Judges 20

vayyetse'u kol-bene yisra'el vattiqqahel ha'edah ke'ish ekhad lemiddan ve'ad-be'er sheva ve'erets haggilad el-Adonai hammitspah

Thereupon all the Israelites—from Dan to Beer-sheba and [from] the land of Gilead—marched forth, and the community assembled as one, before GOD at Mizpah.

vayyityatsevu pinnot kol-ha'am kol shivte yisra'el biqhal am ha'elohim arba me'ot elef ish ragli sholef-kharev

All the leaders of the people [and] all the tribes of Israel presented themselves in the assembly of God’s people, 400,000 fighters on foot.—

vayyishme'u bene vinyamin ki-alu vene-yisra'el hammitspah vayyomeru bene yisra'el dabberu ekhah nihyetah hara'ah hazzot

The Benjaminites heard that the Israelites had come up to Mizpah.—The Israelites said, “Tell us, how did this evil thing happen?”

vayya'an ha'ish hallevi ish ha'isha hannirtsakhah vayyomar haggivatah asher levinyamin bati ani ufilagshi lalun

And that Levite, the husband of the murdered woman, replied, “My concubine and I came to Gibeah of Benjamin to spend the night.

vayyaqumu alay ba'ale haggivah vayyasobbu alay et-habbayit layelah oti dimmu laharog ve'et-pilagshi innu vattamot

The citizens of Gibeah set out to harm me. They gathered against me around the house in the night; they meant to kill me, and they abused my concubine until she died.

va'okhez befilagshi va'anattekheha va'ashallekheha bekhol-sedeh nakhalat yisra'el ki asu zimmah unevalah beyisra'el

So I took hold of my concubine and I cut her in pieces and sent them through every part of Israel’s territory. For an outrageous act of depravity had been committed in Israel.

hinneh khullekhem bene yisra'el havu lakhem davar ve'etsah halom

Now you are all Israelites; produce a plan of action here and now!”

vayyaqom kol-ha'am ke'ish ekhad lemor lo nelekh ish le'oholo velo nasur ish leveto

Then all the people rose as one and declared, “We will not go back to our homes, we will not enter our houses!

ve'attah zeh haddavar asher na'aseh laggivah aleha begoral

But this is what we will do to Gibeah: [we will wage war] against it according to lot.

velaqakhnu asarah anashim lamme'ah lekhol shivte yisra'el ume'ah la'elef ve'elef larevavah laqakhat tsedah la'am la'asot levo'am legeva binyamin kekhol-hannevalah asher asah beyisra'el

We will take from all the tribes of Israel ten of every hundred, a hundred of every thousand, and a thousand of every ten thousand to supply provisions for the troops—to prepare for their going to Geba in Benjamin for all the outrage it has committed in Israel.”

vayye'asef kol-ish yisra'el el-ha'ir ke'ish ekhad khaverim

So Israel’s entire force, united as one, massed against the town.

vayyishlekhu shivte yisra'el anashim bekhol-shivte vinyamin lemor mah hara'ah hazzot asher nihyetah bakhem

And the tribes of Israel sent agents through the whole tribe of Benjamin, saying, “What is this evil thing that has happened among you?

ve'attah tenu et-ha'anashim bene-veliyya'al asher baggivah unemitem uneva'arah ra'ah miyyisra'el velo avu [bene] vinyamin lishmoa beqol akhehem bene-yisra'el

Come, hand over those scoundrels in Gibeah so that we may put them to death and stamp out the evil from Israel.” But the Benjaminites would not yield to the demand of their fellow Israelites.

vayye'asefu vene-vinyamin min-he'arim haggivatah latset lammilkhamah im-bene yisra'el

So the Benjaminites gathered from their towns to Gibeah in order to take the field against the Israelites.

vayyitpaqedu vene vinyamin bayyom hahu mehe'arim esrim veshisha elef ish sholef kharev levad miyyosheve haggivah hitpaqedu sheva me'ot ish bakhur

On that day the Benjaminites mustered from the towns 26,000 fighters, mustered apart from the inhabitants of Gibeah; 700 elite troops

mikkol ha'am hazzeh sheva me'ot ish bakhur itter yad-yemino kol-zeh qolea ba'even el-hassa'arah velo yakhati

of these forces—700 of the best troops—were left-handed. Every one of them could sling a stone at a hair and not miss.

ve'ish yisra'el hitpaqedu levad mibbinyamin arba me'ot elef ish sholef kharev kol-zeh ish milkhamah

Those on Israel’s side—other than Benjamin—mustered 400,000 fighters, every one of them a warrior.

vayyaqumu vayya'alu vet-el vayyishalu velohim vayyomeru bene yisra'el mi ya'aleh-llanu vattekhillah lammilkhamah im-bene vinyamin vayyomer Adonai yehudah vattekhillah

They proceeded to Bethel and inquired of God; the Israelites asked, “Who of us shall advance first to fight the Benjaminites?” And GOD replied, “Judah first.”

vayyaqumu vene-yisra'el babboqer vayyakhanu al-haggivah

So the Israelites arose in the morning and encamped against Gibeah.

vayyetse ish yisra'el lammilkhamah im-binyamin vayya'arkhu ittam ish-yisra'el milkhamah el-haggivah

Israel’s side took the field against the Benjaminites; those on Israel’s side drew up in battle order against them at Gibeah.

vayyetse'u vene-vinyamin min-haggivah vayyashkhitu veyisra'el bayyom hahu shenayim ve'esrim elef ish aretsah

But the Benjaminites issued from Gibeah, and that day they struck down 22,000 of the Israelites.

vayyitkhazzeq ha'am ish yisra'el vayyosifu la'arokh milkhamah bammaqom asher-arekhu sham bayyom harishon

Now the army—Israel’s side—rallied and again drew up in battle order at the same place as they had on the first day.

vayya'alu vene-yisra'el vayyivku lifne-Adonai ad-ha'erev vayyishalu va-Adonai lemor ha'osif lageshet lammilkhamah im-bene vinyamin akhi vayyomer Adonai alu elayw

For the Israelites had gone up and wept before GOD until evening. They had inquired of GOD, “Shall we again join battle with our kinsmen the Benjaminites?” And GOD had replied, “March against them.”

vayyiqrevu vene-yisra'el el-bene vinyamin bayyom hasheni

The Israelites advanced against the Benjaminites on the second day.

vayyetse vinyamin liqratam min-haggivah bayyom hasheni vayyashkhitu vivne yisra'el od shemonat asar elef ish aretsah kol-elleh sholefe kharev

But the Benjaminites came out from Gibeah against them on the second day and struck down 18,000 more of the Israelites, all of them fighters.

vayya'alu khol-bene yisra'el vekhol-ha'am vayyavo'u vet-el vayyivku vayyeshevu sham lifne Adonai vayyatsumu vayyom-hahu ad-ha'arev vayya'alu olot ushelamim lifne Adonai

Then all the Israelites, all the army, went up and came to Bethel and they sat there, weeping before GOD. They fasted that day until evening, and presented burnt offerings and offerings of well-being to GOD.

vayyishalu vene-yisra'el ba-Adonai vesham aron berit ha'elohim bayyamim hahem

The Israelites inquired of GOD (for the Ark of God’s Covenant was there in those days,

ufinekhas ben-elazar ben-aharon omed lefanayw bayyamim hahem lemor ha'osif od latset lammilkhamah im-bene-vinyamin akhi im-ekhdal vayyomer Adonai alu ki makhar ettenennu veyadekha

and Phinehas son of Eleazar son of Aaron the priest ministered before [God] in those days), “Shall we again take the field against our kinsmen the Benjaminites, or shall we not?” GOD answered, “Go up, for tomorrow I will deliver them into your hands.”

vayyasem yisra'el orevim el-haggivah saviv

Israel set up ambushes against Gibeah on all sides.

vayya'alu vene-yisra'el el-bene vinyamin bayyom hashelishi vayya'arkhu el-haggivah kefa'am befa'am

And on the third day, the Israelites went up against the Benjaminites, as before, and engaged them in battle at Gibeah.

vayyetse'u vene-vinyamin liqrat ha'am hontequ min-ha'ir vayyakhellu lehakkot meha'am khalalim kefa'am befa'am bamsillot asher akhat olah vet-el ve'akhat givatah bassadeh kishloshim ish beyisra'el

The Benjaminites dashed out to meet the army and were drawn away from the town onto the roads, of which one runs to Bethel and the other to Gibeah. As before, they started out by striking some of the troops dead in the open field, about 30 of the Israelites.

vayyomeru bene vinyamin niggafim hem lefanenu kevarishonah uvene yisra'el ameru nanusah unetaqqenuhu min-ha'ir el-hamesillot

The Benjaminites thought, “They are being routed before us as previously.” But the Israelites had planned: “We will take to flight and draw them away from the town to the roads.”

vekhol ish yisra'el qamu mimmeqomo vayya'arkhu beva'al tamar ve'orev yisra'el megiakh mimmeqomo mimma'areh gava

And while everyone else on Israel’s side had moved away from their positions and had drawn up in battle order at Baal-tamar, the Israelite ambush was rushing out from its position at Maareh-geba.

vayyavo'u minneged laggivah aseret alafim ish bakhur mikkol-yisra'el vehammilkhamah kavedah vehem lo yade'u ki-noga'at alehem hara'ah

Thus 10,000 of the best troops from all Israel came to a point south of Gibeah, and the battle was furious. Before they realized that disaster was approaching,

vayyiggof Adonai et-binyamin lifne yisra'el vayyashkhitu vene yisra'el bevinyamin bayyom hahu esrim vakhamisha elef ume'ah ish kol-elleh sholef-kharev

GOD routed the Benjaminites before Israel. That day the Israelites slew 25,100 of the Benjaminites, all of them fighters.

vayyiru vene-vinyamin ki niggafu vayyittenu ish-yisra'el maqom levinyamin ki vatekhu el-ha'orev asher-samu el-haggivah

Then the Benjaminites realized that they were routed. Now the rest of Israel’s side had yielded ground to the Benjaminites, for they relied on the ambush that they had laid against Gibeah.

veha'orev hekhishu vayyifshetu el-haggivah vayyimshokh ha'orev vayyakh et-kol-ha'ir lefi-kharev

One ambush quickly deployed against Gibeah, and the other ambush advanced and put the whole town to the sword.

vehammo'ed hayah le'ish yisra'el im-ha'orev herev leha'alotam masat he'ashan min-ha'ir

A time had been agreed upon by the rest of Israel’s side with those in ambush: When a huge column of smoke was sent up from the town,

vayyahafokh ish-yisra'el bammilkhamah uvinyamin hekhel lehakkot khalalim be'ish-yisra'el kishloshim ish ki ameru akh niggof niggaf hu lefanenu kammilkhamah harishonah

the rest of Israel’s side was to turn about in battle. Benjamin had begun by striking dead about 30 men on Israel’s side, and they thought, “They are being routed before us as in the previous fighting.”

vehammaset hekhellah la'alot min-ha'ir ammud ashan vayyifen binyamin akharayw vehinneh alah khelil-ha'ir hashamayemah

But when the column, the pillar of smoke, began to rise from the city, the Benjaminites looked behind them, and there was the whole town going up in smoke to the sky!

ve'ish yisra'el hafakh vayyibbahel ish binyamin ki ra'ah ki-nage'ah alayw hara'ah

And now Israel’s side turned about, and Benjamin’s side was thrown into panic, for they realized that disaster had overtaken them.

vayyifnu lifne ish yisra'el el-derekh hammidbar vehammilkhamah hidbiqatehu va'asher mehe'arim mashkhitim oto betokho

They retreated before Israel’s force along the road to the wilderness, where the fighting caught up with them; meanwhile those from the towns were massacring them in it.

kitteru et-binyamin hirdifuhu menukhah hidrikhuhu ad nokhakh haggivah mimmizrakh-shamesh

They encircled the Benjaminites, pursued them, and trod them down [from] Menuhah to a point opposite Gibeah on the east.

vayyippelu mibbinyamin shemonah-asar elef ish et-kol-elleh anshe-khayil

That day 18,000 of the Benjaminites fell, all of them brave men.

vayyifnu vayyanusu hammidbarah el-sela harimmon vaye'oleluhu bamsillot khameshet alafim ish vayyadbiqu akharayw ad-gidom vayyakku mimmennu alpayim ish

They turned and fled to the wilderness, to the Rock of Rimmon; but [the Israelites] picked off another 5,000 on the roads and, continuing in hot pursuit of them up to Gidom, they slew 2,000 more.

vayehi khol-hannofelim mibbinyamin esrim vakhamisha elef ish sholef kherev bayyom hahu et-kol-elleh anshe-khayil

Thus the Benjaminite fighters who fell that day numbered 25,000, all of them brave men.

vayyifnu vayyanusu hammidbarah el-sela harimmon shesh me'ot ish vayyeshevu besela rimmon arba'ah khodashim

But 600 others turned and fled to the wilderness, to the Rock of Rimmon; they remained at the Rock of Rimmon four months.

ve'ish yisra'el shavu el-bene vinyamin vayyakkum lefi-kherev me'ir metom ad-behemah ad kol-hannimtsa gam kol-he'arim hannimtsa'ot shillekhu va'esh

Those on Israel’s side, meanwhile, turned back to the rest of the Benjaminites and put them to the sword—towns, people, cattle—everything that remained. Finally, they set fire to all the towns that were left.