Judges 20:1-21 ▼

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 Yahweh at Mizpah.

2 And the 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 soldiers who draw the sword.

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?”

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 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.

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.

7 Behold, all you sons of Israel, give 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 turn aside 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 in order to take up provisions for the people, that when they come to Gibeah of Benjamin, they may do to them according to all the disgraceful acts that they have done 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 tribe of Benjamin, saying, “What is this evil that has taken place among you?

13 So now, give up the men, the 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.

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

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

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

17 And the men of Israel besides Benjamin were numbered, 400,000 men who draw the sword; all these were men of war.

18 Then the sons of Israel arose, went up to Bethel, and asked of God and said, “Who shall go up for us to begin the battle against the sons of Benjamin?” Then Yahweh said, “Judah shall begin it.”

19 So the sons of Israel arose in the morning and camped against Gibeah.

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

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