Hakimler 20

¹Ve İsrail'in bütün oğulları sefere çıktı; Dan'dan Beer-Şeba'ya ve Gilead bölgesine kadar tüm cemaat, tek bir adam gibi Masfa'da Rab'bin huzurunda toplandı.

²Tanrı halkının meclisinde, İsrail'in bütün oymakları Rab'bin huzurunda saf tuttu; kınından kılıç çeken dört yüz bin yaya asker vardı.

³Benyamin oğulları, İsrail oğullarının Masfa'ya çıktığını işittiler. Oraya varan İsrail oğulları, "Konuşun, bu kötülük nerede gerçekleşti?" dediler.

⁴Katledilen kadının kocası olan Levili adam yanıt verip şöyle dedi: "Ben ve cariyem, geceyi geçirmek üzere Benyamin'e ait Gabaa'ya gitmiştik.

⁵Gabaa'nın adamları bana karşı ayaklandılar ve geceleyin kaldığım evin çevresini kuşattılar; beni katletmek istediler, cariyemin onurunu kırıp onu alçalttılar ve kadın öldü.

⁶Ben de cariyemi alıp parçalara ayırdım ve İsrail oğullarının miras topraklarının her bölgesine gönderdim; çünkü İsrail'de iğrenç bir taşkınlık ve sapkınlık yaptılar.

⁷İşte hepiniz buradasınız, ey İsrail oğulları; şimdi burada kararınızı verin ve ortak bir öğüt oluşturun."

⁸Bütün halk tek bir adam gibi ayağa kalkıp şöyle dedi: "Hiçbirimiz kendi çadırına gitmeyecek ve hiçbirimiz kendi evine dönmeyecek.

⁹Şimdi Gabaa'ya yapacağımız şey şudur: Ona karşı kura ile harekete geçeceğiz.

¹⁰İsrail'in bütün oymaklarından, halkın Benyamin'in Gabaa'sına gitmesini sağlamak ve orada İsrail'de yaptıkları her sapkınlığa göre hak ettikleri karşılığı vermek amacıyla azık toplamak için yüz kişiden on, bin kişiden yüz, on bin kişiden bin kişi alacağız."

¹¹Böylece bütün İsrail adamları tek bir adam gibi o kente karşı bir araya gelip birleşti.

¹²İsrail oymakları, Benyamin'in bütün oymağına adamlar gönderip şöyle dediler: "Aranızda gerçekleşen bu kötülük nedir?

¹³Şimdi Gabaa'daki o yasa tanımaz haydutları bize teslim edin ki onları öldürelim ve bu kötülüğü İsrail'den tamamen temizleyelim." Ancak Benyamin oğulları, kardeşleri İsrail oğullarının sesine kulak asmak istemediler.

¹⁴Benyamin oğulları, İsrail oğullarıyla savaş düzeninde karşılaşmak üzere kentlerinden çıkıp Gabaa'da toplandılar.

¹⁵O gün kentlerden gelen Benyamin oğullarından kılıç çeken yirmi üç bin kişi sayıldı; bunlardan başka Gabaa sakinlerinden seçilmiş yedi yüz kişi vardı.

¹⁶Bütün bu halkın arasından seçilmiş, her iki elini de sağ eli gibi kullanabilen yedi yüz kişi vardı; bunların her biri sapanla taşa hedef alır, saç kılını bile ıskalamazdı.

¹⁷Benyaminliler dışında, İsrail adamlarından kılıç çeken dört yüz bin kişi sayıldı; bunların hepsi nizami savaş düzeni askerleriydi.

¹⁸Ayağa kalkıp Beytel'e çıktılar ve Tanrı'ya danıştılar. İsrail oğulları, "Benyamin oğullarıyla savaş düzeninde karşılaşmak için ilk önce hangimiz öncü olarak çıkmalı?" dediler. Rab, "İlk önce Yahuda öncülük ederek çıksın" dedi.

¹⁹İsrail oğulları sabahleyin kalkıp Gabaa karşısında ordugah kurdular.

²⁰İsrail adamları Benyaminlilerle savaşmak üzere çıktılar ve Gabaa'da onlara karşı savaş düzeni alıp çatışmaya girdiler.

²¹Benyamin oğulları Gabaa'dan çıktılar ve o gün İsrail'den yirmi iki bin kişiyi yere serip yok ettiler.

²²Ama İsrail adamları cesaretlerini toplayıp güçlendiler ve ilk gün savaş düzeni aldıkları yerde yeniden savaş düzenine girdiler.

²³İsrail oğulları yukarı çıkıp Rab'bin huzurunda akşama kadar ağladılar ve Rab'be danışarak, "Kardeşimiz Benyamin oğullarıyla savaş düzeninde karşılaşmak için yeniden yaklaşalım mı?" diye sordular. Rab, "Onlara karşı çıkın" dedi.

²⁴İsrail oğulları ikinci gün Benyamin oğullarına karşı ilerlediler.

²⁵Benyaminliler ikinci gün Gabaa'dan onları karşılamaya çıktılar ve İsrail oğullarından on sekiz bin kişiyi daha yere serip yok ettiler; bunların hepsi kılıç çeken adamlardı.

²⁶Bunun üzerine bütün İsrail oğulları ve bütün halk yukarı çıkıp Beytel'e geldiler; ağladılar, orada Rab'bin huzurunda oturdular ve o gün akşama kadar oruç tuttular; Rab'bin huzurunda yakmalık sunular ve kusursuz kurbanlar sundular.

²⁷Çünkü o günlerde Tanrı'nın Antlaşma Sandığı oradaydı.

²⁸O günlerde Harun oğlu Eleazar oğlu Pinehas sandığın önünde hizmet etmekteydi. İsrail oğulları Rab'be danışıp, "Kardeşimiz Benyamin oğullarıyla savaş düzeninde karşılaşmak için bir kez daha çıkalım mı, yoksa vaz mı geçelim?" diye sordular. Rab, "Çıkın, çünkü yarın onları elinize teslim edeceğim" dedi.

²⁹Bunun üzerine İsrail oğulları Gabaa'nın çevresine pusular yerleştirdiler.

³⁰İsrail oğulları üçüncü gün Benyamin oğullarına karşı çıktılar ve her zamanki gibi Gabaa karşısında savaş düzeni aldılar.

³¹Benyamin oğulları halkı karşılamak üzere çıktılar ve kentten dışarı çekildiler; biri Beytel'e, diğeri kırdaki Gabaa'ya çıkan yollarda, her zamanki gibi halktan bazılarını vurup öldürmeye başladılar; İsrail'den yaklaşık otuz kişiyi katlettiler.

³²Benyamin oğulları, "İlk başta olduğu gibi önümüzde bozguna uğruyorlar" dediler. Ama İsrail oğulları, "Kaçalım da onları kentten yollara doğru çekip uzaklaştıralım" demişlerdi ve öyle yaptılar.

³³İsrail'in bütün adamları yerlerinden kalkıp Baal-Tamar'da savaş düzeni aldılar; İsrail'in pusudaki askerleri de bulundukları Maare-Gabaa'dan harekete geçtiler.

³⁴Bütün İsrail'den seçilmiş on bin seçkin asker Gabaa'nın karşısına geldi; savaş çok şiddetliydi, ama Benyaminliler başlarına gelecek felaketten habersizdiler.

³⁵Rab, Benyaminlileri İsrail'in önünde bozguna uğrattı; İsrail oğulları o gün Benyaminlilerden yirmi beş bin yüz kişiyi yok ettiler; bunların hepsi kılıç çeken adamlardı.

³⁶Benyamin oğulları darbe alıp yenildiklerini gördüler. İsrail adamları, Gabaa'ya karşı kurdukları pusuya güvendikleri için Benyaminlilere yer açıp geri çekilmişlerdi.

³⁷Pusudakiler hemen harekete geçip Gabaa'ya doğru saldırdılar; pusu grubu yayılarak bütün kenti kılıçtan geçirdi.

³⁸İsrail adamları ile pusudakiler arasında kararlaştırılan işaret, kentten büyük bir duman sütununun yükseltilmesiydi.

³⁹İsrail adamları savaşta geri çekildiler. Pusudakilerin Gabaa'yı ele geçirdiğini görünce savaş düzeninde durdular; Benyaminliler ise İsrail adamlarından yaklaşık otuz kişiyi vurup öldürmeye başlamışlardı; çünkü "İlk savaşta olduğu gibi önümüzde kesinlikle bozguna uğruyorlar" diyorlardı.

⁴⁰Ancak kentten bir duman sütunu halinde işaret yükselmeye başladığında, Benyaminliler arkalarına baktılar ve bütün kentin alevler içinde göğe doğru yükseldiğini gördüler.

⁴¹İsrail adamları geri döndüğünde, Benyamin adamları panikledi; çünkü başlarına felaketin geldiğini gördüler.

⁴²İsrail oğullarının önünden çöle giden yola doğru dönüp kaçtılar, ama savaş ordusu onlara yetişti; kentlerden çıkanlar da onları aralarında yok ettiler.

⁴³Benyaminlileri kırıp geçirdiler, onları Nua'dan itibaren kovaladılar ve Gabaa'nın doğusuna kadar ayaklar altında çiğnediler.

⁴⁴Benyaminlilerden on sekiz bin kişi öldü; bunların hepsi yiğit ve güçlü savaşçılardı.

⁴⁵Geri kalanlar dönüp çöle, Rimmon Kayası'na doğru kaçtılar. İsrail oğulları yollarda onlardan beş bin kişiyi başak toplar gibi temizlediler; onları Gidan'a kadar kovalayıp iki bin kişiyi daha vurdular.

⁴⁶O gün Benyaminlilerden ölenlerin tümü kılıç çeken yirmi beş bin kişiydi; bunların hepsi yiğit ve güçlü savaşçılardı.

⁴⁷Geri kalan altı yüz kişi ise dönüp çöle, Rimmon Kayası'na kaçtı ve dört ay boyunca Rimmon Kayası'nda kaldılar.

⁴⁸İsrail oğulları Benyamin oğullarına geri döndüler; Metla kentinden hayvanlara ve karşılarına çıkan her şeye kadar hepsini kılıçtan geçirdiler; buldukları bütün kentleri de ateşe verdiler.

¹ΚΑΙ ἐξῆλθον πάντες οἱ υἱοὶ ᾿Ισραήλ, καὶ ἐξεκκλησιάσθη ἡ συναγωγὴ ὡς ἀνὴρ εἷς ἀπὸ Δὰν καὶ ἕως Βηρσαβεὲ καὶ γῆ τοῦ Γαλαὰδ πρὸς Κύριον εἰς Μασσηφά.

²καὶ ἐστάθησαν κατὰ πρόσωπον Κυρίου πᾶσαι αἱ φυλαὶ τοῦ ᾿Ισραὴλ ἐν ἐκκλησίᾳ τοῦ λαοῦ τοῦ Θεοῦ, τετρακόσιαι χιλιάδες ἀνδρῶν πεζῶν ἕλκοντες ῥομφαίαν.

³καὶ ἤκουσαν οἱ υἱοὶ Βενιαμὶν ὅτι ἀνέβησαν οἱ υἱοὶ ᾿Ισραὴλ εἰς Μασσηφά. καὶ ἐλθόντες εἶπαν οἱ υἱοὶ ᾿Ισραήλ· λαλήσατε, ποῦ ἐγένετο ἡ πονηρία αὕτη;

⁴καὶ ἀπεκρίθη ὁ ἀνὴρ ὁ Λευίτης, ὁ ἀνὴρ τῆς γυναικὸς τῆς φονευθείσης, καὶ εἶπεν· εἰς Γαβαὰ τῆς Βενιαμὶν ἦλθον ἐγὼ καὶ ἡ παλλακή μου τοῦ αὐλισθῆναι.

⁵καὶ ἀνέστησαν ἐπ᾿ ἐμὲ οἱ ἄνδρες τῆς Γαβαὰ καὶ ἐκύκλωσαν ἐπ᾿ ἐμὲ ἐπὶ τὴν οἰκίαν νυκτός· ἐμὲ ἠθέλησαν φονεῦσαι καὶ τὴν παλλακήν μου ἐταπείνωσαν καὶ ἀπέθανε.

⁶καὶ ἐκράτησα τὴν παλλακήν μου καὶ ἐμέλισα αὐτὴν καὶ ἐξαπέστειλα ἐν παντὶ ὁρίῳ κληρονομίας υἱῶν ᾿Ισραήλ, ὅτι ἐποίησαν ζέμα καὶ ἀπόπτωμα ἐν ᾿Ισραήλ.

⁷ἰδοὺ πάντες ὑμεῖς, υἱοὶ ᾿Ισραήλ, δότε ἑαυτοῖς λόγον καὶ βουλὴν ἐκεῖ.

⁸καὶ ἀνέστη πᾶς ὁ λαὸς ὡς ἀνὴρ εἷς, λέγοντες· οὐκ ἀπελευσόμεθα ἀνὴρ εἰς σκήνωμα αὐτοῦ καὶ οὐκ ἐπιστρέψομεν ἀνὴρ εἰς τὸν οἶκον αὐτοῦ.

⁹καὶ νῦν τοῦτο τὸ ρῆμα, ὃ ποιηθήσεται τῇ Γαβαά· ἀναβησόμεθα ἐπ᾿ αὐτὴν ἐν κλήρῳ,

¹⁰πλὴν ληψόμεθα δέκα ἄνδρας τοῖς ἑκατὸν εἰς πάσας φυλὰς ᾿Ισραὴλ καὶ ἑκατὸν τοῖς χιλίοις καὶχιλίους τοῖς μυρίοις, λαβεῖν ἐπισιτισμὸν τοῦ ποιῆσαι ἐλθεῖν αὐτοὺς εἰς Γαβαὰ Βενιαμίν, ποιῆσαι αὐτῇ κατὰ πᾶν τὸ ἀπόπτωμα, ὃ ἐποίησεν ἐν ᾿Ισραήλ.

¹¹καὶ συνήχθη πᾶς ἀνὴρ ᾿Ισραὴλ εἰς τὴν πόλιν ὡς ἀνὴρ εἷς.

¹²Καὶ ἀπέστειλαν αἱ φυλαὶ ᾿Ισραὴλ ἄνδρας ἐν πάσῃ φυλῇ Βενιαμὶν λέγοντες· τίς ἡ πονηρία αὕτη ἡ γενομένη ἐν ὑμῖν;

¹³καὶ νῦν δότε τοὺς ἄνδρας υἱοὺς παρανόμων τοὺς ἐν Γαβαά, καὶ θανατώσομεν αὐτοὺς καὶ ἐκκαθαριοῦμεν πονηρίαν ἀπὸ ᾿Ισραήλ. καὶ οὐκ εὐδόκησαν οἱ υἱοὶ Βενιαμὶν ἀκοῦσαι τῆς φωνῆς τῶν ἀδελφῶν αὐτῶν υἱῶν ᾿Ισραήλ.

¹⁴καὶ συνήχθησαν οἱ υἱοὶ Βενιαμὶν ἀπὸ τῶν πόλεων αὐτῶν εἰς Γαβαὰ ἐξελθεῖν εἰς παράταξιν πρὸς υἱοὺς ᾿Ισραήλ.

¹⁵καὶ ἐπεσκέπησαν οἱ υἱοὶ Βενιαμὶν ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ ἀπὸ τῶν πόλεων εἴκοσι τρεῖς χιλιάδες, ἀνὴρ ἕλκων ρομφαίαν, ἐκτὸς τῶν οἰκούντων τὴν Γαβαά, οἳ ἐπεσκέπησαν ἑπτακόσιοι ἄνδρες

¹⁶ἐκλεκτοὶ ἐκ παντὸς λαοῦ ἀμφοτεροδέξιοι· πάντες οὗτοι σφενδονῆται ἐν λίθοις πρὸς τρίχα, καὶ οὐκ ἐξαμαρτάνοντες.

¹⁷καὶ ἀνὴρ ᾿Ισραὴλ ἐπεσκέπησαν ἐκτὸς τοῦ Βενιαμίν, τετρακόσιαι χιλιάδες ἀνδρῶν ἑλκόντων ρομφαίαν· πάντες οὗτοι ἄνδρες παρατάξεως.

¹⁸καὶ ἀνέστησαν καὶ ἀνέβησαν εἰς Βαιθὴλ καὶ ἠρώτησαν ἐν τῷ Θεῷ καὶ εἶπαν οἱ υἱοὶ ᾿Ισραήλ· τίς ἀναβήσεται ἡμῖν ἐν ἀρχῇ εἰς παράταξιν πρὸς υἱοὺς Βενιαμίν; καὶ εἶπε Κύριος· ᾿Ιούδας ἐν ἀρχῇ ἀναβήσεται ἀφηγούμενος.

¹⁹καὶ ἀνέστησαν οἱ υἱοὶ ᾿Ισραὴλ τὸ πρωΐ καὶ παρενέβαλον ἐπὶ Γαβαά.

²⁰καὶ ἐξῆλθον πᾶς ἀνὴρ ᾿Ισραὴλ εἰς παράταξιν πρὸς Βενιαμὶν καὶ συνῆψαν αὐτοῖς ἐπὶ Γαβαά.

²¹καὶ ἐξῆλθον οἱ υἱοὶ Βενιαμὶν ἀπὸ τῆς Γαβαὰ καὶ διέφθειραν ἐν ᾿Ισραὴλ ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ δύο καὶ εἴκοσι χιλιάδας ἀνδρῶν ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν.

²²καὶ ἐνίσχυσαν ἀνὴρ ᾿Ισραὴλ καὶ προσέθηκαν συνάψαι παράταξιν ἐν τῷ τόπῳ, ὅπου συνῆψαν ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ πρώτῃ.

²³καὶ ἀνέβησαν οἱ υἱοὶ ᾿Ισραὴλ καὶ ἔκλαυσαν ἐνώπιον Κυρίου ἕως ἑσπέρας καὶ ἠρώτησαν ἐν Κυρίῳ λέγοντες· εἰ προσθῶμεν ἐγγίσαι εἰς παράταξιν πρὸς υἱοὺς Βενιαμὶν ἀδελφοὺς ἡμῶν; καὶ εἶπε Κύριος· ἀνάβητε πρὸς αὐτούς.

²⁴καὶ προσῆλθον οἱ υἱοὶ ᾿Ισραὴλ πρὸς υἱοὺς Βενιαμὶν ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ δευτέρᾳ.

²⁵καὶ ἐξῆλθον οἱ υἱοὶ Βενιαμὶν εἰς συνάντησιν αὐτοῖς ἀπὸ τῆς Γαβαὰ ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ δευτέρᾳ καὶ διέφθειραν ἀπὸ υἱῶν ᾿Ισραὴλ ἔτι ὀκτωκαίδεκα χιλιάδας ἀνδρῶν ἐπί τὴν γῆν· πάντες οὗτοι ἕλκοντες ρομφαίαν.

²⁶καὶ ἀνέβησαν πάντες οἱ υἱοὶ ᾿Ισραὴλ καὶ πᾶς ὁ λαὸς καὶ ἦλθον εἰς Βαιθὴλ καὶ ἔκλαυσαν, καὶ ἐκάθισαν ἐκεῖ ἐνώπιον Κυρίου καὶ ἐνήστευσαν ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ ἕως ἑσπέρας καὶ ἀνήνεγκαν ὁλοκαυτώσεις καὶ τελείας ἐνώπιον Κυρίου·

²⁷ὅτι ἐκεῖ κιβωτὸς διαθήκης Κυρίου τοῦ Θεοῦ,

²⁸καὶ Φινεὲς υἱὸς ᾿Ελεάζαρ υἱοῦ ᾿Ααρὼν παρεστηκὼς ἐνώπιον αὐτῆς ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις ἐκείναις. καὶ ἐπηρώτησαν οἱ υἱοὶ ᾿Ισραὴλ ἐν Κυρίῳ λέγοντες· εἰ προσθῶμεν ἔτι ἐξελθεῖν εἰς παράταξιν πρὸς υἱοὺς Βενιαμὶν ἀδελφοὺς ἡμῶν ἢ ἐπίσχωμεν; καὶ εἶπε Κύριος· ἀνάβητε, ὅτι αὔριον δώσω αὐτοὺς εἰς χεῖρας ὑμῶν.

²⁹Καὶ ἔθηκαν οἱ υἱοὶ ᾿Ισραὴλ ἔνεδρα τῇ Γαβαὰ κύκλῳ.

³⁰καὶ ἀνέβησαν οἱ υἱοὶ ᾿Ισραὴλ πρὸς υἱοὺς Βενιαμὶν ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ τρίτῃ καὶ συνῆψαν πρὸς τὴν Γαβαὰ ὡς ἅπαξ καὶ ἅπαξ.

³¹καὶ ἐξῆλθον οἱ υἱοὶ Βενιαμὶν εἰς συνάντησιν τοῦ λαοῦ καὶ ἐξεκενώθησαν ἐκ τῆς πόλεως καὶ ἤρξαντο πατάσσειν ἀπὸ τοῦ λαοῦ τραυματίας ὡς ἅπαξ καὶ ἅπαξ ἐν ταῖς ὁδοῖς, ἥ ἐστι μία ἀναβαίνουσα εἰς Βαιθὴλ καὶ μία εἰς Γαβαὰ ἐν ἀγρῷ, ὡς τριάκοντα ἄνδρας ἐν ᾿Ισραήλ.

³²καὶ εἶπαν οἱ υἱοὶ Βενιαμίν· πίπτουσιν ἐνώπιον ἡμῶν ὡς τὸ πρῶτον. καὶ οἱ υἱοὶ ᾿Ισραὴλ εἶπαν· φύγωμεν καὶ ἐκκενώσωμεν αὐτοὺς ἀπὸ τῆς πόλεως εἰς τὰς ὁδούς· καὶ ἐποίησαν οὕτω.

³³καὶ πᾶς ἀνὴρ ἀνέστη ἐκ τοῦ τόπου αὐτῶν καὶ συνῆψαν ἐν Βααλθαμάρ, καὶ τό ἔνεδρον ᾿Ισραὴλ ἐπήρχετο ἐκ τοῦ τόπου αὐτοῦ ἀπὸ Μαοραγαβέ.

³⁴καὶ ἦλθον ἐξ ἐναντίας Γαβαὰ δέκα χιλιάδες ἀνδρῶν ἐκλεκτῶν ἐκ παντὸς ᾿Ισραὴλ καὶ παράταξις βαρεῖα· καὶ αὐτοὶ οὐ ἔγνωσαν, ὅτι φθάνει ἐπ᾿ αὐτοὺς ἡ κακία.

³⁵καὶ ἐπάταξε Κύριος τὸν Βενιαμὶν ἐνώπιον υἱῶν ᾿Ισραήλ, καὶ διέφθειραν οἱ υἱοὶ ᾿Ισραὴλ ἐκ τοῦ Βενιαμὶν ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ εἴκοσι καὶ πέντε χιλιάδας καὶ ἑκατὸν ἄνδρας· πάντες οὗτοι εἷλκον ρομφαίαν.

³⁶καὶ εἶδον οἱ υἱοὶ Βενιαμὶν ὅτι ἐπλήγησαν· καὶ ἔδωκεν ἀνὴρ ᾿Ισραὴλ τῷ Βενιαμὶν τόπον, ὅτι ἤλπισαν πρὸς τό ἔνεδρον, ὃ ἔθηκαν ἐπὶ τῇ Γαβαά.

³⁷καὶ ἐν τῷ αὐτοὺς ὑποχωρῆσαι καὶ τὸ ἔνεδρον ἐκινήθη καί ἐξέτειναν ἐπὶ τὴν Γαβαά, καὶ ἐξεχύθη τὸ ἔνεδρον καὶ ἐπάταξαν τὴν πόλιν ἐν στόματι ρομφαίας.

³⁸καὶ σημεῖον ἦν τοῖς υἱοῖς ᾿Ισραὴλ μετὰ τοῦ ἐνέδρου τῆς μάχης ἀνενέγκαι αὐτοὺς σύσσημον καπνοῦ ἀπὸ τῆς πόλεως.

³⁹καὶ εἶδον οἱ υἱοὶ ᾿Ισραὴλ ὅτι προκατελάβετο τὸ ἔνεδρον τὴν Γαβαά, καὶ ἔστησαν ἐν τῇ παρατάξει, καὶ Βενιαμὶν ἤρξατο πατάσσειν τραυματίας ἐν ἀνδράσιν ᾿Ισραὴλ ὡς τριάκοντα ἄνδρας, ὅτι εἶπαν· πάλιν πτώσει πίπτουσιν ἐνώπιον ἡμῶν ὡς ἡ παράταξις ἡ πρώτη.

⁴⁰καὶ τὸ σύσσημον ἀνέβη ἐπὶ πλεῖον ἐπὶ τῆς πόλεως ὡς στῦλος καπνοῦ· καὶ ἐπέβλεψε Βενιαμὶν ὀπίσω αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἰδοὺ ἀνέβη συντέλεια τῆς πόλεως ἕως οὐρανοῦ.

⁴¹καὶ ἀνὴρ ᾿Ισραὴλ ἐπέστρεψε, καὶ ἔσπευσαν ἄνδρες Βενιαμίν, ὅτι εἶδον ὅτι συνήντησεν ἐπ᾿ αὐτούς ἡ πονηρία.

⁴²καὶ ἐπέβλεψαν ἐνώπιον υἱῶν ᾿Ισραὴλ εἰς τὴν ὁδὸν τῆς ἐρήμου καὶ ἔφυγον, καὶ ἡ παράταξις ἔφθασεν ἐπ᾿ αὐτούς, καὶ οἱ ἀπὸ τῶν πόλεων διέφθειρον αὐτοὺς ἐν μέσῳ αὐτῶν.

⁴³καὶ κατέκοπτον τὸν Βενιαμὶν καὶ ἐδίωξαν αὐτὸν ἀπὸ Νουὰ κατὰ πόδα αὐτοῦ ἕως ἀπέναντι Γαβαὰ πρὸς ἀνατολὰς ἡλίου.

⁴⁴καὶ ἔπεσον ἀπὸ Βενιαμὶν ὀκτωκαίδεκα χιλιάδες ἀνδρῶν· οἱ πάντες οὗτοι ἄνδρες δυνάμεως.

⁴⁵καὶ ἐπέβλεψαν οἱ λοιποὶ καὶ ἔφευγον εἰς τὴν ἔρημον πρὸς τὴν πέτραν τοῦ Ῥεμμών, καὶ ἐκαλαμήσαντο ἐξ αὐτῶν οἱ υἱοὶ ᾿Ισραὴλ πεντακισχιλίους ἄνδρας· καὶ κατέβησαν ὀπίσω αὐτῶν οἱ υἱοὶ ᾿Ισραὴλ ἕως Γεδᾶν καὶ ἐπάταξαν ἐξ αὐτῶν δισχιλίους ἄνδρας.

⁴⁶καὶ ἐγένοντο πάντες οἱ πεπτωκότες ἀπὸ Βενιαμὶν εἰκοσιπέντε χιλιάδες ἀνδρῶν ἑλκόντων ρομφαίαν ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ· οἱ πάντες οὗτοι ἄνδρες δυνάμεως.

⁴⁷καὶ ἐπέβλεψαν οἱ λοιποὶ καὶ ἔφυγον εἰς τὴν ἔρημον πρὸς τὴν πέτραν τοῦ Ῥεμμών, ἑξακόσιοι ἄνδρες, καὶ ἐκάθισαν ἐν πέτρᾳ Ῥεμμὼν τέσσαρας μῆνας.

⁴⁸καὶ οἱ υἱοὶ ᾿Ισραὴλ ἐπέστρεψαν πρὸς υἱοὺς Βενιαμὶν καὶ ἐπάταξαν αὐτοὺς ἐν στόματι ρομφαίας ἀπὸ πόλεως Μεθλὰ καὶ ἕως κτήνους καὶ ἕως παντὸς τοῦ εὑρισκομένου εἰς πάσας τὰς πόλεις· καὶ τὰς πόλεις τὰς εὑρεθείσας ἐνέπρησαν ἐν πυρί.

¹And all the children of Israel went out, and all the congregation was gathered as one man, from Dan even to Bersabee, and in the land of Galaad, to the Lord at Massepha.

²And all the tribes of Israel stood before the Lord in the assembly of the people of God, four hundred thousand footmen that drew sword.

³And the children of Benjamin heard that the children of Israel were gone up to Massepha: and the children of Israel came and said, Tell us, where did this wickedness take place?

⁴And the Levite, the husband of the woman that was slain, answered and said, I and my concubine went to Gabaa of Benjamin to lodge.

⁵And the men of Gabaa rose up against me, and compassed the house by night against me; they wished to slay me, and they have humbled my concubine, and she is dead.

⁶And I laid hold of my concubine, and divided her in pieces, and sent [the parts] into every coast of the inheritance of the children of Israel; for they have wrought lewdness and abomination in Israel.

⁷Behold, all ye [are] children of Israel; and consider and take counsel here among yourselves.

⁸And all the people rose up as one man, saying, No one of us shall return to his tent, and no one of us shall return to his house.

⁹And now this [is] the thing which shall be done in Gabaa; we will go up against it by lot.

¹⁰Moreover we will take ten men for a hundred for all the tribes of Israel, and a hundred for a thousand, and a thousand for ten thousand, to take provision, to cause them to come to Gabaa of Benjamin, to do to it according to all the abomination, which they wrought in Israel.

¹¹And all the men of Israel were gathered to the city as one man.

¹²And the tribes of Israel sent men through the whole tribe of Benjamin, saying, What [is] this wickedness that has been wrought among you?

¹³Now then give up the men the sons of transgressors that are in Gabaa, and we will put them to death, and purge out wickedness from Israel: but the children of Benjamin consented not to hearken to the voice of their brethren the children of Israel.

¹⁴And the children of Benjamin were gathered from their cities to Gabaa, to go forth to fight with the children of Israel.

¹⁵And the children of Benjamin from their cities were numbered in that day, twenty-three thousand, [every] man drawing a sword, besides the inhabitants of Gabaa, who were numbered seven hundred chosen men of all the people, able to use both hands alike;

¹⁶All these could sling with stones at a hair, and not miss.

¹⁷And the men of Israel, exclusive of Benjamin, were numbered four hundred thousand men that drew sword; all these [were] men of war.

¹⁸And they arose and went up to Baethel, and enquired of God: and the children of Israel said, Who shall go up for us first to fight with the children of Benjamin? And the Lord said, Juda shall go up first as leader.

¹⁹And the children of Israel rose up in the morning, and encamped against Gabaa.

²⁰And they went out, all the men of Israel, to fight with Benjamin, and engaged with them at Gabaa.

²¹And the sons of Benjamin went forth from Gabaa, and they destroyed in Israel on that day two and twenty thousand men down to the ground.

²²And the men of Israel strengthened themselves, and again engaged in battle in the place where they had engaged on the first day.

²³And the children of Israel went up, and wept before the Lord till evening, and enquired of the Lord, saying, Shall we again draw nigh to battle with our brethren the children of Benjamin? and the Lord said, Go up against them.

²⁴And the children of Israel advanced against the children of Benjamin on the second day.

²⁵And the children of Benjamin went forth to meet them from Gabaa on the second day, and destroyed of the children of Israel yet further eighteen thousand men down to the ground: all these drew sword.

²⁶And the children of Israel and all the people went up, and came to Baethel; and they wept, and sat there before the Lord; and they fasted on that day until evening, and offered whole-burnt-offerings and perfect sacrifices, before the Lord,

²⁷for the ark of the Lord God [was] there in those days,

²⁸and Phinees the son of Eleazar the son of Aaron stood before it in those days; and the children of Israel enquired of the Lord, saying, Shall we yet again go forth to fight with our brethren the sons of Benjamin? and the Lord said, Go up, to-morrow I will give them into your hands.

²⁹And the children of Israel set an ambush against Gabaa round about [it].

³⁰and the children of Israel went up against the children of Benjamin on the third day, and arrayed themselves against Gabaa as before.

³¹And the children of Benjamin went out to meet the people, and were all drawn out of the city, and began to smite and slay the people as before in the roads, whereof one goes up to Baethel, and one to Gabaa in the field, about thirty men of Israel.

³²And the children of Benjamin said, They fall before us as at the first: but the children of Israel said, Let us flee, and draw them out from the city into the roads; and they did so.

³³And all the men rose up out of their places, and engaged in Baal Thamar; and the liers in wait of Israel advanced from their place from Maraagabe.

³⁴And there came over against Gabaa ten thousand chosen men out of all Israel; and the fight [was] severe; and they knew not that evil was coming upon them.

³⁵And the Lord smote Benjamin before the children of Israel; and the children of Israel destroyed of Benjamin in that day a hundred and twenty-five thousand men: all these drew sword.

³⁶And the children of Benjamin saw that they were smitten; and the men of Israel gave place to Benjamin, because they trusted in the ambuscade which they had prepared against Gabaa.

³⁷And when they retreated, then the liers in wait rose up, and they moved toward Gabaa, and the whole ambush came forth, and they smote the city with the edge of the sword.

³⁸And the children of Israel had a signal of battle with the liers in wait, that they should send up a signal of smoke from the city.

³⁹And the children of Israel saw that the liers in wait had seized Gabaa, and they stood in line of battle; and Benjamin began to smite down wounded ones among the men of Israel about thirty men; for they said, Surely they fall again before us, as in the first battle.

⁴⁰And the signal went up increasingly over the city as a pillar of smoke; and Benjamin looked behind him, and behold the destruction of the city went up to heaven.

⁴¹And the men of Israel turned back, and the men of Benjamin hasted, because they saw that evil had come upon them.

⁴²And they turned to the way of the wilderness from before the children of Israel, and fled: but the battle overtook them, and they from the cities destroyed them in the midst of them.

⁴³And they cut down Benjamin, and pursued him from Nua closely till they came opposite Gabaa on the east.

⁴⁴And there fell of Benjamin eighteen thousand men: all these [were] men of might.

⁴⁵And the rest turned, and fled to the wilderness to the rock of Remmon; and the children of Israel picked off of them five thousand men; and the children of Israel went down after them as far as Gedan, and they smote of them two thousand men.

⁴⁶And all that fell of Benjamin were twenty-five thousand men that drew sword in that day: all these were men of might.

⁴⁷And the rest turned, and fled to the wilderness to the rock of Remmon, even [six] hundred men; and they sojourned four months in the rock of Remmon.

⁴⁸And the children of Israel returned to the children of Benjamin, and smote them with the edge of the sword from the city of Methla, even to the cattle, and every thing that was found in all the cities: and they burnt with fire the cities they found.