Judges 20

Israel's War with the Tribe of Benjamin

1 Then y all the people of Israel came out, z from Dan to Beersheba, including the land of Gilead, and the congregation assembled as one man to the Lord at a Mizpah. 2 And the b chiefs of all the people, of all the tribes of Israel, presented themselves in the assembly of the people of God, 400,000 men on foot c that drew the sword. 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?" 4 And the Levite, the husband of the woman who was murdered, answered and said, d "I came to Gibeah that belongs to Benjamin, I and my concubine, to spend the night. 5 e And 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. 6 f So 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 g outrage in Israel. 7 Behold, you people of Israel, all of you, h give your advice and counsel here."

8 And 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. 9 But now this is what we will do to Gibeah: we will go up against it by lot, 10 and 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." 11 So all the men of Israel gathered against the city, united as one man.

12 i And the tribes of Israel sent men through all the tribe of Benjamin, saying, "What evil is this that has taken place among you? 13 Now therefore give up the men, j the worthless fellows in Gibeah, that we may put them to death k and purge evil from Israel." But the Benjaminites would not listen to the voice of their brothers, the people of Israel. 14 Then the people of Benjamin came together out of the cities to Gibeah to go out to battle against the people of Israel. 15 And the people of Benjamin mustered out of their cities on that day l 26,000 men m who drew the sword, besides the inhabitants of Gibeah, who mustered 700 chosen men. 16 Among all these were 700 chosen men who were n left-handed; every one could sling a stone at a hair and not miss. 17 And the men of Israel, apart from Benjamin, mustered m 400,000 men who drew the sword; all these were men of war.

18 The people of Israel arose and went up to o Bethel and inquired of God, p "Who shall go up first for us to fight against the people of Benjamin?" And the Lord said, p "Judah shall go up first."

19 Then the people of Israel rose in the morning and encamped against Gibeah. 20 And the men of Israel went out to fight against Benjamin, and the men of Israel drew up the battle line against them at Gibeah. 21 q The people of Benjamin came out of Gibeah and destroyed on that day 22,000 men of the Israelites. 22 But 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. 23 r And 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."

24 So the people of Israel came near against the people of Benjamin the second day. 25 And Benjamin s went against them out of Gibeah the second day, and destroyed 18,000 men of the people of Israel. All these were men who t drew the sword. 26 Then all the people of Israel, the whole army, went up and came to u 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. 27 And the people of Israel inquired of the Lord v (for the ark of the covenant of God was there in those days, 28 and w Phinehas the son of Eleazar, son of Aaron, x 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."

29 y So Israel set men in ambush around Gibeah. 30 And the people of Israel went up against the people of Benjamin on the third day and set themselves in array against Gibeah, as at other times. 31 And the people of Benjamin went out against the people and were drawn away from the city. And as at other times they began to strike and kill some of the people in the highways, z one of which goes up to a Bethel and the other to Gibeah, and in the open country, about thirty men of Israel. 32 And the people of Benjamin said, b "They are routed before us, as at the first." But the people of Israel said, "Let us flee and draw them away from the city to the highways." 33 And all the men of Israel rose up out of their place and set themselves in array at Baal-tamar, and the men of Israel who were in ambush rushed out of their place from Maareh-geba. 1 34 And there came against Gibeah 10,000 chosen men out of all Israel, and the battle was hard, c but the Benjaminites did not know that disaster was close upon them. 35 And the Lord defeated Benjamin before Israel, and the people of Israel destroyed 25,100 men of Benjamin that day. All these were men who d drew the sword.

36 So the people of Benjamin saw that they were defeated. The men of Israel gave ground to Benjamin, because they trusted the men in ambush whom they had set against Gibeah. 37 e Then the men in ambush hurried and rushed against Gibeah; the men in ambush moved out and struck all the city with the edge of the sword. 38 Now the appointed signal between the men of Israel and the men in the main ambush was that when they made a great cloud of smoke rise up out of the city 39 the men of Israel should turn in battle. Now Benjamin had begun to strike and kill about thirty men of Israel. They said, f "Surely they are defeated before us, as in the first battle." 40 But when the signal began to rise out of the city in a column of smoke, the Benjaminites looked behind them, and behold, g the whole of the city went up in smoke to heaven. 41 Then the men of Israel turned, and the men of Benjamin were dismayed, h for they saw that disaster was close upon them. 42 Therefore they turned their backs before the men of Israel in i the direction of the wilderness, but the battle overtook them. And those who came out of the cities were destroying them in their midst. 43 Surrounding the Benjaminites, they pursued them and trod them down from Nohah 2 as far as opposite Gibeah on the east. 44 Eighteen thousand men of Benjamin fell, all of them men of valor. 45 And they turned i and fled toward the wilderness to the rock of j Rimmon. Five thousand men of them were cut down in the highways. And they were pursued hard to Gidom, and 2,000 men of them were struck down. 46 So all who fell that day of Benjamin were 25,000 men who drew the sword, all of them men of valor. 47 But 600 men turned and i fled toward the wilderness to the rock of j Rimmon and remained at the rock of Rimmon four months. 48 And the men of Israel turned back against the people of Benjamin and struck them with the edge of the sword, the city, men and beasts and all that they found. And all the towns that they found they set on fire.

  1. Cross References
    Judges 21:5
    And the people of Israel said, "Which of all the tribes of Israel did not come up in the assembly to the Lord ?" For they had taken a great oath concerning him who did not come up to the Lord to Mizpah, saying, "He shall surely be put to death.
    Joshua 22:12
    And when the people of Israel heard of it, the whole assembly of the people of Israel gathered at Shiloh to make war against them.
    1 Samuel 11:7
    He took a yoke of oxen and cut them in pieces and sent them throughout all the territory of Israel by the hand of messengers, saying, "Whoever does not come out after Saul and Samuel, so shall it be done to his oxen!" Then the dread of the Lord fell upon the people, and they came out as one man.
  2. Cross References
    1 Samuel 3:20
    And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba knew that Samuel was established as a prophet of the Lord.
    2 Samuel 3:10
    To transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul and set up the throne of David over Israel and over Judah, from Dan to Beersheba.
    2 Samuel 24:2
    So the king said to Joab, the commander of the army, who was with him, "Go through all the tribes of Israel, from Dan to Beersheba, and number the people, that I may know the number of the people.
  3. Cross References
    1 Samuel 7:5
    Then Samuel said, "Gather all Israel at Mizpah, and I will pray to the Lord for you.
    1 Samuel 10:17
    Now Samuel called the people together to the Lord at Mizpah.
  4. Cross References
    1 Samuel 14:38
    And Saul said, "Come here, all you leaders of the people, and know and see how this sin has arisen today.
  5. Cross References
    Judges 20:15
    And the people of Benjamin mustered out of thei...
    Judges 20:17
    And the men of Israel, apart from Benjamin, mus...
    Judges 20:25
    And Benjamin went against them out of Gibeah th...
    Judges 20:35
    And the Lord defeated Benjamin before Israel, a...
    Judges 20:46
    So all who fell that day of Benjamin were 25,00...
    Judges 8:10
    Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor with thei...
  6. Cross References
    Judges 19:15
    And they turned aside there, to go in and spend the night at Gibeah. And he went in and sat down in the open square of the city, for no one took them into his house to spend the night.
  7. Cross References
    Judges 19:22
    As they were making their hearts merry, behold, the men of the city, worthless fellows, surrounded the house, beating on the door. And they said to the old man, the master of the house, "Bring out the man who came into your house, that we may know him.
    Judges 19:25 - 26
    But the men would not listen to him. So the man seized his concubine and made her go out to them. And they knew her and abused her all night until the morning. And as the dawn began to break, they let her go.
  8. Cross References
    Judges 19:29
    And when he entered his house, he took a knife, and taking hold of his concubine he divided her, limb by limb, into twelve pieces, and sent her throughout all the territory of Israel.
  9. Cross References
    Judges 19:23
    And the man, the master of the house, went out to them and said to them, "No, my brothers, do not act so wickedly; since this man has come into my house, do not do this vile thing.
  10. Cross References
    Judges 19:30
    And all who saw it said, "Such a thing has never happened or been seen from the day that the people of Israel came up out of the land of Egypt until this day; consider it, take counsel, and speak.
  11. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 13:14
    Then you shall inquire and make search and ask diligently. And behold, if it be true and certain that such an abomination has been done among you.
    Joshua 22:13
    Then the people of Israel sent to the people of Reuben and the people of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh, in the land of Gilead, Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest.
    Joshua 22:16
    Thus says the whole congregation of the Lord, 'What is this breach of faith that you have committed against the God of Israel in turning away this day from following the Lord by building yourselves an altar this day in rebellion against the Lord ?
  12. Cross References
    Judges 19:22
    As they were making their hearts merry, behold, the men of the city, worthless fellows, surrounded the house, beating on the door. And they said to the old man, the master of the house, "Bring out the man who came into your house, that we may know him.
    Deuteronomy 13:13
    That certain worthless fellows have gone out among you and have drawn away the inhabitants of their city, saying, 'Let us go and serve other gods,' which you have not known.
  13. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 13:5
    But that prophet or that dreamer of dreams shall be put to death, because he has taught rebellion against the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt and redeemed you out of the house of slavery, to make you leave the way in which the Lord your God commanded you to walk. So you shall purge the evil from your midst.
    Deuteronomy 17:2
    If there is found among you, within any of your towns that the Lord your God is giving you, a man or woman who does what is evil in the sight of the Lord your God, in transgressing his covenant.
  14. Cross References
    Numbers 1:37
    Those listed of the tribe of Benjamin were 35,400.
    Numbers 26:41
    These are the sons of Benjamin according to their clans, and those listed were 45,600.
  15. Cross References
    Judges 20:2
    And the chiefs of all the people, of all the tribes of Israel, presented themselves in the assembly of the people of God, 400,000 men on foot that drew the sword.
  16. Cross References
    Judges 3:15
    Then the people of Israel cried out to the Lord, and the Lord raised up for them a deliverer, Ehud, the son of Gera, the Benjaminite, a left-handed man. The people of Israel sent tribute by him to Eglon the king of Moab.
    1 Chronicles 12:2
    They were bowmen and could shoot arrows and sling stones with either the right or the left hand; they were Benjaminites, Saul's kinsmen.
  17. Cross References
    Judges 20:15
    And 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.
  18. Cross References
    Judges 20:26
    Then 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.
    Judges 20:31
    And the people of Benjamin went out against the people and were drawn away from the city. And as at other times they began to strike and kill some of the people in the highways, one of which goes up to Bethel and the other to Gibeah, and in the open country, about thirty men of Israel.
  19. Cross References
    Judges 1:1
    After the death of Joshua, the people of Israel inquired of the Lord, "Who shall go up first for us against the Canaanites, to fight against them?
  20. Cross References
    Judges 1:1
    After the death of Joshua, the people of Israel inquired of the Lord, "Who shall go up first for us against the Canaanites, to fight against them?
  21. Cross References
    Judges 20:25
    And 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.
  22. Cross References
    Judges 20:26 - 28
    Then 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.
  23. Cross References
    Judges 20:21
    The people of Benjamin came out of Gibeah and destroyed on that day 22,000 men of the Israelites.
  24. Cross References
    Judges 20:2
    And the chiefs of all the people, of all the tribes of Israel, presented themselves in the assembly of the people of God, 400,000 men on foot that drew the sword.
  25. Cross References
    Judges 20:18
    The people of Israel arose and went up to Bethel and inquired of God, "Who shall go up first for us to fight against the people of Benjamin?" And the Lord said, "Judah shall go up first.
    Judges 20:31
    And the people of Benjamin went out against the people and were drawn away from the city. And as at other times they began to strike and kill some of the people in the highways, one of which goes up to Bethel and the other to Gibeah, and in the open country, about thirty men of Israel.
  26. Cross References
    Joshua 18:1
    Then the whole congregation of the people of Israel assembled at Shiloh and set up the tent of meeting there. The land lay subdued before them.
    1 Samuel 4:3 - 4
    And when the troops came to the camp, the elders of Israel said, "Why has the Lord defeated us today before the Philistines? Let us bring the ark of the covenant of the Lord here from Shiloh, that it may come among us and save us from the power of our enemies.
  27. Cross References
    Numbers 25:7
    When Phinehas the son of Eleazar, son of Aaron the priest, saw it, he rose and left the congregation and took a spear in his hand
    Numbers 31:6
    And Moses sent them to the war, a thousand from each tribe, together with Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, with the vessels of the sanctuary and the trumpets for the alarm in his hand.
    Joshua 24:33
    And Eleazar the son of Aaron died, and they buried him at Gibeah, the town of Phinehas his son, which had been given him in the hill country of Ephraim.
  28. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 10:8
    At that time the Lord set apart the tribe of Levi to carry the ark of the covenant of the Lord to stand before the Lord to minister to him and to bless in his name, to this day.
    Deuteronomy 18:5
    For the Lord your God has chosen him out of all your tribes to stand and minister in the name of the Lord, him and his sons for all time.
    Deuteronomy 18:7
    And ministers in the name of the Lord his God, like all his fellow Levites who stand to minister there before the Lord.
  29. Cross References
    Joshua 8:4
    And he commanded them, "Behold, you shall lie in ambush against the city, behind it. Do not go very far from the city, but all of you remain ready.
  30. Cross References
    Judges 21:19
    So they said, "Behold, there is the yearly feast of the Lord at Shiloh, which is north of Bethel, on the east of the highway that goes up from Bethel to Shechem, and south of Lebonah.
  31. Cross References
    Judges 20:18
    The people of Israel arose and went up to Bethel and inquired of God, "Who shall go up first for us to fight against the people of Benjamin?" And the Lord said, "Judah shall go up first.
    Judges 20:26
    Then 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.
  32. Cross References
    Joshua 8:5 - 6
    And I and all the people who are with me will approach the city. And when they come out against us just as before, we shall flee before them.
  33. Cross References
    Judges 20:41
    Then the men of Israel turned, and the men of Benjamin were dismayed, for they saw that disaster was close upon them.
  34. Cross References
    Judges 20:2
    And the chiefs of all the people, of all the tribes of Israel, presented themselves in the assembly of the people of God, 400,000 men on foot that drew the sword.
  35. Cross References
    Joshua 8:19
    And the men in the ambush rose quickly out of their place, and as soon as he had stretched out his hand, they ran and entered the city and captured it. And they hurried to set the city on fire.
  36. Cross References
    Judges 20:31 - 32
    And the people of Benjamin went out against the people and were drawn away from the city. And as at other times they began to strike and kill some of the people in the highways, one of which goes up to Bethel and the other to Gibeah, and in the open country, about thirty men of Israel.
  37. Cross References
    Joshua 8:20
    So when the men of Ai looked back, behold, the smoke of the city went up to heaven, and they had no power to flee this way or that, for the people who fled to the wilderness turned back against the pursuers.
  38. Cross References
    Judges 20:34
    And there came against Gibeah 10,000 chosen men out of all Israel, and the battle was hard, but the Benjaminites did not know that disaster was close upon them.
  39. Cross References
    Joshua 8:15
    And Joshua and all Israel pretended to be beaten before them and fled in the direction of the wilderness.
    Joshua 8:24
    When Israel had finished killing all the inhabitants of Ai in the open wilderness where they pursued them, and all of them to the very last had fallen by the edge of the sword, all Israel returned to Ai and struck it down with the edge of the sword.
  40. Cross References
    Judges 20:42
    Therefore they turned their backs before the men of Israel in the direction of the wilderness, but the battle overtook them. And those who came out of the cities were destroying them in their midst.
  41. Cross References
    Judges 21:13
    Then the whole congregation sent word to the people of Benjamin who were at the rock of Rimmon and proclaimed peace to them.
    Joshua 15:32
    Lebaoth, Shilhim, Ain, and Rimmon: in all, twenty-nine cities with their villages.
  42. Cross References
    Judges 20:42
    Therefore they turned their backs before the men of Israel in the direction of the wilderness, but the battle overtook them. And those who came out of the cities were destroying them in their midst.
  43. Cross References
    Judges 20:45
    And they turned and fled toward the wilderness to the rock of Rimmon. Five thousand men of them were cut down in the highways. And they were pursued hard to Gidom, and 2,000 men of them were struck down.
English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.
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