1 And all the children of Israel went forth, and the assembly gathered together as one man, from Dan to Beer-sheba, and the land of Gilead, unto Jehovah at Mizpah.
2 And the heads of all the people, of all the tribes of Israel, presented themselves in the congregation of the people of God, four hundred thousand footmen that drew sword.
3 And the children of Benjamin heard that the children of Israel had gone up to Mizpah. And the children of Israel said, Tell {us}, how was this wickedness?
4 Then the Levite, the husband of the woman that was murdered, answered and said, I came to Gibeah that {belongs} to Benjamin, I and my concubine, to lodge.
5 And the citizens of Gibeah rose against me, and surrounded the house because of me, by night; they thought to slay me, and my concubine have they humbled so that she died.
6 Then I took my concubine, and cut her in pieces, and sent her throughout the country of the inheritance of Israel; for they have committed lewdness and villany in Israel.
7 Behold, all ye, children of Israel, deliberate and give here {your} counsel.
8 And all the people rose up as one man, saying, We will not any one go to his tent, neither will we any one turn into his house.
9 But now this is the thing which we will do to Gibeah: {we go} by lot against it;
10 and we will take ten men of a hundred throughout all the tribes of Israel, and a hundred of a thousand, and a thousand of ten thousand, to fetch victuals for the people, that they may do, when they come to Gibeah of Benjamin, according to all the villany that they have wrought in Israel.
11 And all the men of Israel were gathered against the city, knit together as one man.
12 And the tribes of Israel sent men to all the families of Benjamin, saying, What wickedness is this that has been done among you?
13 And now give up the men, the sons of Belial, who are in Gibeah, that we may put them to death, and put away evil from Israel. But {the children of} Benjamin would not hearken to the voice of their brethren the children of Israel.
14 And the children of Benjamin gathered themselves together out of the cities of Gibeah, to go out to battle against the children of Israel.
15 And the children of Benjamin were numbered at that time out of the cities, twenty-six thousand men that drew sword, besides the inhabitants of Gibeah, who were numbered seven hundred chosen men.
16 Among all this people there were seven hundred chosen men left-handed; all these slang stones at a hair {breadth}, and missed not.
17 And the men of Israel, besides Benjamin, were numbered four hundred thousand men that drew sword: all these were men of war.
18 And the children of Israel arose and went up to Bethel, and inquired of God, and said, Which of us shall go up first to the battle against the children of Benjamin? And Jehovah said, Judah first.
19 And the children of Israel rose up in the morning and encamped against Gibeah.
20 And the men of Israel went out to battle against Benjamin; and the men of Israel put themselves in array to fight against them at Gibeah.
21 And the children of Benjamin went forth out of Gibeah, and destroyed to the ground of the Israelites that day twenty-two thousand men.
22 And the people, the men of Israel, took courage, and set the battle again in array in the place where they put themselves in array the first day.
23 And the children of Israel went up and wept before Jehovah until even, and inquired of Jehovah, saying, Shall I go up again to battle against the children of Benjamin my brother? And Jehovah said, Go up against him.
24 And the children of Israel came near against the children of Benjamin the second day.
25 And Benjamin went forth against them out of Gibeah the second day, and again destroyed to the ground of the children of Israel eighteen thousand men: all these drew the sword.
26 Then all the children of Israel, and all the people, went up and came to Bethel, and wept, and abode there before Jehovah, and fasted that day until even, and offered up burnt-offerings and peace-offerings before Jehovah.
27 And the children of Israel inquired of Jehovah (and the ark of the covenant of God was there in those days,
28 and Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, stood before it in those days), saying, Shall I yet again go out to battle against the children of Benjamin my brother, or shall I cease? And Jehovah said, Go up; for to-morrow I will give them into thy hand.
29 And Israel set liers in wait against Gibeah, round about.
30 And the children of Israel went up against the children of Benjamin on the third day, and put themselves in array against Gibeah, as at the other times.
31 And the children of Benjamin went out against the people, and were drawn away from the city, and began to smite of the people, slaying as at the former times, in the highways, of which one leads to Bethel and the other to Gibeah in the field, about thirty men of Israel.
32 And the children of Benjamin said, They are smitten down before us, as at the first. And the children of Israel said, Let us flee, that we may draw them from the city to the highways.
33 And all the men of Israel rose up out of their place, and put themselves in array at Baal-Tamar; and the ambush of Israel rushed forth out of their place, out of the meadows of Geba.
34 And there came from opposite Gibeah ten thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and the battle was severe; but they knew not that disaster was coming upon them.
35 And Jehovah smote Benjamin before Israel; and the children of Israel destroyed of the Benjaminites that day twenty-five thousand one hundred men: all these drew the sword.
36 And the children of Benjamin saw that they were smitten. -And the men of Israel gave place to Benjamin, because they trusted to the ambush that they had set against Gibeah.
37 And the ambush hasted, and fell upon Gibeah; and the ambush drew along, and smote the whole city with the edge of the sword.
38 Now there was an appointed sign between the men of Israel and the ambush, that they should make a thick column of smoke rise up out of the city.
39 And when the men of Israel turned back in the battle, Benjamin began to smite, slaying of the men of Israel about thirty men; for they said, Surely they are quite routed before us as in the first battle.
40 And when the burning began to rise up out of the city as a pillar of smoke, Benjamin looked behind, and behold, the whole city ascended {in smoke} to the heavens.
41 Then the men of Israel turned back, and the men of Benjamin were amazed, for they saw that disaster was come upon them.
42 And they turned before the men of Israel to the way of the wilderness; but the battle overtook them; and those who came out of the cities destroyed them in their midst.
43 They encompassed the Benjaminites, chased them, trode them down at the resting-place over against Gibeah toward the sun-rising.
44 And there fell of Benjamin eighteen thousand men: all these, men of valour.
45 And they turned and fled towards the wilderness to the cliff of Rimmon, and they gleaned of them in the highways five thousand men; and pursued hard after them to Gidom, and slew two thousand men of them.
46 So that all who fell that day of Benjamin were twenty-five thousand men that drew the sword: all these, men of valour.
47 And six hundred men turned and fled to the wilderness to the cliff of Rimmon, and abode at the cliff of Rimmon four months.
48 And the men of Israel turned again upon the children of Benjamin, and smote them with the edge of the sword, as well the men of {every} city as the cattle, and all that was found; even all the cities that were found did they set on fire.
1 Saíram todos os filhos de Israel, e reuniu-se perante Jeová em Mispa a congregação como se fora um só homem, desde Dã até Berseba, como também a terra de Gileade.
2 Os homens principais de todo o povo, a saber, de todas as tribos de Israel, apresentaram-se na assembléia do povo de Deus, em número de quatrocentos mil que tiravam a espada.
3 (Ouviram os filhos de Benjamim que os filhos de Israel haviam subido a Mispa) Disseram os filhos de Israel: Dizei-nos, de que modo se cometeu esta maldade?
4 Respondeu o levita, marido da mulher que fora morta: Em Gibeá que pertence a Benjamim entrei eu com minha concubina para ali passar a noite.
5 Os cidadãos de Gibeá levantaram-se contra mim, e cercaram de noite a casa, em que eu estava; a mim me tencionaram matar e a minha concubina a violaram, de maneira que morreu.
6 Então peguei na minha concubina, dividi-a em pedaços, e enviei-os por todo o país da herança de Israel, porque cometeram tal abominação e loucura em Israel.
7 Eis aqui estais todos vós, israelitas; dai a vossa palavra e conselho neste caso.
8 Todo o povo se levantou como um só homem, dizendo: Nenhum de nós irá para a sua tenda, e nenhum de nós voltará para a sua casa.
9 Porém isto é o que faremos a Gibeá; subiremos contra ela por sorte;
10 Tomaremos de todas as tribos de Israel dez homens de cada cem, e cem de cada mil, e mil de cada dez mil para procurarem víveres para o povo, a fim de que, vindo a Gibeá de Benjamim, lhe dêem o pago de toda a loucura que fez em Israel.
11 Assim se ajuntaram contra a cidade todos os homens de Israel, coligados como um só homem.
12 As tribos de Israel mandaram homens por toda a tribo de Benjamim, para que lhe dissessem: Que maldade é essa que se fez entre vós?
13 Entregai-nos agora os homens, filhos de Belial, que estão em Gibeá, para que os façamos morrer, e para que tiremos de Israel este mal. Porém Benjamim não quis ouvir a voz de seus irmãos, os filhos de Israel.
14 Das cidades ajuntaram-se em Gibeá os filhos de Benjamim para saírem a pelejar contra os filhos de Israel.
15 Contaram-se naquele dia os filhos de Benjamim, das cidades, vinte e seis mil homens que tiravam a espada, afora os habitantes de Gibeá, de que se contaram setecentos homens escolhidos.
16 Entre todo este povo havia setecentos homens escolhidos que usavam da mão esquerda em vez da direita, cada um podia dar tiros de funda num cabelo sem errar.
17 Foram contados dos homens de Israel, excluindo a Benjamim, quatrocentos mil que tiravam a espada, todos eles homens de guerra.
18 Tendo-se levantado os filhos de Israel, subiram a Betel, e consultaram a Deus, perguntando: Quem de nós subirá primeiro para pelejar contra os filhos de Benjamim? Respondeu Jeová: Judá subirá primeiro.
19 Levantaram-se de manhã os filhos de Israel e acamparam-se contra Gibeá.
20 Saíram os homens de Israel para pelejar contra Benjamim, e ordenaram batalha contra eles junto a Gibeá.
21 Então os filhos de Benjamim saíram de Gibeá, e derrubaram por terra naquele dia vinte e dois mil homens dos israelitas.
22 Esforçou-se o povo, os homens de Israel, e tornaram a ordenar batalha no lugar em que a tinham ordenado no primeiro dia.
23 Subiram os filhos de Israel e choraram diante de Jeová até a tarde, e perguntaram-lhe: Tornarei a pelejar contra os filhos de meu irmão Benjamim? Respondeu Jeová: Subi contra eles.
24 Marcharam os filhos de Israel contra os filhos de Benjamim no segundo dia.
25 Também Benjamim nesse mesmo dia lhes saiu de Gibeá ao encontro, e derrubou por terra dos filhos de Israel mais dezoito mil homens; todos estes tiravam a espada.
26 Todos os filhos de Israel, e todo o povo, subiram a Betel, choraram, ali se assentaram diante de Jeová e jejuaram aquele dia até a tarde. Diante de Jeová ofereceram holocaustos e ofertas pacíficas.
27 Os filhos de Israel perguntaram a Jeová (porque a arca da aliança de Deus estava ali naqueles dias,
28 e Finéias, filho de Eleazar, filho de Arão, lhe assistia): Tornarei ainda a sair à peleja contra os filhos de meu irmão Benjamim, ou desistirei? Respondeu Jeová: Subi, porque amanhã tos entregarei nas mãos.
29 Israel pôs emboscadas ao redor de Gibeá.
30 Ao terceiro dia subiram os filhos de Israel contra os filhos de Benjamim, e como das outras vezes ordenaram batalha contra Gibeá.
31 Saíram os filhos de Benjamim ao encontro do povo, e foram atraídos da cidade; como das outras vezes começaram a ferir e mataram do povo uns trinta homens de Israel no campo, pelas estradas, uma das quais sobe para Betel, e a outra para Gibeá.
32 Disseram os filhos de Benjamim: Estão derrotados diante de nós como dantes. Porém os filhos de Israel disseram: Fujamos, e atraiamo-los da cidade para as estradas.
33 Todos os homens de Israel se levantaram do seu lugar, e ordenaram batalha em Baal-Tamar. A emboscada de Israel surgiu de repente do seu lugar ao ocidente de Gibeá.
34 Vieram contra Gibeá dez mil homens escolhidos de todo o Israel e travou-se renhido combate; mas os de Gibeá não sabiam que a derrota vinha sobre eles.
35 Jeová feriu a Benjamim diante de Israel, que lhe destruiu naquele dia vinte e cinco mil e cem homens: todos estes tiravam a espada.
36 Assim os filhos de Benjamim viram que estavam derrotados: pois os homens de Israel cederam lugar a Benjamim, porque confiaram na emboscada que haviam posto contra Gibeá.
37 A emboscada apressou-se, correu impetuosamente para Gibeá e, apresentando-se ali, feriu a cidade toda ao fio da espada.
38 Os homens de Israel tinham combinado com a emboscada que fizesse subir uma nuvem de fumo como sinal do tempo,
39 em que deviam voltar ao combate. Benjamim começou a ferir e a matar dos homens de Israel quase trinta pessoas, pois disseram: Sem dúvida estão derrotados diante de nós, como na peleja anterior.
40 Mas, quando a nuvem começou a subir da cidade numa coluna de fumo, os benjamitas olharam para trás, e eis que a cidade toda subia em fumo ao céu.
41 Os homens de Israel deram volta, e os homens de Benjamim pasmaram, pois viram que a derrota lhes tinha sobrevindo.
42 Portanto, viraram as costas diante dos filhos de Israel em busca do caminho do deserto; porém a peleja os apertou; os das cidades os destruíram ao passar por eles.
43 Cercaram aos benjamitas, perseguiram-nos e pisaram-nos desde Menuá até a altura de Gibeá para o nascente do sol.
44 Caíram de Benjamim dezoito mil homens, todos eles homens de valor.
45 Então viraram as costas e fugiram para o deserto até a penha de Rimom. Rabiscaram deles nas veredas ainda cinco mil homens; seguiram-nos de perto até Gidom, e mataram deles uns dois mil homens.
46 Assim que todos os que de Benjamim caíram naquele dia foram vinte e cinco mil homens que tiravam a espada, todos eles homens de valor.
47 Mas seiscentos homens viraram as costas e, fugindo para o deserto até a penha de Rimom, ficaram ali quatro meses.
48 Os filhos de Israel voltaram para os filhos de Benjamim, e feriram ao fio da espada a cidade com os homens e animais e tudo o que se achava ali; além disso puseram fogo a todas as cidades que acharam.