Judges 20
20
Civil War Breaks Out
1 All the Israelites from Dan to Beer Sheba#sn Dan was located in the far north of the country, while Beer Sheba was located in the far south. This encompassed all the territory of the land of Canaan occupied by the Israelites. and from the land of Gilead#sn The land of Gilead was on the eastern side of the Jordan River. left their homes#tn Heb “went out.” and assembled together#tn Heb “and the assembly was convened as one man.” before the Lord at Mizpah. 2 The leaders#tn Heb “the cornerstones”; or “the supports.” The word is used of leaders in only three other texts – 1 Sam 14:38; Isa 19:13; Zech 10:4. of all the people from all the tribes of Israel took their places in the assembly of God’s people, which numbered#tn The words “which numbered” are supplied in the translation for clarification. four hundred thousand sword-wielding foot soldiers. 3 The Benjaminites heard that the Israelites had gone up to Mizpah. Then the Israelites said, “Explain how this wicked thing happened!” 4 The Levite,#tn Heb “The man, the Levite.” the husband of the murdered woman, spoke up, “I and my concubine stopped in#tn Heb “came to.” Gibeah in the territory of Benjamin#tn Heb “which belongs to Benjamin.” to spend the night. 5 The leaders of Gibeah attacked me and at night surrounded the house where I was staying.#tn Heb “arose against me and surrounded against me the house at night.” They wanted to kill me; instead they abused my concubine so badly that she died. 6 I grabbed hold of my concubine and carved her up and sent the pieces#tn Heb “her”; the referent is more naturally stated in English as “the pieces.” throughout the territory occupied by Israel,#tn Heb “throughout all the territory of the inheritance of Israel.” because they committed such an unthinkable atrocity#tn Heb “a wicked and disgraceful [thing].” in Israel. 7 All you Israelites,#tn Heb “Look, all of you sons of Israel.” make a decision here!”#tn Heb “give for yourselves a word and advice here.”
8 All Israel rose up in unison#tn Heb “as one man.” and said, “Not one of us will go home!#tn Heb “to his tent.” Not one of us will return#tn Or “turn aside.” to his house! 9 Now this is what we will do to Gibeah: We will attack the city as the lot dictates.#tn Heb “against her by lot.” The verb “we will go up” (נַעֲלֶה, na’aleh) has probably been accidentally omitted before “against her” (עָלֶיהָ, ’aleha).sn As the lot dictates. The Israelite soldiers intended to cast lots to determine which tribe would lead the battle charge (see v. 18). 10 We will take ten of every group of a hundred men from all the tribes of Israel (and a hundred of every group of a thousand, and a thousand of every group of ten thousand) to get supplies for the army.#tn Or “people.” When they arrive in Gibeah of Benjamin they will punish them for the atrocity which they committed in Israel.”#tn Heb “to do at their arrival in Geba of Benjamin according to all the disgraceful [thing] which he [collective = “Benjamin”] did in Israel.” Here “Geba” must be an error for “Gibeah.” 11 So all the men of Israel gathered together at the city as allies.#tn Heb “gathered at the city as one man, united.”
12 The tribes of Israel sent men throughout the tribe#tc The MT reads the plural, but surely the singular (which is supported by the LXX and Vulgate) is preferable here. of Benjamin, saying, “How could such a wicked thing take place?#tn Heb “What is this wicked thing which happened among you?” 13 Now, hand over the good-for-nothings#tn Heb “the men, sons of wickedness.” in Gibeah so we can execute them and purge Israel of wickedness.”#tn Heb “and burn away wickedness from Israel.” But the Benjaminites refused to listen to their Israelite brothers. 14 The Benjaminites came from their cities and assembled at Gibeah#tn Heb “assembled from the cities at Gibeah.” to make war against the Israelites. 15 That day the Benjaminites mustered from their cities twenty-six thousand sword-wielding soldiers, besides seven hundred well-trained soldiers from Gibeah.#tn Heb “besides from the ones living in Gibeah they mustered seven hundred choice men.” 16 Among this army#tn Heb “And from all this people.” were seven hundred specially-trained left-handed soldiers.#tn Heb “seven hundred choice men, bound/restricted in the right hand.” On the significance of the idiom, “bound/restricted in the right hand,” see the translator’s note on 3:15. Each one could sling a stone and hit even the smallest target.#tn “at a single hair and not miss.” 17 The men of Israel (not counting Benjamin) had mustered four hundred thousand sword-wielding soldiers, every one an experienced warrior.#tn Heb “a man of war.”
18 The Israelites went up to Bethel#map For location see Map4-G4; Map5-C1; Map6-E3; Map7-D1; Map8-G3. and asked God,#tn Heb “They arose and went up to Bethel and asked God, and the Israelites said.” “Who should lead the charge against the Benjaminites?”#tn Heb “Who should go up for us first for battle against the sons of Benjamin?” The Lord said, “Judah should lead.” 19 The Israelites got up the next morning and moved#tn Heb “encamped.” against Gibeah. 20 The men of Israel marched out to fight Benjamin; they#tn Heb “the men of Israel.” The noun phrase has been replaced by the pronoun (“they”) in the translation for stylistic reasons. arranged their battle lines against Gibeah. 21 The Benjaminites attacked from Gibeah and struck down twenty-two thousand Israelites that day.#tn Heb “The sons of Benjamin came out of Gibeah and they struck down in Israel that day twenty-two thousand men to the ground.”
22 The Israelite army#tn Heb “The people, the men of Israel.” took heart#tn Or “encouraged one another.” and once more arranged their battle lines, in the same place where they had taken their positions the day before. 23 The Israelites went up and wept before the Lord until evening. They asked the Lord, “Should we#tn Heb “I” (collective singular). again march out to fight#tn Heb “approach for battle.” the Benjaminites, our brothers?”#tn Heb “my brother” (collective singular). The Lord said, “Attack them!”#tn Heb “Go up against him” (collective singular). 24 So the Israelites marched toward#tn Heb “drew near to.” the Benjaminites the next day. 25 The Benjaminites again attacked them from Gibeah and struck down eighteen thousand sword-wielding Israelite soldiers.#tn Heb “And Benjamin went out to meet them from Gibeah the second day, and they struck down among the sons of Israel eighteen thousand men to the ground, all of these were wielding the sword.”
26 So all the Israelites, the whole army,#tn Heb “and all the people.” went up to#tn Heb “went up and came [to].” Bethel.#map For location see Map4-G4; Map5-C1; Map6-E3; Map7-D1; Map8-G3. They wept and sat there before the Lord; they did not eat anything#tn Traditionally, “fasted.” that day until evening. They offered up burnt sacrifices and tokens of peace#tn Or “peace offerings.” to the Lord. 27 The Israelites asked the Lord (for the ark of God’s covenant was there in those days; 28 Phinehas son of Eleazar, son of Aaron, was serving the Lord#tn Heb “standing before him.” in those days), “Should we#tn Heb “I” (collective singular). once more march out to fight the Benjaminites our brothers,#tn Heb “my brother” (collective singular). or should we#tn Heb “I” (collective singular). quit?” The Lord said, “Attack, for tomorrow I will hand them#tn Heb “him” (collective singular). over to you.”
29 So Israel hid men in ambush outside Gibeah. 30 The Israelites attacked the Benjaminites the next day;#tn Heb “the third day.” they took their positions against Gibeah just as they had done before. 31 The Benjaminites attacked#tn Heb “went out to meet.” the army, leaving the city unguarded.#tn Heb “and they were drawn away from the city.” They began to strike down their enemy#tn Heb “from the army wounded ones.” just as they had done before. On the main roads (one leads to Bethel,#map For location see Map4-G4; Map5-C1; Map6-E3; Map7-D1; Map8-G3. the other to Gibeah) and in the field, they struck down#tn The words “they struck down” are supplied in the translation for clarification. about thirty Israelites. 32 Then the Benjaminites said, “They are defeated just as before.” But the Israelites said, “Let’s retreat#tn Or “run away.” and lure them#tn Heb “him” (collective singular). away from the city into the main roads.” 33#sn Verses 33-36a give a condensed account of the battle from this point on, while vv. 36b-48 offer a more detailed version of how the ambush contributed to Gibeah’s defeat. All the men of Israel got up from their places and took their positions at Baal Tamar, while the Israelites hiding in ambush jumped out of their places west of Gibeah. 34 Ten thousand men, well-trained soldiers from all Israel, then made a frontal assault against Gibeah – the battle was fierce.#tn Heb “heavy”; or “severe.” But the Benjaminites did not realize that disaster was at their doorstep.#tn Heb “And they did not know that touching against them was disaster.” 35 The Lord annihilated Benjamin before Israel; the Israelites struck down that day 25,100 sword-wielding Benjaminites.#tn Heb “And the sons of Israel struck down in Benjamin that day 25,100 men, all of these wielding the sword.” 36 Then the Benjaminites saw they were defeated.
The Israelites retreated before#tn Heb “gave place to.” Benjamin, because they had confidence in the men they had hid in ambush outside Gibeah. 37 The men hiding in ambush made a mad dash#tn Heb “hurried and put off [their hiding place].” to Gibeah. They#tn Heb “the men hiding in ambush.” attacked#tn Or “deployed.” The verb normally means “to lead” or “to draw.” and put the sword to the entire city. 38 The Israelites and the men hiding in ambush had arranged a signal. When the men hiding in ambush#tn Heb “they”; the referent (the men hiding in ambush) has been specified in the translation for clarity. sent up a smoke signal from the city, 39 the Israelites counterattacked.#tn Heb “turned in the battle.” Benjamin had begun to strike down the Israelites;#tn Heb “And Benjamin began to strike down wounded ones among the men of Israel.” they struck down#tn The words “they struck down” are supplied in the translation for clarification. about thirty men. They said, “There’s no doubt about it! They are totally defeated as in the earlier battle.” 40 But when the signal, a pillar of smoke, began to rise up from the city, the Benjaminites turned around and saw the whole city going up in a cloud of smoke that rose high into the sky.#tn Heb “Benjamin turned after him and, look, the whole city went up toward the sky.” 41 When the Israelites turned around, the Benjaminites panicked#tn Or “were terrified.” because they could see that disaster was on their doorstep.#tn Heb “disaster touched against them.” 42 They retreated before the Israelites, taking the road to the wilderness. But the battle overtook#tn Heb “clung to”; or “stuck close.” them as men from the surrounding cities struck them down.#tn Heb “and those from the cities were striking them down in their midst.” 43 They surrounded the Benjaminites, chased them from Nohah,#tc The translation assumes the reading מִנּוֹחָה (minnokhah, “from Nohah”; cf. 1 Chr 8:2) rather than the MT’s מְנוּחָה (mÿnukhah, “resting place”). and annihilated#tn Heb “tread down, walk on.” them all the way to a spot east of Geba.#tn Heb “unto the opposite of Gibeah toward the east.” Gibeah cannot be correct here, since the Benjaminites retreated from there toward the desert and Rimmon (see v. 45). A slight emendation yields the reading “Geba.” 44 Eighteen thousand Benjaminites, all of them capable warriors, fell dead. 45 The rest#tn Heb “they”; the referent (the rest [of the Benjaminites]) has been specified in the translation for clarity. turned and ran toward the wilderness, heading toward the cliff of Rimmon. But the Israelites#tn Heb “and they”; the referent (the Israelites) has been specified in the translation for clarity. caught#tn Heb “gleaned.” The word is an agricultural term which pictures Israelites picking off the Benjaminites as easily as one picks grapes from the vine. five thousand of them on the main roads. They stayed right on their heels#tn Heb “stuck close after them.” all the way to Gidom and struck down two thousand more. 46 That day twenty-five thousand#sn The number given here (twenty-five thousand sword-wielding Benjaminites) is an approximate figure; v. 35 gives the more exact number (25,100). According to v. 15, the Benjaminite army numbered 26,700 (26,000 + 700). The figures in vv. 35 (rounded in vv. 44-46) and 47 add up to 25,700. What happened to the other 1,000 men? The most reasonable explanation is that they were killed during the first two days of fighting. G. F. Moore (Judges [ICC], 429) and C. F. Burney (Judges, 475) reject this proposal, arguing that the narrator is too precise and concerned about details to omit such a fact. However, the account of the first two days’ fighting emphasizes Israel’s humiliating defeat. To speak of Benjaminite casualties would diminish the literary effect. In vv. 35, 44-47 the narrator’s emphasis is the devastating defeat that Benjamin experienced on this final day of battle. To mention the earlier days’ casualties at this point is irrelevant to his literary purpose. He allows readers who happen to be concerned with such details to draw conclusions for themselves. sword-wielding Benjaminites fell in battle, all of them capable warriors.#tn Heb “So all the ones who fell from Benjamin were twenty-five thousand men, wielding the sword, in that day, all of these men of strength. 47 Six hundred survivors turned and ran away to the wilderness, to the cliff of Rimmon. They stayed there four months. 48 The Israelites returned to the Benjaminite towns#tn Heb “to the sons of Benjamin.” and put the sword to them. They wiped out the cities,#tc The translation is based on the reading מֵעִיר מְתִים (me’ir mÿtim, “from a city of men,” i.e., “an inhabited city”), rather than the reading מֵעִיר מְתֹם (me’ir mÿtom, “from a city of soundness”) found in the Leningrad Codex (L). the animals, and everything they could find. They set fire to every city in their path.#tn Heb “Also all the cities that were found they set on fire.”
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Judges 20: NET
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1996 - 2007 by Biblical Studies Press, LLC
Judges 20
20
1Then all the children of Israel went out, and the Congregation was gathered together as one man, from Dan to Beersheba, with the land of Gilead, vnto the Lord in Mizpeh. 2And the chiefe of all the people, and all the tribes of Israel assembled in the Congregation of the people of God foure hundreth thousand footemen that drewe sword. 3(Now the children of Beniamin heard that the children of Israel were gone vp to Mizpeh) Then the children of Israel saide, Howe is this wickednesse committed? 4And the same Leuite, the womans husband that was slaine, answered and saide, I came vnto Gibeah that is in Beniamin with my concubine to lodge, 5And the men of Gibeah arose against me, and beset the house round about vpon mee by night, thinking to haue slaine me, and haue forced my concubine that she is dead. 6Then I tooke my concubine, and cut her in pieces, and sent her throughout all the countrey of the inheritance of Israel: for they haue committed abomination and villenie in Israel. 7Behold, ye are al children of Israel: giue your aduise, and counsell herein. 8Then all the people arose as one man, saying, There shall not a man of vs goe to his tent, neither any turne into his house. 9But now this is that thing which we will do to Gibeah: we wil goe vp by lot against it, 10And we wil take ten men of the hundreth throughout al the tribes of Israel, and an hundreth of the thousand, and a thousand of ten thousand to bring vitaile for the people that they may do (when they come to Gibeah of Beniamin) according to all the villeny, that it hath done in Israel. 11So all the men of Israel were gathered against the citie, knit together, as one man. 12And the tribes of Israel sent men through al the tribe of Beniamin, saying, What wickednesse is this that is committed among you? 13Nowe therefore deliuer vs those wicked men which are in Gibeah, that we may put them to death, and put away euill from Israel: but the children of Beniamin would not obey the voyce of their brethren the children of Israel. 14But ye children of Beniamin gathered them selues together out of the cities vnto Gibeah, to come out and fight against the children of Israel. 15And ye children of Beniamin were nombred at that time out of the cities sixe and twenty thousand men that drewe sworde, beside the inhabitants of Gibeah, which were nombred seuen hundreth chosen men. 16Of all this people were seuen hundreth chosen men, being left handed: all these could sling stones at an heare breadth, and not faile. 17Also the men of Israel, beside Beniamin, were nombred foure hundreth thousande men that drew sword, euen all men of warre. 18And the children of Israel arose, and went vp to the house of God, and asked of God, saying, Which of vs shall goe vp first to fight against the children of Beniamin? And the Lord said, Iudah shalbe first. 19Then the children of Israel arose vp earely and camped against Gibeah. 20And the men of Israel went out to battell against Beniamin, and the men of Israel put themselues in aray to fight against the beside Gibeah. 21And the children of Beniamin came out of Gibeah, and slewe downe to the ground of the Israelites that day two and twentie thousand men. 22And the people, the men of Israel plucked vp their hearts, and set their battel againe in aray in the place where they put them in aray the first day. 23(For the children of Israel had gone vp and wept before the Lord vnto the euening, and had asked of the Lord, saying, Shall I goe againe to battel against the children of Beniamin my brethren? and the Lord said, Go vp against them) 24Then the children of Israel came neere against the children of Beniamin the second day. 25Also the second day Beniamin came forth to meete them out of Gibeah, and slewe downe to the grounde of the children of Israel againe eighteene thousand men: all they could handle the sword. 26Then al the children of Israel went vp and all the people came also vnto the house of God, and wept and sate there before the Lord and fasted that day vnto the euening, and offred burnt offrings and peace offrings before the Lord. 27And the children of Israel asked the Lord (for there was the Arke of the couenat of God in those dayes, 28And Phinehas the sonne of Eleazar, the sonne of Aaron stoode before it at that time) saying, Shall I yet goe anie more to battel against the children of Beniamin my brethren, or shall I cease? And the Lord said, Go vp: for to morowe I will deliuer them into your hand. 29And Israel set men to lie in waite round about Gibeah. 30And the children of Israel went vp against the children of Beniamin the third day, and put theselues in aray against Gibeah, as at other times. 31Then the children of Beniamin comming out against the people, were drawen from the citie: and they began to smite of ye people and kill as at other times, euen by the wayes in the fielde (whereof one goeth vp to the house of God, and the other to Gibeah) vpon a thirtie men of Israel. 32(For the children of Beniamin sayd, They are fallen before vs, as at the first. But the children of Israel saide, Let vs flee and plucke them away from the citie vnto the hie wayes) 33And all the men of Israel rose vp out of their place, and put themselues in aray at Baal-tamar: and the men that lay in wayte of the Israelites came forth of their place, euen out of the medowes of Gibeah, 34And they came ouer against Gibeah, ten thousande chosen men of all Israel, and the battell was sore: for they knewe not that the euill was neere them. 35And the Lord smote Beniamin before Israel, and the children of Israel destroyed of the Beniamites the same day fiue and twenty thousand and an hundreth men: all they could handle the sword. 36So the children of Beniamin sawe that they were striken downe: for the men of Israel gaue place to the Beniamites, because they trusted to the men that lay in waite, which they had laide beside Gibeah. 37And they that lay in wait hasted, and brake forth toward Gibeah, and the ambushment drewe themselues along, and smote all the citie with the edge of the sword. 38Also the men of Israel had appoynted a certaine time with the ambushmentes, that they should make a great flame and smoke rise vp out of the citie. 39And when the men of Israel retired in the battel, Beniamin began to smite and kill of the men of Israel about thirtie persons: for they said, Surely they are striken downe before vs, as in the first battell. 40But when the flame bega to arise out of the citie, as a pillar of smoke, the Beniamites looked backe, and behold, the flame of the citie began to ascend vp to heauen. 41Then the men of Israel turned againe, and the men of Beniamin were astonied: for they saw that euill was neere vnto them. 42Therefore they fled before the men of Israel vnto the way of the wildernesse, but the battell ouertooke them: also they which came out of the cities, slew them among them. 43Thus they compassed the Beniamites about, and chased them at ease, and ouerranne them, euen ouer against Gibeah on the Eastside. 44And there were slaine of Beniamin eyghteene thousad men, which were all men of warre. 45And they turned and fled to the wildernes vnto the rocke of Rimmon: and the Israelites glayned of them by the way fiue thousand men, and pursued after them vnto Gidom, and slewe two thousand men of them, 46So that all that were slayne that day of Beniamin, were fiue and twentie thousand men that drewe sword, which were all men of warre: 47But sixe hundreth men turned and fled to the wildernesse vnto the rocke of Rimmon, and abode in the rocke of Rimmon foure moneths. 48Then the men of Israel returned vnto the children of Beniamin, and smote them with the edge of the sword from the men of the citie vnto the beasts, and all that came to hand: also they set on fire all the cities that they coulde come by.
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