Liber Iudicum

Iudicum, chapter 20, Vulgate and King James Version

Chapter 20 Vulgate

   1 Egressi sunt itaque omnes fi lii Israel et pariter congrega ti, quasi vir unus, de Dan usque Bersabee et terra Galaad ad Dominum in Maspha.
   2 Omnisque populi anguli et cunctae tribus Israel in ecclesiam populi Dei convenerunt: quadringenta milia peditum pugnatorum.
   3 Nec latuit filios Beniamin, quod ascendissent filii Israel in Maspha. Interrogatusque Levita maritus mulieris interfectae quo modo tantum scelus perpetratum esset,
   4 respondit: "Veni in Gabaa Beniamin cum uxore mea illucque diverti.
   5 Et ecce homines civitatis illius circumdederunt nocte domum, in qua manebam, volentes me occidere et uxorem meam incredibili libidinis furore vexantes; denique mortua est.
   6 Quam arreptam in frusta concidi misique partes in omnes terminos possessionis Israel, quia fecerunt nefas et piaculum in Israel.
   7 Adestis omnes, filii Israel: decernite quid facere debeatis"
   8 Stansque omnis populus quasi unius hominis sermone respondit: "Non recedemus in tabernacula nostra, nec suam quisquam intrabit domum,
   9 sed hoc contra Gabaa in commune faciemus secundum sortem:
   10 decem viri eligantur e centum ex omnibus tribubus Israel et centum de mille et mille de decem milibus, ut comportent exercitui cibaria illis, qui venerunt, ut reddant Gabaa Beniamin pro scelere, quod meretur"
   11 Convenitque universus Israel ad civitatem quasi unus homo, eadem mente unoque consilio,
   12 et miserunt nuntios ad omnem tribum Beniamin, qui dicerent: "Quale nefas in vobis repertum est!
   13 Tradite homines filios Belial in Gabaa, qui hoc flagitium perpetrarunt, ut moriantur, et auferatur malum de Israel" Qui noluerunt fratrum suorum filiorum Israel audire mandatum,
   14 sed ex cunctis urbibus, quae suae sortis erant, convenerunt in Gabaa, ut illis ferrent auxilium et contra universum Israel populum dimicarent.
   15 Recensitique sunt in die illa viginti sex milia de civitatibus Beniamin educentium gladium, praeter habitatores Gabaa, qui septingenti erant viri fortissimi.
   16 In universo hoc populo erant septingenti viri electi, qui sinistra pro dextra utebantur et sic fundis lapides ad certum iaciebant, ut capillum quoque possent percutere, et nequaquam in alteram partem ictus lapidis deferretur.
   17 Virorum quoque Israel, absque filiis Beniamin, recensita sunt quadringenta milia educentium gladios et paratorum ad pugnam.
   18 Qui surgentes venerunt in Bethel consulueruntque Deum atque dixerunt: "Quis erit in exercitu nostro princeps certaminis contra filios Beniamin?" Quibus respondit Dominus: "Iuda ascendet primus"
   19 Statimque filii Israel surgentes mane castrametati sunt contra Gabaa;
   20 et inde procedentes ad pugnam contra Beniamin, contra urbem aciem direxerunt.
   21 Egressique filii Beniamin de Gabaa occiderunt de filiis Israel die illo viginti duo milia viros.
   22 Rursum filii Israel confortati in eodem loco, in quo prius certaverant, aciem direxerunt,
   23 ita tamen ut prius ascenderent et flerent coram Domino usque ad noctem consulerentque eum et dicerent: "Debeo ultra procedere ad dimicandum contra filios Beniamin fratres meos, an non?" Quibus ille respondit: "Ascendite ad eos"
   24 Cumque filii Israel altero die contra filios Beniamin ad proelium processissent,
   25 eruperunt filii Beniamin de Gabaa et occurrentes eis iterum decem et octo milia virorum educentium gladium prostraverunt.
   26 Quam ob rem omnes filii Israel, universus populus, venerunt in Bethel et sedentes flebant coram Domino ieiunaveruntque die illo usque ad vesperam et obtulerunt ei holocausta et pacificas victimas
   27 et super statu suo interrogaverunt. Eo tempore ibi erat arca foederis Dei,
   28 et Phinees filius Eleazari filii Aaron stabat coram eo. Consuluerunt igitur Dominum atque dixerunt: "Exire ultra debemus ad pugnam contra filios Beniamin fratres nostros, an quiescere?" Quibus ait Dominus: "Ascendite, cras enim tradam eos in manus vestras"
   29 Posueruntque filii Israel insidias per circuitum urbis Gabaa
   30 et tertia vice sicut semel et bis contra Beniamin et Gabaa exercitum produxerunt.
   31 Sed et filii Beniamin eruperunt in occursum populi et abstracti de civitate coeperunt caedere ex eis sicut primo et secundo die, per duas semitas terga vertentes, quarum una ferebat in Bethel, altera in Gabaa, atque prosternere in campo triginta circiter viros.
   32 Putaverunt enim solito eos more percussos cedere; qui fugam simulaverunt, ut abstraherent eos de civitate et quasi fugientes ad supradictas semitas perducerent.
   33 Omnes itaque viri Israel surgentes de sedibus suis tetenderunt aciem in loco, qui vocatur Baalthamar. Insidiae quoque eruperunt de loco suo, de regione in occidente Gabaa.
   34 Venerunt ergo adversus Gabaa decem milia virorum electorum de universo Israel. Ingravatumque est bellum contra filios Beniamin, et non intellexerunt quod ex omni parte illis instaret interitus.
   35 Percussitque eos Dominus in conspectu filiorum Israel, et interfecerunt ex eis in illo die viginti quinque milia et centum viros, omnes bellatores et educentes gladium.
   36 Filii autem Beniamin, cum se inferiores esse vidissent, coeperunt fugere. Quod cernentes filii Israel, dederunt eis ad fugiendum locum, quia confidebant in insidiis, quas iuxta urbem posuerant.
   37 Qui cum repente de latibulis surrexissent, irruerunt super Gabaa et ingressi celeriter percusserunt totam civitatem in ore gladii.
   38 Signum autem dederant filii Israel his, quos in insidiis collocaverant, ut ignem accenderent et, ascendente in altum fumo, captam urbem demonstrarent.
   39 Verterant ergo terga filii Israel in ipso certamine positi, et filii Beniamin putantes quod percussissent eos sicut in priore pugna, coeperant de exercitu eorum caedere triginta fere viros.
   40 Cum autem columna fumi de civitate conscendere coepisset, et Beniamin quoque retro aspiciens cerneret de civitate flammas in sublime ferri,
   41 cumque vir Israel versa facie aggrederetur, vir Beniamin conturbatus est, quia vidit se apprehensum a malo.
   42 Et ad viam deserti ire coeperunt, illuc quoque eos adversariis persequentibus. Sed et hi, qui urbem succenderant, occurrerunt eis,
   43 atque ita factum est ut ex utraque parte ab hostibus caederentur, nec erat eis ulla requies. Prostrati sunt usque ad orientalem plagam urbis Gabaa.
   44 Fuerunt autem, qui interfecti sunt de Beniamin, decem et octo milia virorum omnes robustissimi pugnatores.
   45 Qui remanserant, fugerunt in solitudinem et pergebant ad petram, cuius vocabulum est Remmon. Quasi racemos colligentes occiderunt in viis quinque milia viros. Et cum instantius eos persequerentur usque Gadaam, interfecerunt etiam alios duo milia.
   46 Et sic factum est ut omnes, qui ceciderant de Beniamin in die illa, essent viginti quinque milia pugnatores ad bella promptissimi.
   47 Remanserunt itaque, qui evadere potuerant et fugere in solitudinem, sescenti viri; sederuntque in petra Remmon mensibus quattuor.
   48 Regressi autem filii Israel ex civitatibus a viris usque ad iumenta, usque ad omne, quod inveniri poterat, gladio percusserunt, cunctasque urbes et viculos Beniamin vorax flamma consumpsit.

Source: Bibliorum Sacrorum Editio, Sacrosanti Oecumenici Concilii Vaticani II, Ratione Habita, Iussu Pauli PP. VI Recognita, Auctoritate Ioannis Pauli PP. II Promulgata, Editio Typica Altera

King James Version

   1 Then all the children of Israel went out, and the congregation was gathered together as one man, from Dan even to Beer-sheba, 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 against me, and beset 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 of us go 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 against it;
   10 And we will take ten men of an hundred throughout all the tribes of Israel, and an hundred of a thousand, and 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 us the men, 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 chosen men.
   16 Among all this people there were seven hundred chosen 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.
   18 ¶ And the children of Israel arose, and went up to the house of God, and asked counsel of God, and said, Which of us shall go up first to the battle against the children of Benjamin? And the LORD said, Judah shall go up first.
   19 And the children of Israel rose up in the morning, and encamped against Gibeah.
   20 And the men of Israel went out to battle against Benjamin; and the men of Israel put themselves in array to fight against them at Gibeah.
   21 And the children of Benjamin came forth out of Gibeah, and destroyed down to the ground of the Israelites that day twenty and two thousand men.
   22 And the people the men of Israel encouraged themselves, and set their battle again in array in the place where they put themselves in array the first day.
   23 (And the children of Israel went up and wept before the LORD until even, and asked counsel of the LORD, saying, Shall I go up again to battle against the children of Benjamin my brother? And the LORD said, Go up against him.)
   24 And the children of Israel came near against the children of Benjamin the second day.
   25 And Benjamin went forth against them out of Gibeah the second day, and destroyed down to the ground of the children of Israel again eighteen thousand men; all these drew the sword.
   26 ¶ Then all the children of Israel, and all the people, went up, and came unto the house of God, and wept, and sat there before the LORD, and fasted that day until even, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the LORD.
   27 And the children of Israel enquired of the LORD, (for the ark of the covenant of God was there in those days,
   28 And Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, stood before it in those days,) saying, Shall I yet again go out to battle against the children of Benjamin my brother, or shall I cease? And the LORD said, Go up; for to morrow I will deliver them into thine hand.
   29 And Israel set liers in wait round about Gibeah.
   30 And the children of Israel went up against the children of Benjamin on the third day, and put themselves in array against Gibeah, as at other times.
   31 And the children of Benjamin went out against the people, and were drawn away from the city; and they began to smite of the people, and kill, as at other times, in the highways, of which one goeth up to the house of God, and the other to Gibeah in the field, about thirty men of Israel.
   32 And the children of Benjamin said, They are smitten down before us, as at the first. But the children of Israel said, Let us flee, and draw them from the city unto the highways.
   33 And all the men of Israel rose up out of their place, and put themselves in array at Baal-tamar: and the liers in wait of Israel came forth out of their places, even out of the meadows of Gibeah.
   34 And there came against Gibeah ten thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and the battle was sore: but they knew not that evil was near them.
   35 And the LORD smote Benjamin before Israel: and the children of Israel destroyed of the Benjamites that day twenty and five thousand and an hundred men: all these drew the sword.
   36 So the children of Benjamin saw that they were smitten: for the men of Israel gave place to the Benjamites, because they trusted unto the liers in wait which they had set beside Gibeah.
   37 And the liers in wait hasted, and rushed upon Gibeah; and the liers in wait drew themselves along, and smote all the city with the edge of the sword.
   38 Now there was an appointed sign between the men of Israel and the liers in wait, that they should make a great flame with smoke rise up out of the city.
   39 And when the men of Israel retired in the battle, Benjamin began to smite and kill of the men of Israel about thirty persons: for they said, Surely they are smitten down before us, as in the first battle.
   40 But when the flame began to arise up out of the city with a pillar of smoke, the Benjamites looked behind them, and, behold, the flame of the city ascended up to heaven.
   41 And when the men of Israel turned again, the men of Benjamin were amazed: for they saw that evil was come upon them.
   42 Therefore they turned their backs before the men of Israel unto the way of the wilderness; but the battle overtook them; and them which came out of the cities they destroyed in the midst of them.
   43 Thus they inclosed the Benjamites round about, and chased them, and trode them down with ease over against Gibeah toward the sunrising.
   44 And there fell of Benjamin eighteen thousand men; all these were men of valour.
   45 And they turned and fled toward the wilderness unto the rock of Rimmon: and they gleaned of them in the highways five thousand men; and pursued hard after them unto Gidom, and slew two thousand men of them.
   46 So that all which fell that day of Benjamin were twenty and five thousand men that drew the sword; all these were men of valour.
   47 But six hundred men turned and fled to the wilderness unto the rock Rimmon, and abode in the rock Rimmon four months.
   48 And the men of Israel turned again upon the children of Benjamin, and smote them with the edge of the sword, as well the men of every city, as the beast, and all that came to hand: also they set on fire all the cities that they came to.