1Then allthe sonsof Israelfrom Danto Beersheba,including the landof Gilead,cameout, and the congregationassembledas onemanto the LORDat Mizpah.2The chiefsof allthe people,[even] of allthe tribesof Israel,tooktheir standin the assemblyof the peopleof God,400000footsoldierswho drewthe sword.3(Now the sonsof Benjaminheardthat the sonsof Israelhad goneup to Mizpah.)And the sonsof Israelsaid,"Tell[us], howdid thiswickednesstakeplace?"4So the Levite,the husbandof the womanwho was murdered,answeredand said,"I camewith my concubineto spendthe nightat Gibeahwhichbelongs to Benjamin.5"But the menof Gibeahroseup againstme and surroundedthe houseat nightbecauseof me. They intendedto killme; instead, they ravishedmy concubineso that she died.6"And I tookholdof my concubineand cuther in piecesand senther throughoutthe landof Israel'sinheritance;for they have committeda lewdand disgracefulactin Israel.7"Behold,allyou sonsof Israel,giveyour adviceand counselhere."
8Then allthe peoplearoseas oneman,saying,"Not oneof us will goto his tent,norwill anyof us returnto his house.9"But nowthisis the thingwhichwe will doto Gibeah;[we will go up] againstit by lot.10"And we will take10menout of 100throughoutthe tribesof Israel,and 100out of 1,000,and 1,000out of 10,000to supplyfoodfor the people,that when they cometo Gibeahof Benjamin,they may punish[them] for allthe disgracefulactsthat they have committedin Israel."11Thus allthe menof Israelwere gatheredagainstthe city,unitedas oneman.
12Then the tribesof Israelsentmenthrough the entiretribeof Benjamin,saying,"Whatis thiswickednessthat has takenplaceamong you?13"Nowthen, deliverup the men,the worthlessfellowsin Gibeah,that we may putthem to deathand remove[this] wickednessfrom Israel."But the sonsof Benjaminwouldnot listento the voiceof their brothers,the sonsof Israel.14The sonsof Benjamingatheredfrom the citiesto Gibeah,to goout to battleagainstthe sonsof Israel.15From the citieson that daythe sonsof Benjaminwere numbered,26000menwho drawthe sword,besidesthe inhabitantsof Gibeahwho were numbered,700choicemen.16Out of allthesepeople700choicemenwere left-handed;eachonecould slinga stoneat a hairand not miss.
17Then the menof IsraelbesidesBenjaminwere numbered,400000menwho drawthe sword;allthesewere menof war.
18Now the sonsof Israelarose,wentup to Bethel,and inquiredof Godand said,"Whoshall goup firstfor us to battleagainstthe sonsof Benjamin?"Then the LORDsaid,"Judah[shall go up] first."
19So the sonsof Israelarosein the morningand campedagainstGibeah.20The menof Israelwentout to battleagainstBenjamin,and the menof Israelarrayedfor battleagainstthem at Gibeah.21Then the sonsof Benjamincameout of Gibeahand felledto the groundon that day22000menof Israel.22But the people,the menof Israel,encouragedthemselves and arrayedfor battleagainin the placewherethey had arrayedthemselves the firstday.23The sonsof Israelwentup and weptbeforethe LORDuntilevening,and inquiredof the LORD,saying,"Shall we againdrawnearfor battleagainstthe sonsof my brotherBenjamin?"And the LORDsaid,"Goup againsthim."
24Then the sonsof Israelcameagainstthe sonsof Benjaminthe secondday.25Benjaminwentout againstthem from Gibeahthe seconddayand felledto the groundagain18000menof the sonsof Israel;allthesedrewthe sword.26Then allthe sonsof Israeland allthe peoplewentup and cameto Betheland wept;thus they remainedtherebeforethe LORDand fastedthat dayuntilevening.And they offeredburntofferingsand peaceofferingsbeforethe LORD.27The sonsof Israelinquiredof the LORD(for the arkof the covenantof God[was] therein thosedays,28and Phinehasthe sonof Eleazar,Aaron'sson,stoodbeforeit to [minister] in thosedays),saying,"Shall I yetagaingoout to battleagainstthe sonsof my brotherBenjamin,orshall I cease?"And the LORDsaid,"Goup, for tomorrowI will deliverthem into your hand."
29So Israelsetmen in ambusharoundGibeah.30The sonsof Israelwentup againstthe sonsof Benjaminon the thirddayand arrayedthemselves againstGibeahas at othertimes.31The sonsof Benjaminwentout againstthe peopleand were drawnawayfrom the city,and they beganto strikeand killsomeof the peopleas at othertimes,on the highways,oneof whichgoesup to Betheland the otherto Gibeah,[and] in the field,about thirtymenof Israel.32The sonsof Benjaminsaid,"They are struckdownbeforeus, as at the first."But the sonsof Israelsaid,"Let us fleethat we may drawthem awayfrom the cityto the highways."33Then allthe menof Israelarosefrom their placeand arrayedthemselves at Baal-tamar;and the men of Israelin ambushbrokeout of their place,even out of Maareh-geba.34When tenthousandchoicemenfrom allIsraelcameagainstGibeah,the battlebecamefierce;but Benjamin did not knowthat disasterwas closeto them.35And the LORDstruckBenjaminbeforeIsrael,so that the sonsof Israeldestroyed25100menof Benjaminthat day,allwhodrawthe sword.
36So the sonsof Benjaminsawthat they were defeated.When the menof Israelgavegroundto Benjaminbecausethey reliedon the men in ambushwhomthey had setagainstGibeah,37the men in ambushhurriedand rushedagainstGibeah;the men in ambushalso deployedand struckallthe citywith the edgeof the sword.38Now the appointedsignbetween the menof Israeland the men in ambushwas that they would make a greatcloudof smokerisefrom the city.39Then the menof Israelturnedin the battle,and Benjaminbeganto strikeand killabout thirtymenof Israel,for they said,"Surelythey are defeatedbeforeus, as in the firstbattle."40But when the cloudbeganto risefrom the cityin a columnof smoke,Benjaminlookedbehindthem; and behold,the wholecitywas goingup [in smoke] to heaven.41Then the menof Israelturned,and the menof Benjaminwere terrified;for they sawthat disasterwas closeto them.42Therefore, they turnedtheir backs beforethe menof Israeltowardthe directionof the wilderness,but the battleovertookthem whilethose whocame out of the citiesdestroyedthem in the midstof them.43They surroundedBenjamin,pursuedthem without rest[and] trodthem downoppositeGibeahtowardthe east.44Thus 18,000menof Benjaminfell;allthesewere valiantwarriors.45The rest turnedand fledtoward the wildernessto the rockof Rimmon,but they caught5000of them on the highwaysand overtookthem at Gidomand killed2000of them.46So allof Benjaminwho fellthat daywere 25,000menwho drawthe sword;allthesewere valiantwarriors.47But 600menturnedand fledtoward the wildernessto the rockof Rimmon,and they remainedat the rockof Rimmonfourmonths.48The menof Israelthen turnedbackagainstthe sonsof Benjaminand struckthem with the edgeof the sword,boththe entirecitywith the cattleand allthat they found;they alsoseton fireallthe citieswhich they found.
