Judges 20 :: Legacy Standard Bible (LSB)

A Battle Between Israel and Benjamin

Then all^H3605 the sons^H1121 of Israel^H3478 from Dan^H1835 to Beersheba^H884, including the land^H776 of Gilead^H1568, came^H3318 out^H3318, and the congregation^H5712 assembled^H6950 as one^H259 man^H376 to Yahweh^H3068 at Mizpah^H4709.

Jdg 20:2

Jdg 20:2And the [fn]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 [fn]soldiers who draw the sword.

Jdg 20:3

Jdg 20:3(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?”

Jdg 20:4

Jdg 20:4So 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.

Jdg 20:5

Jdg 20:5“Then the men of Gibeah rose up against me and surrounded the house at night because of me. They intended to kill me; instead, they violated my concubine, and she died.

Jdg 20:6

Jdg 20:6“And I seized 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.

Jdg 20:7

Jdg 20:7“Behold, all you sons of Israel, give your advice and counsel here.”

Jdg 20:8

Then all^H3605 the people^H5971 arose^H6965 as one^H259 man^H376, saying^H559, “Not one^H376 of us will go^H1980 to his tent^H168, nor^H3808 will any^H376 of us turn^H5493 aside^H5493 to his house^H1004.

Jdg 20:9

Jdg 20:9“But now this is the thing which we will do to Gibeah; we will go up against it by lot.

Jdg 20:10

Jdg 20:10“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 [fn]Gibeah of Benjamin, they may do to them according to all the disgraceful acts that they have done in Israel.”

Jdg 20:11

Jdg 20:11Thus all the men of Israel were gathered against the city, united as one man.

Jdg 20:12

Then the tribes^H7626 of Israel^H3478 sent^H7971 men^H376 through the entire^H3605 [fn]tribe^H7626 of Benjamin^H1144, saying^H559, “What^H4100 is this^H2088 evil^H7451 that has taken^H1961 place^H1961 among you?

Jdg 20:13

Jdg 20:13“So now, give up the men, the [fn]vile fellows in Gibeah, that we may put them to death and 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.

Jdg 20:14

Jdg 20:14Then the sons of Benjamin gathered from the cities to Gibeah, to go out to battle against the sons of Israel.

Jdg 20:15

Jdg 20:15And from the cities on that day the sons of Benjamin were [fn]numbered, 26,000 men who draw the sword, besides the inhabitants of Gibeah who were [fn]numbered, 700 choice men.

Jdg 20:16

Jdg 20:16Out of all these people 700 choice men were left-handed; each one could sling a stone at a hair and not miss.

Jdg 20:17

And the men^H376 of Israel^H3478 besides^H905^H4480 Benjamin^H1144 were [fn]numbered^H6485, 400,000^H702^H3967^H505 men^H376 who draw^H8025 the sword^H2719; all^H3605 these^H2088 were men^H376 of war^H4421.

Jdg 20:18

Then the sons^H1121 of Israel^H3478 arose^H6965, went^H5927 up^H5927 to Bethel^H1008, and asked^H7592 of God^H430 and said^H559, “Who^H4310 shall go^H5927 up^H5927 for us to begin^H8462 the battle^H4421 against^H5973 the sons^H1121 of Benjamin^H1144?” Then Yahweh^H3068 said^H559, “Judah^H3063 shall begin^H8462 it.”

Jdg 20:19

So the sons^H1121 of Israel^H3478 arose^H6965 in the morning^H1242 and camped^H2583 against^H5921 Gibeah^H1390.

Jdg 20:20

Jdg 20:20And the men of Israel went out to battle against Benjamin, and the men of Israel arranged themselves for battle against them at Gibeah.

Jdg 20:21

Jdg 20:21Then the sons of Benjamin came out of Gibeah and destroyed to the ground on that day 22,000 men of Israel.

Jdg 20:22

Jdg 20:22But 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.

Jdg 20:23

Jdg 20:23And the sons of Israel went up and wept before Yahweh until evening and asked of Yahweh, saying, “Shall we again approach for battle against the sons of my brother Benjamin?” And Yahweh said, “Go up against him.”

Jdg 20:24

Then the sons^H1121 of Israel^H3478 drew^H7126 near^H7126 to the sons^H1121 of Benjamin^H1144 the second^H8145 day^H3117.

Jdg 20:25

Jdg 20:25And 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.

Jdg 20:26

Jdg 20:26Then 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.

Jdg 20:27

Jdg 20:27Then the sons of Israel asked of Yahweh (now the ark of the covenant of God was there in those days,

Jdg 20:28

Jdg 20:28and 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, for tomorrow I will give them into your hand.”

Jdg 20:29

So Israel^H3478 set^H7760 men in^H693 ambush^H693 around^H5439 Gibeah^H1390.

Jdg 20:30

Jdg 20:30And the sons of Israel went up against the sons of Benjamin on the third day and arrayed themselves against Gibeah as at other times.

Jdg 20:31

Jdg 20:31So the sons of Benjamin went out to meet the people and were drawn away from the city, and they began to strike [fn]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.

Jdg 20:32

Jdg 20:32The sons of Benjamin said, “They are [fn]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.”

Jdg 20:33

Jdg 20:33Then all the men of Israel arose from their place and arrayed themselves at Baal-tamar; and the men of Israel in ambush burst forth of their place, even out of Maareh-geba.

Jdg 20:34

Jdg 20:34Then 10,000 choice men from all Israel came against Gibeah, and the battle became heavy; but [fn]Benjamin did not know that [fn]calamity was [fn]about to reach them.

Jdg 20:35

Jdg 20:35Then Yahweh [fn]defeated Benjamin before Israel, so that the sons of Israel destroyed 25,100 men of Benjamin that day, all [fn]who drew the sword.

Jdg 20:36

So the sons^H1121 of Benjamin^H1144 saw^H7200 that they were [fn]defeated^H5062. Now the men^H376 of Israel^H3478 had given^H5414 [fn]ground^H4725 to Benjamin^H1144 because^H3588 they relied^H982 on the men in^H693 ambush^H693 whom^H834 they had set^H7760 against^H413 Gibeah^H1390.

Jdg 20:37

Jdg 20:37So 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.

Jdg 20:38

Jdg 20:38Now 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.

Jdg 20:39

Jdg 20:39So the men of Israel had turned around in the battle, and Benjamin had begun to strike [fn]and slay about thirty men of Israel, for they said, “Surely they are [fn]defeated before us, as in the first battle.”

Jdg 20:40

Jdg 20:40But the cloud began to rise from the city in a column of smoke, and Benjamin turned behind them; and behold, the whole city was going up in smoke to heaven.

Jdg 20:41

Jdg 20:41Then the men of Israel turned around again, and the men of Benjamin were dismayed; for they saw that [fn]calamity had [fn]reached them.

Jdg 20:42

Jdg 20:42Therefore, they turned their backs before the men of Israel 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.

Jdg 20:43

Jdg 20:43They surrounded Benjamin, pursued them without rest, and trod them down opposite Gibeah to the east toward the sunrise.

Jdg 20:44

Jdg 20:44Thus 18,000 men of Benjamin fell; all these were valiant men.

Jdg 20:45

Jdg 20:45 [fn]And the rest turned and fled toward the wilderness to the rock of Rimmon, but they [fn]caught 5,000 of them on the highways and overtook them [fn]at Gidom and struck down 2,000 of them.

Jdg 20:46

Jdg 20:46So all of Benjamin who fell that day were 25,000 men who drew the sword; all these were valiant men.

Jdg 20:47

Jdg 20:47But 600 men turned and fled toward the wilderness to the rock of Rimmon, and they remained at the rock of Rimmon four months.

Jdg 20:48

Jdg 20:48Now 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.