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 于是以色列众人都出来, 从但到别是巴, 以及基列地的众人, 都在米斯巴耶和华面前聚集起来如同一人。

2 全民的领袖, 就是以色列众支派的领袖, 都站在 神子民的会中; 拿刀的步兵共有四十万人。

3 (以色列人上到米斯巴来, 便雅悯人听见了。)以色列人说: "这件恶事是怎样发生的?你们说吧。"

4 那利未人, 就是被害的妇人的丈夫, 回答说: "我和我的妾到了便雅悯的基比亚, 要在那里住宿。

5 基比亚人民起来攻击我, 在夜间包围我住的房子攻击我, 有意杀害我; 他们把我的妾污辱致死。

6 我就把我的妾切成块子, 送到以色列的各地业, 因为基比亚人在以色列中行了极羞耻的恶事。

7 以色列人哪, 你们都要说出你们的意见, 也要在这里提出你们的对策。"

8 于是众人都起来如同一人, 说: "我们当中谁都不回自己的帐棚, 谁都不回自己的家。

9 现在我们要这样对待基比亚人: 我们要照着所抽的签上去攻打他们。

10 我们要从以色列各支派中, 每百人抽取十人, 每千人抽取百人, 每万人抽取千人, 好为人民运送粮食; 等他们到了便雅悯的基比亚的时候, 就可以照着他们在以色列中所行的一切羞耻的事惩罚他们。"

11 于是以色列众人彼此联合, 如同一人, 聚集起来攻击那城。

12 以色列各支派打发人到便雅悯的各家去, 说: "你们中间怎么发生了这样的恶事呢?

13 现在你们要把那些人, 基比亚的无赖之徒, 交出来, 我们好处死他们, 从以色列中除掉这恶。"只是便雅悯人却不肯听从他们的兄弟以色列人的话。

14 便雅悯人从各城出来聚集, 往基比亚去, 要与以色列人交战。

15 那时便雅悯人, 从各城里被数点的, 共有二万六千拿刀的, 另外被数点的, 还有基比亚的居民, 共有七百精兵。

16 在这些人中, 还有七百精兵是善用左手的, 个个都能用机弦拋石, 毫发不差。

17 除了便雅悯人以外, 以色列人被数点的, 共有四十万拿刀的, 个个都是战士。

18 以色列人就起来, 上伯特利去求问 神, 说: "我们之中谁应首先上去, 与便雅悯人交战呢?"耶和华说: "犹大应首先上去。"

19 以色列人早晨起来, 对着基比亚安营。

20 以色列人出来, 要与便雅悯人交战; 以色列人在基比亚面前列阵等待他们。

21 便雅悯人从基比亚出来, 那一天使二万二千以色列人倒地身亡。

22 众民, 就是以色列人, 都奋勇起来, 又在头一天列阵的地方列阵。

23 事前, 以色列人上伯特利去, 在耶和华面前哀哭直到晚上, 然后求问耶和华, 说: "我们再去与我们的兄弟便雅悯人交战, 可以不可以?"耶和华说: "你们可以上去攻打他们。"

24 第二天, 以色列人就前去攻打便雅悯人。

25 便雅悯人第二天也从基比亚出来, 迎战以色列人, 又使一万八千以色列人倒地身亡, 都是拿刀的。

26 以色列众人, 就是全体人民, 又上到伯特利, 坐在耶和华面前哀哭, 那日禁食直到晚上, 然后在耶和华面前献上燔祭和平安祭。

27 那时, 神的约柜在那里。

28 那时, 亚伦的孙子、以利亚撒的儿子非尼哈, 侍立在约柜前供职。以色列人求问耶和华, 说: "我们应再出去与我们的兄弟便雅悯人交战呢?还是休战呢?"耶和华说: "你们应上去, 因为明天我必把他们交在你们手中。"

29 以色列人在基比亚四周设下伏兵。

30 第三天, 以色列人又上去攻打便雅悯人, 在基比亚前面列阵, 像前两次一样。

31 便雅悯人也出来迎敌, 他们被引出城外, 在两条大路上, 一条通往伯特利, 一条通往基比亚, 像前两次一样, 动手杀敌, 在田间杀死以色列人约有三十个。

32 便雅悯人说: "他们仍像前一次一样, 败在我们面前了。"以色列人却说: "我们逃跑吧, 引他们离开城市出到大路上来。"

33 以色列众人都从自己的地方起来, 在巴力.他玛列阵; 以色列的伏兵, 从基比亚西边埋伏的地方冲出来。

34 全以色列中的精兵, 有一万人前来攻打基比亚, 战争非常激烈; 便雅悯人还不知道灾祸快要临到他们的身上了。

35 耶和华在以色列人面前击败了便雅悯人; 那天以色列人消灭便雅悯人, 共二万五千一百名, 都是拿刀的。

36 这样, 便雅悯人就看出自己被击败了。原来以色列人倚靠在基比亚前面设下的伏兵, 就对便雅悯人诈败。

37 伏兵急忙冲入基比亚, 用刀击杀了全城的人。

38 以色列人与伏兵预先约定, 就是从城里放火, 以烟气上升为号。

39 以色列人在战场上撤退的时候, 便雅悯人就动手杀人, 刺死以色列人约三十个, 心里说: "他们真的像头一次战阵一样, 在我们面前被击败了。"

40 当烟柱信号从城中上升的时候, 便雅悯人就转身观看, 只见全城烟火冲天。

41 那时, 以色列人又转身回来, 便雅悯人就非常惊慌, 因为看见灾祸临到自己身上了。

42 他们在以色列人面前转身, 向旷野的路上逃走, 战争却紧随着他们; 那些从各城里出来的人也在他们中间消灭他们。

43 以色列人包围了便雅悯人, 追赶他们, 在他们歇息之地, 直到基比亚对面日出之处, 践踏他们。

44 便雅悯人中倒毙的共有一万八千人, 全都是勇士。

45 其余的人转身, 向着旷野逃跑, 到了临门的磐石那里; 以色列人在大路上除灭了他们五千人, 追赶他们直到基顿, 又击杀了他们二千人。

46 所以那一天便雅悯人倒毙的, 共有二万五千人, 都是拿刀的, 全部是勇士。

47 剩下的六百人转身, 向着旷野逃跑, 到了临门的磐石那里, 就在临门的磐石那里住了四个月。

48 以色列人又回到便雅悯人那里, 把全城的人和牲畜, 以及一切遇见的, 都用刀杀尽; 又把他们碰见的一切城市放火烧毁了。