The Decree of the Assembly

1And all the sons of Israel came out, and the congregation gathered together as one man from Dan and to Beersheba, and from the land of Gilead, before YHWH at Mizpah. 2And the leaders of all the people, all the tribes of Israel, stationed themselves in the assembly of the people of God: Four hundred thousand soldiers, foot soldiers who drew the sword. 3And 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 wicked thing happen?”

4And the Levite, the husband of the woman who was murdered, answered and said, “Into Gibeah, which is to Benjamin, I and my concubine came to lodge. 5And arose against me the masters of Gibeah, and they surrounded the house against me at night. They intended to kill me, and instead my concubine they ravished, so that she died. 6And I took hold of my concubine and cut her in pieces and sent her throughout all the territory of the inheritance of Israel, because they had committed lewdness and outrage in Israel. 7Behold, all you⁺ sons of Israel, give for you⁺ a word and counsel here.”

8And all the people arose as one man, saying, “Not a man will go to his tent, nor will a man turn back to his house. 9And this is the thing that we will do to Gibeah, against it by lot. 10And we will take ten men of a hundred throughout all the tribes of Israel, and a hundred of a thousand, and a thousand of a myriad, to make provisions for the people, that they may repay when they come to Gibeah† in Benjamin, according to all the vileness that they have done in Israel.”

11And all the men of Israel were gathered against the city as one man united. 12And the tribes of Israel sent men through all the tribes of Benjamin, saying, “What is this wickedness that has occurred among you⁺? 13And now deliver up the men, the sons of worthlessness, who are in Gibeah, that we may put them to death and remove the evil from Israel.”

And the Benjamite were not willing to listen to the voice of their brothers, the sons of Israel. 14And the sons of Benjamin gathered together from their cities to Gibeah to go out to battle against the sons of Israel. 15And the sons of Benjamin numbered at that time from their cities twenty-six thousand men who drew the sword, besides those dwelling in Gibeah, who numbered seven hundred select men. 16Among all this people were seven hundred select men, restricted of right hand, each of these slinging with a stone at a hair and not missing.

17And the men of Israel mobilized themselves, apart from Benjamin, four hundred thousand men who drew the sword, each of these a man of war.

Civil War against Benjamin

18And they arose and went up to Bethel and inquired of God, and the sons of Israel said, “Who shall go up of us first into battle against the sons of Benjamin?”

And YHWH said, “Judah first.”

19And the sons of Israel rose in the morning and encamped against Gibeah. 20And the men of Israel went out to battle against Benjamin, and the men of Israel arrayed themselves to fight at Gibeah.

21And the sons of Benjamin came out from Gibeah and they destroyed in Israel on that day two and twenty thousand men to the ground.

22And the people, the men of Israel, strengthened themselves and added to array the battle line at the place where they had arrayed on the first day. 23And the sons of Israel went up and wept before the face of YHWH until the evening, and they inquired of YHWH, saying, “Shall I add to draw near for the battle against the sons of Benjamin my brother?”

And YHWH said, “Go up against him.”

24And the sons of Israel approached to the sons of Benjamin on the second day. 25And Benjamin went out against them from Gibeah on the second day, and they cut down from the sons of Israel another eighteen thousand men to the ground, all these drawing the sword.

26And all the sons of Israel went up, and all the people, and they came to Bethel and wept. And they sat there before the face of YHWH and fasted that day until the evening, and they offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the face of YHWH. 27And the sons of Israel inquired of YHWH, and was there the ark of the covenant of God in those days. 28And Phinehas son of Eleazar son of Aaron stood before it in those days, saying, “Shall I add again to go out into battle against the sons of Benjamin my brother, or shall I cease?”

And YHWH said, “Go up, for tomorrow I will give them into your hand.”

29And Israel set those lying in wait to Gibeah all around. 30And the sons of Israel went up against the sons of Benjamin on the third day, and they arrayed against Gibeah as time upon time. 31And the sons of Benjamin went out against the people, and they were drawn away from the city. And they began to strike down some of the people and kill some, as time upon time, in the highways, of which one goes up to Bethel and one to Gibeah, and in the field, about thirty men of Israel.

32And the sons of Benjamin said, “They are struck down before us as at first.”

And the sons of Israel said, “Let us flee and draw them away from the city to the highways.”

33And all the men of Israel rose from their place, and arrayed at Baal-tamar, and those lying in wait of Israel burst forth from their place on the west of Gibeah.† 34And came over against Gibeah ten thousand select men from all Israel, and the battle was fierce. And they did not know that evil was upon them. 35And YHWH defeated Benjamin before the face of Israel, and the sons of Israel destroyed in Benjamin that day twenty-five thousand and a hundred men, all these drawing the sword. 36And the sons of Benjamin saw that they were defeated.

And the men of Israel had given ground to Benjamin, because they trusted in those lying in wait whom they had set against Gibeah. 37And those lying in wait quickly rushed upon Gibeah, and those lying in wait spread out and struck all the city with the mouth of the sword.

38And there was a signal between the men of Israel and between those lying in wait, that they would make a great cloud of smoke rise up from the city, 39and the men of Israel would turn in the battle.

And Benjamin had begun to strike and kill of the men of Israel—about thirty men—for they said, “Surely he is utterly struck before us, as in the first battle.” 40And the cloud began to rise from the city in a column of smoke, and Benjamin looked behind them, and there was going up all the city to the heavens.

41And the men of Israel turned back, and the men of Benjamin were alarmed, for they saw that disaster had come upon them. 42And they turned before the faces of the men of Israel in the direction of the wilderness, and the battle overtook him, and whoever came out of the cities they destroyed him in the midst of him. 43They surrounded Benjamin, chased them, and easily trampled them down as far as the front of Gibeah toward the rising of the sun. 44And fell of Benjamin eighteen thousand men, all of these men of valor.

45And they turned and fled toward the wilderness to the rock of Rimmon, and they gleaned on the highways five thousand men, and they pursued them relentlessly up to Gidom, and they struck two thousand of their men.

46And all who fell of Benjamin on that day were twenty-five thousand men who drew the sword, all of these men of valor. 47And turned and fled into the wilderness to the rock of Rimmon six hundred men, and they stayed at the rock of Rimmon four months. 48And the men of Israel turned back against the sons of Benjamin, and they struck them with the mouth of the sword from every city—men even to beasts—even to all they found; also to all the cities that are found they set fire.