1995 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

Judges 20

1 The Levite in a general assembly declareth his wrong. 8 The decree of the assembly. 12 The Benjamites, being cited, make head against the Israelites. 18 The Israelites in two battles lose forty thousand. 26 They destroy by a stratagem all the Benjamites except six hundred.

 20:1 Then all 3605 the sons 1121 of Israel 3478 from Dan 1835 to Beersheba 884, including the land 776 of Gilead 1568, came 3318 out, and the congregation 5712 assembled 6950 as one 259 man 376 to the LORD 3068 at Mizpah 4709.

 20:2 The chiefs 6438 of all 3605 the people 5971a, [even] of all 3605 the tribes 7626 of Israel 3478, took 3320 their stand 3320 in the assembly 6951 of the people 5971a of God 430, 400,000 702 3967 505 foot 7273 soldiers 376 who drew 8025 the sword 2719.

 20:3 (Now the sons 1121 of Benjamin 1144 heard 8085 that the sons 1121 of Israel 3478 had gone 5927 up to Mizpah 4709.) And the sons 1121 of Israel 3478 said 559, “Tell 1696 [us], how 351a did this 2088 wickedness 7463a take 1961 place 1961?”

 20:4 So the Levite 3881, the husband 376 of the woman 802 who was murdered 7523, answered 6030a and said 559, “I came 935 with my concubine 6370 to spend 3885a the night 3885a at Gibeah 1390 which 834 belongs to Benjamin 1144.

 20:5 “But the men 1167 of Gibeah 1390 rose 6965 up against 5921 me and surrounded 5437 the house 1004 at night 3915 because 5921 of me. They intended 1819 to kill 2026 me; instead, they ravished 6031a my concubine 6370 so that she died 4191.

 20:6 “And I took 270 hold 270 of my concubine 6370 and cut 5408 her in pieces 5408 and sent 7971 her throughout 3605 the land 7704 of Israel’s 3478 inheritance 5159; for they have committed 6213a a lewd 2154 and disgraceful 5039 act 5039 in Israel 3478.

 20:7 “Behold 2009, all 3605 you sons 1121 of Israel 3478, give 3051 your advice 1697 and counsel 6098 here 1988.”

 20:8 ¶ Then all 3605 the people 5971a arose 6965 as one 259 man 376, saying 559, “Not one 376 of us will go 1980 to his tent 168, nor 3808 will any 376 of us return 5493 to his house 1004.

 20:9 “But now 6258 this 2088 is the thing 1697 which 834 we will do 6213a to Gibeah 1390; [we will go up] against 5921 it by lot 1486.

 20:10 “And we will take 3947 10 6235 men 376 out of 100 3967 throughout 3605 the tribes 7626 of Israel 3478, and 100 3967 out of 1,000 505, and 1,000 505 out of 10,000 6235 505 to supply 3947 food 6720 for the people 5971a, that when they come 935 to Gibeah 1390 of Benjamin 1144, they may punish 6213a [them] for all 3605 the disgraceful 5039 acts 5039 that they have committed 6213a in Israel 3478.”

 20:11 Thus all 3605 the men 376 of Israel 3478 were gathered 622 against 413 the city 5892b, united 2270 as one 259 man 376.

 20:12 ¶ Then the tribes 7626 of Israel 3478 sent 7971 men 376 through the entire 3605 tribe 7626 of Benjamin 1144, saying 559, “What 4100 is this 2088 wickedness 7463a that has taken 1961 place 1961 among you?

 20:13 “Now 6258 then, deliver 5414 up the men 376, the worthless 1100 fellows 1121 in Gibeah 1390, that we may put 4191 them to death 4191 and remove 1197a [this] wickedness 7463a from Israel 3478.” But the sons 1121 of Benjamin 1144 would 14 not listen 8085 to the voice 6963 of their brothers 251, the sons 1121 of Israel 3478.

 20:14 The sons 1121 of Benjamin 1144 gathered 622 from the cities 5892b to Gibeah 1390, to go 3318 out to battle 4421 against 5973 the sons 1121 of Israel 3478.

 20:15 From the cities 5892b on that day 3117 the sons 1121 of Benjamin 1144 were numbered 6485, 26,000 6242 8337a 505 men 376 who draw 8025 the sword 2719, besides 905 4480 the inhabitants 3427 of Gibeah 1390 who were numbered 6485, 700 7651 3967 choice 977 men 376.

 20:16 Out of all 3605 these 2088 people 5971a 700 7651 3967 choice 977 men 376 were left-handed 334 3225 3027; each 3605 one 2088 could sling 7049a a stone 68 at a hair 8185 and not miss 2398.

 20:17 ¶ Then the men 376 of Israel 3478 besides 905 4480 Benjamin 1144 were numbered 6485, 400,000 702 3967 505 men 376 who draw 8025 the sword 2719; all 3605 these 2088 were men 376 of war 4421.

 20:18 ¶ Now the sons 1121 of Israel 3478 arose 6965, went 5927 up to Bethel 1008, and inquired 7592 of God 430 and said 559, “Who 4310 shall go 5927 up first 8462 for us to battle 4421 against 5973 the sons 1121 of Benjamin 1144?” Then the LORD 3068 said 559, “Judah 3063 [shall go up] first 8462.”

 20:19 ¶ So the sons 1121 of Israel 3478 arose 6965 in the morning 1242 and camped 2583 against 5921 Gibeah 1390.

 20:20 The men 376 of Israel 3478 went 3318 out to battle 4421 against 5973 Benjamin 1144, and the men 376 of Israel 3478 arrayed 6186a for battle 4421 against 854 them at Gibeah 1390.

 20:21 Then the sons 1121 of Benjamin 1144 came 3318 out of Gibeah 1390 and felled 7843 to the ground 776 on that day 3117 22,000 8147 6242 505 men 376 of Israel 3478.

 20:22 But the people 5971a, the men 376 of Israel 3478, encouraged 2388 themselves and arrayed 6186a for battle 4421 again 3254 in the place 4725 where 834 8033 they had arrayed 6186a themselves the first 7223 day 3117.

 20:23 The sons 1121 of Israel 3478 went 5927 up and wept 1058 before 6440 the LORD 3068 until 5704 evening 6153, and inquired 7592 of the LORD 3068, saying 559, “Shall we again 3254 draw 5066 near 5066 for battle 4421 against 5973 the sons 1121 of my brother 251 Benjamin 1144?” And the LORD 3068 said 559, “Go 5927 up against 413 him.”

 20:24 ¶ Then the sons 1121 of Israel 3478 came 7126 against 413 the sons 1121 of Benjamin 1144 the second 8145 day 3117.

 20:25 Benjamin 1144 went 3318 out against 7122 them from Gibeah 1390 the second 8145 day 3117 and felled 7843 to the ground 776 again 5750 18,000 8083 6240 505 men 376 of the sons 1121 of Israel 3478; all 3605 these 428 drew 8025 the sword 2719.

 20:26 Then all 3605 the sons 1121 of Israel 3478 and all 3605 the people 5971a went 5927 up and came 935 to Bethel 1008 and wept 1058; thus they remained 3427 there 8033 before 6440 the LORD 3068 and fasted 6684 that day 3117 until 5704 evening 6153. And they offered 5927 burnt 5930a offerings 5930a and peace 8002 offerings 8002 before 6440 the LORD 3068.

 20:27 The sons 1121 of Israel 3478 inquired 7592 of the LORD 3068 (for the ark 727 of the covenant 1285 of God 430 [was] there 8033 in those 1992a days 3117,

 20:28 and Phinehas 6372 the son 1121 of Eleazar 499, Aaron’s 175 son 1121, stood 5975 before 6440 it to [minister] in those 1992a days 3117), saying 559, “Shall I yet 5750 again 3254 go 3318 out to battle 4421 against 5973 the sons 1121 of my brother 251 Benjamin 1144, or 518 shall I cease 2308?” And the LORD 3068 said 559, “Go 5927 up, for tomorrow 4279 I will deliver 5414 them into your hand 3027.”

 20:29 ¶ So Israel 3478 set 7760 men in ambush 693 around 5439 Gibeah 1390.

 20:30 The sons 1121 of Israel 3478 went 5927 up against 413 the sons 1121 of Benjamin 1144 on the third 7992 day 3117 and arrayed 6186a themselves against 413 Gibeah 1390 as at other 6471 times 6471.

 20:31 The sons 1121 of Benjamin 1144 went 3318 out against 7122 the people 5971a and were drawn 5423 away 5423 from the city 5892b, and they began 2490c to strike 5221 and kill 5221 some 4480 of the people 5971a as at other 6471 times 6471, on the highways 4546, one 259 of which 834 goes 5927 up to Bethel 1008 and the other 259 to Gibeah 1390, [and] in the field 7704, about thirty 7970 men 376 of Israel 3478.

 20:32 The sons 1121 of Benjamin 1144 said 559, “They are struck 5062 down 5062 before 6440 us, as at the first 7223.” But the sons 1121 of Israel 3478 said 559, “Let us flee 5127 that we may draw 5423 them away 5423 from the city 5892b to the highways 4546.”

 20:33 Then all 3605 the men 376 of Israel 3478 arose 6965 from their place 4725 and arrayed 6186a themselves at Baal-tamar 1193; and the men of Israel 3478 in ambush 693 broke 1518 out of their place 4725, even out of Maareh-geba 4626 1387.

 20:34 When ten 6235 thousand 505 choice 977 men 376 from all 3605 Israel 3478 came 935 against 5048 Gibeah 1390, the battle 4421 became 3513 fierce 3513; but Benjamin did not know 3045 that disaster 7463a was close 5060 to them.

 20:35 And the LORD 3068 struck 5062 Benjamin 1144 before 6440 Israel 3478, so that the sons 1121 of Israel 3478 destroyed 7843 25,100 6242 2568 505 3967 men 376 of Benjamin 1144 that day 3117, all 3605 who 428 draw 8025 the sword 2719.

 20:36 ¶ So the sons 1121 of Benjamin 1144 saw 7200 that they were defeated 5062. When the men 376 of Israel 3478 gave 5414 ground 4725 to Benjamin 1144 because 3588 they relied 982 on the men in ambush 693 whom 834 they had set 7760 against 413 Gibeah 1390,

 20:37 the men in ambush 693 hurried 2363a and rushed 6584 against 413 Gibeah 1390; the men in ambush 693 also deployed 4900 and struck 5221 all 3605 the city 5892b with the edge 6310 of the sword 2719.

 20:38 Now the appointed 4150 sign 4150 between the men 376 of Israel 3478 and the men in ambush 693 was that they would make a great 7235a cloud 4864 of smoke 6227 rise 5927 from the city 5892b.

 20:39 Then the men 376 of Israel 3478 turned 2015 in the battle 4421, and Benjamin 1144 began 2490c to strike 5221 and kill 5221 2491 about thirty 7970 men 376 of Israel 3478, for they said 559, “Surely 389 5062 they are defeated 5062 before 6440 us, as in the first 7223 battle 4421.”

 20:40 But when the cloud 4864 began 2490c to rise 5927 from the city 5892b in a column 5982 of smoke 6227, Benjamin 1144 looked 6437 behind 310 them; and behold 2009, the whole 3632 city 5892b was going 5927 up [in smoke] to heaven 8064.

 20:41 Then the men 376 of Israel 3478 turned 2015, and the men 376 of Benjamin 1144 were terrified 926; for they saw 7200 that disaster 7463a was close 5060 to them.

 20:42 Therefore, they turned 6437 their backs before 6440 the men 376 of Israel 3478 toward 413 the direction 1870 of the wilderness 4057b, but the battle 4421 overtook 1692 them while 834 those who 834 came out of the cities 5892b destroyed 7843 them in the midst 8432 of them.

 20:43 They surrounded 3803 Benjamin 1144, pursued 7291 them without rest 4496 [and] trod 1869 them down 1869 opposite 5227 Gibeah 1390 toward 4480 the east 4217 8121.

 20:44 Thus 18,000 8083 6240 505 men 376 of Benjamin 1144 fell 5307; all 3605 these 428 were valiant 2428 warriors 376.

 20:45 The rest turned 6437 and fled 5127 toward the wilderness 4057b to the rock 5553 of Rimmon 7417c, but they caught 5953b 5,000 2568 505 of them on the highways 4546 and overtook 1692 them at Gidom 1440 and killed 5221 2,000 505 of them.

 20:46 So all 3605 of Benjamin 1144 who fell 5307 that day 3117 were 25,000 2568 6242 505 men 376 who draw 8025 the sword 2719; all 3605 these 428 were valiant 2428 warriors 376.

 20:47 But 600 8337a 3967 men 376 turned 6437 and fled 5127 toward the wilderness 4057b to the rock 5553 of Rimmon 7417c, and they remained 3427 at the rock 5553 of Rimmon 7417c four 702 months 2320.

 20:48 The men 376 of Israel 3478 then turned 7725 back 7725 against 413 the sons 1121 of Benjamin 1144 and struck 5221 them with the edge 6310 of the sword 2719, both 4480 the entire 4974 city 5892b with the cattle 929 and all 3605 that they found 4672; they also 1571 set 7971 on fire 784 all 3605 the cities 5892b which they found 4672.