Judges 20:1-17

Judges 20:1-17

[1] 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.  [2] 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.  [3] (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?  [4] 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.  [5] And the men  of Gibeah  rose  the house  round about  upon me by night,  and thought  to have slain  me: and my concubine  have they forced,  that she is dead.  [6] 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.  [7] Behold, ye are all children  of Israel;  give  here  your advice  and counsel.  [8] And all the people  arose  as one  man,  saying,  We will not any  to his tent,  neither will we any  of us turn  into his house.  [9] But now this shall be the thing  which we will do  to Gibeah;  we will go up by lot  [10] And we will take  ten  of an hundred  throughout all the tribes  of Israel,  and an hundred  of 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.  [11] So all the men  of Israel  were gathered  against the city,  knit together  as one  man.  [12] And the tribes  of Israel  sent  men  through all the tribe  of Benjamin,  saying,  What wickedness  is this that is done  among you? [13] Now therefore deliver  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:  [14] But the children  of Benjamin  gathered themselves together  out of the cities  unto 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  and six  thousand  men  that drew  sword,  beside the inhabitants  of Gibeah,  which were numbered  seven  hundred  men.  [16] Among all this people  there were seven  hundred  men  lefthanded;  every one could sling  stones  at an hair  breadth, and not miss.  [17] And the men  of Israel,  beside Benjamin,  were numbered  four  hundred  thousand  men  that drew  sword:  all these were men  of war.