Judges 20 | English Standard Version

English Standard Version

Israel’s War with the Tribe of Benjamin

1 Then all the people of Israel came out, from Dan to Beersheba, including the land of Gilead, and the congregation assembled as one man to the Lord at Mizpah. (Jos 22:12; Jud 21:5; 1Sa 3:20; 1Sa 7:5; 1Sa 10:17; 1Sa 11:7; 2Sa 3:10; 2Sa 24:2)

Jos 22:12Jud 21:51Sa 3:201Sa 7:51Sa 10:171Sa 11:72Sa 3:102Sa 24:2

2 And the chiefs of all the people, of all the tribes of Israel, presented themselves in the assembly of the people of God, 400,000 men on foot that drew the sword. (Jud 8:10; Jud 20:15; Jud 20:17; Jud 20:25; Jud 20:35; Jud 20:46; 1Sa 14:38)

Jud 8:10Jud 20:15Jud 20:17Jud 20:25Jud 20:35Jud 20:461Sa 14:38

3 (Now the people of Benjamin heard that the people of Israel had gone up to Mizpah.) And the people of Israel said, “Tell us, how did this evil happen?” 4 And the Levite, the husband of the woman who was murdered, answered and said, “I came to Gibeah that belongs to Benjamin, I and my concubine, to spend the night. (Jud 19:15) 5 And the leaders of Gibeah rose against me and surrounded the house against me by night. They meant to kill me, and they violated my concubine, and she is dead. (Jud 19:22; Jud 19:25) 6 So I took hold of my concubine and cut her in pieces and sent her throughout all the country of the inheritance of Israel, for they have committed abomination and outrage in Israel. (Jud 19:23; Jud 19:29) 7 Behold, you people of Israel, all of you, give your advice and counsel here.” (Jud 19:30) 8 And all the people arose as one man, saying, “None of us will go to his tent, and none of us will return to his house. 9 But now this is what we will do to Gibeah: we will go up against it by lot, 10 and 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 people, that when they come they may repay Gibeah of Benjamin for all the outrage that they have committed in Israel.” 11 So all the men of Israel gathered against the city, united as one man. 12 And the tribes of Israel sent men through all the tribe of Benjamin, saying, “What evil is this that has taken place among you? (De 13:14; Jos 22:13; Jos 22:16) 13 Now therefore give up the men, the worthless fellows in Gibeah, that we may put them to death and purge evil from Israel.” But the Benjaminites would not listen to the voice of their brothers, the people of Israel. (De 13:5; De 13:13; De 17:2; Jud 19:22)

De 13:5De 13:13De 17:2Jud 19:22

14 Then the people of Benjamin came together out of the cities to Gibeah to go out to battle against the people of Israel. 15 And the people of Benjamin mustered out of their cities on that day 26,000 men who drew the sword, besides the inhabitants of Gibeah, who mustered 700 chosen men. (Nu 1:37; Nu 26:41; Jud 20:2) 16 Among all these were 700 chosen men who were left-handed; every one could sling a stone at a hair and not miss. (Jud 3:15; 1Ch 12:2) 17 And the men of Israel, apart from Benjamin, mustered 400,000 men who drew the sword; all these were men of war. (Jud 20:15) 18 The people of Israel arose and went up to Bethel and inquired of God, “Who shall go up first for us to fight against the people of Benjamin?” And the Lord said, “Judah shall go up first.” (Jud 1:1; Jud 20:26; Jud 20:31) 19 Then the people of Israel rose in the morning and encamped against Gibeah. 20 And the men of Israel went out to fight against Benjamin, and the men of Israel drew up the battle line against them at Gibeah. 21 The people of Benjamin came out of Gibeah and destroyed on that day 22,000 men of the Israelites. (Jud 20:25) 22 But the people, the men of Israel, took courage, and again formed the battle line in the same place where they had formed it on the first day. 23 And the people of Israel went up and wept before the Lord until the evening. And they inquired of the Lord, “Shall we again draw near to fight against our brothers, the people of Benjamin?” And the Lord said, “Go up against them.” (Jud 20:26) 24 So the people of Israel came near against the people of Benjamin the second day. 25 And Benjamin went against them out of Gibeah the second day, and destroyed 18,000 men of the people of Israel. All these were men who drew the sword. (Jud 20:2; Jud 20:21) 26 Then all the people of Israel, the whole army, went up and came to Bethel and wept. They sat there before the Lord and fasted that day until evening, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the Lord. (Jud 20:18; Jud 20:31) 27 And the people of Israel inquired of the Lord (for the ark of the covenant of God was there in those days, (Jos 18:1; 1Sa 4:3) 28 and Phinehas the son of Eleazar, son of Aaron, ministered before it in those days), saying, “Shall we go out once more to battle against our brothers, the people of Benjamin, or shall we cease?” And the Lord said, “Go up, for tomorrow I will give them into your hand.” (Nu 25:7; Nu 31:6; De 10:8; De 18:5; De 18:7; Jos 24:33)

Nu 25:7Nu 31:6De 10:8De 18:5De 18:7Jos 24:33

29 So Israel set men in ambush around Gibeah. (Jos 8:4) 30 And the people of Israel went up against the people of Benjamin on the third day and set themselves in array against Gibeah, as at other times. 31 And the people of Benjamin went out against the people and were drawn away from the city. And as at other times they began to strike and kill some of the people in the highways, one of which goes up to Bethel and the other to Gibeah, and in the open country, about thirty men of Israel. (Jud 20:18; Jud 20:26; Jud 21:19) 32 And the people of Benjamin said, “They are routed before us, as at the first.” But the people of Israel said, “Let us flee and draw them away from the city to the highways.” (Jos 8:5) 33 And all the men of Israel rose up out of their place and set themselves in array at Baal-tamar, and the men of Israel who were in ambush rushed out of their place from Maareh-geba.^[1] 34 And there came against Gibeah 10,000 chosen men out of all Israel, and the battle was hard, but the Benjaminites did not know that disaster was close upon them. (Jud 20:41) 35 And the Lord defeated Benjamin before Israel, and the people of Israel destroyed 25,100 men of Benjamin that day. All these were men who drew the sword. (Jud 20:2) 36 So the people of Benjamin saw that they were defeated. The men of Israel gave ground to Benjamin, because they trusted the men in ambush whom they had set against Gibeah. 37 Then the men in ambush hurried and rushed against Gibeah; the men in ambush moved out and struck all the city with the edge of the sword. (Jos 8:19) 38 Now the appointed signal between the men of Israel and the men in the main ambush was that when they made a great cloud of smoke rise up out of the city 39 the men of Israel should turn in battle. Now Benjamin had begun to strike and kill about thirty men of Israel. They said, “Surely they are defeated before us, as in the first battle.” (Jud 20:31) 40 But when the signal began to rise out of the city in a column of smoke, the Benjaminites looked behind them, and behold, the whole of the city went up in smoke to heaven. (Jos 8:20) 41 Then the men of Israel turned, and the men of Benjamin were dismayed, for they saw that disaster was close upon them. (Jud 20:34) 42 Therefore they turned their backs before the men of Israel in the direction of the wilderness, but the battle overtook them. And those who came out of the cities were destroying them in their midst. (Jos 8:15; Jos 8:24) 43 Surrounding the Benjaminites, they pursued them and trod them down from Nohah^[2] as far as opposite Gibeah on the east. 44 Eighteen thousand men of Benjamin fell, all of them men of valor. 45 And they turned and fled toward the wilderness to the rock of Rimmon. Five thousand men of them were cut down in the highways. And they were pursued hard to Gidom, and 2,000 men of them were struck down. (Jos 15:32; Jud 20:42; Jud 21:13) 46 So all who fell that day of Benjamin were 25,000 men who drew the sword, all of them men of valor. 47 But 600 men turned and fled toward the wilderness to the rock of Rimmon and remained at the rock of Rimmon four months. (Jud 20:42; Jud 20:45) 48 And the men of Israel turned back against the people of Benjamin and struck them with the edge of the sword, the city, men and beasts and all that they found. And all the towns that they found they set on fire.

圣经当代译本修订版

from Biblica

讨伐基比亚

1 于是，从但到别示巴以及基列的全体以色列人万众一心，来到米斯巴，聚集在耶和华面前。 2 以色列各支派的首领都参加了这次上帝子民的聚会，当时有四十万持刀的步兵。 3 便雅悯人也听见以色列人聚集在米斯巴的消息。以色列人问那个利未人：“请告诉我们，这件邪恶的事是怎么发生的？” 4 那利未人，就是被害女子的丈夫说：“我和我的妾到便雅悯的基比亚住宿。 5 那天晚上，基比亚人包围我们住宿的房子，要杀死我。他们把我的妾蹂躏致死。 6 我就把她的尸体切成块，送到以色列的各个地区，让以色列人都知道基比亚人做了邪恶、无耻的事。 7 以色列人啊，你们看该怎么处理吧！” 8 众人起来异口同声地说：“我们谁也不回帐篷，谁也不回家。 9 现在我们要抽签去攻打基比亚。 10 我们要从各支派中抽出十分之一的人负责运粮，等军队到达基比亚后，就可以讨伐在以色列做出这种卑鄙之事的基比亚人。” 11 于是，以色列人团结一致，一起去攻打那城。 12 他们派人去对便雅悯各地的人说：“你们中间怎么发生了这种邪恶的事！ 13 现在把那些基比亚的无赖交出来，我们要处死他们，从以色列铲除罪恶。”便雅悯人却充耳不闻， 14 还从各城聚集到基比亚跟以色列人打仗。 15 便雅悯人从各城召集了两万六千刀兵，还从基比亚召集了七百精兵。 16 军中有七百精兵善用左手甩石，毫发不差。 17 其他十一个以色列支派则召集了四十万善战的刀兵。 18 以色列人到伯特利去求问上帝，说：“我们当中哪个支派应当先去攻打便雅悯人呢？”耶和华说：“犹大支派。” 19 第二天清早，以色列人就在基比亚附近安营， 20 摆开阵势，准备攻打便雅悯人。 21 便雅悯人从基比亚出来，当天杀了以色列军两万二千人。 22 以色列人重整士气，仍在第一天列阵的地方列阵。 23 列阵之前，他们在耶和华面前一直哀哭到晚上。他们求问耶和华，说：“我们应该再去攻打我们的同胞便雅悯人吗？”耶和华说：“可以去。” 24 第二天，以色列人前去攻打便雅悯人。 25 便雅悯人从基比亚出来迎战，又杀了以色列军一万八千刀兵。 26 以色列全军来到伯特利，坐在耶和华面前哀哭，那天他们一直禁食到晚上，又在耶和华面前献上燔祭和平安祭。 27-28 那时，上帝的约柜就在那里，亚伦的孙子、以利亚撒的儿子非尼哈任祭司。以色列人求问耶和华，说：“我们应该再去攻打我们的同胞便雅悯人吗？还是退兵？”耶和华说：“去攻打吧，因为明天我必把他们交在你们手中。” 29 以色列人在基比亚周围设下伏兵。 30 第三天，以色列人又像前两次一样在基比亚列阵，攻打便雅悯人。 31 便雅悯人前来迎战，被以色列人诱到城外。他们又像前两次一样击杀以色列人，大约三十名以色列人死在通往基比亚和伯特利的两条路上。 32 便雅悯人说：“我们又打败他们了。”但以色列人已经商议好，用诈败的方法诱敌离城到大路上来。 33 以色列全军在巴力·他玛列阵反攻，埋伏在基比亚西面的以色列人也冲了出来。 34 有一万以色列精兵从正面攻打基比亚，战事非常激烈。便雅悯人大祸临头了仍懵然不知。 35 耶和华帮助以色列人战胜了便雅悯人。那天，以色列人杀了便雅悯两万五千一百刀兵。 36 便雅悯人这才意识到自己战败了。原来以色列人在便雅悯人面前诈败，因为他们已在基比亚附近设下伏兵。 37 那些伏兵迅速冲进基比亚，杀了全城的人。 38 以色列人和伏兵已有约定，伏兵在城内点起一股浓烟时， 39 以色列人便转身杀回。便雅悯人杀了诈败的以色列军大约三十人，以为像以前一样打败了他们。 40 这时基比亚城已浓烟滚滚，便雅悯人回头观望，只见全城浓烟四起。 41 以色列人转身杀了回来，便雅悯人大惊失色，知道大祸临头了。 42 他们从以色列人面前转身逃往旷野，却无法逃脱。以色列人从各城出来夹攻他们。 43 以色列人围攻便雅悯人，一路追杀他们直到基比亚的东边。 44 便雅悯人共死了一万八千名勇士。 45 余下的人都逃往旷野的临门岩，沿途有五千人被杀。以色列人追杀他们，一直追到基顿，又消灭了他们两千人。 46 那天，便雅悯人共死了两万五千名英勇的刀兵， 47 只有六百人逃到了临门岩，在那里住了四个月。 48 以色列人回师便雅悯境内，将各城的男女老少以及牲畜全部杀死，又放火烧毁所有的城邑。