1 egressi sunt itaque omnes filii Israhel
et pariter congregati quasi vir unus
de Dan usque Bersabee et terra Galaad ad Dominum in Maspha
2 omnesque anguli populorum et cunctae tribus Israhel
in ecclesiam populi Dei convenerunt
quadringenta milia peditum pugnatorum
3 nec latuit filios Beniamin quod ascendissent filii Israhel in Maspha
interrogatusque Levita maritus mulieris interfectae
quomodo tantum scelus perpetratum esset
4 respondit
veni in Gabaa Beniamin cum uxore mea illucque deverti
5 et ecce homines civitatis illius circumdederunt nocte domum in qua
manebam
volentes me occidere
et uxorem meam incredibili libidinis furore vexantes
denique mortua est
6 quam arreptam in frusta concidi
misique partes in omnes terminos possessionis vestrae
quia numquam tantum nefas et tam grande piaculum factum est in Israhel
7 adestis omnes filii Israhel 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 faciemus
10 decem viri eligantur e centum ex omnibus tribubus Israhel
et centum de mille et mille de decem milibus
ut conportent exercitui cibaria
et possimus pugnantes contra Gabaa Beniamin reddere ei
pro scelere quod meretur
11 convenitque universus Israhel ad civitatem
quasi unus homo eadem mente unoque consilio
12 et miserunt nuntios ad omnem tribum Beniamin qui dicerent
cur tantum nefas in vobis reppertum est
13 tradite homines de Gabaa qui hoc flagitium perpetrarunt
ut moriantur et auferatur malum de Israhel
qui noluerunt fratrum suorum filiorum Israhel audire mandatum
14 sed ex cunctis urbibus quae suae sortis erant
convenerunt in Gabaa ut illis ferrent auxilium
et contra universum Israhel populum dimicarent
15 inventique sunt viginti quinque milia de Beniamin educentium gladium
praeter habitatores Gabaa
16 qui septingenti erant viri fortissimi ita sinistra ut dextra proeliantes
et sic fundis ad certum iacientes lapides
ut capillum quoque possent percutere
et nequaquam in alteram partem ictus lapidis deferretur
17 virorum quoque Israhel absque filiis Beniamin
inventa sunt quadringenta milia educentium gladios et
paratorum ad pugnam
18 qui surgentes venerunt in domum Dei hoc est in Silo
consulueruntque eum atque dixerunt
quis erit in exercitu nostro princeps certaminis contra filios Beniamin
quibus respondit Dominus Iudas sit dux vester
19 statimque filii Israhel surgentes mane castrametati sunt iuxta Gabaa
20 et inde procedentes ad pugnam contra Beniamin
urbem obpugnare coeperunt
21 egressique filii Beniamin de Gabaa
occiderunt de filiis Israhel die illo viginti duo milia viros
22 rursum filii Israhel 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 Beniamin
fratres meos an non
quibus ille respondit ascendite ad eum et inite certamen
24 cumque filii Israhel altero die contra
Beniamin ad proelium processissent
25 eruperunt filii Beniamin de portis Gabaa
et occurrentes eis tanta in illos caede baccati sunt
ut decem et octo milia virorum educentium gladium prosternerent
26 quam ob rem omnes filii Israhel venerunt in domum Dei
et sedentes flebant coram Domino
ieiunaveruntque illo die usque ad vesperam
et obtulerunt ei holocausta et pacificas victimas
27 et super statu suo interrogaverunt
eo tempore ibi erat arca foederis Dei
28 et Finees filius Eleazari filii Aaron praepositus domus
consuluerunt igitur Dominum atque dixerunt
exire ultra debemus ad pugnam contra filios Beniamin fratres nostros an
quiescere
quibus ait Dominus ascendite
cras enim tradam eos in manus vestras
29 posueruntque filii Israhel insidias per circuitum urbis Gabaa
30 et tertia vice sicut semel et bis contra Beniamin exercitum produxerunt
31 sed et filii Beniamin audacter eruperunt de civitate
et fugientes adversarios longius persecuti sunt
ita ut vulnerarent ex eis sicut primo et secundo die
et caederent per duas semitas terga
vertentes
quarum una ferebat in Bethel
altera in Gabaa
atque prosternerent triginta circiter viros
32 putaverunt enim solito eos more cedere
qui fugam arte simulantes iniere consilium
ut abstraherent eos de civitate
et quasi fugientes ad supradictas semitas
perducerent
33 omnes itaque filii Israhel 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 milia virorum de universo Israhel
habitatores urbis ad certamina provocabant
ingravatumque est bellum contra filios Beniamin
et non intellexerunt quod ex omni parte illis instaret interitus
35 percussitque eos Dominus in conspectu filiorum Israhel
et interfecerunt ex eis in illo die
viginti quinque milia et centum viros
omnes bellatores et educentes gladium
36 filii autem Beniamin cum se inferiores esse vidissent coeperunt fugere
quod cernentes filii Israhel dederunt eis ad fugiendum locum
ut ad praeparatas insidias devenirent quas iuxta urbem posuerant
37 qui cum repente de latibulis surrexissent
et Beniamin terga caedentibus daret
ingressi sunt civitatem et percusserunt eam in ore gladii
38 signum autem dederant filii Israhel
his quos in insidiis conlocaverant
ut postquam urbem cepissent ignem accenderent
et ascendente in altum fumo captam urbem
demonstrarent
39 quod cum cernerent filii Israhel in ipso certamine positi
putaverunt enim filii Beniamin eos fugere
et instantius sequebantur
caesis de exercitu eorum triginta viris
40 et viderent quasi columnam fumi de civitate
conscendere
Beniamin quoque retro aspiciens
captam cerneret civitatem et flammas in sublime ferri
41 qui prius simulaverant fugam versa facie fortius resistebant
quod cum vidissent filii Beniamin in fugam versi sunt
42 et ad viam deserti ire coeperunt
illuc quoque eos adversariis persequentibus
sed et hii qui urbem succenderant occurrerunt eis
43 atque ita factum est ut ex utraque parte ab hostibus caederentur
nec erat ulla morientium requies
ceciderunt atque prostrati sunt
ad orientalem plagam urbis Gabaa
44 fuerunt autem qui in eodem loco interfecti sunt decem et octo
milia virorum
omnes robustissimi pugnatores
45 quod cum vidissent qui remanserant de Beniamin
fugerunt in solitudinem
et pergebant ad petram cuius vocabulum est Remmon
in illa quoque fuga palantes et in diversa tendentes
occiderunt quinque milia viros
et cum ultra tenderent persecuti sunt eos
et interfecerunt etiam alios duo milia
46 et sic factum est
ut omnes qui ceciderant de Beniamin in diversis locis
essent viginti quinque milia pugnatores ad bella promptissimi
47 remanserunt itaque de omni numero Beniamin
qui evadere potuerant et fugere in
solitudinem
sescenti viri
sederuntque in petra Remmon mensibus quattuor
48 regressi autem filii Israhel
omnes reliquias civitatis a viris usque ad iumenta gladio percusserunt
cunctasque urbes et viculos Beniamin vorax flamma consumpsit
1 Then all the children of Israel went out, and the congregation was gathered together as one man, from Dan even to Beer-sheba, with the land of Gilead, unto the LORD in Mizpeh. 2 And the chief of all the people, even of all the tribes of Israel, presented themselves in the assembly of the people of God, four hundred thousand footmen that drew sword. 3 (Now the children of Benjamin heard that the children of Israel were gone up to Mizpeh.) Then said the children of Israel, Tell us , how was this wickedness? 4 And the Levite, the husband of the woman that was slain, answered and said, I came into Gibeah that belongeth to Benjamin, I and my concubine, to lodge. 5 And the men of Gibeah rose against me, and beset the house round about upon me by night, and thought to have slain me: and my concubine have they forced, that she is dead. 6 And I took my concubine, and cut her in pieces, and sent her throughout all the country of the inheritance of Israel: for they have committed lewdness and folly in Israel. 7 Behold, ye are all children of Israel; give here your advice and counsel.
8 ¶ And all the people arose as one man, saying, We will not any of us go to his tent, neither will we any of us turn into his house. 9 But now this shall be the thing which we will do to Gibeah; we will go up by lot against it; 10 And we will take ten men of an hundred throughout all the tribes of Israel, and an hundred of a thousand, and a thousand out of ten thousand, to fetch victual for the people, that they may do, when they come to Gibeah of Benjamin, according to all the folly that they have wrought in Israel. 11 So all the men of Israel were gathered against the city, knit together as one man.
12 ¶ And the tribes of Israel sent men through all the tribe of Benjamin, saying, What wickedness is this that is done among you? 13 Now therefore deliver us the men, the children of Belial, which are in Gibeah, that we may put them to death, and put away evil from Israel. But the children of Benjamin would not hearken to the voice of their brethren the children of Israel: 14 But the children of Benjamin gathered themselves together out of the cities unto Gibeah, to go out to battle against the children of Israel. 15 And the children of Benjamin were numbered at that time out of the cities twenty and six thousand men that drew sword, beside the inhabitants of Gibeah, which were numbered seven hundred chosen men. 16 Among all this people there were seven hundred chosen men lefthanded; every one could sling stones at an hair breadth , and not miss. 17 And the men of Israel, beside Benjamin, were numbered four hundred thousand men that drew sword: all these were men of war.
18 ¶ And the children of Israel arose, and went up to the house of God, and asked counsel of God, and said, Which of us shall go up first to the battle against the children of Benjamin? And the LORD said, Judah shall go up first. 19 And the children of Israel rose up in the morning, and encamped against Gibeah. 20 And the men of Israel went out to battle against Benjamin; and the men of Israel put themselves in array to fight against them at Gibeah. 21 And the children of Benjamin came forth out of Gibeah, and destroyed down to the ground of the Israelites that day twenty and two thousand men. 22 And the people the men of Israel encouraged themselves, and set their battle again in array in the place where they put themselves in array the first day. 23 (And the children of Israel went up and wept before the LORD until even, and asked counsel of the LORD, saying, Shall I go up again to battle against the children of Benjamin my brother? And the LORD said, Go up against him.) 24 And the children of Israel came near against the children of Benjamin the second day. 25 And Benjamin went forth against them out of Gibeah the second day, and destroyed down to the ground of the children of Israel again eighteen thousand men; all these drew the sword.
26 ¶ Then all the children of Israel, and all the people, went up, and came unto the house of God, and wept, and sat there before the LORD, and fasted that day until even, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the LORD. 27 And the children of Israel enquired of the LORD, (for the ark of the covenant of God was there in those days, 28 And Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, stood before it in those days,) saying, Shall I yet again go out to battle against the children of Benjamin my brother, or shall I cease? And the LORD said, Go up; for to morrow I will deliver them into thine hand. 29 And Israel set liers in wait round about Gibeah. 30 And the children of Israel went up against the children of Benjamin on the third day, and put themselves in array against Gibeah, as at other times. 31 And the children of Benjamin went out against the people, and were drawn away from the city; and they began to smite of the people, and kill, as at other times, in the highways, of which one goeth up to the house of God, and the other to Gibeah in the field, about thirty men of Israel. 32 And the children of Benjamin said, They are smitten down before us, as at the first. But the children of Israel said, Let us flee, and draw them from the city unto the highways. 33 And all the men of Israel rose up out of their place, and put themselves in array at Baal-tamar: and the liers in wait of Israel came forth out of their places, even out of the meadows of Gibeah. 34 And there came against Gibeah ten thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and the battle was sore: but they knew not that evil was near them. 35 And the LORD smote Benjamin before Israel: and the children of Israel destroyed of the Benjamites that day twenty and five thousand and an hundred men: all these drew the sword. 36 So the children of Benjamin saw that they were smitten: for the men of Israel gave place to the Benjamites, because they trusted unto the liers in wait which they had set beside Gibeah. 37 And the liers in wait hasted, and rushed upon Gibeah; and the liers in wait drew themselves along, and smote all the city with the edge of the sword. 38 Now there was an appointed sign between the men of Israel and the liers in wait, that they should make a great flame with smoke rise up out of the city. 39 And when the men of Israel retired in the battle, Benjamin began to smite and kill of the men of Israel about thirty persons: for they said, Surely they are smitten down before us, as in the first battle. 40 But when the flame began to arise up out of the city with a pillar of smoke, the Benjamites looked behind them, and, behold, the flame of the city ascended up to heaven. 41 And when the men of Israel turned again, the men of Benjamin were amazed: for they saw that evil was come upon them. 42 Therefore they turned their backs before the men of Israel unto the way of the wilderness; but the battle overtook them; and them which came out of the cities they destroyed in the midst of them. 43 Thus they inclosed the Benjamites round about, and chased them, and trode them down with ease over against Gibeah toward the sunrising. 44 And there fell of Benjamin eighteen thousand men; all these were men of valour. 45 And they turned and fled toward the wilderness unto the rock of Rimmon: and they gleaned of them in the highways five thousand men; and pursued hard after them unto Gidom, and slew two thousand men of them. 46 So that all which fell that day of Benjamin were twenty and five thousand men that drew the sword; all these were men of valour. 47 But six hundred men turned and fled to the wilderness unto the rock Rimmon, and abode in the rock Rimmon four months. 48 And the men of Israel turned again upon the children of Benjamin, and smote them with the edge of the sword, as well the men of every city, as the beast, and all that came to hand: also they set on fire all the cities that they came to.