 1 Then all the children of Israel went out and the congregation was gathered together as one, from Dan to Beersheba, with the land of Gilead to the Lord in Mizpeh. 2 The leaders of all the people, of all the tribes of Israel, presented themselves in the assembly of the people of God, 400,000 soldiers+ who drew sword. 3 The children of Benjamin heard that the children of Israel had gone up to Mizpeh. The children of Israel said, Speak. How did this evil happen? 4 The Levite, the husband of the woman who was slain, said, I came into Gibeah of Benjamin to stay the night, my concubine and I. 5 The men of Gibeah rose against me and set upon the house all around me at night. They intended to kill me. They abused+ my concubine, and she is dead. 6 I took my concubine and cut her in pieces, and sent her throughout all the land of the inheritance of Israel. For they have committed evil and folly in Israel. 7 Behold, you are all children of Israel. Give here your advice and counsel. 8 All people rose as one man saying, Let no man go to his tent, and do not let any of us turn to his house. 9 Now this is the thing that we will do to Gibeah, going against it by lot. 10 and we will take ten men of 100 of all the tribes of Israel, and 100 of a thousand, and a thousand out of 10,000, to bring food for the people, so that when they come to Gibeah of Benjamin, they may do according to all the folly that they have done in Israel. 11 Every man of Israel was gathered against the city, all together as one man. 12 The tribes of Israel sent men through all the tribe of Benjamin saying, What wickedness is this that is done among you? 13 Now, therefore, deliver the men, the sons of Belial, who are in Gibeah, so that we may put them to death and put away evil from Israel. But Benjamin would not listen to the voice of their brothers, the children of Israel. 14 The children of Benjamin gathered out of the cities to Gibeah, to go out to battle against the children of Israel. 15 The children of Benjamin were numbered on that day out of the cities 26,000 men who drew sword, besides the inhabitants of Gibeah, who were numbered 700 chosen men. 16 Among all this people were 700 chosen men, left handed. Every one could sling stones at a hair's width, and not miss. 17 The men of Israel, besides Benjamin, were numbered 400,000 men who drew sword. All these were men of war. 18 The children of Israel arose and went to the house of God and asked counsel of God and said, Which of us shall go up first to the battle against the children of Benjamin? The Lord said, Judah first. 19 The children of Israel rose early in the morning, and camped against Gibeah. 20 The men of Israel went to battle against Benjamin. The men of Israel put themselves in order, ready to fight against them at Gibeah 21 The children of Benjamin came forth out of Gibeah and destroyed to the earth 22,000 men of the Israelites that day. 22 The people, the men of Israel, encouraged themselves and set their battle in order again in the place where they put themselves in order the first day. 23 The children of Israel wept before the Lord until evening and asked counsel from the Lord saying, Shall I go again to battle against the children of Benjamin my brother? The Lord said, Go against him. 24 The children of Israel came near against the children of Benjamin the second day. 25 Benjamin went forth to meet them again from Gibeah the second day and again destroyed to the earth 18,000 men of the children of Israel. All these drew the sword. 26 All the children of Israel and all the people came into the house of God and wept and sat there before the Lord and fasted that day until evening and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the Lord. 27 The children of Israel inquired of the Lord for the ark of the covenant of God was there in those days, 28 Phinehas the son of Eleazar the son of Aaron stood before it in those days saying, Shall I yet again go out to battle against the children of Benjamin my brother, or shall I stop? The Lord said, Go up, for tomorrow I will deliver them to you. 29 Israel set ambushers all around Gibeah. 30 The children of Israel went against the children of Benjamin on the third day, and put themselves in order against Gibeah, as at other times. 31 The children of Benjamin went out against the people, and were drawn away from the city. They began to strike some of the people and to kill, as at other times, in the highways, one of which goes up to the house of God, and the other to Gibeah in the field, about 30 men of Israel. 32 The children of Benjamin said, They are beaten before us as at the first. But the children of Israel said, Let us flee and draw them from the city to the highways. 33 All the men of Israel rose out of their place and marshalled at Baaltamar. The ambush of Israel broke forth from their place, from the plains of Gibeah. 34 There came against Gibeah 10,000 chosen men out of all Israel, and the battle was heavy. But they did not know that evil was near them. 35 The Lord struck Benjamin before Israel. The children of Israel destroyed in Benjamin 25,100 men that day. All these drew the sword. 36 So the children of Benjamin saw that they were beaten. For the men of Israel gave place to Benjamin because they trusted to the ambush that they had set against Gibeah. 37 The ambush hurried and rushed against Gibeah. The ambush marched and struck all the city with the edge of the sword. 38 A sign was set between the men of Israel and the ambush, caused go up a great smoke rising up from the city. 39 When the men of Israel retired in the battle, Benjamin began to strike and kill of the men of Israel about 30 persons. For they said, Surely they are stricken down before us as in the first battle. 40 The rising of a pillar of smoke began to go up out of the city. And Benjamin turned behind them, and behold, the whole city had gone up toward the heavens. 41 The men of Israel turned again, and the men of Benjamin were amazed. For they saw that evil had touched them. 42 They turned before the men of Israel, to the way of the wilderness. But the battle overtook them. And those who came out of the cities they destroyed in the midst of them. 43 They encircled Benjamin and they chased them without rest, and trod them down until they were against Gibeah toward the sunrise. 44 There fell from Benjamin 18,000. All these were men of war. 45 They turned and fled toward the wilderness to the rock of Rimmon. They gleaned of them in the highways 5,000 men, and pursued hard after them to Gidom and killed 2,000 men of them. 46 So that all who fell that day of Benjamin were 25,000 men who drew the sword. All of these were men of war. 47 But 600 men turned and fled to the wilderness, to the rock Rimmon, and they stayed in the rock Rimmon four months. 48 The children of Israel turned again to the children of Benjamin and struck them with the edge of the sword, from the entire city to livestock, to all that was found. Also they set on fire all the cities that they came to.
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