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Iudicum 19-21
Biblia Sacra Vulgata
Iudicum 19-21
Biblia Sacra Vulgata
19 Fuit quidam vir Levites habitans in latere montis Ephraim, qui accepit uxorem de Bethlehem Juda:
2 quae reliquit eum, et reversa est in domum patris sui in Bethlehem, mansitque apud eum quatuor mensibus.
3 Secutusque est eam vir suus, volens reconciliari ei, atque blandiri, et secum reducere, habens in comitatu puerum et duos asinos: quae suscepit eum, et introduxit in domum patris sui. Quod cum audisset socer ejus, eumque vidisset, occurrit ei laetus,
4 et amplexatus est hominem. Mansitque gener in domo soceri tribus diebus, comedens cum eo et bibens familiariter.
5 Die autem quarto de nocte consurgens, proficisci voluit: quem tenuit socer, et ait ad eum: Gusta prius pauxillum panis, et conforta stomachum, et sic proficisceris.
6 Sederuntque simul, ac comederunt et biberunt. Dixitque pater puellae ad generum suum: Quaeso te ut hodie hic maneas, pariterque laetemur.
7 At ille consurgens, coepit velle proficisci. Et nihilominus obnixe eum socer tenuit, et apud se fecit manere.
8 Mane autem facto, parabat Levites iter. Cui socer rursum: Oro te, inquit, ut paululum cibi capias, et assumptis viribus donec increscat dies, postea proficiscaris. Comederunt ergo simul.
9 Surrexitque adolescens, ut pergeret cum uxore sua et puero. Cui rursum locutus est socer: Considera quod dies ad occasum declivior sit, et propinquat ad vesperum: mane apud me etiam hodie, et duc laetum diem, et cras proficisceris ut vadas in domum tuam.
10 Noluit gener acquiescere sermonibus ejus: sed statim perrexit, et venit contra Jebus, quae altero nomine vocatur Jerusalem, ducens secum duos asinos onustos, et concubinam.
11 Jamque erant juxta Jebus, et dies mutabatur in noctem: dixitque puer ad dominum suum: Veni, obsecro: declinemus ad urbem Jebusaeorum, et maneamus in ea.
12 Cui respondit dominus: Non ingrediar oppidum gentis alienae, quae non est de filiis Israel: sed transibo usque Gabaa,
13 et cum illuc pervenero, manebimus in ea, aut certe in urbe Rama.
14 Transierunt ergo Jebus, et coeptum carpebant iter, occubuitque eis sol juxta Gabaa, quae est in tribu Benjamin:
15 diverteruntque ad eam, ut manerent ibi. Quo cum intrassent, sedebant in platea civitatis, et nullus eos recipere voluit hospitio.
16 Et ecce, apparuit homo senex, revertens de agro et de opere suo vesperi, qui et ipse de monte erat Ephraim, et peregrinus habitabat in Gabaa: homines autem regionis illius erant filii Jemini.
17 Elevatisque oculis, vidit senex sedentem hominem cum sarcinulis suis in platea civitatis, et dixit ad eum: Unde venis? et quo vadis?
18 Qui respondit ei: Profecti sumus de Bethlehem Juda, et pergimus ad locum nostrum, qui est in latere montis Ephraim, unde ieramus in Bethlehem: et nunc vadimus ad domum Dei, nullusque sub tectum suum nos vult recipere,
19 habentes paleas et foenum in asinorum pabulum, et panem ac vinum in meos et ancillae tuae usus, et pueri qui mecum est: nulla re indigemus nisi hospitio.
20 Cui respondit senex: Pax tecum sit, ego praebebo omnia quae necessaria sunt: tantum, quaeso, ne in platea maneas.
21 Introduxitque eum in domum suam, et pabulum asinis praebuit: ac postquam laverunt pedes suos, recepit eos in convivium.
22 Illis epulantibus, et post laborem itineris cibo et potu reficientibus corpora, venerunt viri civitatis illius, filii Belial (id est, absque jugo), et circumdantes domum senis, fores pulsare coeperunt, clamantes ad dominum domus atque dicentes: Educ virum, qui ingressus est domum tuam, ut abutamur eo.
23 Egressusque est ad eos senex, et ait: Nolite, fratres, nolite facere malum hoc, quia ingressus est homo hospitium meum: et cessate ab hac stultitia.
24 Habeo filiam virginem, et hic homo habet concubinam: educam eas ad vos, ut humilietis eas, et vestram libidinem compleatis: tantum, obsecro, ne scelus hoc contra naturam operemini in virum.
25 Nolebant acquiescere sermonibus illius: quod cernens homo, eduxit ad eos concubinam suam, et eis tradidit illudendam: qua cum tota nocte abusi essent, dimiserunt eam mane.
26 At mulier, recedentibus tenebris, venit ad ostium domus, ubi manebat dominus suus, et ibi corruit.
27 Mane facto, surrexit homo, et aperuit ostium, ut coeptam expleret viam: et ecce concubina ejus jacebat ante ostium sparsis in limine manibus.
28 Cui ille, putans eam quiescere, loquebatur: Surge, et ambulemus. Qua nihil respondente, intelligens quod erat mortua, tulit eam, et imposuit asino, reversusque est in domum suam.
29 Quam cum esset ingressus, arripuit gladium, et cadaver uxoris cum ossibus suis in duodecim partes ac frustra concidens, misit in omnes terminos Israel.
30 Quod cum vidissent singuli, conclamabant: Numquam res talis facta est in Israel, ex eo die quo ascenderunt patres nostri de AEgypto usque in praesens tempus: ferte sententiam, et in commune decernite quid facto opus sit.
20 Egressi itaque sunt omnes filii Israel, et pariter congregati, quasi vir unus, de Dan usque Bersabee, et terra Galaad, ad Dominum in Maspha.
2 Omnesque anguli populorum, et cunctae tribus Israel in ecclesiam populi Dei convenerunt, quadringenta millia peditum pugnatorum.
3 (Nec latuit filios Benjamin quod ascendissent filii Israel in Maspha.) Interrogatusque Levita, maritus mulieris interfectae, quomodo tantum scelus perpetratum esset,
4 respondit: Veni in Gabaa Benjamin cum uxore mea, illucque diverti:
5 et ecce homines civitatis illius circumdederunt nocte domum in qua manebam, volentes me occidere, et uxorem meam incredibili furore libidinis vexantes, denique mortua est.
6 Quam arreptam, in frustra concidi, misique partes in omnes terminos possessionis vestrae: quia numquam tantum nefas, et tam grande piaculum, factum est in Israel.
7 Adestis, omnes filii Israel: decernite quid facere debeatis.
8 Stansque omnis populus, quasi unius hominis sermone respondit: Non recedemus in tabernacula nostra, nec suam quisquam intrabit domum:
9 sed hoc contra Gabaa in commune faciamus.
10 Decem viri eligantur e centum ex omnibus tribubus Israel, et centum de mille, et mille de decem millibus, ut comportent exercitui cibaria, et possimus pugnare contra Gabaa Benjamin, et reddere ei pro scelere, quod meretur.
11 Convenitque universus Israel ad civitatem, quasi homo unus eadem mente, unoque consilio.
12 Et miserunt nuntios ad omnem tribum Benjamin, qui dicerent: Cur tantum nefas in vobis repertum est?
13 Tradite homines de Gabaa, qui hoc flagitium perpetrarunt, ut moriantur, et auferatur malum de Israel. Qui noluerunt fratrum suorum filiorum Israel audire mandatum:
14 sed ex cunctis urbibus, quae sortis suae erant, convenerunt in Gabaa, ut illis ferrent auxilium, et contra universum populum Israel dimicarent.
15 Inventique sunt viginti quinque millia de Benjamin educentium gladium, praeter habitatores Gabaa,
16 qui septingenti erant viri fortissimi, ita sinistra ut dextra praeliantes: et sic fundis lapides ad certum jacientes, ut capillum quoque possent percutere, et nequaquam in alteram partem ictus lapidis deferretur.
17 Virorum quoque Israel, absque filiis Benjamin, inventa sunt quadringenta millia educentium gladium, et paratorum ad pugnam.
18 Qui surgentes venerunt in domum Dei, hoc est, in Silo: consulueruntque Deum, atque dixerunt: Quis erit in exercitu nostro princeps certaminis contra filios Benjamin? Quibus respondit Dominus: Judas sit dux vester.
19 Statimque filii Israel surgentes mane, castrametati sunt juxta Gabaa:
20 et inde procedentes ad pugnam contra Benjamin, urbem oppugnare coeperunt.
21 Egressique filii Benjamin de Gabaa, occiderunt de filiis Israel die illo viginti duo millia virorum.
22 Rursum filii Israel et fortitudine et numero confidentes, in eodem loco in quo prius certaverant, aciem direxerunt:
23 ita tamen ut prius ascenderent et flerent coram Domino usque ad noctem, consulerentque eum, et dicerent: Debeo ultra procedere ad dimicandum contra filios Benjamin fratres meos, an non? Quibus ille respondit: Ascendite ad eos, et inite certamen.
24 Cumque filii Israel altera die contra filios Benjamin ad praelium processissent,
25 eruperunt filii Benjamin de portis Gabaa: et occurrentes eis tanta in illos caede bacchati sunt, ut decem et octo millia virorum educentium gladium prosternerent.
26 Quam ob rem omnes filii Israel venerunt in domum Dei, et sedentes flebant coram Domino: jejunaveruntque die illo usque ad vesperam, et obtulerunt ei holocausta, atque pacificas victimas,
27 et super statu suo interrogaverunt. Eo tempore ibi erat arca foederis Dei,
28 et Phinees filius Eleazari filii Aaron praepositus domus. Consuluerunt igitur Dominum, atque dixerunt: Exire ultra debemus ad pugnam contra filios Benjamin fratres nostros, an quiescere? Quibus ait Dominus: Ascendite: cras enim tradam eos in manus vestras.
29 Posueruntque filii Israel insidias per circuitum urbis Gabaa:
30 et tertia vice, sicut semel et bis, contra Benjamin exercitum produxerunt.
31 Sed et filii Benjamin audacter eruperunt de civitate, et fugientes adversarios longius persecuti sunt, ita ut vulnerarent ex eis sicut primo die et secundo, et caederent per duas semitas vertentes terga, quarum una ferebatur in Bethel et altera in Gabaa, atque prosternerent triginta circiter viros:
32 putaverunt enim solito eos more cedere. Qui fugam arte simulantes inierunt consilium ut abstraherent eos de civitate, et quasi fugientes ad supradictas semitas perducerent.
33 Omnes itaque filii Israel surgentes de sedibus suis, tetenderunt aciem in loco qui vocatur Baalthamar. Insidiae quoque, quae circa urbem erant, paulatim se aperire coeperunt,
34 et ab occidentali urbis parte procedere. Sed et alia decem millia virorum de universo Israel, habitatores urbis ad certamina provocabant. Ingravatumque est bellum contra filios Benjamin: et non intellexerunt quod ex omni parte illis instaret interitus.
35 Percussitque eos Dominus in conspectu filiorum Israel, et interfecerunt ex eis in illo die viginti quinque millia, et centum viros, omnes bellatores et educentes gladium.
36 Filii autem Benjamin cum se inferiores esse vidissent, coeperunt fugere. Quod cernentes filii Israel, dederunt eis ad fugiendum locum, ut ad praeparatas insidias devenirent, quas juxta urbem posuerant.
37 Qui cum repente de latibulis surrexissent, et Benjamin terga caedentibus daret, ingressi sunt civitatem, et percusserunt eam in ore gladii.
38 Signum autem dederant filii Israel his quos in insidiis collocaverant, ut postquam urbem cepissent, ignem accenderent: ut ascendente in altum fumo, captam urbem demonstrarent.
39 Quod cum cernerent filii Israel in ipso certamine positi (putaverunt enim filii Benjamin eos fugere, et instantius persequebantur, caesis de exercitu eorum triginta viris),
40 et viderent quasi columnam fumi de civitate conscendere: Benjamin quoque aspiciens retro, cum captam cerneret civitatem, et flammas in sublime ferri:
41 qui prius simulaverant fugam, versa facie fortius resistebant. Quod cum vidissent filii Benjamin, in fugam versi sunt,
42 et ad viam deserti ire coeperunt, illuc quoque eos adversariis persequentibus: sed et hi qui urbem succenderant, occurrerunt eis.
43 Atque ita factum est, ut ex utraque parte ab hostibus caederentur, nec erat ulla requies morientium. Ceciderunt, atque prostrati sunt ad orientalem plagam urbis Gabaa.
44 Fuerunt autem qui in eodem loco interfecti sunt, decem et octo millia virorum, omnes robustissimi pugnatores.
45 Quod cum vidissent qui remanserant de Benjamin, fugerunt in solitudinem: et pergebant ad petram, cujus vocabulum est Remmon. In illa quoque fuga palantes, et in diversa tendentes, occiderunt quinque millia virorum. Et cum ultra tenderent, persecuti sunt eos, et interfecerunt etiam alia duo millia.
46 Et sic factum est, ut omnes qui ceciderant de Benjamin in diversis locis essent viginti quinque millia pugnatores ad bella promptissimi.
47 Remanserunt itaque de omni numero Benjamin, qui evadere et fugere in solitudinem potuerunt, sexcenti viri: sederuntque in petra Remmon mensibus quatuor.
48 Regressi autem filii Israel, omnes reliquias civitatis a viris usque ad jumenta gladio percusserunt, cunctasque urbes et viculos Benjamin vorax flamma consumpsit.
21 Juraverunt quoque filii Israel in Maspha, et dixerunt: Nullus nostrum dabit filiis Benjamin de filiabus suis uxorem.
2 Veneruntque omnes ad domum Dei in Silo, et in conspectu ejus sedentes usque ad vesperam, levaverunt vocem, et magno ululatu coeperunt flere, dicentes:
3 Quare, Domine Deus Israel, factum est hoc malum in populo tuo, ut hodie una tribus auferretur ex nobis?
4 Altera autem die diluculo consurgentes, exstruxerunt altare: obtuleruntque ibi holocausta, et pacificas victimas, et dixerunt:
5 Quis non ascendit in exercitu Domini de universis tribubus Israel? grandi enim juramento se constrinxerant, cum essent in Maspha, interfici eos qui defuissent.
6 Ductique poenitentia filii Israel super fratre suo Benjamin, coeperunt dicere: Ablata est tribus una de Israel:
7 unde uxores accipient? omnes enim in commune juravimus, non daturos nos his filias nostras.
8 Idcirco dixerunt: Quis est de universis tribubus Israel, qui non ascendit ad Dominum in Maspha? Et ecce inventi sunt habitatores Jabes Galaad in illo exercitu non fuisse.
9 (Eo quoque tempore cum essent in Silo, nullus ex eis ibi repertus est.)
10 Miserunt itaque decem millia viros robustissimos, et praeceperunt eis: Ite, et percutite habitatores Jabes Galaad in ore gladii, tam uxores quam parvulos eorum.
11 Et hoc erit quod observare debebitis: omne generis masculini, et mulieres quae cognoverunt viros, interficite; virgines autem reservate.
12 Inventaeque sunt de Jabes Galaad quadringentae virgines, quae nescierunt viri thorum: et adduxerunt eas ad castra in Silo, in terram Chanaan.
13 Miseruntque nuntios ad filios Benjamin, qui erant in petra Remmon, et praeceperunt eis, ut eos susciperent in pace.
14 Veneruntque filii Benjamin in illo tempore, et datae sunt eis uxores de filiabus Jabes Galaad: alias autem non repererunt, quas simili modo traderent.
15 Universusque Israel valde doluit, et egit poenitentiam super interfectione unius tribus ex Israel.
16 Dixeruntque majores natu: Quid faciemus reliquis, qui non acceperunt uxores? omnes in Benjamin feminae conciderunt,
17 et magna nobis cura, ingentique studio providendum est, ne una tribus deleatur ex Israel.
18 Filias enim nostras eis dare non possumus, constricti juramento et maledictione qua diximus: Maledictus qui dederit de filiabus suis uxorem Benjamin.
19 Ceperuntque consilium, atque dixerunt: Ecce solemnitas Domini est in Silo anniversaria, quae sita est ad septentrionem urbis Bethel, et ad orientalem plagam viae, quae de Bethel tendit ad Sichimam, et ad meridiem oppidi Lebona.
20 Praeceperuntque filiis Benjamin, atque dixerunt: Ite, et latitate in vineis.
21 Cumque videritis filias Silo ad ducendos choros ex more procedere, exite repente de vineis, et rapite ex eis singuli uxores singulas, et pergite in terram Benjamin.
22 Cumque venerint patres earum, ac fratres, et adversum vos queri coeperint atque jurgari, dicemus eis: Miseremini eorum: non enim rapuerunt eas jure bellantium atque victorum: sed rogantibus ut acciperent, non dedistis, et a vestra parte peccatum est.
23 Feceruntque filii Benjamin ut sibi fuerat imperatum: et juxta numerum suum, rapuerunt sibi de his quae ducebant choros, uxores singulas: abieruntque in possessionem suam aedificantes urbes, et habitantes in eis.
24 Filii quoque Israel reversi sunt per tribus et familias in tabernacula sua. In diebus illis non erat rex in Israel: sed unusquisque quod sibi rectum videbatur, hoc faciebat.
Judges 19-21
New International Version
Judges 19-21
New International Version
A Levite and His Concubine
19 In those days Israel had no king.
Now a Levite who lived in a remote area in the hill country of Ephraim(A) took a concubine from Bethlehem in Judah.(B) 2 But she was unfaithful to him. She left him and went back to her parents’ home in Bethlehem, Judah. After she had been there four months, 3 her husband went to her to persuade her to return. He had with him his servant and two donkeys. She took him into her parents’ home, and when her father saw him, he gladly welcomed him. 4 His father-in-law, the woman’s father, prevailed on him to stay; so he remained with him three days, eating and drinking,(C) and sleeping there.
5 On the fourth day they got up early and he prepared to leave, but the woman’s father said to his son-in-law, “Refresh yourself(D) with something to eat; then you can go.” 6 So the two of them sat down to eat and drink together. Afterward the woman’s father said, “Please stay tonight and enjoy yourself.(E)” 7 And when the man got up to go, his father-in-law persuaded him, so he stayed there that night. 8 On the morning of the fifth day, when he rose to go, the woman’s father said, “Refresh yourself. Wait till afternoon!” So the two of them ate together.
9 Then when the man, with his concubine and his servant, got up to leave, his father-in-law, the woman’s father, said, “Now look, it’s almost evening. Spend the night here; the day is nearly over. Stay and enjoy yourself. Early tomorrow morning you can get up and be on your way home.” 10 But, unwilling to stay another night, the man left and went toward Jebus(F) (that is, Jerusalem), with his two saddled donkeys and his concubine.
11 When they were near Jebus and the day was almost gone, the servant said to his master, “Come, let’s stop at this city of the Jebusites(G) and spend the night.”
12 His master replied, “No. We won’t go into any city whose people are not Israelites. We will go on to Gibeah.” 13 He added, “Come, let’s try to reach Gibeah or Ramah(H) and spend the night in one of those places.” 14 So they went on, and the sun set as they neared Gibeah in Benjamin.(I) 15 There they stopped to spend the night.(J) They went and sat in the city square,(K) but no one took them in for the night.
16 That evening(L) an old man from the hill country of Ephraim,(M) who was living in Gibeah (the inhabitants of the place were Benjamites), came in from his work in the fields. 17 When he looked and saw the traveler in the city square, the old man asked, “Where are you going? Where did you come from?”(N)
18 He answered, “We are on our way from Bethlehem in Judah to a remote area in the hill country of Ephraim where I live. I have been to Bethlehem in Judah and now I am going to the house of the Lord.[a](O) No one has taken me in for the night. 19 We have both straw and fodder(P) for our donkeys(Q) and bread and wine(R) for ourselves your servants—me, the woman and the young man with us. We don’t need anything.”
20 “You are welcome at my house,” the old man said. “Let me supply whatever you need. Only don’t spend the night in the square.” 21 So he took him into his house and fed his donkeys. After they had washed their feet, they had something to eat and drink.(S)
22 While they were enjoying themselves,(T) some of the wicked men(U) of the city surrounded the house. Pounding on the door, they shouted to the old man who owned the house, “Bring out the man who came to your house so we can have sex with him.(V)”
23 The owner of the house went outside(W) and said to them, “No, my friends, don’t be so vile. Since this man is my guest, don’t do this outrageous thing.(X) 24 Look, here is my virgin daughter,(Y) and his concubine. I will bring them out to you now, and you can use them and do to them whatever you wish. But as for this man, don’t do such an outrageous thing.”
25 But the men would not listen to him. So the man took his concubine and sent her outside to them, and they raped her(Z) and abused her(AA) throughout the night, and at dawn they let her go. 26 At daybreak the woman went back to the house where her master was staying, fell down at the door and lay there until daylight.
27 When her master got up in the morning and opened the door of the house and stepped out to continue on his way, there lay his concubine, fallen in the doorway of the house, with her hands on the threshold. 28 He said to her, “Get up; let’s go.” But there was no answer. Then the man put her on his donkey and set out for home.
29 When he reached home, he took a knife(AB) and cut up his concubine, limb by limb, into twelve parts and sent them into all the areas of Israel.(AC) 30 Everyone who saw it was saying to one another, “Such a thing has never been seen or done, not since the day the Israelites came up out of Egypt.(AD) Just imagine! We must do something! So speak up!(AE)”
The Israelites Punish the Benjamites
20 Then all Israel(AF) from Dan to Beersheba(AG) and from the land of Gilead came together as one(AH) and assembled(AI) before the Lord in Mizpah.(AJ) 2 The leaders of all the people of the tribes of Israel took their places in the assembly of God’s people, four hundred thousand men(AK) armed with swords. 3 (The Benjamites heard that the Israelites had gone up to Mizpah.) Then the Israelites said, “Tell us how this awful thing happened.”
4 So the Levite, the husband of the murdered woman, said, “I and my concubine came to Gibeah(AL) in Benjamin to spend the night.(AM) 5 During the night the men of Gibeah came after me and surrounded the house, intending to kill me.(AN) They raped my concubine, and she died.(AO) 6 I took my concubine, cut her into pieces and sent one piece to each region of Israel’s inheritance,(AP) because they committed this lewd and outrageous act(AQ) in Israel. 7 Now, all you Israelites, speak up and tell me what you have decided to do.(AR)”
8 All the men rose up together as one, saying, “None of us will go home. No, not one of us will return to his house. 9 But now this is what we’ll do to Gibeah: We’ll go up against it in the order decided by casting lots.(AS) 10 We’ll take ten men out of every hundred from all the tribes of Israel, and a hundred from a thousand, and a thousand from ten thousand, to get provisions for the army. Then, when the army arrives at Gibeah[b] in Benjamin, it can give them what they deserve for this outrageous act done in Israel.” 11 So all the Israelites got together and united as one against the city.(AT)
12 The tribes of Israel sent messengers throughout the tribe of Benjamin, saying, “What about this awful crime that was committed among you?(AU) 13 Now turn those wicked men(AV) of Gibeah over to us so that we may put them to death and purge the evil from Israel.(AW)”
But the Benjamites would not listen to their fellow Israelites. 14 From their towns they came together at Gibeah to fight against the Israelites. 15 At once the Benjamites mobilized twenty-six thousand swordsmen from their towns, in addition to seven hundred able young men from those living in Gibeah. 16 Among all these soldiers there were seven hundred select troops who were left-handed,(AX) each of whom could sling a stone at a hair and not miss.
17 Israel, apart from Benjamin, mustered four hundred thousand swordsmen, all of them fit for battle.
18 The Israelites went up to Bethel[c](AY) and inquired of God.(AZ) They said, “Who of us is to go up first(BA) to fight(BB) against the Benjamites?”
The Lord replied, “Judah(BC) shall go first.”
19 The next morning the Israelites got up and pitched camp near Gibeah. 20 The Israelites went out to fight the Benjamites and took up battle positions against them at Gibeah. 21 The Benjamites came out of Gibeah and cut down twenty-two thousand Israelites(BD) on the battlefield that day. 22 But the Israelites encouraged one another and again took up their positions where they had stationed themselves the first day. 23 The Israelites went up and wept before the Lord(BE) until evening,(BF) and they inquired of the Lord.(BG) They said, “Shall we go up again to fight(BH) against the Benjamites, our fellow Israelites?”
The Lord answered, “Go up against them.”
24 Then the Israelites drew near to Benjamin the second day. 25 This time, when the Benjamites came out from Gibeah to oppose them, they cut down another eighteen thousand Israelites,(BI) all of them armed with swords.
26 Then all the Israelites, the whole army, went up to Bethel, and there they sat weeping before the Lord.(BJ) They fasted(BK) that day until evening and presented burnt offerings(BL) and fellowship offerings(BM) to the Lord.(BN) 27 And the Israelites inquired of the Lord.(BO) (In those days the ark of the covenant of God(BP) was there, 28 with Phinehas son of Eleazar,(BQ) the son of Aaron, ministering before it.)(BR) They asked, “Shall we go up again to fight against the Benjamites, our fellow Israelites, or not?”
The Lord responded, “Go, for tomorrow I will give them into your hands.(BS)”
29 Then Israel set an ambush(BT) around Gibeah. 30 They went up against the Benjamites on the third day and took up positions against Gibeah as they had done before. 31 The Benjamites came out to meet them and were drawn away(BU) from the city. They began to inflict casualties on the Israelites as before, so that about thirty men fell in the open field and on the roads—the one leading to Bethel(BV) and the other to Gibeah. 32 While the Benjamites were saying, “We are defeating them as before,”(BW) the Israelites were saying, “Let’s retreat and draw them away from the city to the roads.”
33 All the men of Israel moved from their places and took up positions at Baal Tamar, and the Israelite ambush charged out of its place(BX) on the west[d] of Gibeah.[e] 34 Then ten thousand of Israel’s able young men made a frontal attack on Gibeah. The fighting was so heavy that the Benjamites did not realize(BY) how near disaster was.(BZ) 35 The Lord defeated Benjamin(CA) before Israel, and on that day the Israelites struck down 25,100 Benjamites, all armed with swords. 36 Then the Benjamites saw that they were beaten.
Now the men of Israel had given way(CB) before Benjamin, because they relied on the ambush(CC) they had set near Gibeah. 37 Those who had been in ambush made a sudden dash into Gibeah, spread out and put the whole city to the sword.(CD) 38 The Israelites had arranged with the ambush that they should send up a great cloud of smoke(CE) from the city,(CF) 39 and then the Israelites would counterattack.
The Benjamites had begun to inflict casualties on the Israelites (about thirty), and they said, “We are defeating them as in the first battle.”(CG) 40 But when the column of smoke began to rise from the city, the Benjamites turned and saw the whole city going up in smoke.(CH) 41 Then the Israelites counterattacked,(CI) and the Benjamites were terrified, because they realized that disaster had come(CJ) on them. 42 So they fled before the Israelites in the direction of the wilderness, but they could not escape the battle. And the Israelites who came out of the towns cut them down there. 43 They surrounded the Benjamites, chased them and easily[f] overran them in the vicinity of Gibeah on the east. 44 Eighteen thousand Benjamites fell, all of them valiant fighters.(CK) 45 As they turned and fled toward the wilderness to the rock of Rimmon,(CL) the Israelites cut down five thousand men along the roads. They kept pressing after the Benjamites as far as Gidom and struck down two thousand more.
46 On that day twenty-five thousand Benjamite(CM) swordsmen fell, all of them valiant fighters. 47 But six hundred of them turned and fled into the wilderness to the rock of Rimmon, where they stayed four months. 48 The men of Israel went back to Benjamin and put all the towns to the sword, including the animals and everything else they found. All the towns they came across they set on fire.(CN)
Wives for the Benjamites
21 The men of Israel had taken an oath(CO) at Mizpah:(CP) “Not one of us will give(CQ) his daughter in marriage to a Benjamite.”
2 The people went to Bethel,[g] where they sat before God until evening, raising their voices and weeping bitterly. 3 “Lord, God of Israel,” they cried, “why has this happened to Israel? Why should one tribe be missing(CR) from Israel today?”
4 Early the next day the people built an altar and presented burnt offerings and fellowship offerings.(CS)
5 Then the Israelites asked, “Who from all the tribes of Israel(CT) has failed to assemble before the Lord?” For they had taken a solemn oath that anyone who failed to assemble before the Lord at Mizpah was to be put to death.
6 Now the Israelites grieved for the tribe of Benjamin, their fellow Israelites. “Today one tribe is cut off from Israel,” they said. 7 “How can we provide wives for those who are left, since we have taken an oath(CU) by the Lord not to give them any of our daughters in marriage?” 8 Then they asked, “Which one of the tribes of Israel failed to assemble before the Lord at Mizpah?” They discovered that no one from Jabesh Gilead(CV) had come to the camp for the assembly. 9 For when they counted the people, they found that none of the people of Jabesh Gilead were there.
10 So the assembly sent twelve thousand fighting men with instructions to go to Jabesh Gilead and put to the sword those living there, including the women and children. 11 “This is what you are to do,” they said. “Kill every male(CW) and every woman who is not a virgin.(CX)” 12 They found among the people living in Jabesh Gilead four hundred young women who had never slept with a man, and they took them to the camp at Shiloh(CY) in Canaan.
13 Then the whole assembly sent an offer of peace(CZ) to the Benjamites at the rock of Rimmon.(DA) 14 So the Benjamites returned at that time and were given the women of Jabesh Gilead who had been spared. But there were not enough for all of them.
15 The people grieved for Benjamin,(DB) because the Lord had made a gap in the tribes of Israel. 16 And the elders of the assembly said, “With the women of Benjamin destroyed, how shall we provide wives for the men who are left? 17 The Benjamite survivors must have heirs,” they said, “so that a tribe of Israel will not be wiped out.(DC) 18 We can’t give them our daughters as wives, since we Israelites have taken this oath:(DD) ‘Cursed be anyone who gives(DE) a wife to a Benjamite.’ 19 But look, there is the annual festival of the Lord in Shiloh,(DF) which lies north of Bethel(DG), east of the road that goes from Bethel to Shechem,(DH) and south of Lebonah.”
20 So they instructed the Benjamites, saying, “Go and hide in the vineyards 21 and watch. When the young women of Shiloh come out to join in the dancing,(DI) rush from the vineyards and each of you seize one of them to be your wife. Then return to the land of Benjamin. 22 When their fathers or brothers complain to us, we will say to them, ‘Do us the favor of helping them, because we did not get wives for them during the war. You will not be guilty of breaking your oath because you did not give(DJ) your daughters to them.’”
23 So that is what the Benjamites did. While the young women were dancing,(DK) each man caught one and carried her off to be his wife. Then they returned to their inheritance(DL) and rebuilt the towns and settled in them.(DM)
24 At that time the Israelites left that place and went home to their tribes and clans, each to his own inheritance.
25 In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as they saw fit.(DN)
Footnotes
- Judges 19:18 Hebrew, Vulgate, Syriac and Targum; Septuagint going home
- Judges 20:10 One Hebrew manuscript; most Hebrew manuscripts Geba, a variant of Gibeah
- Judges 20:18 Or to the house of God; also in verse 26
- Judges 20:33 Some Septuagint manuscripts and Vulgate; the meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.
- Judges 20:33 Hebrew Geba, a variant of Gibeah
- Judges 20:43 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.
- Judges 21:2 Or to the house of God
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