Young’s Literal Translation (EN)

1And all the sons of Israel go out, and the company is assembled as one man, from Dan even unto Beer-Sheba, and the land of Gilead, unto Jehovah, at Mizpeh. 2And the chiefs of all the people, of all the tribes of Israel, station themselves in the assembly of the people of God, four hundred thousand footmen drawing sword. 3And the sons of Benjamin hear that the sons of Israel have gone up to Mizpeh. And the sons of Israel say, "Speak ye, how hath this evil been?" 4And the man, the Levite, husband of the woman who hath been murdered, answereth and saith, "Into Gibeah (which is to Benjamin) I have come, I and my concubine, to lodge; 5and rise against me do the masters of Gibeah -- and they go round the house against me by night -- me they thought to slay, and my concubine they have humbled, and she dieth; 6and I lay hold on my concubine, and cut her in pieces, and send her into all the country of the inheritance of Israel; for they have done wickedness and folly in Israel; 7lo, ye are all sons of Israel; give for you a word and counsel here." 8And all the people rise as one man, saying, "None of us doth go to his tent, and none of us doth turn aside to his house; 9and now, this is the thing which we do to Gibeah -- against it by lot! 10and we have taken ten men of a hundred, of all the tribes of Israel, and a hundred of a thousand, and a thousand of a myriad, to receive provision for the people, to do, at their coming to Gibeah of Benjamin, according to all the folly which it hath done in Israel." 11And every man of Israel is gathered unto the city, as one man -- companions. 12And the tribes of Israel send men among all the tribes of Benjamin, saying, "What is this evil which hath been among you? 13And now, give up the men -- sons of worthlessness -- which are in Gibeah, and we put them to death, and we put away evil from Israel." And the sons of Benjamin have not been willing to hearken to the voice of their brethren, the sons of Israel; 14and the sons of Benjamin are gathered out of the cities to Gibeah, to go out to battle with the sons of Israel. 15And the sons of Benjamin number themselves on that day; out of the cities are twenty and six thousand men drawing sword, apart from the inhabitants of Gibeah, who numbered themselves, seven hundred chosen men; 16among all this people are seven hundred chosen men, bound of their right hand, each of these slinging with a stone at the hair, and he doth not err. 17And the men of Israel numbered themselves, apart from Benjamin, four hundred thousand men, drawing sword, each of these a man of war. 18And they rise and go up to Beth-El, and ask of God, and the sons of Israel say, "Who doth go up for us at the commencement to battle with the sons of Benjamin?" and Jehovah saith, "Judah -- at the commencement." 19And the sons of Israel rise in the morning, and encamp against Gibeah, 20and the men of Israel go out to battle with Benjamin, and the men of Israel set themselves in array with them, for battle against Gibeah, 21and the sons of Benjamin come out from Gibeah, and destroy in Israel on that day two and twenty thousand men -- to the earth. 22And the people, the men of Israel, strengthen themselves, and add to set the battle in array in the place where they arranged themselves on the first day. 23And the sons of Israel go up and weep before Jehovah till the evening, and ask of Jehovah, saying, "Do I add to draw nigh to battle with the sons of Benjamin, my brother?" And Jehovah saith, "Go up against him." 24And the sons of Israel draw near unto the sons of Benjamin on the second day, 25and Benjamin cometh out to meet them from Gibeah on the second day, and destroy among the sons of Israel again eighteen thousand men -- to the earth; all these are drawing sword.  26And all the sons of Israel go up, even all the people, and come in to Beth-El, and weep, and sit there before Jehovah, and fast on that day till the evening, and cause to ascend burnt-offerings and peace-offerings before Jehovah. 27And the sons of Israel ask of Jehovah, -- and there is the ark of the covenant of God in those days, 28and Phinehas son of Eleazar, son of Aaron, is standing before it in those days -- saying, "Do I add again to go out to battle with the sons of Benjamin, my brother, or do I cease?" And Jehovah saith, "Go up, for to-morrow I give him into thy hand." 29And Israel setteth liers in wait against Gibeah, round about, 30and the sons of Israel go up against the sons of Benjamin, on the third day, and arrange themselves against Gibeah, as time by time. 31And the sons of Benjamin come out to meet the people; they have been drawn away out of the city, and begin to smite some of the people -- wounded as time by time, in the highways (of which one is going up to Beth-El, and the other to Gibeah in the field), are about thirty men of Israel. 32And the sons of Benjamin say, "They are smitten before us as at the beginning;" but the sons of Israel said, "Let us flee, and draw them away out of the city, unto the highways." 33And all the men of Israel have risen from their place, and arrange themselves at Baal-Tamar, and the ambush of Israel is coming forth out of its place, out of the meadow of Gibeah. 34And they come in over against Gibeah -- ten thousand chosen men out of all Israel -- and the battle is grievous, and they have not known that the evil is striking against them. 35And Jehovah smiteth Benjamin before Israel, and the sons of Israel destroy in Benjamin, on that day, twenty and five thousand, and a hundred men; all these are drawing sword. 36And the sons of Benjamin see that they have been smitten -- and the men of Israel give place to Benjamin, for they have trusted unto the ambush which they had set against Gibeah, 37and the ambush have hasted, and push against Gibeah, and the ambush draweth itself out, and smiteth the whole of the city by the mouth of the sword. 38And there was the appointed sign to the men of Israel with the ambush -- their causing to go up a great volume of smoke from the city. 39And the men of Israel turn in battle, and Benjamin hath begun to smite the wounded among the men of Israel, about thirty men, for they said, "Surely they are utterly smitten before us, as at the first battle; 40and the volume hath begun to go up from the city -- a pillar of smoke -- and Benjamin turneth behind, and lo, gone up hath the perfection of the city toward the heavens. 41And the men of Israel have turned, and the men of Benjamin are troubled, for they have seen that the evil hath stricken against them -- 42and they turn before the men of Israel unto the way of the wilderness, and the battle hath followed them; and those who are from the city are destroying them in their midst; 43they have compassed the Benjamites -- they have pursued them -- with ease they have trodden them down till over-against Gibeah, at the sun-rising. 44And there fall of Benjamin eighteen thousand men -- the whole of these are men of valour; 45and they turn and flee toward the wilderness, unto the rock of Rimmon; and they glean of them in the highways five thousand men, and follow after them unto Gidom, and smite of them two thousand men. 46And all those falling of Benjamin are twenty and five thousand men drawing sword, on that day -- the whole of these are men of valour; 47and there turn and flee into the wilderness, unto the rock of Rimmon six hundred men, and they dwell in the rock Rimmon four months. 48And the men of Israel have turned back unto the sons of Benjamin, and smite them by the mouth of the sword out of the city, -- men unto cattle, unto all that is found; also all the cities which are found they have sent into fire.


Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
 1   Judg 20:1 The Levite in a general assembly declares his wrong.
Judg 20:8 The decree of the assembly.
Judg 20:12 The Benjamites, being cited, make head against the Israelites.
Judg 20:18 The Israelites in two battles lose forty thousand.
Judg 20:26 They destroy by a stratagem all the Benjamites, except six hundred.
Then all.
Judg 20:2 Judg 20:8 Judg 20:11 Judg 21:5 Deut 13:12 - Deut 13:18 Josh 22:12
as one man.
1Sam 11:7 1Sam 11:8 2Sam 19:14 Ezra 3:1 Neh 8:1
from Dan.
Judg 18:29 1Sam 3:20 2Sam 3:10 2Sam 24:2 1Chr 21:2 2Chr 30:5
with the.
Num 32:1 Num 32:40 Josh 17:1 2Sam 2:9
unto the.
Judg 20:18 Judg 20:26 Judg 11:11
in Mizpeh.
Judg 10:17 Judg 11:11 Josh 15:38 Josh 18:26 1Sam 7:5 1Sam 7:6 1Sam 10:17 2Kgs 25:23
It does not appear that the Israelites on this occasion, were summoned by the authority of any one common head, but they came together by the consent and agreement, as it were, of one common heart, fired with a holy zeal for the honour of God and Israel. The place of their meeting was Mizpeh; they gathered together unto the Lord there; for Mizpeh was so very near to Shiloh, that their encampment might very well be supposed to reach from Mizpeh to Shiloh. Shiloh was a small town, and therefore, when there was a general meeting of the people to present themselves before God, they chose Mizpeh for their head quarters, which was the next adjoining city of note; perhaps, because they were not willing to give that trouble to Shiloh, which so great an assembly would occasion; it being the residence of the priests that attended the tabernacle.


 2   drew sword.
Judg 20:15 Judg 20:17 Judg 8:10 2Sam 24:9 2Kgs 3:26

 3   the children of Benjamin.
Pro 22:3 Matt 5:25 Luke 12:58 Luke 12:59 Luke 14:31 Luke 14:32
how was.
Judg 19:22 - Judg 19:27

 4   the Levite. Heb. the man the Levite. I came.
Judg 19:15 - Judg 19:28

 5   And the men.
Judg 19:22
beset.
Gen 19:4 - Gen 19:8
and my concubine.
Judg 19:25 Judg 19:26
forced. Heb. humbled.
Deut 22:24 Ezek 22:10 Ezek 22:11

 6   cut her.
Judg 19:29
folly in Israel.
Judg 20:10 Judg 19:23 Gen 34:7 Josh 7:15 2Sam 13:12 2Sam 13:13

 7   ye are all.
Exod 19:5 Exod 19:6 Deut 4:6 Deut 14:1 Deut 14:2 1Cor 5:1 1Cor 5:6 1Cor 5:10 - 1Cor 5:12
give here.
Judg 19:30 Josh 9:14 Pro 20:18 Pro 24:6 Jas 1:5

 8   as one man.
Judg 20:1 Judg 20:11
We will not.
Judg 21:1 Judg 21:5 Pro 21:3 Eccl 9:10

 9   by lot against it.
Josh 14:2 1Sam 14:41 1Sam 14:42 1Chr 24:5 Neh 11:1 Pro 16:33 Jonah 1:7 Acts 1:26

 10   ten thousand: or, myriad,
Gen 24:60

 11   Knit together as one man. Heb. fellows.


 12   sent men.
Deut 13:14 Deut 20:10 Josh 22:13 - Josh 22:16 Matt 18:15 - Matt 18:18 Rom 12:18

 13   deliver.
2Sam 20:21 2Sam 20:22
children of Belial.
Judg 19:22 Deut 13:13 1Sam 30:22 2Sam 20:1 2Sam 23:6 1Kgs 21:13 2Chr 13:7
put away.
Deut 17:7 Deut 17:12 Deut 19:19 Deut 21:21 Deut 22:21 Deut 22:24 Deut 24:7 Eccl 11:10
would not.
1Sam 2:25 2Chr 25:16 2Chr 25:20 Pro 29:1 Hos 9:9 Hos 10:9 Rom 1:32 Rev 18:4 Rev 18:5
The conduct of the Israelites was very equitable in this demand; but perhaps the rulers or elders of Gibeah ought previously to have been applied to, to deliver up the criminals to justice. However, the refusal of the Benjamites, and their protection of those who had committed this horrible wickedness, because they were of their own tribe, prove them to have been deeply corrupted, and (all their advantages considered) as ripe for divine vengeance as the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah had been. Confiding in their own valour and military skill, they seen to have first prepared for battle in this unequal contest with such superior numbers.


 14   Num 20:20 Num 21:23 2Chr 13:13 Job 15:25 Job 15:26

 15   twenty.
Judg 20:25 Judg 20:35 Judg 20:46 Judg 20:47 Num 26:41

 16   left-handed. Itter yad yemeeno, "obstructed in his right hand;" so the Chaldee Targum, gemid beedaih deyammeena, contracted or impeded in his right hand." Le Clerc observes, that the 700 men left-handed seem therefore to have been made slingers, because they could not use the right hand, which is employed in managing heavier arms; and they could discharge the stones from the sling in a direction against which their opponents were not upon their guard, and thus do the greater execution.
Judg 3:15 1Chr 12:2
sling stones. The sling was a very ancient warlike instrument; and, in the hands of those who were skilled in the use of it, produced astonishing effects. The inhabitants of the islands of Baleares, now Majorca and Minorca, were the most celebrated slingers of antiquity. They did not permit their children to break their fast, till they had struck down the bread they had to eat from the top of a pole, or some distant eminence. Vegetius tells us, that slingers could in general hit the mark at 600 feet distance.
1Sam 17:40 1Sam 17:49 1Sam 17:50 1Sam 25:29 2Chr 26:14

 17   four hundred.
Judg 20:2 Num 1:46 Num 26:51 1Sam 11:8 1Sam 15:4 1Chr 21:5 2Chr 17:14 - 2Chr 17:18

 18   house of.
Judg 18:31 Judg 19:18 Josh 18:1 Joel 1:14
asked.
Judg 20:7 Judg 20:23 Judg 20:26 Judg 20:27 Judg 1:1 Num 27:5 Num 27:21 Josh 9:14
Judah.
Judg 1:1 Judg 1:2 Gen 49:8 - Gen 49:10

 19   rose up.
Josh 3:1 Josh 6:12 Josh 7:16

 20   Judg 20:20

 21   the children.
Gen 49:27 Hos 10:9
destroyed.
Deut 23:9 2Chr 28:10 Ps 33:16 Ps 73:18 Ps 73:19 Ps 77:19 Eccl 9:1 - Eccl 9:3 Jer 12:1

 22   encouraged.
Judg 20:15 Judg 20:17 1Sam 30:6 2Sam 11:25 Ps 64:5

 23   wept.
Judg 20:26 Judg 20:27 Ps 78:34 - Ps 78:36 Hos 5:15
And the. It seems most evident that the Israelites did not seek the protection of God. When they "went to the house of God," (ver. 18, Judg 20:18) it was not to enquire concerning the expediency of the war, nor of its success, but which of the tribes should begin the attack: and here the question is, "Shall I go up again to battle against the children of Benjamin my brother?" Having so much right on their side, they had no doubt of the justice of their cause, and the propriety of their conduct; and having such a superiority of numbers, they had no doubt of success. But God humbled them, and delivered them into the hands of their enemies; and shewed them that the race was not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong.


 24   Judg 20:24

 25   destroyed.
Judg 20:21 Gen 18:25 Job 9:12 Job 9:13 Ps 97:2 Rom 2:5 Rom 3:5 Rom 11:33

 26   all the children.
Judg 20:18 Judg 20:23
wept.
1Sam 7:6 2Chr 20:3 Ezra 8:21 Ezra 9:4 Ezra 9:5 Joel 1:14 Joel 2:12 - Joel 2:18 Jonah 3:5 - Jonah 3:10

 27   enquired.
Judg 20:18 Judg 20:23 Num 27:21
the ark.
Josh 18:1 1Sam 4:3 1Sam 4:4 Ps 78:60 Ps 78:61 Jer 7:12
The loss of two battles at length brought this stiff-necked people to enquire of the Lord; for all the company at this time met at Shiloh, and kept a day of fasting and prayer with great earnestness and solemnity. "Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear."
Isa 59:1

 28   Phinehas. It is evident, from this mention of Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, that these transactions must have taken place not long after the death of Joshua.
Num 25:7 - Num 25:13 Josh 22:13 Josh 22:30 - Josh 22:32 Josh 24:33
stood.
Deut 10:8 Deut 18:5
Shall I yet.
Josh 7:7 1Sam 14:37 1Sam 23:4 - 1Sam 23:12 1Sam 30:8 2Sam 5:19 - 2Sam 5:24 2Sam 6:3 2Sam 6:7 - 2Sam 6:12 Pro 3:5 Pro 3:6 Jer 10:23
Go up.
Judg 1:2 Judg 7:9 2Chr 20:17

 29   Israel. Though God had promised them success, they knew they could expect it only by the use of proper means. Hence they used all prudent precaution, and employed all their military skill.
liers.
Judg 20:34 Josh 8:4 2Sam 5:23

 30   Judg 20:30

 31   drawn.
Josh 8:14 - Josh 8:16
smite of the people, and kill, as at. Heb. smite of thepeople wounded as at, etc. the house of God. or, Beth-el. Gibeah.
Judg 19:13 Judg 19:14 Isa 10:29
thirty.
Josh 7:5

 32   Let us flee. This was done, not only because they had placed an ambuscade behind Gibeah, which was to enter and burn the city as soon as the Benjamites left it; but it would seem, that the slingers, by being within the city and its fortifications, had great advantage over the Israelites by their slings, when they could not come among them with their swords, unless they got them in the plain country.
Josh 8:15 Josh 8:16

 33   rose up.
Josh 8:18 - Josh 8:22
put themselves. There appear to have been three divisions of the Israelitish army: one at Baal-tamar, (which was situated, says Eusebius, near Gibeah;) a second behind the city in ambush; and a third, who skirmished with the Benjamites before Gibeah.


 34   ten thousand.
Judg 20:29
knew not.
Josh 8:14 Job 21:13 Pro 4:19 Pro 29:6 Eccl 8:11 Eccl 8:12 Eccl 9:12 Isa 3:10 Isa 3:11 Isa 47:11 Matt 24:44 Luke 21:34 Luke 21:34 1Thess 5:3

 35   twenty.
Judg 20:15 Judg 20:44 - Judg 20:46 Job 20:5
Though the numbers of the Israelites were immensely superior to those of Benjamin, though the stratagem was well laid and ingeniously executed, and the battle bravely fought, yet the inspired historian ascribes the victory to the hand of the Lord, as entirely as if he had smitten the Benjamites by a miracle.


 36   for the man.
Josh 8:15 - Josh 8:29

 37   the liers in wait hasted.
Josh 8:19
drew themselves along. or, made a long sound with thetrumpets.
Exod 19:13 Josh 6:5

 38   Now there. From this verse to the end of the chapter, we have the details of the same operations which are mentioned, in a general way, in the preceding verses of this chapter.
sign. or, time.
Gen 17:21 2Kgs 4:16
*marg:
Judg 20:38
and. Heb. with. flame. Heb. elevation.


 39   And when.
Judg 20:31
smite and kill. Heb. smite the wounded.


 40   a pillar.
Gen 19:28 Song 3:6 Joel 2:30 Rev 19:3
looked.
Josh 8:20
flame. Heb. whole consumption.


 41   were amazed.
Exod 15:9 Exod 15:10 Isa 13:8 Isa 13:9 Isa 33:14 Luke 17:27 Luke 17:28 Luke 21:26 1Thess 5:3 2Pet 2:12 Rev 6:15 - Rev 6:17 Rev 18:8 - Rev 18:10
was come upon them. Heb. touched them.


 42   the battle.
Lam 1:3 Hos 9:9 Hos 10:9

 43   inclosed.
Josh 8:20 - Josh 8:22
with ease. or, from Menuchah, etc. over against. Heb. untoover against.


 44   Judg 20:44

 45   Rimmon.
Josh 15:32 1Chr 6:77 Zech 14:10

 46   twenty.
Judg 20:15 Judg 20:35

 47   six hundred.
Judg 21:13 Ps 103:9 Ps 103:10 Isa 1:9 Jer 14:7 Lam 3:32 Hab 3:2
rock of Rimmon. The rock Rimmon was doubtless a strong place; but it is uncertain where situated. It is probable however, that it was near, and took its name from, the village of Remmon, mentioned by Eusebius, fifteen miles north from Jerusalem. It appears that rocks are still resorted to in the East, as places of security; and some of them are even capable of sustaining a siege. De La Roque says, that "The Grand Seignior, wishing to seize the person of the emir (Fakr-eddin, prince of the Druses,) gave orders to the pacha to take him prisoner: he accordingly came in search of him, with a new army, in the district of Chouf, which is part of mount Lebanon, wherein is the village of Gesin, and close to it, the rock which served for a retreat to the emir. It is named in Arabic, Magara Gesin, i.e., the cavern of Gessin, by which name it is famous. The pacha pressed the emir so closely, that this unfortunate prince was obliged to shut himself up in the cleft of a great rock, with a small number of his officers. The pacha besieged him there several months; and was going to blow up the rock by a mine, when the emir capitulated."


 48   smote them.
Deut 13:15 - Deut 13:17 2Chr 25:13 2Chr 28:6 - 2Chr 28:9 Pro 18:19
came to hand. Heb. was found. they came to. Heb. werefound.