Judges Chapter 20

The Levite vindicated.

20:1 Then all the children of Israel went out, and the congregation was gathered together as one man, from Dan even to Beershebaבְּאֵר שֶׁבַע
romanized: Bəʾēr Ševaʿ, or Beer Sheva, officially Be’er-Sheva lit. ’Well of the Oath or Well of the Seven’click here, with the land of Gileadגִּלְעָד
or Gilad (/ˈɡɪliəd/; Gilʿāḏ) is the ancient, historic, biblical name of the mountainous northern part of the region of Transjordan. The region is bounded in the west by the Jordan River, in the north by the deep ravine of the river Yarmouk and the region of Bashan, and in the southwest by what were known during antiquity as the “plains of Moab”, with no definite boundary to the east., to YAHWEH יְהֹוָה‎
Hebrew Yəhōwā, one vocalization of the Tetragrammaton יהוה‎ (YHWH), the proper name of the God of Israel in the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament. It is considered one of the seven names of God in Judaism and a form of God’s name in Christianity. Covenant making covenant keeping GOD. For more info click here in Mizpeh.
20:2 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.
20:3(Now the children of Benjaminבִּנְיָמִי
Bīnyāmīn Meaning: “Son of (the) right” or “Son of My right hand” was the last of the two sons of Jacob and Rachel (Jacob’s thirteenth child and twelfth and youngest son) For more info click here heard that the children of Israel were gone up to Mizpeh.) Then said the children of Israel, Tell [us], how was this wickedness ?
20:4 And the Levite, the husband of the woman that was slain, answered and said, I came into Gibeah that [belongs] to Benjaminבִּנְיָמִי
Bīnyāmīn Meaning: “Son of (the) right” or “Son of My right hand” was the last of the two sons of Jacob and Rachel (Jacob’s thirteenth child and twelfth and youngest son) For more info click here, I and my concubineˈkäNGkyəˌbīn noun– chiefly historical (in polygamous societies) a woman who lives with a man but has lower status than his wife or wives., to lodge.
20:5 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 concubineˈkäNGkyəˌbīn noun– chiefly historical (in polygamous societies) a woman who lives with a man but has lower status than his wife or wives. have they forced, that she is dead.
20:6 And I took my concubineˈkäNGkyəˌbīn noun– chiefly historical (in polygamous societies) a woman who lives with a man but has lower status than his wife or wives., 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.
20:7 Look, ya’ll [are] all children of Israel ; give here your advice and counsel.

War Declared.

20:8 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.
20:9 But now this [shall be] the thing which we will do to Gibeah ; [we will go up] by lot against it;
20:10 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 Benjaminבִּנְיָמִי
Bīnyāmīn Meaning: “Son of (the) right” or “Son of My right hand” was the last of the two sons of Jacob and Rachel (Jacob’s thirteenth child and twelfth and youngest son) For more info click here, according to all the folly that they have worked in Israel.
20:11 So all the men of Israel were gathered against the city, knit together as one man.
20:12 And the tribes of Israel sent men through all the tribe of Benjaminבִּנְיָמִי
Bīnyāmīn Meaning: “Son of (the) right” or “Son of My right hand” was the last of the two sons of Jacob and Rachel (Jacob’s thirteenth child and twelfth and youngest son) For more info click here, saying, What wickedness [is] this that is done among you?
20:13 Now therefore deliver [us] the men, the children of Belialבְּלִיַּעַל‎
Bəlīyyaʿal is a term occurring in the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament which later became personified as the devil in Christian texts of the New Testament. Alternate spellings include Baalial, Balial, Belhor, Beliall, Beliar, Berial, Bylyl and Beliya’al. A Hebrew word “used to characterize the wicked or worthless”., which [are] in Gibeah, that we may put them to death, and put away evil from Israel. But the children of Benjaminבִּנְיָמִי
Bīnyāmīn Meaning: “Son of (the) right” or “Son of My right hand” was the last of the two sons of Jacob and Rachel (Jacob’s thirteenth child and twelfth and youngest son) For more info click here would not listen to the voice of their brethren the children of Israel
20:14 And the children of Benjaminבִּנְיָמִי
Bīnyāmīn Meaning: “Son of (the) right” or “Son of My right hand” was the last of the two sons of Jacob and Rachel (Jacob’s thirteenth child and twelfth and youngest son) For more info click here gathered themselves together out of the cities to Gibeah, to go out to battle against the children of Israel.
20:15 And the children of Benjaminבִּנְיָמִי
Bīnyāmīn Meaning: “Son of (the) right” or “Son of My right hand” was the last of the two sons of Jacob and Rachel (Jacob’s thirteenth child and twelfth and youngest son) For more info click here 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.
20:16 Among all this people [there were] seven hundred chosen men lefthanded; every one could sling stones at an hair [width], and not miss.
20:17 And the men of Israel, beside Benjaminבִּנְיָמִי
Bīnyāmīn Meaning: “Son of (the) right” or “Son of My right hand” was the last of the two sons of Jacob and Rachel (Jacob’s thirteenth child and twelfth and youngest son) For more info click here, were numbered four hundred thousand men that drew sword all these [were] men of war.
20:18 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 Benjaminבִּנְיָמִי
Bīnyāmīn Meaning: “Son of (the) right” or “Son of My right hand” was the last of the two sons of Jacob and Rachel (Jacob’s thirteenth child and twelfth and youngest son) For more info click here ? And YAHWEH יְהֹוָה‎
Hebrew Yəhōwā, one vocalization of the Tetragrammaton יהוה‎ (YHWH), the proper name of the God of Israel in the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament. It is considered one of the seven names of God in Judaism and a form of God’s name in Christianity. Covenant making covenant keeping GOD. For more info click here said, Judah [shall go up] first.
20:19 And the children of Israel rose up in the morning, and encamped against Gibeah.
20:20 And the men of Israel went out to battle against Benjaminבִּנְיָמִי
Bīnyāmīn Meaning: “Son of (the) right” or “Son of My right hand” was the last of the two sons of Jacob and Rachel (Jacob’s thirteenth child and twelfth and youngest son) For more info click here ; and the men of Israel put themselves in array to fight against them at Gibeah.
20:21 And the children of Benjaminבִּנְיָמִי
Bīnyāmīn Meaning: “Son of (the) right” or “Son of My right hand” was the last of the two sons of Jacob and Rachel (Jacob’s thirteenth child and twelfth and youngest son) For more info click here came forth out of Gibeah, and destroyed down to the ground of the Israelites that day twenty and two thousand men.
20:22 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.
20:23(And the children of Israel went up and wept before YAHWEH יְהֹוָה‎
Hebrew Yəhōwā, one vocalization of the Tetragrammaton יהוה‎ (YHWH), the proper name of the God of Israel in the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament. It is considered one of the seven names of God in Judaism and a form of God’s name in Christianity. Covenant making covenant keeping GOD. For more info click here until even, and asked counsel of YAHWEH יְהֹוָה‎
Hebrew Yəhōwā, one vocalization of the Tetragrammaton יהוה‎ (YHWH), the proper name of the God of Israel in the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament. It is considered one of the seven names of God in Judaism and a form of God’s name in Christianity. Covenant making covenant keeping GOD. For more info click here, saying, Shall I go up again to battle against the children of Benjaminבִּנְיָמִי
Bīnyāmīn Meaning: “Son of (the) right” or “Son of My right hand” was the last of the two sons of Jacob and Rachel (Jacob’s thirteenth child and twelfth and youngest son) For more info click here my brother ? And YAHWEH יְהֹוָה‎
Hebrew Yəhōwā, one vocalization of the Tetragrammaton יהוה‎ (YHWH), the proper name of the God of Israel in the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament. It is considered one of the seven names of God in Judaism and a form of God’s name in Christianity. Covenant making covenant keeping GOD. For more info click here said, Go up against him.)
20:24 And the children of Israel came near against the children of Benjaminבִּנְיָמִי
Bīnyāmīn Meaning: “Son of (the) right” or “Son of My right hand” was the last of the two sons of Jacob and Rachel (Jacob’s thirteenth child and twelfth and youngest son) For more info click here the second day.
20:25 And Benjaminבִּנְיָמִי
Bīnyāmīn Meaning: “Son of (the) right” or “Son of My right hand” was the last of the two sons of Jacob and Rachel (Jacob’s thirteenth child and twelfth and youngest son) For more info click here 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.

Benjamin vanquished.

20:26 Then all the children of Israel, and all the people, went up, and came to the house of God, and wept, and sat there before YAHWEH יְהֹוָה‎
Hebrew Yəhōwā, one vocalization of the Tetragrammaton יהוה‎ (YHWH), the proper name of the God of Israel in the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament. It is considered one of the seven names of God in Judaism and a form of God’s name in Christianity. Covenant making covenant keeping GOD. For more info click here, and fasted that day until even, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before YAHWEH יְהֹוָה‎
Hebrew Yəhōwā, one vocalization of the Tetragrammaton יהוה‎ (YHWH), the proper name of the God of Israel in the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament. It is considered one of the seven names of God in Judaism and a form of God’s name in Christianity. Covenant making covenant keeping GOD. For more info click here.
20:27 And the children of Israel enquired of YAHWEH יְהֹוָה‎
Hebrew Yəhōwā, one vocalization of the Tetragrammaton יהוה‎ (YHWH), the proper name of the God of Israel in the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament. It is considered one of the seven names of God in Judaism and a form of God’s name in Christianity. Covenant making covenant keeping GOD. For more info click here, (for the ark of the covenant of God [was] there in those days),
20:28 And Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of AaronAaron is an English masculine given name. The ‘h’ phoneme in the original Hebrew pronunciation “Aharon” (אהרן) is dropped in the Greek, Ἀαρών, from which the English form, Aaron, is derived. The brother of Moses, is described in the Torah, the Quran and the Baha’i Iqan. The origin of the biblical name is uncertain; however, an Ancient Egyptian origin may indicate “aha rw” meaning “warrior lion”, For more info click here, stood before it in those days,) saying, Shall I yet again go out to battle against the children of Benjaminבִּנְיָמִי
Bīnyāmīn Meaning: “Son of (the) right” or “Son of My right hand” was the last of the two sons of Jacob and Rachel (Jacob’s thirteenth child and twelfth and youngest son) For more info click here my brother, or shall I cease ? And YAHWEH יְהֹוָה‎
Hebrew Yəhōwā, one vocalization of the Tetragrammaton יהוה‎ (YHWH), the proper name of the God of Israel in the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament. It is considered one of the seven names of God in Judaism and a form of God’s name in Christianity. Covenant making covenant keeping GOD. For more info click here said, Go up; for tomorrow I will deliver them into your hand.
20:29 And Israel set liers in wait round about Gibeah.
20:30 And the children of Israel went up against the children of Benjaminבִּנְיָמִי
Bīnyāmīn Meaning: “Son of (the) right” or “Son of My right hand” was the last of the two sons of Jacob and Rachel (Jacob’s thirteenth child and twelfth and youngest son) For more info click here on the third day, and put themselves in array against Gibeah, as at other times.
20:31 And the children of Benjaminבִּנְיָמִי
Bīnyāmīn Meaning: “Son of (the) right” or “Son of My right hand” was the last of the two sons of Jacob and Rachel (Jacob’s thirteenth child and twelfth and youngest son) For more info click here went out against the people, [and] were drawn away from the city ; and they began to strike of the people, [and] kill, as at other times, in the highways, of which one goes up to the house of God, and the other to Gibeah in the field, about thirty men of Israel.
20:32 And the children of Benjaminבִּנְיָמִי
Bīnyāmīn Meaning: “Son of (the) right” or “Son of My right hand” was the last of the two sons of Jacob and Rachel (Jacob’s thirteenth child and twelfth and youngest son) For more info click here said, They [are] struck down down before us, as at the first. But the children of Israel said, Let us flee, and draw them from the city to the highways.
20:33 And all the men of Israel rose up out of their place, and put themselves in array at Baaltamar and the liers in wait of Israel came forth out of their places, [even] out of the meadows of Gibeah.
20:34 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.
20:35 And YAHWEH יְהֹוָה‎
Hebrew Yəhōwā, one vocalization of the Tetragrammaton יהוה‎ (YHWH), the proper name of the God of Israel in the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament. It is considered one of the seven names of God in Judaism and a form of God’s name in Christianity. Covenant making covenant keeping GOD. For more info click here struck Benjaminבִּנְיָמִי
Bīnyāmīn Meaning: “Son of (the) right” or “Son of My right hand” was the last of the two sons of Jacob and Rachel (Jacob’s thirteenth child and twelfth and youngest son) For more info click here 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.
20:36 So the children of Benjaminבִּנְיָמִי
Bīnyāmīn Meaning: “Son of (the) right” or “Son of My right hand” was the last of the two sons of Jacob and Rachel (Jacob’s thirteenth child and twelfth and youngest son) For more info click here saw that they were struck down for the men of Israel gave place to the Benjamites, because they trusted to the liers in wait which they had set beside Gibeah.
20:37 And the liers in wait hasted, and rushed upon Gibeah ; and the liers in wait drew [themselves] along, and struck all the city with the edge of the sword.
20:38 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.
20:39 And when the men of Israel retired in the battle, Benjaminבִּנְיָמִי
Bīnyāmīn Meaning: “Son of (the) right” or “Son of My right hand” was the last of the two sons of Jacob and Rachel (Jacob’s thirteenth child and twelfth and youngest son) For more info click here began to strike [and] kill of the men of Israel about thirty persons for they said, Surely they are struck down down before us, as [in] the first battle.
20:40 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.
20:41 And when the men of Israel turned again, the men of Benjaminבִּנְיָמִי
Bīnyāmīn Meaning: “Son of (the) right” or “Son of My right hand” was the last of the two sons of Jacob and Rachel (Jacob’s thirteenth child and twelfth and youngest son) For more info click here were amazed for they saw that evil was come on them.
20:42 Therefore they turned [their backs] before the men of Israel to the way of the wilderness ; but the battle overtook them; and them which [came] out of the cities they destroyed in the middle of them.
20:43 [This] they enclosed the Benjamites round about, [and] chased them, [and] trod them down with ease over against Gibeah toward the sun rising.
20:44 And there fell of Benjaminבִּנְיָמִי
Bīnyāmīn Meaning: “Son of (the) right” or “Son of My right hand” was the last of the two sons of Jacob and Rachel (Jacob’s thirteenth child and twelfth and youngest son) For more info click here eighteen thousand men ; all these [were] men of valor.
20:45 And they turned and fled toward the wilderness to the rock of Rimmon and they gleaned of them in the highways five thousand men ; and pursued hard after them to Gidom, and killed two thousand men of them.
20:46 So that all which fell that day of Benjaminבִּנְיָמִי
Bīnyāmīn Meaning: “Son of (the) right” or “Son of My right hand” was the last of the two sons of Jacob and Rachel (Jacob’s thirteenth child and twelfth and youngest son) For more info click here were twenty five thousand men that drew the sword ; all these [were] men of valor.
20:47 But six hundred men turned and fled to the wilderness to the rock Rimmon, and abode in the rock Rimmon four months.
20:48 And the men of Israel turned again on the sons of Benjaminבִּנְיָמִי
Bīnyāmīn Meaning: “Son of (the) right” or “Son of My right hand” was the last of the two sons of Jacob and Rachel (Jacob’s thirteenth child and twelfth and youngest son) For more info click here, and struck 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.