Judges 20:1-21 ▼

1 THEN all the children of Israel went out, and the congregation gathered together as one man from Dan to Beer-sheba, to the land of Gilead, to the LORD in Mizpeh.

2 And the chiefs of all the families 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 could draw sword.

3 (Now the Benjamites heard that the children of Israel were gone up to Mizpeh.) Then said the children of Israel, Tell us, how did this wickedness happen?

4 And the Levite, the husband of the woman who was killed, answered and said to them, I came into Gibeah, that belongs to Benjamin, I and my concubine, to spend the night.

5 And the men of Gibeah rose against me, and beset me in the house during the night, and they sought to kill me; and they raped my concubine, and she died.

6 And I took my concubine, and cut her in pieces, and sent them throughout all the country of the inheritance of Israel; for they had committed sin and wickedness in Israel.

7 Behold, you are all here, O children of Israel, give an answer and counsel concerning this crime.

8 And all the people arose as one man, saying, We will not any of us go to our tents, neither shall any one of us turn aside to go to his house.

9 But now this will be the thing which we shall do to Gibeah; we will draw lots against it;

10 We will take ten men of a hundred throughout all the tribes of Israel, and a hundred of a thousand, and a thousand out of ten thousand, to take provisions for the people, who cross over against Gibeah of Benjamin, to do to it according to all the wickedness which they have committed in Israel.

11 So all the men of Israel were gathered against the city, agreeing together as one man.

12 And the tribes of Israel sent men through all the tribe of Benjamin, saying, What wickedness is this that has been done among you?

13 Now therefore deliver up the wicked men, who are in Gibeah, that we may put them to death, and put away evil from Israel. But the Benjamites would not listen to the voice of their brethren, the children of Israel;

14 But all the Benjamites gathered themselves together in Gibeah from their cities, to go out to battle against the children of Israel.

15 And the Benjamites were numbered in that day out of the cities twenty-six thousand men that drew sword, besides the inhabitants of Gibeah, who were numbered seven hundred chosen men.

16 Among all these people there were seven hundred chosen men who were lefthanded; every one of them could sling stones at an hairbreadth, and not miss.

17 And the men of Israel, as compared with the Benjamites, were numbered four hundred thousand men that drew sword; all these were men of war.

18 And the children of Israel arose and went up to Beth-el, and inquired of God, and said, Which of us shall go up first to battle against the Benjamites? And the LORD said, Judah shall go first.

19 And the children of Israel rose up in the morning and encamped against Gibeah.

20 And the Benjamites went out of Gibeah to battle against Israel, and arrayed themselves against Israel; and the men of Israel put themselves in array to fight against them at Gibeah.

21 And the Benjamites came forth out of Gibeah, and put themselves in array against Israel, and left dead on the ground that day twenty-two thousand men of the children of Israel.