The Israelites Punish the Benjamites
1Then all Israel from Dan to Beersheba and from the land of Gilead came together as one and assembled before the Lord in Mizpah. 2The leaders of all the people of the tribes of Israel took their places in the assembly of God’s people, four hundred thousand men 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.”
4So the Levite, the husband of the murdered woman, said, “I and my concubine came to Gibeah in Benjamin to spend the night. 5During the night the men of Gibeah came after me and surrounded the house, intending to kill me. They raped my concubine, and she died. 6I took my concubine, cut her into pieces and sent one piece to each region of Israel’s inheritance, because they committed this lewd and outrageous act in Israel. 7Now, all you Israelites, speak up and tell me what you have decided to do.”
8All the men rose up together as one, saying, “None of us will go home. No, not one of us will return to his house. 9But now this is what we’ll do to Gibeah: We’ll go up against it in the order decided by casting lots. 10We’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 Gibeah20:10 One Hebrew manuscript; most Hebrew manuscripts Geba, a variant of Gibeah in Benjamin, it can give them what they deserve for this outrageous act done in Israel.” 11So all the Israelites got together and united as one against the city.
12The tribes of Israel sent messengers throughout the tribe of Benjamin, saying, “What about this awful crime that was committed among you? 13Now turn those wicked men of Gibeah over to us so that we may put them to death and purge the evil from Israel.”
But the Benjamites would not listen to their fellow Israelites. 14From their towns they came together at Gibeah to fight against the Israelites. 15At once the Benjamites mobilized twenty-six thousand swordsmen from their towns, in addition to seven hundred able young men from those living in Gibeah. 16Among all these soldiers there were seven hundred select troops who were left-handed, each of whom could sling a stone at a hair and not miss.
17Israel, apart from Benjamin, mustered four hundred thousand swordsmen, all of them fit for battle.
18The Israelites went up to Bethel20:18 Or to the house of God; also in verse 26 and inquired of God. They said, “Who of us is to go up first to fight against the Benjamites?”
The Lord replied, “Judah shall go first.”
19The next morning the Israelites got up and pitched camp near Gibeah. 20The Israelites went out to fight the Benjamites and took up battle positions against them at Gibeah. 21The Benjamites came out of Gibeah and cut down twenty-two thousand Israelites on the battlefield that day. 22But the Israelites encouraged one another and again took up their positions where they had stationed themselves the first day. 23The Israelites went up and wept before the Lord until evening, and they inquired of the Lord. They said, “Shall we go up again to fight against the Benjamites, our fellow Israelites?”
The Lord answered, “Go up against them.”
24Then the Israelites drew near to Benjamin the second day. 25This time, when the Benjamites came out from Gibeah to oppose them, they cut down another eighteen thousand Israelites, all of them armed with swords.
26Then all the Israelites, the whole army, went up to Bethel, and there they sat weeping before the Lord. They fasted that day until evening and presented burnt offerings and fellowship offerings to the Lord. 27And the Israelites inquired of the Lord. (In those days the ark of the covenant of God was there, 28with Phinehas son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, ministering before it.) 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.”
29Then Israel set an ambush around Gibeah. 30They went up against the Benjamites on the third day and took up positions against Gibeah as they had done before. 31The Benjamites came out to meet them and were drawn away 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 and the other to Gibeah. 32While the Benjamites were saying, “We are defeating them as before,” the Israelites were saying, “Let’s retreat and draw them away from the city to the roads.”
33All the men of Israel moved from their places and took up positions at Baal Tamar, and the Israelite ambush charged out of its place on the west20:33 Some Septuagint manuscripts and Vulgate; the meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain. of Gibeah.20:33 Hebrew Geba, a variant of Gibeah 34Then 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 how near disaster was. 35The Lord defeated Benjamin before Israel, and on that day the Israelites struck down 25,100 Benjamites, all armed with swords. 36Then the Benjamites saw that they were beaten.
Now the men of Israel had given way before Benjamin, because they relied on the ambush they had set near Gibeah. 37Those who had been in ambush made a sudden dash into Gibeah, spread out and put the whole city to the sword. 38The Israelites had arranged with the ambush that they should send up a great cloud of smoke from the city, 39and 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.” 40But when the column of smoke began to rise from the city, the Benjamites turned and saw the whole city going up in smoke. 41Then the Israelites counterattacked, and the Benjamites were terrified, because they realized that disaster had come on them. 42So 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. 43They surrounded the Benjamites, chased them and easily20:43 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain. overran them in the vicinity of Gibeah on the east. 44Eighteen thousand Benjamites fell, all of them valiant fighters. 45As they turned and fled toward the wilderness to the rock of Rimmon, 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.
46On that day twenty-five thousand Benjamite swordsmen fell, all of them valiant fighters. 47But six hundred of them turned and fled into the wilderness to the rock of Rimmon, where they stayed four months. 48The 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.
Àwọn ọmọ Israẹli bá ará Benjamini jà
1Gbogbo àwọn ọmọ Israẹli láti Dani dé Beerṣeba, àti láti ilẹ̀ Gileadi jáde bí ẹnìkan ṣoṣo wọ́n sì péjọ síwájú Olúwa ni Mispa. 2Àwọn olórí gbogbo àwọn ènìyàn láti gbogbo ẹ̀yà Israẹli dúró ní ipò wọn ní àpéjọ àwọn ènìyàn Ọlọ́run, ogún ọ̀kẹ́ ọkùnrin ológun ti àwọn àti idà wọn. 3(Àwọn ẹ̀yà Benjamini gbọ́ wí pé àwọn ọmọ Israẹli yòókù ti gòkè lọ sí Mispa.) Nígbà náà ni àwọn ọmọ Israẹli wí pé, “Ẹ sọ fún wa báwo ni iṣẹ́ búburú ṣe ṣẹlẹ̀.”
4Ará Lefi náà, ọkọ obìnrin tí wọ́n pa fèsì pé, “Èmi àti àlè mi wá sí Gibeah ti àwọn ará Benjamini láti sùn di ilẹ̀ mọ́ níbẹ̀. 5Ṣùgbọ́n ní òru àwọn ọkùnrin Gibeah lépa mi wọ́n sì yí ilé náà po pẹ̀lú èrò láti pa mí. Wọ́n fi ipá bá àlè mi lòpọ̀, òun sì kú. 6Mo mú àlè mi náà, mo sì gé e sí ekìrí ekìrí, mo sì fi ekìrí kọ̀ọ̀kan ránṣẹ́ sí agbègbè ìní Israẹli kọ̀ọ̀kan, nítorí pé wọ́n ti ṣe ohun tí ó jẹ́ èèwọ̀ àti ohun ìtìjú yìí ní ilẹ̀ Israẹli. 7Nísinsin yìí, gbogbo ẹ̀yin ọmọ Israẹli, ẹ sọ ìmọ̀ràn yín, kí ẹ sì ṣe ìdájọ́ yín.”
8Gbogbo àwọn ènìyàn náà sì dìde bí ẹnìkan pẹ̀lú gbólóhùn kan wí pé, “Kò sí ẹnikẹ́ni nínú wa tí yóò lọ sí àgọ́ rẹ̀. Rárá o, kò sí ẹyọ ẹnìkan tí yóò padà lọ sí ilé rẹ̀. 9Ṣùgbọ́n nísinsin yìí, ohun tí àwa yóò ṣe sí Gibeah ní yìí: Àwa yóò lọ kọlù ú bí ìbò bá ṣe darí wa. 10A yóò mú ọkùnrin mẹ́wàá nínú ọgọ́rùn-ún nínú gbogbo ẹ̀yà Israẹli àti ọgọ́rùn-ún (100) láti inú ẹgbẹ̀rún (1,000) kan àti ẹgbẹ̀rún kan láti inú ẹgbẹ̀rún ún mẹ́wàá (10,000) láti máa pèsè oúnjẹ fún àwọn ọmọ-ogun. Yóò sì ṣe nígbà tí àwọn jagunjagun bá dé Gibeah ti àwọn ará Benjamini, wọn yóò fún wọn ní ohun tí ó bá tọ́ sí wọn fún gbogbo ìwà búburú àti ìwà ìtìjú tí wọ́n ṣe yìí ní ilẹ̀ Israẹli.” 11Báyìí ni gbogbo àwọn ọkùnrin Israẹli parapọ̀ ṣọ̀kan bí ọkùnrin kan ṣoṣo wọ́n sì dìde sí ìlú náà.
12Àwọn ẹ̀yà Israẹli rán àwọn ọkùnrin sí gbogbo ẹ̀yà Benjamini wí pé, “Kí ni ẹ̀rí sí ìwà búburú yìí tí ó ṣẹlẹ̀ ní àárín yín? 13Nítorí náà ẹ mú àwọn ẹni ibi ti Gibeah yìí wá fún wa, kí àwa lé pa, kí a sì fọ ìṣe búburú yìí mọ́ kúrò ní Israẹli.”
Ṣùgbọ́n àwọn ẹ̀yà Benjamini kò fetí sí ti àwọn arákùnrin wọn ọmọ Israẹli. 14Àwọn ẹ̀yà Benjamini sì kó ara wọn jọ láti àwọn ìlú wọn sí Gibeah láti bá àwọn ọmọ Israẹli jà. 15Ní ẹsẹ̀kẹsẹ̀ àwọn ará Benjamini kó ẹgbàá-mẹ́tàlá (26,000) àwọn ọmọ-ogun tí ń lọ dájọ́ láti àwọn ìlú wọn, yàtọ̀ sí àwọn ẹ̀ẹ́dẹ́gbẹ̀rin (700) àṣàyàn ọkùnrin nínú àwọn tí ń gbé Gibeah. 16Ní àárín àwọn ọmọ-ogun wọ̀nyí ni ó ti ní àwọn ẹ̀ẹ́dẹ́gbẹ̀rin (700) àṣàyàn ọkùnrin tí wọ́n ń lo ọwọ́ òsì, tí ọ̀kọ̀ọ̀kan wọn dára dé bi pé wọ́n lè fi kànnàkànnà ba fọ́nrán òwú ní àìtàsé (wọ́n jẹ́ atamọ́tàsé).
17Àwọn ọkùnrin Israẹli, yàtọ̀ sí àwọn ará Benjamini, ka ogún ọ̀kẹ́ àwọn tí ń fi idà jagun, gbogbo wọn jẹ́ akọni ní ogun jíjà.
18Àwọn ọmọ Israẹli lọ sí Beteli (ilé Ọlọ́run) wọ́n sì béèrè lọ́wọ́ Ọlọ́run. Wọ́n wí pé, “Ta ni nínú wa tí yóò kọ́ kojú àwọn ará Benjamini láti bá wọn jà?”
Olúwa dáhùn pé, “Juda ni yóò kọ́ lọ.”
19Àwọn ọmọ Israẹli dìde ní òwúrọ̀ ọjọ́ kejì, wọ́n sì dó ti Gibeah (wọ́n tẹ̀gùn sí ẹ̀bá Gibeah). 20Àwọn ọkùnrin Israẹli jáde lọ láti bá àwọn ará Benjamini jà wọ́n sì dúró ní ipò ogun sí wọn ní Gibeah. 21Àwọn ọmọ Benjamini sì jáde láti Gibeah wá wọ́n sì pa àwọn ọmọ ẹgbàá-mọ́kànlá ọkùnrin nínú àwọn ọmọ Israẹli ní ojú ogun ní ọjọ́ náà. 22Ṣùgbọ́n àwọn ọkùnrin Israẹli mú ara wọn lọ́kàn le, wọ́n sì tún dúró sí ipò wọn ní ibi tí wọ́n dúró sí ní ọjọ́ àkọ́kọ́. 23Àwọn ọmọ Israẹli sì lọ wọ́n sọkún ní iwájú Olúwa títí oòrùn fi wọ̀, wọ́n sì béèrè lọ́wọ́ Olúwa. Wọ́n ni, “Ṣé kí àwa tún gòkè lọ kí a sì bá àwọn ará Benjamini arákùnrin wa jà?”
Olúwa dáhùn pé, “Lọ bá wọn jà.”
24Àwọn ọmọ Israẹli sì tún súnmọ́ tòsí àwọn ará Benjamini ní ọjọ́ kejì. 25Ní ọjọ́ yìí nígbà tí ará Benjamini jáde sí wọn láti Gibeah, láti dojúkọ wọn, wọ́n pa ẹgbẹ̀sán (18,000) ọkùnrin Israẹli, gbogbo wọn jẹ́ jagunjagun tí ń lo idà.
26Nígbà náà ni gbogbo àwọn ọmọ Israẹli àní gbogbo àwọn ènìyàn, gòkè lọ sí Beteli, níbẹ̀ ni wọ́n jókòó tí wọ́n sì ń sọkún níwájú Olúwa. Wọ́n gbààwẹ̀ ní ọjọ́ náà títí di àṣálẹ́, wọ́n sì rú ọrẹ ẹbọ sísun àti ọrẹ àlàáfíà (ọrẹ ìrẹ́pọ̀) sí Olúwa. 27Àwọn ọmọ Israẹli sì béèrè lọ́wọ́ Olúwa. (Ní ọjọ́ wọ̀n-ọn-nì àpótí ẹ̀rí Ọlọ́run wà níbẹ̀, 28Finehasi ọmọ Eleasari ọmọ Aaroni, ní ń ṣe iṣẹ́ ìránṣẹ́ ní iwájú rẹ̀.) Wọ́n béèrè pé, “Ṣe àwa tún le lọ sí ogun pẹ̀lú Benjamini arákùnrin wa tàbí kí a má lọ?”
Olúwa dáhùn pé, “Ẹ lọ nítorí ní ọ̀la ni èmi yóò fi wọ́n lé e yín lọ́wọ́.”
29Àwọn ọmọ Israẹli sì yàn àwọn ènìyàn tí ó sápamọ́ yí Gibeah ká. 30Wọ́n jáde tọ àwọn ọmọ Benjamini lọ ní ọjọ́ kẹta wọ́n sì dúró ní ipò wọn, wọ́n sì dìde ogun sí Gibeah bí wọ́n ti ṣe tẹ́lẹ̀ rí. 31Àwọn ọmọ Benjamini sì jáde láti pàdé wọn, àwọn ọmọ Israẹli sì tàn wọ́n jáde kúrò ní ìlú náà. Wọ́n bẹ̀rẹ̀ sí ní ṣẹ́gun àwọn ọmọ Israẹli bí i ti àtijọ́ dé bi pé wọ́n pa bí ọgbọ̀n ọkùnrin ní pápá àti ní àwọn òpópó náà—àwọn ọ̀nà tí ó lọ sí Beteli àti èkejì sí Gibeah. 32Nígbà tí àwọn Benjamini ń wí pé, “Àwa ti ń ṣẹ́gun wọn bí i ti ìṣáájú,” àwọn ọmọ Israẹli ń wí pé, “Ẹ jẹ́ kí a sá kí a lè fà wọ́n kúrò ní ìlú sí ojú òpópó náà.”
33Gbogbo àwọn ọkùnrin Israẹli dìde kúrò ní ipò wọn, wọ́n sì tẹ̀dó ogun ní Baali-Tamari, àwọn ọmọ-ogun Israẹli tí wọ́n sápamọ́ sínú igbó jáde kúrò níbi tí wọ́n wà ní ìwọ̀-oòrùn Gibeah. 34Nígbà náà ni ẹgbàá-márùn ún (10,000) àwọn àṣàyàn ológun àwọn ọmọ Israẹli gbógun ti Gibeah láti iwájú ogun náà le gidigidi dé bí i pé àwọn ẹ̀yà Benjamini kò funra pé ìparun wà nítòsí. 35Olúwa ṣẹ́gun Benjamini níwájú àwọn ọmọ Israẹli, ní ọjọ́ náà àwọn ọmọ Israẹli pa ẹgbàá-méjìlá ó lé ẹ̀ẹ́dẹ́gbẹ̀fà (25,000) ọkùnrin Benjamini, gbogbo wọn fi idà dìhámọ́ra ogun. 36Àwọn ẹ̀yà Benjamini sì rí pé wọ́n ti ṣẹ́gun àwọn.
Àwọn ọkùnrin Israẹli fàsẹ́yìn níwájú àwọn ẹ̀yà Benjamini nítorí pé wọ́n fọkàn tán àwọn tí ó wà ní ibùba ní ẹ̀bá Gibeah. 37Àwọn ọkùnrin tí wọ́n lúgọ yára jáde wọ́n sì tètè wọ Gibeah, wọ́n fọ́nká wọ́n sì fi idà pa gbogbo àwọn tí ó wà nínú ìlú náà. 38Àwọn ọkùnrin Israẹli àti àwọn tí o ba ní ibùba sínú igbó ti fún ara wọn ní ààmì pé, kí àwọn tí ó ba ní ibùba fi èéfín ṣe ìkùùkuu ńlá láti inú ìlú náà, 39nígbà náà ni àwọn ọkùnrin Israẹli yípadà, wọ́n sá gun.
Àwọn ọmọ Benjamini sì ti bẹ̀rẹ̀ sí ṣẹ́gun àti ní pípa àwọn ọkùnrin Israẹli tí ó to ọgbọ̀n, wọ́n sì wí pé, “Àwa ń ṣẹ́gun wọn bí ìgbà ìjà àkọ́kọ́.” 40Ṣùgbọ́n nígbà tí ìkùùkuu èéfín bẹ̀rẹ̀ sí ní rú sókè láti inú ìlú náà wá, àwọn ẹ̀yà Benjamini yípadà wọ́n sì rí èéfín gbogbo ìlú náà ń gòkè sí ojú ọ̀run. 41Àwọn ọkùnrin Israẹli sì yípadà sí wọn, ẹ̀rù gidigidi sì ba àwọn ará Benjamini nítorí pé wọ́n mọ̀ pé àwọn wà nínú ewu. 42Wọ́n sì sá níwájú àwọn ọmọ Israẹli sí apá àṣálẹ́, ṣùgbọ́n wọn kò le sálà kúrò lọ́wọ́ ogun náà. Àwọn ọkùnrin Israẹli tí ó jáde láti inú àwọn ìlú wọn wá pa wọ́n run níbẹ̀. 43Wọ́n yí àwọn ẹ̀yà Benjamini ká, wọ́n lépa wọn, wọ́n sì pa wọ́n run pẹ̀lú ìrọ̀rùn ní ibi ìsinmi wọn ní agbègbè ìlà-oòrùn Gibeah. 44Ẹgbàá-mẹ́sàn án (18,000) àwọn ẹ̀yà Benjamini ṣubú, gbogbo wọn jẹ́ akọni jagunjagun. 45Bí wọ́n ṣe ṣíjú padà tí wọ́n sì ń sálọ sí apá ijù lọ sí ọ̀nà àpáta Rimoni ni àwọn ọmọ Israẹli pa ẹgbẹ̀ẹ́dọ́gbọ̀n ọkùnrin ní àwọn òpópónà. Wọ́n lépa àwọn ẹ̀yà Benjamini títí dé Gidomu, wọ́n sì tún bi ẹgbàá (2,000) ọkùnrin ṣubú.
46Ní ọjọ́ náà ẹgbàá-méjìlá ó lé ẹgbẹ̀rún (25,000) jagunjagun Benjamini tí ń fi idà jagun ní ó ṣubú, gbogbo wọn jẹ́ akọni ológun. 47Ṣùgbọ́n ẹgbẹ̀ta (600) ọkùnrin yípadà wọ́n sì sá nínú ààlà lọ sí àpáta Rimoni, níbi tí wọ́n wà fún oṣù mẹ́rin. 48Àwọn ọkùnrin Israẹli sì padà sí àwọn ìlú Benjamini wọn sì fi idà pa gbogbo ohun tí ó wà nínú àwọn ìlú wọn àti àwọn ẹran àti gbogbo ohun tí wọn ba níbẹ̀. Gbogbo ìlú tí wọ́n bá ní ojú ọ̀nà ni wọ́n fi iná sun.
