Judges 20:1-21 ▼

1 Then all the chyldren of Israel went out, and the congregation was gathered together as one man, euen from Dan to Beerseba, with the lande of Gilead, vnto the Lorde in Mispah.

2 And there assembled the chiefe men of all the people, and of all the tribes of Israel, in the congregation of the people of God, foure hundred thousande footemen that drewe swordes.

3 (Now the chyldren of Beniamin heard that the chyldren of Israel were gone vp to Mispah) Then sayde the chyldren of Israel: Tell vs howe this wickednes is committed?

4 And the Leuite the womans husband that was slayne, aunswered and saide: I came into Gibea that is in Beniamin with my concubine, to lodge all nyght:

5 And the men of Gibea rose against me, and beset the house rounde about vpon me by night, & thought to haue slayne me, and my concubyne haue they forced, that she is dead.

6 And I toke my concubine, & cut her in peeces, and sent her throughout all the countrey of the inheritaunce of Israel: For they haue committed abhomination and villanie in Israel.

7 Beholde ye are all children of Israel, geue your aduice and counsel herein.

8 And all the people arose as one man, saying: There shal not a man of vs go to his tent, neither turne into his house.

9 But this shalbe it that we will do to Gibea: we will go vp by lot against it:

10 And we will take ten men of the hundred throughout all the tribes of Israel, and an hundred of the thousande, and a thousand out of ten thousand, to fetch vitayle for the people, that they may do when they come to Gibea Beniamin, according to all the abhomination that they haue wrought in Israel.

11 And so all the men of Israel gathered together against the citie, knyt together as one man.

12 And the tribes of Israel sent men thorowe all the tribe of Beniamin, saying: What wickednesse is this that is committed among you?

13 Nowe therfore deliuer vs the men, those children of belial whiche are in Gibea, that we may slea them, and put away euill from Israel.

14 Neuerthelater, the children of Beniamin would not hearke vnto the voyce of their brethren the children of Israel: But the children of Beniamin gathered the selues together out of the cities vnto Gibea, to come out and fight agaynst the children of Israel.

15 And the children of Beniamin were numbred at that time out of the cities, twentie & sixe thousand men that drewe swordes, besyde the inhabitauntes of Gibea, which were numbred seuen hundred chosen men.

16 And among all these folke, were seuen hundred chosen men beyng left handed, whiche euery one coulde flyng stones at an heere breadth, and not misse.

17 And the children of Israel beside Beniamin, were numbred foure hundred thousand men that drewe swordes, and were all men of warre.

18 And the children of Israel arose, and wet vp to the house of God, and asked of God, saying: Whiche of vs shall go vp first to the battel against the children of Beniamin? And the Lorde sayd: Iuda shall begin.

19 And the children of Israel stoode vp early, and camped against Gibea.

20 And the men of Israel went out to battell against Beniamin, and the men of Israel put the selues in aray to fight against them, beside Gibea.

21 And the children of Beniamin came out of Gibea, and destroyed downe to the ground of the Israelites that day twentie and two thousand men.