1 So all the sons of Israel came out, from Dan to Beer-sheba, as well as from the land of Gilead, and the congregation assembled as one man, unto Jehovah at Mizpah.2 And the chiefs of all the people of all the tribes of Israel, presented themselves in the assembly of the people of God, four hundred thousand footmen who drew the sword.3 (Now the sons of Benjamin heard that the sons of Israel had gone up to Mizpah.) And the sons of Israel said, Tell us, how did this wickedness happen?4 And the Levite, the husband of the woman who was murdered, answered and said, My concubine and I went into Gibeah, which belongs to Benjamin, to lodge.5 And the men of Gibeah rose against me, and surrounded the house at night because of me. They had thought to kill me, but instead they have humbled my concubine so that she died.6 So I took hold of my concubine, cut her in pieces, and sent her throughout all the land of the inheritance of Israel, because they have committed lewdness and disgraceful folly in Israel.7 Behold, all of you are sons of Israel; give here your advice and counsel.8 And all the people rose up as one man, saying, None of us shall go to his tent, nor shall any turn away to his house;9 but now this is the thing which we shall do to Gibeah: We shall go up against it by lot.10 We shall take ten men out of every hundred throughout all the tribes of Israel, a hundred out of every thousand, and a thousand out of every ten thousand, to carry provisions for the people, that when they come to Gibeah in Benjamin, they may repay all the disgrace that they have done in Israel.11 So all the men of Israel were gathered against the city, united as one man.12 And the tribes of Israel sent men through all the tribe of Benjamin, saying, What is this evil that has been done among you?13 Now therefore, deliver up the men, the sons of wickedness who are in Gibeah, that we may put them to death and remove the evil from Israel! But the sons of Benjamin would not listen to the voice of their brethren, the sons of Israel.14 And the sons of Benjamin gathered together from their cities to Gibeah, to go to battle against the sons of Israel.15 And from their cities at that time the sons of Benjamin numbered twenty-six thousand men who drew the sword, besides the inhabitants of Gibeah, who numbered seven hundred choice men.16 Among all this people were seven hundred choice men who were left-handed; every one could sling a stone at a hair and not miss.17 Now besides Benjamin, the men of Israel numbered four hundred thousand men who drew the sword; all of these were men of war.18 And the sons of Israel arose and went up to the house of God to inquire of God. They said, Which of us shall go up first to battle against the sons of Benjamin? And Jehovah said, Judah first!19 And the sons of Israel arose 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 sons of Benjamin came out of Gibeah, and on that day destroyed down to the ground twenty-two thousand men of Israel.22 And the people, the men of Israel, encouraged themselves and again set the battle in array at the place where they had put themselves in array on the first day.23 And the sons of Israel went up and wept before Jehovah until evening, and asked counsel of Jehovah, saying, Shall I again draw near for battle against the sons of my brother Benjamin? And Jehovah said, Go up against him.24 So the sons of Israel approached the sons of Benjamin on the second day.25 And Benjamin went out against them from Gibeah on the second day, and destroyed down to the ground eighteen thousand men of the sons of Israel; all these drew the sword.26 And all the children of Israel, all the people, went up and came to the house of God and wept. They sat there before Jehovah and fasted that day until evening; and they offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before Jehovah.27 And the sons of Israel inquired of Jehovah (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 sons of my brother Benjamin, or shall I cease? And Jehovah said, Go up, for tomorrow I will deliver them into your hand.29 And Israel set men in ambush all around Gibeah.30 And the sons of Israel went up against the sons of Benjamin on the third day, and put themselves in battle array against Gibeah as at the other times.31 And the sons of Benjamin went out against the people, and were drawn away from the city. They began to strike down and kill some of the people, as at the other times, in the highways (one of which goes up to Bethel and the other to Gibeah) and in the field, about thirty men of Israel.32 And the sons of Benjamin thought, They are struck down before us, as at first. But the sons of Israel had said, Let us flee and draw them away from the city into the highways.33 So all the men of Israel rose from their place and put themselves in battle array at Baal Tamar. Then Israel’s men in ambush burst forth from their places in the plain of Geba.34 And ten thousand choice men from all Israel came against Gibeah, and the battle was heavy. But the Benjamites did not know that evil was upon them.35 And Jehovah struck down Benjamin before Israel. And the sons of Israel destroyed that day twenty-five thousand one hundred of Benjamin; all who drew the sword.36 So the sons of Benjamin saw that they were struck down. And the men of Israel had given ground to the Benjamites, because they had trusted on the men in ambush whom they had set against Gibeah.37 And the men in ambush quickly rushed upon Gibeah; the men in ambush drew out and struck the whole city with the edge of the sword.38 Now the appointed signal between the men of Israel and the men in ambush was that they would make a great cloud of smoke rise up from the city,39 whereupon the men of Israel turned around in battle. Now Benjamin had begun to strike and kill about thirty of the men of Israel. For they thought, Surely they are struck down before us, as in the first battle.40 But when the cloud began to rise from the city in a column of smoke, the Benjamites looked behind them, and behold the whole city had gone up in smoke to the heavens.41 And when the men of Israel turned back, the men of Benjamin were dismayed, for they saw that evil had come upon them.42 Therefore they turned their backs before the men of Israel in the direction of the wilderness; and the battle overtook them, and whoever came out of the cities they destroyed in their midst.43 They surrounded Benjamin, chased them, and easily trampled them down as far as the front of Gibeah toward the rising sun.44 And eighteen thousand men of Benjamin fell; all these were men of valor.45 And they turned and fled toward the wilderness to the rock of Rimmon; and they thrust upon five thousand of them on the highways; and pursued them to Gidom, and killed two thousand men.46 So all who fell of Benjamin that day were twenty-five thousand men who drew the sword; all these were men of valor.47 But six hundred men turned and fled toward the wilderness to the rock of Rimmon, and they remained at the rock of Rimmon for four months.48 And the men of Israel turned back against the sons of Benjamin, and struck them down with the edge of the sword; entire cities, beasts, and all who were found. They also set fire to every city they found.

1 Therfor alle the sones of Israel yeden, and weren gaderid togidere as o man, fro Dan `til to Bersabee, and fro the lond of Galaad to the Lord in Maspha; and alle the `corneris of puplis;2 and alle the lynagis of Israel camen to gidere in to the chirche of `the puple of God, foure hundrid thousynde of `foot men fiyters.3 And it was not `hid fro the sones of Beniamyn, that the sones of Israel hadden stied in to Maspha. And the dekene, hosebonde of the `wijf that was slayn, was axid, `how so greet felonye was doon;4 and he answeride, Y cam with my wijf in to Gabaa of Beniamyn, and Y turnede thidur.5 And lo! men of that citee cumpassiden in nyyt the hows, in which Y dwellide, and thei wolden sle me, and thei bitraueliden my wijf with vnbileueful woodnesse of letcherie; at the last sche was deed.6 And Y took, and Y kittide hir in to gobetis, and Y sente partis in to alle the termes of youre possessioun; for so greet felonye and so greuouse synne was neuere doon in Israel.7 Alle ye sones of Israel ben present; deme ye, what ye owen do.8 And al the puple stood, and answeride as bi word of o man, `that is acordyngli, with out ayenseiyng and with out delay, We schulen not go awei in to oure tabernaclis, nethir ony man schal entre in to his hows;9 but we schulen do this in comyn ayens Gabaa.10 `Ten men be chosun of an hundrid, of alle the lynagis of Israel, and an hundrid of a thousynde, and a thousynde of ten thousynde, that thei bere metis to the oost, and that we, fiytynge ayens Gabaa of Beniamyn, moun yelde to it `for the trespas that that it deserueth.11 And al the puple, `as o man, cam togidere to the citee bi the same thouyt and o counsel.12 And `thei senten messangeris to al the lynage of Beniamyn, `whiche messangeris seiden, Whi so greet felony is foundun in you?13 Bitake ye the men of Gabaa, that diden this wickidnesse, that thei die, and yuel be doon awey fro Israel. `Whiche nolden here the comaundement of her britheren, the sones of Israel,14 but of alle the citees, that weren of `her part, thei camen togidere in to Gabaa, to helpe hem, and to fiyte ayens al the puple of Israel.15 And fyue and twenti thousynde weren foundun of Beniamyn, of men drawynge out swerd, outakun the dwelleris of Gabaa,16 whiche weren seuen hundrid strongeste men, fiytynge so with the lefthond as with the riythond, and castynge so stoonus with slyngis at a certeyn thing, that thei myyten smyte also an heer, and the strook of the stoon schulde not be borun in to `the tother part.17 Also of the men of Israel, with out the sones of Beniamin, weren foundun foure hundrid thousynd `of men drawynge swerd and redi to batel.18 Whiche riseden and camen in to the hows of God, that is in Silo; and thei counceliden God, and seiden, Who schal be prince in oure oost of the batel ayens the sones of Beniamyn? To whiche the Lord answeride, Judas be youre duyk.19 And anoon the sones of Israel risiden eerli, and settiden tentis ayens Gabaa.20 And fro thennus thei yeden forth to batel ayens Beniamyn, and bigunnen to fiyte ayens `the citee.21 And the sones of Beniamyn yeden out of Gabaa, and killiden of the sones of Israel in that dai two and twenti thousynde of men.22 And eft the sones of Israel tristiden in strengthe and noumbre, and dressiden schiltrun, in the same place in which thei fouyten bifore;23 so netheles that thei stieden bifore, and wepten bifor the Lord `til to nyyt, and counseliden hym, and seiden, Owe Y go forth more to fiyte ayens the sones of Beniamyn, my britheren, ether nay? To whiche he answeride, Stie ye to hem, and bigynne ye batel.24 And whanne the sones of Israel hadden go forth to batel in the tother dai ayens Beniamyn,25 the sones of Beniamyn braken out of the yates of Gabaa, and camen to hem; and the sones of Beniamyn weren wood ayens hem bi so greet sleyng, that thei castiden doun eiytene thousynde of men drawynge swerd.26 Wherfor alle the sones of Israel camen in to the hows of God, and saten, and wepten bifore the Lord, and thei fastiden in that dai `til to euentid; and thei offeriden to the Lord brent sacrifices and pesible sacrifices,27 and axiden of her staat. In that tyme the arke of boond of pees of God was there in Silo;28 and Fynees, the sone of Eleazar, sone of Aaron, was souereyn of the hows. Therfor thei counseliden the Lord, and seiden, Owen we go out more to batel ayens the sones of Beniamyn, oure britheren, ethir reste? To whiche the Lord seide, Stie ye, for to morewe Y schal bytake hem in to youre hondis.29 And the sones of Israel settiden buyschementis bi the cumpas of the citee of Gabaa;30 and the thridde tyme as onys and tweis thei brouyten forth oost ayens Beniamyn.31 But also the sones of Beniamyn braken out of the citee booldli, and pursueden ferthere the aduersaryes fleynge, so that thei woundiden of hem, as in the firste dai and the secounde, and killiden bi twey paththis `the aduersaries turnynge backis; of whiche paththis oon was borun in to Bethel, the tother in to Gabaa. And thei castiden doun aboute thretti men;32 for thei gessiden to sle hem `bi customable maner; whiche `feyneden fliyt bi craft, and token counsel, that thei schulden drawe hem fro the citee, and that thei as fleynge schulden brynge to the forseid paththis.33 Therfor alle the sones of Israel risiden of her seetis, and settiden schiltrun in the place which is clepid Baalthamar. And the buschementis, that weren aboute the citee, bigunnen to opene hem silf litil and litil,34 and to go forth fro the west part of the citee. But also othere ten thousynde of men of al Israel excitiden the dwelleris of the cite to batels; and the batel was maad greuous ayens the sones of Beniamyn, and thei vndurstoden not, that perisching neiyede to hem on eche part.35 And the Lord smoot hem in the siyt of the sones of Israel, and `thei killiden of hem in that dai fyue and twenti thousynde and an hundrid men, alle the werryours and drawynge swerd.36 Sotheli the sones of Beniamyn bigunnen to fle, `whanne thei sien, that thei weren the lowere. And the sones of Israel sien this, and `yauen to hem place to fle, that thei schulden come to the buyschementis maad redi, whiche thei hadden set bisidis the citee.37 And whanne thei hadden rise sudenli fro hid places, and Beniamyn yaf backis to the sleeris, thei entriden in to the citee, and smytiden it by the scharpnesse of swerd.38 Sotheli the sones of Israel hadden youe a signe to hem whiche thei hadden set in buyschementis, that aftir that thei hadden take the citee, thei schulden kyndle fier, and that bi smook stiynge an hiy, thei schulden schewe the citee takun.39 And whanne the sones of Israel set in thilke batel sien this; for the sones of Beniamyn gessiden hem to fle, and thei sueden bisiliere, whanne thretti men of her oost weren slayn;40 and `the sones of Israel sien as a piler of smoke stie fro the citee; also Beniamyn bihelde bihynde, whanne he siy the citee takun, and flawmes borun in hiye,41 thei that feyneden fliyt bifore, `ayenstoden strongliere with face turned. And whanne the sones of Beniamyn hadden seyn this, thei weren turned in to fliyt,42 and thei bigunnen to go to the weie of deseert; while also aduersaries pursueden hem there, but also thei, that hadden brent the citee, camen ayens hem.43 And so it was doon, that thei weren slayn of enemyes on ech part, nether ony reste of men diynge was; and thei felden, and weren cast doun at the eest coost of the citee of Gabaa.44 Forsothe thei, that weren slayn in the same place, weren eiytene thousynde of `men, alle strongeste fiyteris.45 And whanne thei that leften of Beniamyn hadden seyn this, thei fledden in to wildirnesse, and thei yeden to the stoon, whos name is Remmon. And in that fliyt the sones of Israel yeden opynli, `and yeden in to dyuerse places, and killiden fyue thousynde men; and whanne thei yeden ferther, thei pursueden hem, and killiden also othere twei thousynde.46 And so it was doon, that alle that felden doun of Beniamyn in diuerse places, weren fyue and twenti thousynde, `fiyterys moost redi to batels.47 And so sixe hundrid men leften of al the noumbre of Beniamyn, that myyten ascape, and fle in to wildirnesse; and thei saten in the stoon of Remmon foure monethis.48 Forsothe the sones of Israel yeden out, and smytiden with swerd alle the remenauntis of the citee, fro men `til to werk beestis; and deuourynge flawme wastide alle the citees and townes of Beniamyn.