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Open English Translation JDG Chapter 20

JDG 20 ©

Readers’ Version

Literal Version

20:1 The preparation of Israelis of war

20Then all the Israelis from Dan in the north to Beersheba in the south, and even from Gilead across the Yordan, came and assembled before Yahweh at Mitspah with one single, united purpose. 2The leaders of all the Israeli tribes also came out to show their agreement with the assembly of the people of the true God: four hundred thousand warriors all carrying swords.

3Meanwhile, the Benyamites had heard that the Israelis had gathered at Mitspah, and everyone asked, “Explain how this wicked thing came to happen.”

4So the Levite man (the husband of the woman who had been murdered) answered, “I went to the Gibeah region (in Benyamin) with my slave-wife to spend the night. 5The citizens of Gibeah conspired together against me. They surrounded the house at night because of me, intending to kill me. Instead, they assaulted and abused my slave-wife so that she died. 6I took my slave-wife’s body back home and cut her in pieces, and I sent them out into every section of the territory that God gave Israel, because they’ve committed a heinous crime, and a disgrace to Israel. 7Listen, all of you Israelis, what’s your advice? What should we do about it?.”

8All the people agreed together and started saying, “We won’t go back to our families. We won’t return to our houses. 9rather this is what we must do to Gibeah: choose by lot who will fight against them. 10Choose a tenth of our men to go and get supplies for the other warriors to travel to Gibeah in Benyamin after what they did that outraged Israel. 11So all Israel was united together against that city.

12Then the Israeli tribes sent men across the Benyamite region to ask, “What’s this evil thing that’s been done among you? 13So now, hand over those worthless men from the Gibeah region so that we can put them to death and purge Israel of that evil.” But the Benyamites weren’t willing to take the advice of their Israeli relatives. 14They came out of their cities and assembled at Gibeah to the battle against the Israelis. 15The Benyamites mobilised together twenty-six thousand men from their cities on that day, all carrying swords. In addition, seven hundred chosen men had been mobilised from the Gibeah region. 16Among all of those people were seven hundred chosen left-handers, each of whom could sling a stone at a hair without missing. 17The Israelis (excluding Benyamites) mustered up for themselves four hundred thousand men—all expert warriors and all carrying swords.

20and_they_went_out all the_people of_Yisrāʼēl/(Israel) and_assembled the_congregation as_man one at_from_Dān and_unto Bəʼēr Sheⱱaˊ and_land the_Gilˊād to YHWH the_Miʦpāh.
2And_presented the_corners of_all the_people all the_tribes of_Yisrāʼēl/(Israel) in/on/at/with_assembly of_the_people the_ʼElohīm four hundred(s) thousand man on_foot [who]_drew a_sword.
3and_they_heard the_descendants of_Binyāmīn if/because_that they_had_gone_up the_people of_Yisrāʼēl/(Israel) the_Miʦpāh and_they_said the_people of_Yisrāʼēl/(Israel) speak how did_it_occur the_evil the_this.
4And_answered the_man the_Lēviyyiy the_husband the_woman the_murdered and_said the_Giⱱˊāh_to which belongs_to_Binyāmīn I_came I and_concubine_my to_spend_the_night.
5And_rose_up against_me the_citizens the_Giⱱˊāh and_surrounded because_of_me DOM the_house night DOM_me they_intended to_kill and_DOM concubine_my they_abused and_died.
6And_took in/on/at/with_concubine_my and_cut_intopieces_her and_sent_her in_all the_land of_the_inheritance of_Yisrāʼēl/(Israel) if/because they_have_done wickedness and_outrage in/on/at/with_Yisrāʼēl/(Israel).
7Here all_you_all Oh_people of_Yisrāʼēl/(Israel) give to/for_you_all a_word and_counsel here.
8And_he/it_rose_up all the_people as_man one to_say not we_will_go anyone to_tent_his and_not we_will_depart anyone to_house_his.
9And_now this the_thing which we_will_do to_the_Giⱱˊāh on/upon_it(f) in/on/at/with_lot.
10And_take ten men of_the_hundred to_all/each/any/every the_tribes of_Yisrāʼēl/(Israel) and_a_hundred of_the_a_thousand and_a_thousand of_the_ten_thousand to_take/accept/receive provision[s] for_the_troops for_doing when_come_they to_Giⱱˊāh of_Binyāmīn for_all the_outrage which it_did in/on/at/with_Yisrāʼēl/(Israel).
11And_gathered every (the)_man of_Yisrāʼēl/(Israel) to the_city as_man one united.
12and_sent the_tribes of_Yisrāʼēl/(Israel) men in_all the_tribes of_Binyāmīn to_say what the_wickedness the_this which it_has_happened in/on/at/with_you_all.
13And_now give_up DOM the_men sons of_worthlessness who in/on/at/with_Giⱱˊāh and_put_todeath_them and_purge evil from_Yisrāʼēl/(Israel) and_not they_were_willing[fn][fn] of_Binyāmīn to_listen in/on/at/with_voice fellow_their the_people of_Yisrāʼēl/(Israel).
14And_came_together the_descendants of_Binyāmīn from the_cities the_Giⱱˊāh_to to_go_out to_the_battle with the_people of_Yisrāʼēl/(Israel).
15And_mustered the_descendants of_Binyāmīn in_the_day (the)_that from_the_cities twenty and_six thousand man [who]_drew a_sword to/for_aside from_inhabitants the_Giⱱˊāh [who]_they_were_mustered seven hundred(s) man chosen.
16From_all the_troops the_this seven hundred(s) man chosen impeded the_hand right_of_him all this [was]_slinging in/on/at/with_stone to the_hair and_not he_missed.
17and_men of_Yisrāʼēl/(Israel) they_were_mustered to/for_apart from_Binyāmīn four hundred(s) thousand man [who]_drew a_sword all this [was]_man of_war.

20:18 The war to punish the Benyamites

18The Israelis got ready and went to Beyt-El and asked God, “Who should lead us into battle with the Benyamites?”

“It should be Yehudah out front,Yahweh responded.

19So the Israelis set out in the morning and made camp near Gibeah. 20Then they went out to battle against the Benyamites—setting themselves up for the battle against them at Gibeah.

21But the Benyamites led a surprise attack out of Gibeah and killed twenty-two thousand of the Israeli warriors. 22However the Israelis strengthened themselves and they continued to set up for battle the next day at the same place.

23Then the Israelis assembled and wept before Yahweh until evening. They asked him, “Should we continue to attack and battle against our cousins the Benyamites?”

“Go back against them,” Yahweh replied. 24So the Israelis went back to battle against the Benyamites again on the second day. 25Again the Benyamites came out from Gibeah, and this time they killed eighteen thousand Israeli swordsmen. 26Then the Israeli warriors and all the people went back to Beyt-El. They wept, and they sat there before Yahweh. They fasted that day until the evening, then they offered burnt offerings and peace offerings to Yahweh. 27They asked Yahweh (because the box containing the agreement with the true God was there in those days 28and Finehas (son of Aharon’s son Eleazar) was serving before it in those days), “Should we continue to go to the battle once more against the our cousins the Benyamites, or should we stop?”

“Go back again, because tomorrow I’ll give you victory over them,” Yahweh responded.

29So the Israelis placed groups of warriors in ambush all around Gibeah. 30Then they took their positions now for the third day against the Benyamites in Gibeah. 31When the Benyamites came out from the city, they were lured away as they began to strike down their enemies like the time before. Around thirty Israelis were killed on the two roads—one going to Beyt-El and the other to Gibeah through the countryside. 32Then the Benyamites said, “We’re starting to defeat them, just like before.”

But the Israelis had said, “Let’s flee so that we can draw them away from the city and onto the roads.” 33Then the main group of Israelis retreated and set up battle lines at Baal-Tamar, as the ones hiding in ambush made a surprise attack from their places in Maareh-Gibeah. 34Ten thousand chosen Israeli warriors came out in the sight of the Gibeah region, and the battle was fierce, but the Benyamites hadn’t yet realised that disaster was about to hit them. 35Yahweh helped the Israelis to defeat the Benyamites that day, and over twenty-five thousand Benyamite swordsmen were killed 36and they saw that they were defeated.

The Israelis had given ground to the Benyamites because they had relied on the ambush placed around Gibeah. 37Then the group hiding in ambush had rushed out and spread out around Gibeah, then had gone in and attacked the entire city with their swords. 38Then they started a fire as the prearranged signal was to be the rising column of smoke up out of the city.

39Meanwhile the main Israeli force had retreated, and the Benyamites had attacked and killed around thirty men, thinking that they were winning like they’d done twice before. 40But when the pillar of smoke began to rise from the city, the Benyamites looked behind them and were shocked to see their city going up in smoke. 41Then the main Israeli force stopped retreating and turned back to attack again. The Benyamites were horrified because they now saw that disaster had struck them. 42They retreated away from the Israelis into the wilderness, but the battle overtook them, plus the Israelis were coming back out of the cities getting right in amongst them to fight. 43They surrounded the Benyamites as they tried to flee, and easily ran them down as they tried to escape from the Gibeah region towards the east. 44Eighteen thousand strong Benyamite warriors were killed, 45and the rest turned and fled into the wilderness towards the Rimmon rock. Another five thousand men were killed along the trails. They chased them all the way to Gidom, and killed another two thousand men, 46so the total number of Benyamite swordsmen who were killed came to twenty-five thousand—all strong warriors.

47But six hundred men made it to Rimmon rock, and they stayed there for four months. 48Meanwhile, the Israelis went back to the Benyamite region and killed the people with their swordsentire cities including cattle and everything else—then the cities were set on fire.

18And_arose and_went_up Bēyt- el and_inquired in/on/at/with_god and_they_said the_people of_Yisrāʼēl/(Israel) who will_he_go_up to/for_ourselves in/on/at/with_first to_the_battle with the_descendants of_Binyāmīn and_he/it_said YHWH Yəhūdāh/(Judah) in/on/at/with_first.
19And_got_up the_people of_Yisrāʼēl/(Israel) in/on/at/with_morning and_encamped on the_Giⱱˊāh.
20and_he/it_went_out the_man of_Yisrāʼēl/(Israel) to_the_battle with Binyāmīn and_drew_up with_them the_man of_Yisrāʼēl/(Israel) battle to the_Giⱱˊāh.
21And_they_went_out the_descendants of_Binyāmīn from the_Giⱱˊāh and_struck_down in/on/at/with_Yisrāʼēl/(Israel) in_the_day (the)_that two and_twenty thousand man ground_on.
22And_encouraged the_troops the_man of_Yisrāʼēl/(Israel) and_again to_formed_line battle in/on/at/with_place where they_had_deployed there in_the_day the_first.
23And_went_up the_people of_Yisrāʼēl/(Israel) and_wept to_(the)_face_of/in_front_of/before YHWH until the_evening and_inquired in/on/at/with_master to_say again to_draw_near to_the_battle with the_descendants of_Binyāmīn my_brother/kindred and_he/it_said YHWH go_up to_him/it.
24and_advanced the_people of_Yisrāʼēl/(Israel) to the_descendants of_Binyāmīn in_the_day the_second.
25And_he/it_went_out Binyāmīn to_meet_them from the_Giⱱˊāh in_the_day the_second and_struck_down in/on/at/with_sons of_Yisrāʼēl/(Israel) again eight- teen thousand man ground_to all these [were]_drawers of_a_sword.
26And_went_up all the_people of_Yisrāʼēl/(Israel) and_all the_army and_they_came Bēyt- el and_wept and_they_lived there to_(the)_face_of/in_front_of/before YHWH and_fasted in/on/at/with_day (the)_that until the_evening and_offered burnt_offerings and_fellowship_offerings to_(the)_face_of/in_front_of/before YHWH.
27And_inquired the_people of_Yisrāʼēl/(Israel) in/on/at/with_LORD and_there the_ark of_the_covenant the_ʼElohīm in_the_days the_those.
28And_Fīnəḩāş the_son ʼElˊāzār the_son of_ʼAhₐron [was]_standing before_face/front_it in_the_days the_those to_say shall_I_repeat again to_go_out to_the_battle with the_descendants of_Binyāmīn my_brother/kindred or will_I_cease and_he/it_said YHWH go_up if/because tomorrow give_them in/on/at/with_hand_your.
29And_he/it_assigned Yisrāʼēl/(Israel) ambushers to the_Giⱱˊāh round_about.
30and_went_up the_people of_Yisrāʼēl/(Israel) against the_descendants of_Binyāmīn in_the_day the_third and_took_up_positions against the_Giⱱˊāh as_time in/on/at/with_time.
31And_they_went_out the_descendants of_Binyāmīn to_meet the_people they_were_drawn_away from the_city and_began to_inflict on_the_troops fatally_wounded as_time in/on/at/with_time in/on/at/with_highways which one [is]_going_up Bēyt- el and_other Giⱱˊāh_to in_the_field about_thirty man in/on/at/with_Yisrāʼēl/(Israel).
32And_they_said the_descendants of_Binyāmīn [are]_defeated they before_face/front_us as_in/on/at/with_first and_the_sons of_Yisrāʼēl/(Israel) they_said let_us_flee and_draw_away_them from the_city to the_highways.
33And_all/each/any/every (the)_man of_Yisrāʼēl/(Israel) they_rose from_places_their and_took_up_positions in/on/at/with_Baˊal- tamar and_ambush of_Yisrāʼēl/(Israel) [was]_bursting_forth out_of_place_their from_west of_Geⱱaˊ.
34And_they_came against_against against_the_Giⱱˊāh ten thousand(s) man chosen from_all Yisrāʼēl/(Israel) and_the_battle it_was_heavy and_they not they_knew if/because_that [was]_about_to_touch upon_them the_disaster.
35and_defeated YHWH DOM Binyāmīn to_(the)_face_of/in_front_of/before Yisrāʼēl/(Israel) and_destroyed the_people of_Yisrāʼēl/(Israel) in/on/at/with_Binyāmīn in_the_day (the)_that twenty and_five thousand and_one_hundred man all these [was_one_who]_drew a_sword.
36And_they_saw the_descendants of_Binyāmīn if/because_that they_were_defeated and_gave the_man of_Yisrāʼēl/(Israel) place to_Binyāmīn if/because they_trusted to the_ambush whom they_had_set against the_Giⱱˊāh.
37And_the_ambush they_made_haste and_rushed against the_Giⱱˊāh and_advanced the_men_in_ambush and_put DOM all the_city to_edge of_[the]_sword.
38And_the_agreement [which]_it_belonged for_men of_Yisrāʼēl/(Israel) with the_ambush [was]_do_much that_sent_up_they the_rising the_smoke from the_city.
39And_turn the_man of_Yisrāʼēl/(Israel) in/on/at/with_battle and_Binyāmīn it_began to_inflict fatally_wounded in/on/at/with_men of_Yisrāʼēl/(Israel) about_thirty man if/because they_said surely totally_(defeated) [is]_defeated it before_face/front_us as_the_battle the_first.
40And_the_cloud_of_smoke it_began to_rise from the_city a_pillar of_smoke and_looked Binyāmīn behind_them and_see/lo/see it_went_up the_entirety the_city the_heaven_to.
41And_men of_Yisrāʼēl/(Israel) he_turned and_dismayed the_man of_Binyāmīn if/because he_saw if/because_that it_had_touched on/upon/above_him/it the_disaster.
42And_retreated to_(the)_face_of/in_front_of/before the_man of_Yisrāʼēl/(Israel) to the_way the_wilderness and_the_battle overtook_them and_which out_of_the_cities [were]_destroying DOM_them in/on/at/with_midst_them.
43They_surrounded DOM Binyāmīn pursued_them rest trod_down_them to opposite the_Giⱱˊāh toward_rise_of of_[the]_sun.
44And_they_fell from_Binyāmīn eight- teen thousand man DOM all these [were]_men of_strength.
45And_turned and_fled the_wilderness_toward to the_rock the_Rimmōn and_cut_down_them in/on/at/with_highways five thousand(s) man and_pursued after_them to Gidˊom and_struck_down from_him/it two_thousand man.
46And_he/it_was all the_fell of_Binyāmīn [were]_twenty and_five thousand man [who]_drew a_sword in_the_day (the)_that DOM all these [were]_men of_strength.
47And_turned and_fled the_wilderness_toward to the_rock the_Rimmōn six hundred(s) man and_they_lived in/on/at/with_rock of_Rimmōn four months.
48And_men of_Yisrāʼēl/(Israel) they_turned_back against the_descendants of_Binyāmīn and_struck_them with_edge of_[the]_sword from_city of_soundness unto animal unto every the_found also all the_cities the_found they_sent in/on/at/with_fire.

20:13 Variant note: (x-qere) ’בְּנֵ֣י’: lemma_1121 a morph_HNcmpc id_07Kvd בְּנֵ֣י

20:13 Note: Adaptations to a Qere which L and BHS, by their design, do not indicate.

JDG 20 ©

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