The Tanakh · JPS 1917 Translation

Judges 20

Jewish Publication Society 1917 · Nevi'im — the Prophets

Judges chapter 20 — part of the Nevi'im — the Prophets in the Jewish Bible. In the classic JPS 1917 translation it opens: “Then all the children of Israel went out, and the congregation was assembled as one man, from Dan even to Beer-sheba, with the land of Gilead,…” — the complete text of all 48 verses is below, free to read online.

1Then all the children of Israel went out, and the congregation was assembled as one man, from Dan even to Beer-sheba, with the land of Gilead, unto HaShem at Mizpah.

2And the chiefs of all the people, even of all the tribes of Israel, presented themselves in the assembly of the people of G-d, four hundred thousand footmen that drew sword.--

3Now the children of Benjamin heard that the children of Israel were gone up to Mizpah. --And the children of Israel said: 'Tell us, how was this wickedness brought to pass?'

4And the Levite, the husband of the woman that was murdered, answered and said: 'I came into Gibeah that belongeth to Benjamin, I and my concubine, to lodge.

5And the men of Gibeah rose against me, and beset the house round about upon me by night; me they thought to have slain, and my concubine they forced, and she is dead.

6And I took my concubine, and cut her in pieces, and sent her throughout all the country of the inheritance of Israel; for they have committed lewdness and wantonness in Israel

7Behold, ye are all here, children of Israel, give here your advice and council.'

8And all the people arose as one man, saying: 'We will not any of us go to his tent, neither will we any of us turn unto his house.

9But now this is the thing which we will do to Gibeah: we will go up against it by lot;

10and we will take ten men of a hundred throughout all the tribes of Israel, and a hundred of a thousand, and a thousand out of ten thousand, to fetch victuals for the people, that they may do, when they come to Gibeah of Benjamin, according to all the wantonness that they have wrought in Israel.'

11So all the men of Israel were gathered against the city, knit together as one man.

12And the tribes of Israel sent men through all the tribe of Benjamin, saying: 'What wickedness is this that is come to pass among you?

13Now therefore deliver up the men, the base fellows that 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.

14And the children of Benjamin gathered themselves together out of their cities unto Gibeah, to go out to battle against the children of Israel.

15And the children of Benjamin numbered on that day out of the cities twenty and six thousand men that drew sword, besides the inhabitants of Gibeah, who numbered seven hundred chosen men.

16All this people, even seven hundred chosen men, were left-handed; every one could sling stones at a hair-breadth, and not miss.

17And the men of Israel, beside Benjamin, numbered four hundred thousand men that drew sword; all these were men of war.

18And the children of Israel arose, and went up to Beth-el, and asked counsel of G-d; and they said: 'Who shall go up for us first to battle against the children of Benjamin?' And HaShem said: 'Judah first.'

19And the children of Israel rose up in the morning, and encamped against Gibeah.

20And the men of Israel went out to battle against Benjamin; and the men of Israel set the battle in array against them at Gibeah.

21And the children of Benjamin came forth out of Gibeah, and destroyed down to the ground of the Israelites on that day twenty and two thousand men.

22And the people, the men of Israel, encouraged themselves, and set the battle again in array in the place where they set themselves in array the first day.

23And the children of Israel went up and wept before HaShem until even; and they asked of HaShem, saying: 'Shall I again draw nigh to battle against the children of Benjamin my brother?' And HaShem said: 'Go up against him.'

24And the children of Israel came near against the children of Benjamin the second day.

25And Benjamin went forth against them out of Gibeah the second day, and destroyed down to the ground of the children of Israel again eighteen thousand men; all these drew the sword.

26Then all the children of Israel, and all the people, went up, and came unto Beth-el, and wept, and sat there before HaShem, and fasted that day until even; and they offered burnt-offerings and peace-offerings before HaShem.

27And the children of Israel asked of HaShem--for the ark of the covenant of G-d was there in those days,

28and 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 HaShem said: 'Go up; for to-morrow I will deliver him into thy hand.'

29And Israel set liers-in-wait against Gibeah round about.

30And the children of Israel went up against the children of Benjamin on the third day, and set themselves in array against Gibeah, as at other times.

31And the children of Benjamin went out against the people, and were drawn away from the city; and they began to smite and kill of the people, as at other times, in the field, in the highways, of which one goeth up to Beth-el, and the other to Gibeah, about thirty men of Israel.

32And the children of Benjamin said: 'They are smitten down before us, as at the first.' But the children of Israel said: 'Let us flee, and draw them away from the city unto the highways.'

33And all the men of Israel rose up out of their place, and set themselves in array at Baal-tamar; and the liers-in-wait of Israel broke forth out of their place, even out of Maareh-geba.

34And there came over against Gibeah ten thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and the battle was sore; but they knew not that evil was close upon them.

35And HaShem smote Benjamin before Israel; and the children of Israel destroyed of Benjamin that day twenty and five thousand and a hundred men; all these drew the sword.

36So the children of Benjamin saw that they were smitten. And the men of Israel gave place to Benjamin, because they trusted unto the liers-in-wait whom they had set against Gibeah.--

37And the liers-in-wait hastened, and rushed upon Gibeah; and the liers-in-wait drew forth, and smote all the city with the edge of the sword.

38Now there was an appointed sign between the men of Israel and the liers-in-wait, that they should make a great beacon of smoke rise up out of the city.--

39And the men of Israel turned in the battle, and Benjamin began to smite and kill of the men of Israel about thirty persons; for they said: 'Surely they are smitten down before us, as in the first battle.'

40But when the beacon began to arise up out of the city in a pillar of smoke, the Benjamites looked behind them, and, behold, the whole of the city went up in smoke to heaven.

41And the men of Israel turned, and the men of Benjamin were amazed; for they saw that evil was come upon them.

42Therefore they turned their backs before the men of Israel unto the way of the wilderness; but the battle followed hard after them; and they that came out of the city destroyed them in the midst of the men of Israel.

43They inclosed the Benjamites round about, and chased them, and overtook them at their resting-place, as far as over against Gibeah toward the sunrising.

44And there fell of Benjamin eighteen thousand men; all these were men of valour.

45And they turned and fled toward the wilderness unto the rock of Rimmon; and they gleaned of them in the highways five thousand men; and followed hard after them unto Gidom, and smote of them two thousand men.

46So that all who fell that day of Benjamin were twenty and five thousand men that drew the sword; all these were men of valour.

47But six hundred men turned and fled toward the wilderness unto the rock of Rimmon, and abode in the rock of Rimmon four months.

48And the men of Israel turned back upon the children of Benjamin, and smote them with the edge of the sword, both the entire city, and the cattle, and all that they found; moreover all the cities which they found they set on fire.

48 verses · JPS 1917 (public domain)

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