

40 B ut when the cloud began to rise from the city in a column of smoke, Benjamin looked behind them; and behold, the whole city was going up in smoke to heaven.

But when the cloud began to arise up out of the city in a pillar of smoke, the Benjamites looked behind them; and behold, the whole city went up in smoke to the sky.

41 T hen the men of Israel turned, and the men of Benjamin were terrified; for they saw that disaster was close to them.

The men of Israel turned, and the men of Benjamin were dismayed; for they saw that disaster had come on them.

42 T herefore, they turned their backs before the men of Israel toward the direction of the wilderness, but the battle overtook them while those who came out of the cities destroyed them in the midst of them.

Therefore they turned their backs before the men of Israel to the way of the wilderness; but the battle followed hard after them; and those who came out of the cities destroyed them in the middle of it.

43 T hey surrounded Benjamin, pursued them without rest and trod them down opposite Gibeah toward the east.

They surrounded the Benjamites, chased them, and trod them down at their resting place, as far as near Gibeah toward the sunrise.

44 T hus 18, 000 men of Benjamin fell; all these were valiant warriors.

Eighteen thousand men of Benjamin fell; all these were men of valor.

45 T he rest turned and fled toward the wilderness to the rock of Rimmon, but they caught 5, 000 of them on the highways and overtook them at Gidom and killed 2, 000 of them.

They turned and fled toward the wilderness to the rock of Rimmon; and they gleaned five thousand men of them in the highways, and followed hard after them to Gidom, and struck two thousand men of them.

46 S o all of Benjamin who fell that day were 25, 000 men who draw the sword; all these were valiant warriors.

So that all who fell that day of Benjamin were twenty-five thousand men who drew the sword. All these were men of valor.

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

But six hundred men turned and fled toward the wilderness to the rock of Rimmon, and stayed in the rock of Rimmon four months.

48 T he 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.

The men of Israel turned again on the children of Benjamin, and struck them with the edge of the sword, both the entire city, and the livestock, and all that they found. Moreover all the cities which they found they set on fire.