וַיֵּצְאוּ כָּל־בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וַתִּקָּהֵל הָעֵדָה כְּאִישׁ אֶחָד לְמִדָּן וְעַד־בְּאֵר שֶׁבַע וְאֶרֶץ הַגִּלְעָד אֶל־יְהוָה   20:1

הַמִּצְפָּה׃

Judg. 20:1   Then all the children of Israel went out and the congregation assembled like one man, to from Dan and as far as Beer-sheba with the land of Gilead, to the Lord at Mizpah.

וַיִּתְיַצְּבוּ פִּנּוֹת כָּל־הָעָם כֹּל שִׁבְטֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בִּקְהַל עַם הָאֱלֹהִים אַרְבַּע מֵאוֹת אֶלֶף אִישׁ רַגְלִי שֹׁלֵף   20:2

חָרֶב׃

Judg. 20:2   And the heads of all the people, of all the tribes of Israel, presented themselves in the assembly of the people of God, four hundred thousand men, footmen drawing swords.

וַיִּשְׁמְעוּ בְּנֵי בִנְיָמִן כִּי־עָלוּ בְנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵל הַמִּצְפָּה וַיֹּאמְרוּ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל דַּבְּרוּ אֵיכָה נִהְיְתָה הָרָעָה   20:3

הַזֹּאת׃

Judg. 20:3   Now the children of Benjamin heard that the children of Israel had gone up to Mizpah.  And the children of Israel said, “Speak of how you allowed this wickedness.”

וַיַּעַן הָאִישׁ הַלֵּוִי אִישׁ הָאִשָּׁה הַנִּרְצָחָה וַיֹּאמַר הַגִּבְעָתָה אֲשֶׁר לְבִנְיָמִן בָּאתִי אֲנִי וּפִילַגְשִׁי לָלוּן׃   20:4

Judg. 20:4   And the man of the Levites, the husband of the woman who was killed, answered and he said, “I came to Gibeah, which is Benjamin's, I and my concubine, to lodge.”

וַיָּקֻמוּ עָלַי בַּעֲלֵי הַגִּבְעָה וַיָּסֹבּוּ עָלַי אֶת־הַבַּיִת לָיְלָה אוֹתִי דִּמּוּ לַהֲרֹג וְאֶת־פִּילַגְשִׁי עִנּוּ וַתָּמֹת׃   20:5

Judg. 20:5   “Then the men of Gibeah rose up against me and they surrounded the house over me at night.  Me they meant to kill, and my concubine they ravished, and she died.”

וָאֹחֵז בְּפִילַגְשִׁי וָאֲנַתְּחֶהָ וָאֲשַׁלְּחֶהָ בְּכָל־שְׂדֵה נַחֲלַת יִשְׂרָאֵל כִּי עָשׂוּ זִמָּה וּנְבָלָה בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל׃   20:6

Judg. 20:6   “Then I came upon my concubine and dismembered her and sent her throughout all the land of the inheritance of Israel, for they had done lewdness and villainy in Israel.”

הִנֵּה כֻלְּכֶם בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל הָבוּ לָכֶם דָּבָר וְעֵצָה הֲלֹם׃   20:7

Judg. 20:7   “Behold, all you children of Israel!  Give yourselves advice of counsel here!”

וַיָּקָם כָּל־הָעָם כְּאִישׁ אֶחָד לֵאמֹר לֹא נֵלֵךְ אִישׁ לְאָהֳלוֹ וְלֹא נָסוּר אִישׁ לְבֵיתוֹ׃   20:8

Judg. 20:8   And all the people rose up like one man saying, “We will not go, any man, to his tent and we will not turn, any man, to his house.”

וְעַתָּה זֶה הַדָּבָר אֲשֶׁר נַעֲשֶׂה לַגִּבְעָה עָלֶיהָ בְּגוֹרָל׃   20:9

Judg. 20:9   “And now this is the thing that we will do to Gibeah against it, with lots:

וְלָקַחְנוּ עֲשָׂרָה אֲנָשִׁים לַמֵּאָה לְכֹל שִׁבְטֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וּמֵאָה לָאֶלֶף וְאֶלֶף לָרְבָבָה לָקַחַת צֵדָה לָעָם   20:10

לַעֲשׂוֹת לְבוֹאָם לְגֶבַע בִּנְיָמִן כְּכָל־הַנְּבָלָה אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל׃

Judg. 20:10   “So we will take ten men to a hundred for all the tribes of Israel, thus a hundred to a thousand and a thousand to ten thousand, to get provisions for the people to do by their coming to Gibeah of Benjamin according to all the villainy that it did in Israel.”

וַיֵּאָסֵף כָּל־אִישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶל־הָעִיר כְּאִישׁ אֶחָד חֲבֵרִים׃   20:11

Judg. 20:11   So all the men of Israel withdrew to the city, like one man knitting together.

וַיִּשְׁלְחוּ שִׁבְטֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲנָשִׁים בְּכָל־שִׁבְטֵי בִנְיָמִן לֵאמֹר מָה הָרָעָה הַזֹּאת אֲשֶׁר נִהְיְתָה בָּכֶם׃   20:12

Judg. 20:12   Then the tribes of Israel sent men into all the tribe of Benjamin saying, “What is this wickedness that has happened with you?”

וְעַתָּה תְּנוּ אֶת־הָאֲנָשִׁים בְּנֵי־בְלִיַּעַל אֲשֶׁר בַּגִּבְעָה וּנְמִיתֵם וּנְבַעֲרָה רָעָה מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל וְלֹא אָבוּ בְּנֵי   20:13

בִּנְיָמִן לִשְׁמֹעַ בְּקוֹל אֲחֵיהֶם בְּנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵל׃

Judg. 20:13   “So now deliver the men, sons of wickedness, who are in Gibeah, so we may put them to death and thrust out the evil from Israel.”  But the children of Benjamin were not willing to listen into the voice of their brethren, the children of Israel.

וַיֵּאָסְפוּ בְנֵי־בִנְיָמִן מִן־הֶעָרִים הַגִּבְעָתָה לָצֵאת לַמִּלְחָמָה עִם־בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל׃   20:14

Judg. 20:14   And the children of Benjamin gathered together from the cities to Gibeah to go out to battle with the children of Israel.

וַיִּתְפָּקְדוּ בְנֵי בִנְיָמִן בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא מֵהֶעָרִים עֶשְׂרִים וְשִׁשָּׁה אֶלֶף אִישׁ שֹׁלֵף חָרֶב לְבַד מִיֹּשְׁבֵי   20:15

הַגִּבְעָה הִתְפָּקְדוּ שְׁבַע מֵאוֹת אִישׁ בָּחוּר׃

Judg. 20:15   And the children of Benjamin numbered on that day twenty-six thousand men drawing swords, beside the inhabitants of Gibeah who numbered seven hundred chosen men.

מִכֹּל הָעָם הַזֶּה שְׁבַע מֵאוֹת אִישׁ בָּחוּר אִטֵּר יַד־יְמִינוֹ כָּל־זֶה קֹלֵעַ בָּאֶבֶן אֶל־הַשַּׂעֲרָה וְלֹא   20:16

יַחֲטִא׃

Judg. 20:16   From all this people, seven hundred, was each man left handed.  Each one could sling with a stone at a hair and not miss.

וְאִישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל הִתְפָּקְדוּ לְבַד מִבִּנְיָמִן אַרְבַּע מֵאוֹת אֶלֶף אִישׁ שֹׁלֵף חָרֶב כָּל־זֶה אִישׁ מִלְחָמָה׃   20:17

Judg. 20:17   And the men of Israel numbered, without those of Benjamin, four hundred thousand, men drawing sword.  Every one was a man of war.

וַיָּקֻמוּ וַיַּעֲלוּ בֵית־אֵל וַיִּשְׁאֲלוּ בֵאלֹהִים וַיֹּאמְרוּ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל מִי יַעֲלֶה־לָּנוּ בַתְּחִלָּה לַמִּלְחָמָה עִם־   20:18

בְּנֵי בִנְיָמִן וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה יְהוּדָה בַתְּחִלָּה׃

Judg. 20:18   And the children of Israel rose and went up to Beth-el and consulted with God and said, “Who shall go up for us at first to battle with the children of Benjamin?” And the Lord said, “Judah at first.”

וַיָּקוּמוּ בְנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵל בַּבֹּקֶר וַיַּחֲנוּ עַל־הַגִּבְעָה׃   20:19

Judg. 20:19   And the children of Israel arose in the morning and camped near Gibeah.

וַיֵּצֵא אִישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל לַמִּלְחָמָה עִם־בִּנְיָמִן וַיַּעַרְכוּ אִתָּם אִישׁ־יִשְׂרָאֵל מִלְחָמָה אֶל־הַגִּבְעָה׃   20:20

Judg. 20:20   And each man of Israel went out to battle with Benjamin, and the men of Israel set themselves in battle array toward Gibeah.

וַיֵּצְאוּ בְנֵי־בִנְיָמִן מִן־הַגִּבְעָה וַיַּשְׁחִיתוּ בְיִשְׂרָאֵל בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא שְׁנַיִם וְעֶשְׂרִים אֶלֶף אִישׁ אָרְצָה׃   20:21

Judg. 20:21   And the children of Benjamin came forth from Gibeah and destroyed those with Israel on that day twenty-two thousand men to the ground.

וַיִּתְחַזֵּק הָעָם אִישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל וַיֹּסִפוּ לַעֲרֹךְ מִלְחָמָה בַּמָּקוֹם אֲשֶׁר־עָרְכוּ שָׁם בַּיּוֹם הָרִאשׁוֹן׃   20:22

Judg. 20:22   But the people recovered, each man of Israel, and they proceeded to battle array themselves in the place that they arrayed there on the first day.

וַיַּעֲלוּ בְנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵל וַיִּבְכּוּ לִפְנֵי־יְהוָה עַד־הָעֶרֶב וַיִּשְׁאֲלוּ בַיהוָה לֵאמֹר הַאוֹסִיף לָגֶשֶׁת לַמִּלְחָמָה   20:23

עִם־בְּנֵי בִנְיָמִן אָחִי וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה עֲלוּ אֵלָיו׃

Judg. 20:23   Then the children of Israel rose up and wept before the Lord until the evening; then they consulted with the Lord saying, “Should I proceed to approach for battle with the children of Benjamin, my brother?”  And the Lord said, “Rise up to him!”

וַיִּקְרְבוּ בְנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶל־בְּנֵי בִנְיָמִן בַּיּוֹם הַשֵּׁנִי׃   20:24

Judg. 20:24   So the children of Israel drew near to the children of Benjamin on the second day.

וַיֵּצֵא בִנְיָמִן לִקְרָאתָם מִן־הַגִּבְעָה בַּיּוֹם הַשֵּׁנִי וַיַּשְׁחִיתוּ בִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל עוֹד שְׁמֹנַת עָשָׂר אֶלֶף אִיש   20:25

אָרְצָה כָּל־אֵלֶּה שֹׁלְפֵי חָרֶב׃

Judg. 20:25   And Benjamin came forth to meet them from Gibeah on the second day, and they destroyed those with the children of Israel another eighteen thousand men to the ground, all of whom drew swords.

וַיַּעֲלוּ כָל־בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְכָל־הָעָם וַיָּבֹאוּ בֵית־אֵל וַיִּבְכּוּ וַיֵּשְׁבוּ שָׁם לִפְנֵי יְהוָה וַיָּצוּמוּ בַיּוֹם־הַהוּא   20:26

עַד־הָעָרֶב וַיַּעֲלוּ עֹלוֹת וּשְׁלָמִים לִפְנֵי יְהוָה׃

Judg. 20:26   Then all the children of Israel and all the people went up and went to Beth-el, and mourned and stayed there before the Lord and fasted on that day until the evening and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the Lord.

וַיִּשְׁאֲלוּ בְנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵל בַּיהוָה וְשָׁם אֲרוֹן בְּרִית הָאֱלֹהִים בַּיָּמִים הָהֵם׃   20:27

Judg. 20:27   And the children of Israel consulted with the Lord, as the ark of the covenant of God was there in those days,

וּפִינְחָס בֶּן־אֶלְעָזָר בֶּן־אַהֲרֹן עֹמֵד לְפָנָיו בַּיָּמִים הָהֵם לֵאמֹר הַאוֹסִף עוֹד לָצֵאת לַמִּלְחָמָה עִם־   20:28

בְּנֵי־בִנְיָמִן אָחִי אִם־אֶחְדָּל וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה עֲלוּ כִּי מָחָר אֶתְּנֶנּוּ בְיָדֶךָ׃

Judg. 20:28   and Phinehas son of Eleazar son of Aaron stood before it in those days, saying, “Should I proceed again to go forth to do battle with the children of Benjamin, my brother, or should I cease?”  And the Lord said, “Go up, for tomorrow I shall deliver him into your hand.”

From this verse we can conclude that the events reported here and presumably in many of the chapters of Judges happened soon after the children of Israel came into Canaan.  Phinehas, grandson of Aaron, was born in the wilderness.  We know this because he was involved in the battle against Midian (Numb. 31:6).  Therefore, the chronology of these chapters might be quite uncertain except for the hint provided in Judg. 19:10 and 11.  There we learn that Jerusalem had apparently not been conquered as yet.  So it was indeed soon after the Israelites had entered Canaan.

We also learn that the ark, and perhaps the Tabernacle, was in Beth-el.  Had God chosen that place for His name to be there?  We know that Beth-el was a sacred place because Jacob named it after God had spoken to him there (Gene. 35:13 to 35:15).

וַיָּשֶׂם יִשְׂרָאֵל אֹרְבִים אֶל־הַגִּבְעָה סָבִיב׃   20:29

Judg. 20:29   So Israel placed ambushers near Gibeah all around.

וַיַּעֲלוּ בְנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶל־בְּנֵי בִנְיָמִן בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁי וַיַּעַרְכוּ אֶל־הַגִּבְעָה כְּפַעַם בְּפָעַם׃   20:30

Judg. 20:30   Then the children of Israel rose up to the children of Benjamin on the third day, and set in array to Gibeah like time after time.

וַיֵּצְאוּ בְנֵי־בִנְיָמִן לִקְרַאת הָעָם הָנְתְּקוּ מִן־הָעִיר וַיָּחֵלּוּ לְהַכּוֹת מֵהָעָם חֲלָלִים כְּפַעַם בְּפַעַם   20:31

בַּמְסִלּוֹת אֲשֶׁר אַחַת עֹלָה בֵית־אֵל וְאַחַת גִּבְעָתָה בַּשָּׂדֶה כִּשְׁלֹשִׁים אִישׁ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל׃

Judg. 20:31  And the children of Benjamin came forth to meet the people, drawn away from the city, and began to smite some from the people, slaying like time after time on paths of which one went up to Beth-el and the other to Gibeah in the field, about thirty men of those in Israel.

וַיֹּאמְרוּ בְּנֵי בִנְיָמִן נִגָּפִים הֵם לְפָנֵינוּ כְּבָרִאשֹׁנָה וּבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אָמְרוּ נָנוּסָה וּנְתַקְּנֻהוּ מִן־הָעִיר אֶל־   20:32

הַמְסִלּוֹת׃

Judg. 20:32   And the children of Benjamin said, “They are defeated before us like at first.  But the children of Israel said, “Let us flee and draw him away from the city to the paths.”

וְכֹל אִישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל קָמוּ מִמְּקוֹמוֹ וַיַּעַרְכוּ בְּבַעַל תָּמָר וְאֹרֵב יִשְׂרָאֵל מֵגִיחַ מִמְּקֹמוֹ מִמַּעֲרֵה־גָבַע׃   20:33

Judg. 20:33   And every man of Israel arose from his place and they set in array in Baal-tamar with the ambush breaking out from its place from Maareh-giba.

וַיָּבֹאוּ מִנֶּגֶד לַגִּבְעָה עֲשֶׂרֶת אֲלָפִים אִישׁ בָּחוּר מִכָּל־יִשְׂרָאֵל וְהַמִּלְחָמָה כָּבֵדָה וְהֵם לֹא יָדְעוּ כִּי־   20:34

נֹגַעַת עֲלֵיהֶם הָרָעָה׃

Judg. 20:34   And ten thousand men chosen from all of Israel came breaking forth to Gibeah and the battle was severe, and they did not know that close upon them was calamity.

וַיִּגֹּף יְהוָה אֶת־בִּנְיָמִן לִפְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וַיַּשְׁחִיתוּ בְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּבִנְיָמִן בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא עֶשְׂרִים וַחֲמִשָּׁה   20:35

אֶלֶף וּמֵאָה אִישׁ כָּל־אֵלֶּה שֹׁלֵף חָרֶב׃

Judg. 20:35   And the Lord smote Benjamin before Israel, and the children of Israel destroyed of those with Benjamin on that day twenty-five thousand and one hundred men, all of whom drew swords.

וַיִּרְאוּ בְנֵי־בִנְיָמִן כִּי נִגָּפוּ וַיִּתְּנוּ אִישׁ־יִשְׂרָאֵל מָקוֹם לְבִנְיָמִן כִּי בָטְחוּ אֶל־הָאֹרֵב אֲשֶׁר שָׂמוּ אֶל־   20:36

הַגִּבְעָה׃

Judg. 20:36   And the children of Benjamin saw that they were defeated.  And the men of Israel gave space to Benjamin because they trusted in the ambush that they had set near Gibeah.

וְהָאֹרֵב הֵחִישׁוּ וַיִּפְשְׁטוּ אֶל־הַגִּבְעָה וַיִּמְשֹׁךְ הָאֹרֵב וַיַּךְ אֶת־כָּל־הָעִיר לְפִי־חָרֶב׃   20:37

Judg. 20:37   And the ambushers hastened and rushed to Gibeah, and the ambush drew forth and smote the entire city by the edge of the sword.

וְהַמּוֹעֵד הָיָה לְאִישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל עִם־הָאֹרֵב הֶרֶב לְהַעֲלוֹתָם מַשְׂאַת הֶעָשָׁן מִן־הָעִיר׃   20:38

Judg. 20:38   And there was a signal for the men of Israel with the ambushers to bring up, to make themselves a rising of smoke from the city.

וַיַּהֲפֹךְ אִישׁ־יִשְׂרָאֵל בַּמִּלְחָמָה וּבִנְיָמִן הֵחֵל לְהַכּוֹת חֲלָלִים בְּאִישׁ־יִשְׂרָאֵל כִּשְׁלֹשִׁים אִישׁ כִּי   20:39

אָמְרוּ אַךְ נִגּוֹף נִגָּף הוּא לְפָנֵינוּ כַּמִּלְחָמָה הָרִאשֹׁנָה׃

Judg. 20:39   And every man of Israel turned back into the battle, and Benjamin began to smite, killing in the men of Israel about thirty persons, for they said, “Surely he has been badly smitten before us, like the battles before.

וְהַמַּשְׂאֵת הֵחֵלָּה לַעֲלוֹת מִן־הָעִיר עַמּוּד עָשָׁן וַיִּפֶן בִּנְיָמִן אַחֲרָיו וְהִנֵּה עָלָה כְלִיל־הָעִיר הַשָּׁמָיְמָה׃   20:40

Judg. 20:40   But the sign of fire began to come up from the city, a column of smoke, and Benjamin looked behind him and behold, the entire city was going up to the heavens.

וְאִישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל הָפַךְ וַיִּבָּהֵל אִישׁ בִּנְיָמִן כִּי רָאָה כִּי־נָגְעָה עָלָיו הָרָעָה׃   20:41

Judg. 20:41   And every man of Israel turned back, and every man of Benjamin was dismayed, for he saw that a calamity had fallen on him.

וַיִּפְנוּ לִפְנֵי אִישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶל־דֶּרֶךְ הַמִּדְבָּר וְהַמִּלְחָמָה הִדְבִּיקָתְהוּ וַאֲשֶׁר מֵהֶעָרִים מַשְׁחִיתִים אוֹתוֹ   20:42

בְּתוֹכוֹ׃

Judg. 20:42   So they turned back before the men of Israel to the way of the wilderness, but the battle followed each of them, and who were from the city were destroying him in his midst.

כִּתְּרוּ אֶת־בִּנְיָמִן הִרְדִיפֻהוּ מְנוּחָה הִדְרִיכֻהוּ עַד נֹכַח הַגִּבְעָה מִמִּזְרַח־שָׁמֶשׁ׃   20:43

Judg. 20:43   They surrounded Benjamin, pursued him, overtook him at a resting place, as far as before Gibeah from the rising sun.

וַיִּפְּלוּ מִבִּנְיָמִן שְׁמֹנָה־עָשָׂר אֶלֶף אִישׁ אֶת־כָּל־אֵלֶּה אַנְשֵׁי־חָיִל׃   20:44

Judg. 20:44   And eighteen thousand persons from Benjamin fell.  They were, all of them, men of valor.

וַיִּפְנוּ וַיָּנֻסוּ הַמִּדְבָּרָה אֶל־סֶלַע הָרִמּוֹן וַיְעֹלְלֻהוּ בַּמְסִלּוֹת חֲמֵשֶׁת אֲלָפִים אִישׁ וַיַּדְבִּיקוּ אַחֲרָיו עַד־   20:45

גִּדְעֹם וַיַּכּוּ מִמֶּנּוּ אַלְפַּיִם אִישׁ׃

Judg. 20:45   And they turned and fled toward the wilderness to the rock of Rimmon, and they gleaned of him on the paths five thousand men, and chased close after him as far as Gidom, and smote from him two thousand men.

וַיְהִי כָל־הַנֹּפְלִים מִבִּנְיָמִן עֶשְׂרִים וַחֲמִשָּׁה אֶלֶף אִישׁ שֹׁלֵף חֶרֶב בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא אֶת־כָּל־אֵלֶּה אַנְשֵׁי־   20:46

חָיִל׃

Judg. 20:46   Then were all who fell from Benjamin twenty-five thousand men drawing swords on that day.  They were all of them men of valor.

וַיִּפְנוּ וַיָּנֻסוּ הַמִּדְבָּרָה אֶל־סֶלַע הָרִמּוֹן שֵׁשׁ מֵאוֹת אִישׁ וַיֵּשְׁבוּ בְּסֶלַע רִמּוֹן אַרְבָּעָה חֳדָשִׁים׃   20:47

Judg. 20:47   But six hundred men turned and fled toward the wilderness to the rock of Rimmon, and they stayed on the rock of Rimmon four months.

וְאִישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל שָׁבוּ אֶל־בְּנֵי בִנְיָמִן וַיַּכּוּם לְפִי־חֶרֶב מֵעִיר מְתֹם עַד־בְּהֵמָה עַד כָּל־הַנִּמְצָא גַּם כָּל־   20:48

הֶעָרִים הַנִּמְצָאוֹת שִׁלְּחוּ בָאֵשׁ׃

Judg. 20:48   And the men of Israel returned to the children of Benjamin and completely smote them by the edge of the sword from the city, as well as the cattle and everything that was found.  They also set on fire all the cities to be found.

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