1 Then 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 Loʀᴅ at A1 Sam 7:5Mizpah. 2 The 1Lit cornerstoneschiefs 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 2Lit mensoldiers AJudg 8:10who 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 AJudg 19:22men of Gibeah rose up against me and surrounded the house at night because of me. They intended to kill me; instead, they BJudg 19:25fravished my concubine so that she died. 6  “And I AJudg 19:29took hold of my concubine and cut her in pieces and sent her throughout the land of Israel’s inheritance; for BGen 34:7; Josh 7:15they have committed a lewd and disgraceful act in Israel. 7  “Behold, all you sons of Israel, AJudg 19:30give your advice and counsel here.”

8 Then 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. 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 10 men out of 100 throughout the tribes of Israel, and 100 out of 1,000, and 1,000 out of 10,000 to 1Lit takesupply food for the people, that when they come to 2Heb GebaGibeah of Benjamin, they may 3Lit dopunish them for all the disgraceful acts that they have committed in Israel.” 11 Thus all the men of Israel were gathered against the city, united as one man.

12 Then the tribes of Israel sent men through the entire 1Lit tribestribe of Benjamin, saying, “What is this wickedness that has taken place among you? 13  “Now then, deliver up the men, the 1Lit sons of BelialA2 Cor 6:15worthless fellows in Gibeah, that we may put them to death and BDeut 13:5; 17:12; 1 Cor 5:13remove this wickedness from Israel.” But the sons of Benjamin would not listen to the voice of their brothers, the sons of Israel. 14 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 ANum 1:36, 37; 2:23; 26:41sons of Benjamin were 1Or musterednumbered, 26,000 men who draw the sword, besides the inhabitants of Gibeah who were 1Or musterednumbered, 700 choice men. 16 Out of all these people 700 AJudg 3:15; 1 Chr 12:2choice 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 1Or musterednumbered, 400,000 men who draw the sword; all these were men of war.

18 Now the sons of Israel arose, went up to Bethel, and ANum 27:21; Judg 20:23, 27inquired of God and said, “Who shall go up first for us to battle against the sons of Benjamin?” Then the Loʀᴅ said, “Judah shall go up first.”

19 So the sons of Israel arose in the morning and camped against Gibeah. 20 The men of Israel went out to battle against Benjamin, and the men of Israel arrayed for battle against them at Gibeah. 21 Then the sons of Benjamin came out of Gibeah and 1Lit destroyedAJudg 20:25felled to the ground on that day 22,000 men of Israel. 22 But the people, the men of Israel, encouraged themselves and arrayed for battle again in the place where they had arrayed themselves the first day. 23 AJosh 7:6, 7The sons of Israel went up and wept before the Loʀᴅ until evening, and BJudg 20:18inquired of the Loʀᴅ, saying, “Shall we again draw near for battle against the sons of my brother Benjamin?” And the Loʀᴅ said, “Go up against him.”

24 Then the sons of Israel 1Lit approachedcame against the sons of Benjamin the second day. 25 Benjamin went out 1Lit to meetagainst them from Gibeah the second day and 2Lit destroyedfelled to the ground again 18,000 men of the sons of Israel; all these drew the sword. 26 Then AJudg 20:23; 21:2all the sons of Israel and all the people went up and came to Bethel and wept; thus they remained there before the Loʀᴅ and fasted that day until evening. And they offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the Loʀᴅ. 27 The sons of Israel AJudg 20:18inquired of the Loʀᴅ (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 cease?” And the Loʀᴅ said, “Go up, AJudg 7:9for tomorrow I will deliver them into your hand.”

29 AJosh 8:4So Israel set men in ambush around Gibeah. 30 The sons of Israel went up against the sons of Benjamin on the third day and arrayed themselves against Gibeah as at other times. 31 AJosh 8:16The sons of Benjamin went out 1Lit to meetagainst the people and were drawn away from the city, and they began to strike 2Lit slain onesand 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. 32 The 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.” 33 Then all the men of Israel arose from their place and arrayed themselves at Baal-tamar; AJosh 8:19and the men of Israel in ambush broke out of their place, even out of Maareh-geba. 34 When ten thousand choice men from all Israel came against Gibeah, the battle became 1Lit heavyfierce; AJosh 8:14; Job 21:13but 2Lit theyBenjamin did not know that 3Lit evildisaster was 4Lit touchingclose to them. 35 And the Loʀᴅ struck Benjamin before Israel, so that the sons of Israel destroyed 25,100 men of Benjamin that day, all 1Lit thesewho draw the sword.

36 So the sons of Benjamin saw that they were 1Lit smittendefeated. AJosh 8:15When the men of Israel gave 2Lit placeground to Benjamin because they relied on the men in ambush whom they had set against Gibeah, 37 AJosh 8:19the 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 appointed sign between the men of Israel and the men in ambush was AJosh 8:20that 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 1Lit slain onesand kill about thirty men of Israel, AJudg 20:32for they said, “Surely they are 2Lit smittendefeated 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 AJosh 8:20behind them; and behold, the whole 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 1Lit evilAProv 5:22; 11:5, 6; 29:6disaster was 2Lit touchingclose to them. 42 Therefore, they turned their backs before the men of Israel AJosh 8:15, 24toward 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. 43 AHos 9:9; 10:9They surrounded Benjamin, pursued them without rest and trod them down opposite Gibeah toward the 1Lit sunriseeast. 44 Thus 18,000 men of Benjamin fell; all these were valiant warriors. 45 1So with Gr; Heb And theyThe rest turned and fled toward the wilderness to the rock of AJudg 21:13Rimmon, but they 2Lit gleanedcaught 5,000 of them on the highways and overtook them 3Lit as far asat Gidom and 4Lit smotekilled 2,000 of them. 46 So all of Benjamin who fell that day were 25,000 men who draw the sword; all these were valiant warriors. 47 But 600 men turned and fled toward the wilderness to the rock of Rimmon, and they remained at the rock of Rimmon 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.