1
Then all the sons of Israel from Dan to Beersheba, including the land of Gilead, came out, and the congregationassembled as oneman to the LORD at Mizpah.
2
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**footsoldiers who drew the sword.
3
(Now the sons of Benjaminheard that the sons of Israel had gone up to Mizpah.) And the sons of Israelsaid, "Tell us, how did thiswickednesstakeplace?"
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 Gibeahwhich belongs to Benjamin.
5
"But the men of Gibeahrose up against me and surrounded the house at nightbecause of me. They intended to kill me; instead, they ravished my concubine so that she died.
6
"And I tookhold of my concubine and cut her in pieces and sent her throughout the land of Israel'sinheritance; for they have committed a lewd and disgracefulact in Israel.
10
"And we will take10men out of 100throughout the tribes of Israel, and 100 out of 1,000, and 1,000 out of 10,000* to supplyfood for the people, that when they come to Gibeah of Benjamin, they may punish them for all the disgracefulacts that they have committed in Israel."
13
"Now then, deliver up the men, the worthlessfellows in Gibeah, that we may put them to death and remove this wickedness from Israel." But the sons of Benjaminwould not listen to the voice of their brothers, the sons of Israel.
15
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*choicemen.
18
Now the sons of Israelarose, went up to Bethel, and inquired of God and said, "Who shall go up first for us to battleagainst the sons of Benjamin?" Then the LORDsaid, "Judah shall go up first."
23
The sons of Israelwent up and weptbefore the LORDuntilevening, and inquired of the LORD, saying, "Shall we againdrawnear for battleagainst the sons of my brotherBenjamin?" And the LORDsaid, "Go up against him."
26
Then all the sons of Israel and all the peoplewent up and came to Bethel and wept; thus they remainedtherebefore the LORD and fasted that dayuntilevening. And they offeredburntofferings and peaceofferingsbefore the LORD.
28
and Phinehas the son of Eleazar, Aaron'sson, stoodbefore it to minister in thosedays ), saying, "Shall I yetagaingo out to battleagainst the sons of my brotherBenjamin, or shall I cease?" And the LORDsaid, "Go up, for tomorrow I will deliver them into your hand."
31
The sons of Benjaminwent out against the people and were drawnaway from the city, and they began to strike and killsome of the people as at othertimes, on the highways, one of whichgoes up to Bethel and the other to Gibeah, and in the field, about thirtymen of Israel.
32
The sons of Benjaminsaid, "They are struckdownbefore us, as at the first." But the sons of Israelsaid, "Let us flee that we may draw them away from the city to the highways."
33
Then all the men of Israelarose from their place and arrayed themselves at Baal-tamar; and the men of Israel in ambushbroke out of their place, even out of Maareh-geba*.
36
So the sons of Benjaminsaw that they were defeated. When the men of Israelgaveground to Benjaminbecause they relied on the men in ambushwhom they had setagainstGibeah,
39
Then the men of Israelturned in the battle, and Benjaminbegan to strike and kill* about thirtymen of Israel, for they said, "Surely* they are defeatedbefore us, as in the firstbattle."
40
But when the cloudbegan to rise from the city in a column of smoke, Benjaminlookedbehind them; and behold, the wholecity was going up in smoke to heaven.
42
Therefore, they turned their backs before the men of Israeltoward the direction of the wilderness, but the battleovertook them while those who came out of the citiesdestroyed them in the midst of them.
45
The rest turned and fled toward the wilderness to the rock of Rimmon, but they caught5,000* of them on the highways and overtook them at Gidom and killed2,000 of them.
48
The men of Israel then turnedbackagainst the sons of Benjamin and struck them with the edge of the sword, both the entirecity with the cattle and all that they found; they alsoset on fireall the cities which they found.