Then all the children{H1121} of Israel{H3478} went out,{H3318} and the congregation{H5712} was assembled{H6950} as one{H259} man,{H376} from Dan{H1835} even to Beer-sheba,{H884} with the land{H776} of Gilead,{H1568} unto Jehovah{H3068} at Mizpah.{H4709}

And the chiefs{H6438} of all the people,{H5971} even of all the tribes{H7626} of Israel,{H3478} presented{H3320} themselves in the assembly{H6951} of the people{H5971} of God,{H430} four{H702} hundred{H3967} thousand{H505} footmen{H376} that drew{H8025} sword.{H2719}

(Now the children{H1121} of Benjamin{H1144} heard{H8085} that the children{H1121} of Israel{H3478} were gone up{H5927} to Mizpah.){H4709} And the children{H1121} of Israel{H3478} said,{H559} Tell{H1696} us, how was{H1961} this wickedness{H7451} brought to pass?

And the Levite,{H3881} the husband{H376} of the woman{H802} that was murdered,{H7523} answered{H6030} and said,{H559} I came{H935} into Gibeah{H1390} that belongeth to Benjamin,{H1144} I and my concubine,{H6370} to lodge.{H3885}

And the men{H1167} of Gibeah{H1390} rose{H6965} against me, and beset{H5437} the house{H1004} round about{H5437} me by night;{H3915} me they thought{H1819} to have slain,{H2026} and my concubine{H6370} they forced,{H6031} and she is dead.{H4191}

And I took{H270} my concubine,{H6370} and cut her in pieces,{H5408} and sent{H7971} her throughout all the country{H7704} of the inheritance{H5159} of Israel;{H3478} for they have committed{H6213} lewdness{H2154} and folly{H5039} in Israel.{H3478}

Behold, ye children{H1121} of Israel,{H3478} all of you, give{H3051} here{H1988} your advice{H1697} and counsel.{H6098}

And all the people{H5971} arose{H6965} as one{H259} man,{H376} saying,{H559} We will not any{H376} of us go{H3212} to his tent,{H168} neither will we any{H376} of us turn{H5493} unto his house.{H1004}

But now this is the thing{H1697} which we will do{H6213} to Gibeah:{H1390} [we will go up] against it by lot;{H1486}

and we will take{H3947} ten{H6235} men{H582} of a hundred{H3967} throughout all the tribes{H7626} of Israel,{H3478} and a hundred{H3967} of a thousand,{H505} and a thousand{H505} out of ten thousand,{H7233} to fetch{H3947} victuals{H6720} for the people,{H5971} that they may do,{H6213} when they come{H935} to Gibeah{H1387} of Benjamin,{H1144} according to all the folly{H5039} that they have wrought{H6213} in Israel.{H3478}

So all the men{H376} of Israel{H3478} were gathered{H622} against the city,{H5892} knit together{H2270} as one{H259} man.{H376}

And the tribes{H7626} of Israel{H3478} sent{H7971} men{H582} through all the tribe{H7626} of Benjamin,{H1144} saying,{H559} What wickedness{H7451} is this that is come{H1961} to pass among you?

Now therefore deliver{H5414} up the men,{H582} the base{H1100} fellows,{H1121} that are in Gibeah,{H1390} that we may put them to death,{H4191} and put away{H1197} evil{H7451} from Israel.{H3478} But Benjamin{H1144} {H1121} would{H14} not hearken{H8085} to the voice{H6963} of their brethren{H251} the children{H1121} of Israel.{H3478}

And the children{H1121} of Benjamin{H1144} gathered themselves together{H622} out of the cities{H5892} unto Gibeah,{H1390} to go out{H3318} to battle{H4421} against the children{H1121} of Israel.{H3478}

And the children{H1121} of Benjamin{H1144} were numbered{H6485} on that day{H3117} out of the cities{H5892} twenty{H6242} and six{H8337} thousand{H505} men{H376} that drew{H8025} sword,{H2719} besides the inhabitants{H3427} of Gibeah,{H1390} who were numbered{H6485} seven{H7651} hundred{H3967} chosen{H977} men.{H376}

Among all this people{H5971} there were seven{H7651} hundred{H3967} chosen{H977} men{H376} lefthanded;{H3027} every one could sling{H7049} stones{H68} at a hair-breadth,{H8185} and not miss.{H2398}

And the men{H376} of Israel,{H3478} besides Benjamin,{H1144} were numbered{H6485} four{H702} hundred{H3967} thousand{H505} men{H376} that drew{H8025} sword:{H2719} all these were men{H376} of war.{H4421}

And the children{H1121} of Israel{H3478} arose,{H6965} and went up{H5927} to {H1004} Beth-el,{H430} and asked{H7592} counsel of God;{H430} and they said,{H559} Who{H4310} shall go up{H5927} for us first{H8462} to battle{H4421} against the children{H1121} of Benjamin?{H1144} And Jehovah{H3068} said,{H559} Judah{H3063} [shall go up] first.{H8462}

And the children{H1121} of Israel{H3478} rose up{H6965} in the morning,{H1242} and encamped{H2583} against Gibeah.{H1390}

And the men{H376} of Israel{H3478} went out{H3318} to battle{H4421} against Benjamin;{H1144} and the men{H376} of Israel{H3478} set the battle{H4421} in array{H6186} against them at Gibeah.{H1390}

And the children{H1121} of Benjamin{H1144} came forth{H3318} out of Gibeah,{H1390} and destroyed down{H7843} to the ground{H776} of the Israelites{H3478} on that day{H3117} twenty{H6242} and two{H8147} thousand{H505} men.{H376}

And the people,{H5971} the men{H376} of Israel,{H3478} encouraged{H2388} themselves, and set the battle{H4421} again{H3254} in array{H6186} in the place{H4725} where they set themselves in array{H6186} the first{H7223} day.{H3117}

And the children{H1121} of Israel{H3478} went up{H5927} and wept{H1058} before{H6440} Jehovah{H3068} until even;{H6153} and they asked{H7592} of Jehovah,{H3068} saying,{H559} Shall I again{H3254} draw{H5066} nigh to battle{H4421} against the children{H1121} of Benjamin{H1144} my brother?{H251} And Jehovah{H3068} said,{H559} Go up{H5927} against him.

And the children{H1121} of Israel{H3478} came near{H7126} against the children{H1121} of Benjamin{H1144} the second{H8145} day.{H3117}

And Benjamin{H1144} went forth{H3318} against{H7125} them out of Gibeah{H1390} the second{H8145} day,{H3117} and destroyed down{H7843} to the ground{H776} of the children{H1121} of Israel{H3478} again eighteen{H8083} thousand{H505} men;{H376} all these drew{H8025} the sword.{H2719}

Then all the children{H1121} of Israel,{H3478} and all the people,{H5971} went up,{H5927} and came{H935} unto {H1004} Beth-el,{H430} and wept,{H1058} and sat{H3427} there before{H6440} Jehovah,{H3068} and fasted{H6684} that day{H3117} until even;{H6153} and they offered{H5927} burnt-offerings{H5930} and peace-offerings{H5930} before{H6440} Jehovah.{H3068}

And the children{H1121} of Israel{H3478} asked{H7592} of Jehovah{H3068} (for the ark{H727} of the covenant{H1285} of God{H430} was there in those days,{H3117}

and Phinehas,{H6372} the son{H1121} of Eleazar,{H499} the son{H1121} of Aaron,{H175} stood{H5975} before{H6440} it in those days),{H3117} saying,{H559} Shall I yet again{H3254} go out{H3318} to battle{H4421} against the children{H1121} of Benjamin{H1144} my brother,{H251} or shall I cease?{H2308} And Jehovah{H3068} said,{H559} Go up;{H5927} for to-morrow{H4279} I will deliver{H5414} him into thy hand.{H3027}

And Israel{H3478} set{H7760} liers-in-wait{H693} against Gibeah{H1390} round about.{H5439}

And the children{H1121} of Israel{H3478} went up{H5927} against the children{H1121} of Benjamin{H1144} on the third{H7992} day,{H3117} and set themselves in array{H6186} against Gibeah,{H1390} as at other times.{H6471}

And the children{H1121} of Benjamin{H1144} went out{H3318} against{H7125} the people,{H5971} and were drawn away{H5423} from the city;{H5892} and they began{H2490} to smite{H5221} and kill{H2491} of the people,{H5971} as at other times,{H6471} in the highways,{H4546} of which one{H259} goeth up{H5927} to {H1004} Beth-el,{H430} and the other{H259} to Gibeah,{H1390} in the field,{H7704} about thirty{H7970} men{H376} of Israel.{H3478}

And the children{H1121} of Benjamin{H1144} said,{H559} They are smitten down{H5062} before{H6440} us, as at the first.{H7223} But the children{H1121} of Israel{H3478} said,{H559} Let us flee,{H5127} and draw{H5423} them away from the city{H5892} unto the highways.{H4546}

And all the men{H376} of Israel{H3478} rose up{H6965} out of their place,{H4725} and set themselves in array{H6186} at Baal-tamar:{H1193} and the liers-in-wait{H693} of Israel{H3478} brake forth{H1518} out of their place,{H4725} even out of {H4629} Maareh-geba.{H1387}

And there came{H935} over against{H5048} Gibeah{H1390} ten{H6235} thousand{H505} chosen{H977} men{H376} out of all Israel,{H3478} and the battle{H4421} was sore;{H3513} but they knew{H3045} not that evil{H7451} was close{H5060} upon them.

And Jehovah{H3068} smote{H5062} Benjamin{H1144} before{H6440} Israel;{H3478} and the children{H1121} of Israel{H3478} destroyed{H7843} of Benjamin{H1145} that day{H3117} twenty{H6242} and five{H2568} thousand{H505} and a hundred{H3967} men:{H376} all these drew{H8025} the sword.{H2719}

So the children{H1121} of Benjamin{H1144} saw{H7200} that they were smitten;{H5062} for the men{H376} of Israel{H3478} gave{H5414} place{H4725} to Benjamin,{H1145} because they trusted{H982} unto the liers-in-wait{H693} whom they had set{H7760} against Gibeah.{H1390}

And the liers-in-wait{H693} hasted,{H2363} and rushed{H6584} upon Gibeah;{H1390} and the liers-in-wait{H693} drew themselves along,{H4900} and smote{H5221} all the city{H5892} with the edge{H6310} of the sword.{H2719}

Now the appointed sign{H4150} between the men{H376} of Israel{H3478} and{H5973} the liers-in-wait{H693} was, that they should make a great{H7235} cloud{H4864} of smoke{H6227} rise up{H5927} out of the city.{H5892}

And the men{H376} of Israel{H3478} turned{H2015} in the battle,{H4421} and Benjamin{H1144} began{H2490} to smite{H5221} and kill{H2491} of the men{H376} of Israel{H3478} about thirty{H7970} persons;{H376} for they said,{H559} Surely{H5062} they are smitten down{H5062} before{H6440} us, as in the first{H7223} battle.{H4421}

But when the cloud{H4864} began{H2490} to arise up{H5927} out of the city{H5892} in a pillar{H5982} of smoke,{H6227} the Benjamites{H1145} looked{H6437} behind{H310} them; and, behold, the whole of the city{H5892} went up{H5927} [in smoke]{H3632} to heaven.{H8064}

And the men{H376} of Israel{H3478} turned,{H2015} and the men{H376} of Benjamin{H1144} were dismayed;{H926} for they saw{H7200} that evil{H7451} was come{H5060} upon them.

Therefore they turned{H6437} their backs before{H6440} the men{H376} of Israel{H3478} unto the way{H1870} of the wilderness;{H4057} but the battle{H4421} followed{H1692} hard after them; and they that came out of the cities{H5892} destroyed{H7843} them in the midst{H8432} thereof.

They inclosed{H3803} the Benjamites{H1145} round about,{H3803} [and] chased{H7291} them, [and] trod them down{H1869} at [their] resting-place,{H4496} as far as over against{H5227} Gibeah{H1390} toward the sunrising.{H4217}

And there fell{H5307} of Benjamin{H1144} eighteen{H8083} thousand{H505} men;{H376} all these [were] men{H582} of valor.{H2428}

And they turned{H6437} and fled{H5127} toward the wilderness{H4057} unto the rock{H5553} of Rimmon:{H7417} and they gleaned{H5953} of them in the highways{H4546} five{H2568} thousand{H505} men,{H376} and followed{H1692} hard after{H310} them unto Gidom,{H1440} and smote{H5221} of them two thousand{H505} men.{H376}

So that all who fell{H5307} that day{H3117} of Benjamin{H1144} were twenty{H6242} and five{H2568} thousand{H505} men{H376} that drew{H8025} the sword;{H2719} all these [were] men{H582} of valor.{H2428}

But six{H8337} hundred{H3967} men{H376} turned{H6437} and fled{H5127} toward the wilderness{H4057} unto the rock{H5553} of Rimmon,{H7417} and abode{H3427} in the rock{H5553} of Rimmon{H7417} four{H702} months.{H2320}

And the men{H376} of Israel{H3478} turned again{H7725} upon the children{H1121} of Benjamin,{H1144} and smote{H5221} them with the edge{H6310} of the sword,{H2719} both the entire{H4974} city,{H5892} and{H5704} the cattle,{H929} and all that they found:{H4672} moreover all the cities{H5892} which they found{H4672} they set{H7971} on fire.{H784}