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Judges 20 New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width; initial-scale=1.0; maximum-scale=1.0; user-scalable=0;"/><title>Judges 20 New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition</title><link rel="stylesheet" href="/chapnew2.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="../spec.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/print.css" type="text/css" media="Print" /></head><body><div id="fx"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx2"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="30" scrolling="no" src="../cmenus/judges/20.htm" align="left" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div><div id="blnk"></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable"><tr><td><div id="fx5"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx6"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="245" scrolling="no" src="/bmcc/judges/20-1.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable3"><tr><td><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center" id="announce"><tr><td><div id="l1"><div id="breadcrumbs"><a href="http://biblehub.com/catholic">Bible</a> > <a href="../">NRSVCE</a> > Judges 20</div><div id="anc"><iframe src="/anc.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></div><div id="anc2"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><iframe src="/anc2.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></div></td></tr></table><div id="movebox2"><table border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td><div id="topheading"><a href="../judges/19.htm" title="Judges 19">◄</a> Judges 20 <a href="../judges/21.htm" title="Judges 21">►</a></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center" class="maintable2"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><div id="leftbox"><div class="padleft"><div class="vheading"><table width="100%"><tr><td width="99%" valign="top">New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition</td><td width="1%" valign="top"></td></tr></table></div><div class="chap"><div class="text-html"> <h3><span id="en" class="text">The Other Tribes Attack Benjamin</span></h3><p class="chapter-2"><span class="text"><span class="versenum">1</span>Then all the Israelites came out, from Dan to Beer-sheba, including the land of Gilead, and the congregation assembled in one body before the <span style="font-variant: small-caps" class="small-caps">Lord</span> at Mizpah. </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">2</span>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 foot-soldiers bearing arms. </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">3</span>(Now the Benjaminites heard that the people of Israel had gone up to Mizpah.) And the Israelites said, “Tell us, how did this criminal act come about?” </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">4</span>The Levite, the husband of the woman who was murdered, answered, “I came to Gibeah that belongs to Benjamin, I and my concubine, to spend the night. </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">5</span>The lords of Gibeah rose up against me, and surrounded the house at night. They intended to kill me, and they raped my concubine until she died. </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">6</span>Then I took my concubine and cut her into pieces, and sent her throughout the whole extent of Israel’s territory; for they have committed a vile outrage in Israel. </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">7</span>So now, you Israelites, all of you, give your advice and counsel here.”</span></p> <p><span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">8</span>All the people got up as one, saying, “We will not any of us go to our tents, nor will any of us return to our houses. </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">9</span>But now this is what we will do to Gibeah: we will go up<span data-fn='#fen' class='footnote' data-link='[<a href="#fen-NRSVCE-7064a" title="See footnote a">a</a>]'>[<a href="#fen" xtitle="See footnote a">a</a>]</span> against it by lot. </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">10</span>We will take ten men of a hundred throughout all the tribes of Israel, and a hundred of a thousand, and a thousand of ten thousand, to bring provisions for the troops, who are going to repay<span data-fn='#fen' class='footnote' data-link='[<a href="#fen-NRSVCE-7065b" title="See footnote b">b</a>]'>[<a href="#fen" xtitle="See footnote b">b</a>]</span> Gibeah of Benjamin for all the disgrace that they have done in Israel.” </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">11</span>So all the men of Israel gathered against the city, united as one.</span></p> <p><span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">12</span>The tribes of Israel sent men through all the tribe of Benjamin, saying, “What crime is this that has been committed among you? </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">13</span>Now then, hand over those scoundrels in Gibeah, so that we may put them to death, and purge the evil from Israel.” But the Benjaminites would not listen to their kinsfolk, the Israelites. </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">14</span>The Benjaminites came together out of the towns to Gibeah, to go out to battle against the Israelites. </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">15</span>On that day the Benjaminites mustered twenty-six thousand armed men from their towns, besides the inhabitants of Gibeah. </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">16</span>Of all this force, there were seven hundred picked men who were left-handed; every one could sling a stone at a hair, and not miss. </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">17</span>And the Israelites, apart from Benjamin, mustered four hundred thousand armed men, all of them warriors.</span></p> <p><span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">18</span>The Israelites proceeded to go up to Bethel, where they inquired of God, “Which of us shall go up first to battle against the Benjaminites?” And the <span style="font-variant: small-caps" class="small-caps">Lord</span> answered, “Judah shall go up first.”</span></p> <p><span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">19</span>Then the Israelites got up in the morning, and encamped against Gibeah. </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">20</span>The Israelites went out to battle against Benjamin; and the Israelites drew up the battle line against them at Gibeah. </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">21</span>The Benjaminites came out of Gibeah, and struck down on that day twenty-two thousand of the Israelites. </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">23</span><span data-fn='#fen' class='footnote' data-link='[<a href="#fen-NRSVCE-7077c" title="See footnote c">c</a>]'>[<a href="#fen" xtitle="See footnote c">c</a>]</span> The Israelites went up and wept before the <span style="font-variant: small-caps" class="small-caps">Lord</span> until the evening; and they inquired of the <span style="font-variant: small-caps" class="small-caps">Lord</span>, “Shall we again draw near to battle against our kinsfolk the Benjaminites?” And the <span style="font-variant: small-caps" class="small-caps">Lord</span> said, “Go up against them.” </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">22</span>The Israelites took courage, and again formed the battle line in the same place where they had formed it on the first day.</span></p> <p><span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">24</span>So the Israelites advanced against the Benjaminites the second day. </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">25</span>Benjamin moved out against them from Gibeah the second day, and struck down eighteen thousand of the Israelites, all of them armed men. </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">26</span>Then all the Israelites, the whole army, went back to Bethel and wept, sitting there before the <span style="font-variant: small-caps" class="small-caps">Lord</span>; they fasted that day until evening. Then they offered burnt offerings and sacrifices of well-being before the <span style="font-variant: small-caps" class="small-caps">Lord</span>. </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">27</span>And the Israelites inquired of the <span style="font-variant: small-caps" class="small-caps">Lord</span> (for the ark of the covenant of God was there in those days, </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">28</span>and Phinehas son of Eleazar, son of Aaron, ministered before it in those days), saying, “Shall we go out once more to battle against our kinsfolk the Benjaminites, or shall we desist?” The <span style="font-variant: small-caps" class="small-caps">Lord</span> answered, “Go up, for tomorrow I will give them into your hand.”</span></p> <p><span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">29</span>So Israel stationed men in ambush around Gibeah. </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">30</span>Then the Israelites went up against the Benjaminites on the third day, and set themselves in array against Gibeah, as before. </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">31</span>When the Benjaminites went out against the army, they were drawn away from the city. As before they began to inflict casualties on the troops, along the main roads, one of which goes up to Bethel and the other to Gibeah, as well as in the open country, killing about thirty men of Israel. </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">32</span>The Benjaminites thought, “They are being routed before us, as previously.” But the Israelites said, “Let us retreat and draw them away from the city toward the roads.” </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">33</span>The main body of the Israelites drew back its battle line to Baal-tamar, while those Israelites who were in ambush rushed out of their place west<span data-fn='#fen' class='footnote' data-link='[<a href="#fen-NRSVCE-7088d" title="See footnote d">d</a>]'>[<a href="#fen" xtitle="See footnote d">d</a>]</span> of Geba. </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">34</span>There came against Gibeah ten thousand picked men out of all Israel, and the battle was fierce. But the Benjaminites did not realize that disaster was close upon them.</span></p> <p><span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">35</span>The <span style="font-variant: small-caps" class="small-caps">Lord</span> defeated Benjamin before Israel; and the Israelites destroyed twenty-five thousand one hundred men of Benjamin that day, all of them armed.</span></p> <p><span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">36</span>Then the Benjaminites saw that they were defeated.<span data-fn='#fen' class='footnote' data-link='[<a href="#fen-NRSVCE-7091e" title="See footnote e">e</a>]'>[<a href="#fen" xtitle="See footnote e">e</a>]</span></span></p><p><span class="text">The Israelites gave ground to Benjamin, because they trusted to the troops in ambush that they had stationed against Gibeah. </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">37</span>The troops in ambush rushed quickly upon Gibeah. Then they put the whole city to the sword. </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">38</span>Now the agreement between the main body of Israel and the men in ambush was that when they sent up a cloud of smoke out of the city </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">39</span>the main body of Israel should turn in battle. But Benjamin had begun to inflict casualties on the Israelites, killing about thirty of them; so they thought, “Surely they are defeated before us, as in the first battle.” </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">40</span>But when the cloud, a column of smoke, began to rise out of the city, the Benjaminites looked behind them—and there was the whole city going up in smoke toward the sky! </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">41</span>Then the main body of Israel turned, and the Benjaminites were dismayed, for they saw that disaster was close upon them. </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">42</span>Therefore they turned away from the Israelites in the direction of the wilderness; but the battle overtook them, and those who came out of the city<span data-fn='#fen' class='footnote' data-link='[<a href="#fen-NRSVCE-7097f" title="See footnote f">f</a>]'>[<a href="#fen" xtitle="See footnote f">f</a>]</span> were slaughtering them in between.<span data-fn='#fen' class='footnote' data-link='[<a href="#fen-NRSVCE-7097g" title="See footnote g">g</a>]'>[<a href="#fen" xtitle="See footnote g">g</a>]</span> </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">43</span>Cutting down<span data-fn='#fen' class='footnote' data-link='[<a href="#fen-NRSVCE-7098h" title="See footnote h">h</a>]'>[<a href="#fen" xtitle="See footnote h">h</a>]</span> the Benjaminites, they pursued them from Nohah<span data-fn='#fen' class='footnote' data-link='[<a href="#fen-NRSVCE-7098i" title="See footnote i">i</a>]'>[<a href="#fen" xtitle="See footnote i">i</a>]</span> and trod them down as far as a place east of Gibeah. </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">44</span>Eighteen thousand Benjaminites fell, all of them courageous fighters. </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">45</span>When they turned and fled toward the wilderness to the rock of Rimmon, five thousand of them were cut down on the main roads, and they were pursued as far as Gidom, and two thousand of them were slain. </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">46</span>So all who fell that day of Benjamin were twenty-five thousand arms-bearing men, all of them courageous fighters. </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">47</span>But six hundred turned and fled toward the wilderness to the rock of Rimmon, and remained at the rock of Rimmon for four months. </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">48</span>Meanwhile, the Israelites turned back against the Benjaminites, and put them to the sword—the city, the people, the animals, and all that remained. Also the remaining towns they set on fire.</span></p> <A name="fen"></a><div class="footnotes"><h4>Footnotes</h4><ol><li id="fen"><a hlef="#en" xtitle="Go to Judges 20:9">Judges 20:9</a> <span class='footnote-text'>Gk: Heb lacks <i>we will go up</i></span></li><li id="fen"><a hlef="#en" xtitle="Go to Judges 20:10">Judges 20:10</a> <span class='footnote-text'>Compare Gk: Meaning of Heb uncertain</span></li><li id="fen"><a hlef="#en" xtitle="Go to Judges 20:23">Judges 20:23</a> <span class='footnote-text'>Verses 22 and 23 are transposed</span></li><li id="fen"><a hlef="#en" xtitle="Go to Judges 20:33">Judges 20:33</a> <span class='footnote-text'>Gk Vg: Heb <i>in the plain</i></span></li><li id="fen"><a hlef="#en" xtitle="Go to Judges 20:36">Judges 20:36</a> <span class='footnote-text'>This sentence is continued by verse 45.</span></li><li id="fen"><a hlef="#en" xtitle="Go to Judges 20:42">Judges 20:42</a> <span class='footnote-text'>Compare Vg and some Gk Mss: Heb <i>cities</i></span></li><li id="fen"><a hlef="#en" xtitle="Go to Judges 20:42">Judges 20:42</a> <span class='footnote-text'>Compare Syr: Meaning of Heb uncertain</span></li><li id="fen"><a hlef="#en" xtitle="Go to Judges 20:43">Judges 20:43</a> <span class='footnote-text'>Gk: Heb <i>Surrounding</i></span></li><li id="fen"><a hlef="#en" xtitle="Go to Judges 20:43">Judges 20:43</a> <span class='footnote-text'>Gk: Heb <i>pursued them at their resting place</i></span></li></ol></div> <!--end of footnotes--></div></div></div></div></div> </div> </div><div id="botbox"><div class="padbot"><div align="center">Scripture quotations are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1989, 1993 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. 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