Judges Chapter 20
So all the homies of Israel rolled out, gathering the crew from Dan to Beer-sheba, including Gilead, all for the Lord in Mizpeh.
Then all the children of Israel went out, and the congregation was gathered together as one man, from Dan even to Beersheba, with the land of Gilead, unto the LORD in Mizpeh.
The big shots from every tribe of Israel showed up to the meetup, four hundred thousand foot soldiers ready to throw down.
And the chief of all the people, {even} of all the tribes of Israel, presented themselves in the assembly of the people of God, four hundred thousand footmen that drew sword.
(The Benjamin crew caught wind that the Israel squad was vibing at Mizpeh.) Then the Israelites were like, "What’s up with this wild move?"
(Now the children of Benjamin heard that the children of Israel were gone up to Mizpeh.) Then said the children of Israel, Tell {us}, how was this wickedness?
The Levite, whose girl got wrecked, said, "I pulled up to Gibeah in Benjamin with my girl to kick it."
And the Levite, the husband of the woman that was slain, answered and said, I came into Gibeah that {belongeth} to Benjamin, I and my concubine, to lodge. {the Levite: Heb. the man the Levite}
But the Gibeah guys came at me crazy, surrounded the spot at night, and tried to take me out; they forced my girl, and now she’s gone.
And the men of Gibeah rose against me, and beset the house round about upon me by night, {and} thought to have slain me: and my concubine have they forced, that she is dead. {forced: Heb. humbled}
So I took my girl, chopped her up, and sent pieces throughout Israel: they’ve been acting sus and wild in the land.
And 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 folly in Israel.
Listen up, fam; you’re all Israel peeps, drop your thoughts and advice here.
Behold, ye {are} all children of Israel; give here your advice and counsel.
And the whole crew stood up united, saying, "We ain't going back to our tents or homes."
And 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 into his house.
But here’s the plan for Gibeah; we’re gonna roll on it by lot.
But now this {shall be} the thing which we will do to Gibeah; {we will go up} by lot against it;
We’ll grab ten men from every hundred across Israel, a hundred from every thousand, and a thousand from every ten thousand, to get supplies for the squad when they roll up on Gibeah of Benjamin, for all the wild stuff they’ve done in Israel.
And we will take ten men of an hundred throughout all the tribes of Israel, and an hundred of a thousand, and a thousand out of ten thousand, to fetch victual for the people, that they may do, when they come to Gibeah of Benjamin, according to all the folly that they have wrought in Israel.
So all the homies of Israel showed up against the city, vibing together as one squad.
So all the men of Israel were gathered against the city, knit together as one man. {knit...: Heb. fellows}
And the tribes of Israel sent people through the tribe of Benjamin, asking, "What kinda sus vibes y’all on?"
And the tribes of Israel sent men through all the tribe of Benjamin, saying, What wickedness {is} this that is done among you?
For real, hand over the men, the kids of Belial, chilling in Gibeah, so we can handle them and boot the evil from Israel. But the kids of Benjamin were like, "Nah, we ain't listening to y'all."
Now therefore deliver {us} the men, the children of Belial, which {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:
But the kids of Benjamin gathered up from the cities to Gibeah, ready to throw down against the kids of Israel.
But the children of Benjamin gathered themselves together out of the cities unto Gibeah, to go out to battle against the children of Israel.
And the kids of Benjamin were counted at that time, twenty-six thousand sword-wielders, not even counting the peeps from Gibeah, who had seven hundred goated dudes.
And the children of Benjamin were numbered at that time out of the cities twenty and six thousand men that drew sword, beside the inhabitants of Gibeah, which were numbered seven hundred chosen men.
Among this crew, there were seven hundred left-handed legends; each one could sling stones with mad precision, no cap.
Among all this people {there were} seven hundred chosen men lefthanded; every one could sling stones at an hair {breadth}, and not miss.
And the men of Israel, besides Benjamin, were counted at four hundred thousand sword-drawers: all these were straight-up warriors.
And the men of Israel, beside Benjamin, were numbered four hundred thousand men that drew sword: all these {were} men of war.
So the kids of Israel got up, went to the house of God, and asked for the 411, saying, "Who’s gonna lead the battle against Benjamin?" And the Lord was like, "Judah’s got this, they go first."
And the children of Israel arose, and went up to the house of God, and asked counsel of God, and said, Which of us shall go up first to the battle against the children of Benjamin? And the LORD said, Judah {shall go up} first.
And the kids of Israel rose up in the morning and set up camp against Gibeah.
And the children of Israel rose up in the morning, and encamped against Gibeah.
The men of Israel rolled out to battle against Benjamin; they were ready to go hard at Gibeah.
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.
The fam from Benjamin rolled outta Gibeah and took out 22,000 of the Israelites that day. Savage vibes.
And the children of Benjamin came forth out of Gibeah, and destroyed down to the ground of the Israelites that day twenty and two thousand men.
The Israelites hyped each other up and got ready to battle again where they first squared up. Periodt.
And the people the men of Israel encouraged themselves, and set their battle again in array in the place where they put themselves in array the first day.
The Israelites went and cried out to the Lord till evening, asking, "Should we hit the battlefield again against our bro Benjamin?" And God was like, "Go for it."
(And the children of Israel went up and wept before the LORD until even, and asked counsel of the LORD, saying, Shall I go up again to battle against the children of Benjamin my brother? And the LORD said, Go up against him.)
So, the Israelites came up on Benjamin again the next day.
And the children of Israel came near against the children of Benjamin the second day.
Benjamin charged out of Gibeah again and wrecked another 18,000 of the Israelites; all these dudes were armed and ready. No cap.
And 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.
Then all the Israelites went up to the house of God, weeping and chilling there before the Lord, fasting till evening and offering burnt and peace offerings.
Then all the children of Israel, and all the people, went up, and came unto the house of God, and wept, and sat there before the LORD, and fasted that day until even, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the LORD.
The Israelites asked the Lord for guidance (the ark of the covenant was there back then).
And the children of Israel enquired of the LORD, (for the ark of the covenant of God {was} there in those days,
Phinehas, Eleazar's son, was there too, saying, "Should we go out to battle again against our bro Benjamin, or chill?" And the Lord said, "Go up; tomorrow I got you."
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 the LORD said, Go up; for to morrow I will deliver them into thine hand.
So, Israel set traps around Gibeah, fr.
And Israel set liers in wait round about Gibeah.
The Israelites rolled up against Benjamin on the third day, getting ready for Gibeah like before.
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 other times.
The fam from Benjamin rolled out to fight, pulling away from the city, taking out people like it was just another day on the block, about thirty dudes from Israel caught in the crossfire.
And the children of Benjamin went out against the people, {and} were drawn away from the city; and they began to smite of the people, {and} kill, as at other times, in the highways, of which one goeth up to the house of God, and the other to Gibeah in the field, about thirty men of Israel. {to smite...: Heb. to smite of the people wounded as at, etc} {the house...: or, Bethel}
The Benjamin crew was like, "We got this, easy win," but the Israelites were like, "Nah, let’s bounce and lure them out to the roads."
And 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 from the city unto the highways.
All the Israel guys stood up, ready to pop off at Baal-tamar, while the sneak squad from Israel came out from hiding in the fields of Gibeah.
And all the men of Israel rose up out of their place, and put themselves in array at Baaltamar: and the liers in wait of Israel came forth out of their places, {even} out of the meadows of Gibeah.
Then ten thousand top-tier warriors from all Israel rolled up on Gibeah, and the battle was intense, but they had no clue trouble was lurking.
And there came against Gibeah ten thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and the battle was sore: but they knew not that evil {was} near them.
The Lord straight-up wrecked Benjamin in front of Israel, and that day, the Israelites took out twenty-five thousand and a hundred Benjamites—no cap, they were all swinging swords.
And the LORD smote Benjamin before Israel: and the children of Israel destroyed of the Benjamites that day twenty and five thousand and an hundred men: all these drew the sword.
The Benjamin squad peeped they were getting wrecked: the Israel crew gave them space because they trusted the sneak squad set up by Gibeah.
So the children of Benjamin saw that they were smitten: for the men of Israel gave place to the Benjamites, because they trusted unto the liers in wait which they had set beside Gibeah.
The sneak squad moved quick and rushed Gibeah, taking the city with their swords like it was a savage takeover.
And the liers in wait hasted, and rushed upon Gibeah; and the liers in wait drew {themselves} along, and smote all the city with the edge of the sword. {drew...: or, made a long sound with the trumpet}
A major sign was set up between the Israelites and the sneak squad, where they were supposed to light a huge flame with smoke rising from the city.
Now there was an appointed sign between the men of Israel and the liers in wait, that they should make a great flame with smoke rise up out of the city. {sign: or, time} {and: Heb. with} {flame: Heb. elevation}
When the Israel guys dipped from the battle, the Benjamites started taking out about thirty of them, thinking, "For sure, they’re down like last time."
And when the men of Israel retired in the battle, 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. {to smite...: Heb. to smite the wounded}
But when the flame shot up from the city with a smoke pillar, the Benjamites turned around and saw the city on fire reaching up to the sky.
But when the flame began to arise up out of the city with a pillar of smoke, the Benjamites looked behind them, and, behold, the flame of the city ascended up to heaven. {the flame of: Heb. the whole consumption of}
When the Israel squad turned back, the Benjamites were shook: they realized some serious bad vibes were hitting them.
And when the men of Israel turned again, the men of Benjamin were amazed: for they saw that evil was come upon them. {was come...: Heb. touched them}
So they dipped and ran into the wilderness, but the battle caught up to them; they took out those who came out from the cities, no cap.
Therefore they turned {their backs} before the men of Israel unto the way of the wilderness; but the battle overtook them; and them which {came} out of the cities they destroyed in the midst of them.
They surrounded the Benjamites, chased them down, and crushed them easy near Gibeah when the sun was coming up.
{Thus} they inclosed the Benjamites round about, {and} chased them, {and} trode them down with ease over against Gibeah toward the sunrising. {with ease...: or, from Menuchah, etc} {over...: Heb. unto over against}
Eighteen thousand Benjamites fell that day; all of them were straight-up warriors.
And there fell of Benjamin eighteen thousand men; all these {were} men of valour.
They turned and ran to the wilderness by the rock of Rimmon; they snagged five thousand men on the highways and chased hard after them to Gidom, taking out two thousand more.
And they turned and fled toward the wilderness unto the rock of Rimmon: and they gleaned of them in the highways five thousand men; and pursued hard after them unto Gidom, and slew two thousand men of them.
So all who went down that day from Benjamin were twenty-five thousand men who could throw down; all these were warriors.
So that all which fell that day of Benjamin were twenty and five thousand men that drew the sword; all these {were} men of valour.
But six hundred men bounced and fled to the wilderness at the rock Rimmon, chilling there for four months.
But six hundred men turned and fled to the wilderness unto the rock Rimmon, and abode in the rock Rimmon four months.
Then the Israel crew came back at the Benjamite kids and took them out with the sword, hitting every city and even the animals, setting all the cities ablaze as they went.
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 beast, and all that came to hand: also they set on fire all the cities that they came to. {came to hand: Heb. was found} {they came...: Heb. were found}