2
The chiefs 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 who drew sword.
3
(Now the children of Benjamin heard that the children of Israel had gone up to Mizpah.) The children of Israel said, Tell us, how was this wickedness brought to pass?
4
The Levite, the husband of the woman who was murdered, answered, I came into Gibeah that belongs to Benjamin, I and my concubine, to lodge.
5
The men of Gibeah rose against me, and beset the house round about me by night; me they thought to have slain, and my concubine they forced, and she is dead.
6
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, you children of Israel, all of you, give here your advice and counsel.
8
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 to his house.
9
But now this is the thing which we will do to Gibeah: [we will go up] against it by lot;
10
and we will take ten men of one hundred throughout all the tribes of Israel, and one hundred of one thousand, and a thousand out of ten thousand, to get victuals for the people, that they may do, when they come to Gibeah of Benjamin, according to all the folly that they have worked in Israel.
11
So all the men of Israel were gathered against the city, knit together as one man.
12
The tribes of Israel sent men through all the tribe of Benjamin, saying, What wickedness is this that is happen among you?
13
Now therefore deliver up the men, the base fellows, who are in Gibeah, that we may put them to death, and put away evil from Israel. But Benjamin would not listen to the voice of their brothers the children of Israel.
14
The children of Benjamin gathered themselves together out of the cities to Gibeah, to go out to battle against the children of Israel.
15
The children of Benjamin were numbered on that day out of the cities twenty-six thousand men who drew the sword, besides the inhabitants of Gibeah, who were numbered seven hundred chosen men.
16
Among all this people there were seven hundred chosen men left-handed; everyone could sling stones at a hair-breadth, and not miss.
17
The men of Israel, besides Benjamin, were numbered four hundred thousand men who drew sword: all these were men of war.