Judges 20:3-30
English Standard Version
Chapter 20
3(Now the people of Benjamin heard that the people of Israel had gone up to Mizpah.) And the people of Israel said, "Tell us, how did this evil happen?" 4And the Levite, the husband of the woman who was murdered, answered and said, "I came to Gibeah that belongs to Benjamin, I and my concubine, to spend the night. 5And the leaders of Gibeah rose against me and surrounded the house against me by night. They meant to kill me, and they violated my concubine, and she is dead. 6So I took hold of my concubine and cut her in pieces and sent her throughout all the country of the inheritance of Israel, for they have committed abomination and outrage in Israel. 7Behold, you people of Israel, all of you, give your advice and counsel here."
8And all the people arose as one man, saying, "None of us will go to his tent, and none of us will return to his house.
9But now this is what we will do to Gibeah: we will go up 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 ten thousand, to bring provisions for the people, that when they come they may repay Gibeah of Benjamin for all the outrage that they have committed in Israel."
11So all the men of Israel gathered against the city, united as one man.
12And the tribes of Israel sent men through all the tribe of Benjamin, saying, "What evil is this that has taken place among you?
13Now therefore give up the men, the worthless fellows in Gibeah, that we may put them to death and purge evil from Israel." But the Benjaminites would not listen to the voice of their brothers, the people of Israel.
14Then the people of Benjamin came together out of the cities to Gibeah to go out to battle against the people of Israel.
15And the people of Benjamin mustered out of their cities on that day 26,000 men who drew the sword, besides the inhabitants of Gibeah, who mustered 700 chosen men.
16Among all these were 700 chosen men who were left-handed; every one could sling a stone at a hair and not miss.
17And the men of Israel, apart from Benjamin, mustered 400,000 men who drew the sword; all these were men of war.
19Then the people of Israel rose in the morning and encamped against Gibeah.
20And the men of Israel went out to fight against Benjamin, and the men of Israel drew up the battle line against them at Gibeah.
21The people of Benjamin came out of Gibeah and destroyed on that day 22,000 men of the Israelites.
22But the people, the men of Israel, took courage, and again formed the battle line in the same place where they had formed it on the first day.
23And the people of Israel went up and wept before the Lord until the evening. And they inquired of the Lord, "Shall we again draw near to fight against our brothers, the people of Benjamin?" And the Lord said, "Go up against them."
24So the people of Israel came near against the people of Benjamin the second day.
25And Benjamin went against them out of Gibeah the second day, and destroyed 18,000 men of the people of Israel. All these were men who drew the sword.
26Then all the people of Israel, the whole army, went up and came to Bethel and wept. They sat there before the Lord and fasted that day until evening, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the Lord.
27And the people of Israel inquired of the Lord (for the ark of the covenant of God was there in those days,
28and Phinehas the son of Eleazar, son of Aaron, ministered before it in those days), saying, "Shall we go out once more to battle against our brothers, the people of Benjamin, or shall we cease?" And the Lord said, "Go up, for tomorrow I will give them into your hand."
