1 Assim toda a nação de Israel, através dos seus chefes, conseguiu reunir uma tropa de quatrocentos mil homens, que se juntaram numa só vontade perante o Senhor em Mizpá.
2 Vinham de toda a parte, desde Dan até Berseba, e mesmo do outro lado do Jordão da terra de Gileade.
3 A notícia daquela mobilização geral em Mizpá depressa chegou aos ouvidos do povo de Benjamim. Entretanto os líderes de Israel mandaram chamar o marido da mulher assassinada e quiseram saber como tinha acontecido.
4 Chegámos de viagem a Gibeá, na terra de Benjamim, para ali passar a noite, começou ele. Nessa mesma noite, homens de Gibeá chegaram-se à casa onde estávamos, e quiseram matar-me; violaram a minha mulher, que acabou por morrer. Por isso lhe separei o corpo em doze pedaços que mandei por todo o Israel, pois que essa gente cometeu um crime execrável. Agora, filhos de Israel, digam o que pensam; dêem-me um conselho!
8 Todos, como um só homem, responderam: Nem um só dentre nós regressará a casa antes de termos castigado a povoação de Gibeá. Um décimo do exército será escolhido, tirando à sorte, para nos fornecer mantimentos, e o resto de todos nós iremos destruir Gibeá, vingando esta horrível acção.
11 A nação inteira se uniu nesta tarefa.
12 Foram enviados mensageiros à tribo de Benjamim, perguntando: Vocês estão ao corrente do que aconteceu de terrível no vosso meio? Entreguem-nos essa gente má, da cidade de Gibeá, para que os executemos e expurguemos este mal de Israel.No entanto o povo de Benjamim não quis dar seguimento a esta mensagem. Em vez disso reuniram vinte e seis mil homens armados, que foram juntar-se aos setecentos guardas locais de Gibeá, para os ajudar a defenderem-se do ataque do resto de Israel. (Entre estes havia também uns setecentos homens canhotos, que eram esplêndidos atiradores com a mão esquerda. Eram capazes de acertar num alvo formado por um simples cabelo; e nunca erravam.) O exército de Israel, sem contar com os homens de Benjamim, eram quatrocentos mil.
18 Antes da batalha a tropa de Israel foi primeiro a Betel para pedir conselho a Deus: Qual a tribo que nos conduzirá contra o povo de Benjamim? O Senhor respondeu-lhes: Judá irá à frente.
19 O exército todo iniciou a marcha na manhã seguinte, dirigindo-se a Gibeá para atacar os de Benjamim. Mas o certo é que a tropa que defendia a cidade irrompeu de lá corajosamente e conseguiu matar, só naquele dia, vinte e dois mil israelitas. O exército de Israel lamentou-se perante o Senhor, até à noite, perguntando: Será justo continuarmos a lutar contra os nossos irmãos de Benjamim? O Senhor respondeu-lhes: Sim. Então os soldados israelitas encheram-se de coragem e encetaram um novo ataque no dia seguinte no mesmo lugar. E mais uma vez perderam, nesse dia, dezoito mil homens de guerra, todos experientes soldados.
26 Toda a nação foi chorar de novo perante o Senhor, em Betel, jejuando até ao anoitecer, oferecendo holocaustos e ofertas de paz. (Naqueles dias, a arca de Deus encontrava-se em Betel, e Finéias, filho de Eleazar, neto de Arão, era o sacerdote.)Os homens de Israel perguntaram ao Senhor: Iremos de novo atacar os nossos irmãos de Benjamim, ou suspendemos a luta? Vão, pois que amanhã serão vocês quem há-de derrotar Benjamim, foi a resposta.
29 Os israelitas puseram emboscadas ao redor da cidade, e atacaram uma terceira vez, formando em ordem de combate, como habitualmente. Quando os de Benjamim sairam da cidade para os enfrentar, a tropa de Israel recuou, com a intenção de afastar os benjamitas da cidade. E tal como antes, estes últimos começaram a matar alguns adversários, ao longo do caminho entre Betel e Gibeá; sempre houve uns trinta homens que morreram, assim.
32 As tropas de Benjamim já gritavam: Estamos a derrotá-los novamente!, mas não percebiam que se tratava de um movimento estratégico, combinado antecipadamente, fazendo com que os benjamitas, ao persegui-los, se afastassem suficientemente da cidade.
33 Assim, quando o grosso do exército israelita chegou a Baal-Tamar, resolveu voltar-se e atacar a sério; os dez mil que estavam emboscados a ocidente de Gibeá mostraram-se, e avançaram contra a retaguarda dos benjamitas, os quais nem sequer se davam bem conta do tremendo desastre que lhes ia acontecer. Assim o Senhor ajudou Israel a derrotar Benjamim, matando vinte e cinco mil e cem homens deles nesse dia, tendo ficado apenas um pequeno resto das suas forças militares.(Resumo da batalha:) O exército de Israel recuou perante as tropas de Benjamim a fim de dar aos contingentes que se achavam emboscados mais campo de manobra. Quando os de Benjamim já tinham morto uns trinta israelitas, começaram a pensar que estava segura uma nova matança massiça, à semelhança do que acontecera antes. Mas nessa altura, os soldados emboscados saltaram sobre a cidade, mataram todos os habitantes e incendiaram-na. A grande nuvem de fumo que se levantou para o céu foi o sinal para os israelitas se voltarem e atacarem a sério o exército benjamita, que agora, olhando para trás, ficou apavorado ao verificar que a sua cidade fora incendiada e que ficavam numa situação angustiosa. Assim começaram a fugir para o deserto; os israelitas contudo perseguiram-nos. As tropas que tinham ficado emboscadas, juntaram-se a eles para liquidar a retaguarda dos adversários. Cercaram dessa forma as forças de Benjamim a oriente de Gibeá e mataram muitos deles ali. Dezoito mil soldados de Benjamim morreram nesse dia. O resto fugiu para o deserto em direcção da rocha de Rimom, mas cinco mil ainda foram mortos no caminho para lá e mais dois mil perto de Gidom.
46 Desta maneira a tribo de Benjamim perdeu vinte e cinco mil bravos combatentes nesse dia, ficando apenas uns seiscentos que escaparam refugiados no rochedo de Rimom, onde se esconderam durante quatro meses. O exército de Israel voltou e matou toda a população de Benjamim - homens, mulheres, crianças, gado - incendiando todas as cidades e povoações em toda a terra deles.
1 Then went forth all the sons of Israel, and the assembly came together as one man, from Dan even to Beersheba with the land of Gilead,unto Yahweh at Mizpah.
2 And the chiefs of all the peopleall the tribes of Israelpresented themselves in the convocation of the people of God,four hundred thousand footmen, that drew the sword.
3 And the sons of Benjamin heard that the sons of Israel had gone up to Mizpah. Then said the sons of Israel, Tell , In what manner was brought to pass this vileness?
4 And the Levite, husband of the woman that was cut in pieces, responded and said,Into Gibeah that pertaineth to Benjamin, I entered, I and my concubine, to tarry the night.
5 And the owners of Gibeah rose up against me, and beset the house, for my sake, by night,me, they thought to slay, and, my concubine, they so humbled, that she died.
6 So I laid hold on my concubine, and cut her in pieces, and sent her throughout all the country of the inheritance of Israel,because they had wrought lewdness and impiety, in Israel.
7 Lo! ye all, are sons of Israel,give your word and counsel, here.
8 Then arose all the people, as one man, saying,No man of us will go to his tent, and no man of us will turn aside to his house.
9 Now, therefore, this is the thing, that we will do to Gibeah, against it by lot;
10 and we will take ten men of a hundred, of all the tribes of Israel, and a hundred of a thousand, and a thousand of ten thousand, to fetch provisions for the people,that they may do, when they come to Gibeah of Benjamin, according to all the impiety that it hath wrought in Israel.
11 So all the men of Israel were gathered together against the city, as one man knit together.
12 And the tribes of Israel sent men throughout all the divisions of Benjamin, saying,What is this vile thing that hath been brought to pass, among you?
13 Now, therefore, deliver up the menthe sons of the Abandoned Onewho are in Gibeah, that we may put them to death, and vileness be consumed out of Israel. But Benjamin would not hearken unto the voice of their brethren, the sons of Israel.
14 Then did the sons of Benjamin gather themselves together out of the cities, unto Gibeah,to go forth to battle against the sons of Israel.
15 And the sons of Benjamin were numbered on that day, out of the cities, twenty-six thousand men, that drew the sword,besides, of the inhabitants of Gibeah, were numbered seven hundred chosen men.
16 Out of all this people, were seven hundred chosen men, left-handed,any one of whom could sling with a stone to a hairs-breadth, and not miss.
17 And, the men of Israel, were numbered, apart from Benjamin, four hundred thousand men, that drew the sword,every one of these being a man of war.
18 And they arose, and went up to Bethel, and asked of God, and the sons of Israel said, Who shall go up for us first, to fight against the sons of Benjamin? And Yahweh saidJudah, first.
19 And the sons of Israel arose in the morning,and encamped against Gibeah.
20 And the men of Israel went forth, to fight against Benjamin,so the men of Israel set themselves in array against them, to fight against Gibeah.
21 Then came forth the sons of Benjamin out of Gibeah,and laid low of Israel, on that day, twenty-two thousand men, to the ground.
22 And the people, the men of Israel, encouraged themselves,and again set themselves in array for battle in the place where they had set themselves in array on the first day.
23 Now the sons of Israel had gone up, and wept before Yahweh, until the evening, and asked of Yahweh, saying, Shall I again draw near to battle against the sons of Benjamin, my brother? And Yahweh said, Go up against him.
24 So the sons of Israel came near against the sons of Benjamin, on the second day.
25 And Benjamin came forth to meet them out of Gibeah, on the second day, and laid low, of the sons of Israel, yet eighteen thousand men, to the ground,all these, drew the sword.
26 Then went up all the sons of Israel, and all the people, and came to Bethel, and wept, and tarried there before Yahweh, and fasted on that day, until the evening,and caused to go up ascending-sacrifices and peace-offerings, before Yahweh.
27 And the sons of Israel asked of Yahweh,there, being the ark of the covenant of God, in those days;
28 and Phinehas, son of Eleazar, son of Aaron, was standing before it in those days, saying: Shall I yet again go forth to battle, against the sons of Benjamin, my brother, or shall I forbear? And Yahweh saidGo up, for, to-morrow, will I deliver him into thy hand.
29 And Israel set liers in wait against Gibeah, round about.
30 So the sons of Israel went up against the sons of Benjamin, on the third day,and set themselves in array against Gibeah, as time after time.
31 And the sons of Benjamin came forth against the people, they were drawn away from the city,and began to smite of the people, slaying as time after time, in the highways, whereof, one, goeth up to Bethel, and, the other, to Gibeah in the field, about thirty men in Israel.
32 Then said the sons of Benjamin, They are, being smitten, before us, as at the first. But the sons of Israel had saidLet us flee, and draw them away from the city, into the highways.
33 And, all the men of Israel, rose up out of their place, and set themselves in array in Baal-tamar,and, the liers in wait of Israel, began to break forth out of their place, out of the forest of Gibeah.
34 And there came over against Gibeah ten thousand chosen men, out of all Israel, and the battle was severe,they, not knowing that disaster was overtaking them.
35 Thus Yahweh smote Benjamin before Israel, and the sons of Israel destroyed in Benjamin, that day, twenty-five thousand and one hundred men,all these, drew the sword.
36 So the sons of Benjamin saw that they were smitten,and that the men of Israel had given place to Benjamin, because they trusted to the liers in wait, whom they had set near Gibeah.
37 And, the liers in wait, hasted, and rushed upon Gibeah,and the liers in wait marched forward, and smote all the city with the edge of the sword.
38 Now, the appointed sign, between the men of Israel and the liers in wait, had been,to cause a great cloud of smoke to ascend out of the city.
39 So, when the men of Israel turned in the battle,and, the Benjamites, began to smite and slay of the sons of Israel, about thirty men, for they said, Yea! they are, smitten, before us, as in the first battle,
40 then, the cloud, began to ascend out of the city, a pillar of smoke,and the Benjamites looked behind them, and lo! the whole city flamed up towards the heavens.
41 And, when, the men of Israel, turned, then were the men of Benjamin dismayed,for they saw that disaster had overtaken them.
42 And, when they turned before the men of Israel unto the way of the desert, the battle, over took them,while, as for them that came out of the cities, they began to destroy them in their midst:
43 they hemmed in the Benjamites, they pursued them, with ease, trode they them down,as far as over against Gibeah, towards sunrise.
44 So there fell of Benjamin, eighteen thousand men,all these being men of valour.
45 And, when they turned and fled towards the desert unto the cliff Rimmon, then gleaned they of them, in the highways, five thousand men,and they followed hard after them as far as Gidom, and smote of them, two thousand men.
46 So then it came to pass that, all the fallen of Benjamin, were twenty-five thousand men, that drew the sword, on that day,all these being men of valour.
47 But there turned and fled, towards the desert, unto the cliff Rimmon, six hundred men,who abode in the cliff Rimmon, four months.
48 Thus, the men of Israel, turned against the sons of Benjamin, and smote them with the edge of the sword, beginning with the city, each and every one down to the beast, even to every one that was met with,moreover, all the cities they came to, they set on fire.