The Decree of the Assembly

20 Then all the Israelites from Dan to Beersheba and from the land of Gilead came out, and the congregation assembled as one man before the LORD at Mizpah. 2 The leaders of all the people and all the tribes of Israel presented themselves in the assembly of God’s people: 400,000 men on foot, armed with swords. 3 (Meanwhile the Benjamites heard that the Israelites had gone up to Mizpah.) And the Israelites asked, “Tell us, how did this wicked thing happen?”

4 So the Levite, the husband of the murdered woman, answered: “I and my concubine came to Gibeah in Benjamin to spend the night. 5 And during the night, the men of Gibeah rose up against me and surrounded the house. They intended to kill me, but they abused my concubine, and she died. 6 Then I took my concubine, cut her into pieces, and sent her throughout the land of Israel’s inheritance, because they had committed a lewd and disgraceful act in Israel. 7 Behold, all you Israelites, give your advice and verdict here and now.”

8 Then all the people stood as one man and said, “Not one of us will return to his tent or to his house. 9 Now this is what we will do to Gibeah: We will go against it as the lot dictates. 10 We will take ten men out of every hundred from all the tribes of Israel, and a hundred out of every thousand, and a thousand out of every ten thousand, to supply provisions for the army when they go to Gibeah [fn] in Benjamin to punish them for the atrocity they have committed in Israel.”

11 So all the men of Israel gathered as one man, united against the city. 12 And the tribes of Israel sent men throughout the tribe of Benjamin, saying, “What is this wickedness that has occurred among you? 13 Hand over the wicked men of Gibeah so we can put them to death and purge Israel of this evil.”

But the Benjamites refused to heed the voice of their fellow Israelites. 14 And from their cities they came together at Gibeah to go out and fight against the Israelites. 15 On that day the Benjamites mobilized 26,000 swordsmen from their cities, in addition to the 700 select men of Gibeah. 16 Among all these soldiers there were 700 select left-handers, each of whom could sling a stone at a hair without missing.

17 The Israelites, apart from Benjamin, mobilized 400,000 swordsmen, each one an experienced warrior.