comest thou? And he said unto him, I am a Levite, of Bethlehem Judah, and I go to sojourn where I may find a place. 10 And Micah said unto him, Dwell with me, and be unto me a father and a Priest, and I will give thee ten shekels of silver by the year, and a suit of ap. parel, and thy victuals. So the Levite went in. 11 And the Levite was content to dwell with the man, and the young man was unto him as one of his sons. 12 And Micah consecrated the Levite, and the young man became his Priest, and was in the house of Micah. 13 Then said Micah, Now know I that the LORD will do me good, seeing I have a Levite to my Priest. CHAP. XVIII. The Danites send five men to seek out an inheritance. search Laish in any thing, and they were far from the Zidonians, and had no business with any man. 8 And they came unto their brethren to Zorah, and Eshtaol: and their brethren said unto them, What say ye? 9 And they said, Arise, that we may go up against them: for we have seen the land, and behold, it is very good : and are ye still? Be not slothful to go, and to enter to possess the land. 10 When ye go, ye shall come unto a people secure, and to a large land: for God hath given it into your hands: a place where there is no want of any thing, that is in the earth. 11 And there went from thence of the family of the Danites out of Zorah, and out of Eshtaol, six hundred men, appointed with weapons of war. 12 And they went up, and pitched in Kirjath-jearim, in Judah: wherefore those days there was no king in they called that place Mahaneh-Dan, of the Danites sought them an inherit-jath-jearim. 2 And the children of Dan sent of their family, five men from their coasts, men of valour, from Zorah, and from Eshtaol, to spy out the land, and to search it, and they said unto them, Go, search the land: who when they came to mount Ephraim, to the house of Micah, they lodged there. 3 When they were by the house of Micah, they knew the voice of the young man the Levite: and they turned in thither, and said unto him, Who brought thee hither? and what makest thou in this place? and what hast thou here? 4 And he said unto them, Thus and thus dealeth Micah with me, and hath hired me, and I am his Priest. 5 And they said unto him, Ask counsel, we pray thee, of God, that we may know, whether our way which we go, shall be prosperous. 6 And the Priest said unto them, Go in peace before the LORD is your way wherein ye go. 7 Then the five men departed, and came to Laish, and saw the people that were therein, how they dwelt careless, after the manner of the Zidonians, quiet and secure, and there was no magistrate in the land that might put them to shame 13 And they passed thence unto mount Ephraim, and came unto the house of Micah. 14 Then answered the five men that went to spy out the country of Laish, and said unto their brethren, Do ye know that there is in these houses an Ephod, and Teraphim, and a graven image, and a molten image? Now there. fore consider what ye have to do. 15 And they turned thitherward, and came to the house of the young man the Levite, even unto the house of Micah, and saluted him. 16 And the six hundred men appointed with their weapons of war, which were of the children of Dan, stood by the entering of the gate. 17 And the five men that went to spy out the land, went up and came in thither, and took the graven image, and the Ephod, and the Teraphim, and the molten image: and the Priest stood in the entering of the gate, with the six hundred men that were appointed with weapons of war. 18 And these went into Micah's house, and fetched the carved image, the Ephod, and the Teraphim, and the molten image: then said the Priest unto them, What do ye? 19 And they said unto him, Hold thy peace, lay thine hand upon thy mouth, and go with us, and be to us a father rob Micah, and JUDGES. set up idolatry. and a Priest: Is it better for thee to be | time that the house of God was in 20 And the Priest's heart was glad, and he took the Ephod, and the Teraphim, and the graven image, and went in the midst of the people. 21 So they turned, and departed, and put the little ones, and the cattle, and the carriage before them. 22 And when they were a good way from the house of Micah, the men that were in the houses near to Micah's house, were gathered together, and overtook the children of Dan. 23 And they cried unto the children of Dan and they turned their faces, and said unto Micah, What aileth thee, that thou comest with such a company? 24 And he said, Ye have taken away my gods which I made, and the Priest, and ye are gone away and what have I more? and what is this that ye say unto me, What aileth thee? 25 And the children of Dan said unto him, Let not thy voice be heard among us, lest angry fellows run upon thee, and thou lose thy life, with the lives of thy household. 26 And the children of Dan went their way and when Micah saw that they were too strong for him, he turned and went back unto his house. 27 And they took the things which Micah had made, and the Priest which he had, and came unto Laish, unto a people that were at quiet, and secure, and they smote them with the edge of the sword, and burnt the city with fire. 28 And there was no deliverer, because it was far from Zidon, and they had no business with any man: and it was in the valley that lieth by Bethrehob, and they built a city and dwelt therein. 29 And they called the name of the city, Dan, after the name of Dan their father, who was born unto Israel: how. beit the name of the city was Laish at the first. 30 And the children of Dan set up the graven image: and Jonathan the son of Gershom, the son of Manasseh, he and his sons, were Priests to the tribe of Dan, until the day of the captivity of the land. 31 And they set them up Micah's graven image, which he made, all the 260 CHAP. XIX. A Levite goeth to Bethlehem to fetch AND it came to pass in those days, when there was no King in Israel, that there was a certain Levite sojourning on the side of mount Ephraim, who took to him a concubine out of Bethlehem Judah. 2 And his concubine played the whore against him, and went away from him unto her father's house to Bethlehem Judah, and was there four whole months. 3 And her husband arose, and went after her to speak friendly unto her, and to bring her again, having his servant with him, and a couple of asses: and she brought him into her father's house, and when the father of the damsel saw him, he rejoiced to meet him. 4 And his father in law, the damsel's father, retained him, and he abode with him three days: so they did eat and drink, and lodged there. 5 And it came to pass on the fourth day, when they arose early in the morning, that he rose up to depart: and the damsel's father said unto his son in law, Comfort thine heart with a morsel of bread, and afterward go your way. And they sat down, and did eat and drink both of them together: for the damsel's father had said unto the man, Be content, I pray thee, and tarry all night, and let thine heart be merry. 7 And when the man rose up to depart, his father in law urged him there. fore he lodged there again. 8 And he arose early in the morning on the fifth day to depart, and the damsel's father said, Comfort thine heart, 1 And they tarried until after pray thee. noon, and they did eat both of them. 9 And when the man rose up to de part, he and his concubine, and his servant, his father in law, the damsel's father, said unto him, Behold, now the day draweth towards evening, I pray you tarry all night: behold, the day groweth to an end, lodge here, that thine heart may be merry; and to morrow get you early on your way, that thou mayest go home. 10 But the man would not tarry that night, but he rose up and departed, and came over against Jebus (which is Jeru. salem :) and there were with him two The Levite's wife CHAP. XX. is forced to death. asses saddled, his concubine also was door, and spake to the master of the with him. 11 And when they were by Jebus, the day was far spent, and the servant said unto his master, Come, I pray thee, and let us turn in into this city of the Jebusites, and lodge in it. 12 And his master said unto him, We will not turn aside hither into the city of a stranger, that is not of the children of Israel, we will pass over to Gibeah. 13 And he said unto his servant, Come, and let us draw near to one of these places to lodge all night, in Gibeah, or in Ramah. 14 And they passed on and went their way, and the sun went down upon them when they were by Gibeah, which belongeth to Benjamin. 15 And they turned aside thither, to go in and to lodge in Gibeah: and when he went in, he sat him down in a street of the city for there was no man that took them into his house to lodging. house, the old man, saying; Bring forth the man that came into thine house, that we may know him. 23 And the man, the master of the house, went out unto them, and said unto them, Nay my brethren, nay, I pray you do not so wickedly; seeing that this man is come into mine house, do not this folly. 24 Behold, here is my daughter, a maiden, and his concubine, them I will bring out now, and humble ye them, and do with them what seemeth good unto you but unto this man do not so vile a thing. 25 But the men would not hearken to him: so the man took his concubine, and brought her forth unto them, and they knew her, and abused her all the night until the morning: and when the day began to spring, they'let her go. 26 Then came the woman in the dawning of the day, and fell down at the door of the man's house, where her lord was, till it was light. 27 And her lord rose up in the morn 16 And behold, there came an old man from his work out of the field at even, which was also of mount Ephraim; and he sojourned in Gibeah, but the mening, and opened the doors of the house, of the place were Benjamites. 17 And when he had lifted up his eyes, he saw a wayfaring man in the street of the city and the old man said, Whi. ther goest thou? and whence comest thou? 18 And he said unto him, We are passing from Bethlehem Judah, toward the side of mount Ephraim, from thence am I: and I went to Bethlehem Judah, but I am now going to the house of the LORD, and there is no man that receiveth me to house. and went out to go his way: and behold, the woman his concubine was fallen down at the door of the house, and her hands were upon the threshold. 28 And he said unto her, Up, and let us be going. But none answered: then the man took her up upon an ass, and the man rose up, and gat him unto his place. 29 And when he was come into his house, he took a knife, and laid hold on his concubine, and divided her, together with her bones, into twelve pieces, and 30 And it was so that all that saw it, 19 Yet there is both straw and pro-sent her into all the coasts of Israel. vender for our asses, and there is bread and wine also for me and for thy hand-said, There was no such deed done nor maid, and for the young man which is with thy servants: there is no want of any thing. seen, from the day that the children of Israel came up out of the land of Egypt, unto this day: consider of it, take advice, and speak your minds. CHAP. XX. The Levite in a general assembly declareth his wrong. out, and the Congregation was ga HEN all the children of Israel went thered 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 The Levite's complaint. JUDGES. The Israelites war God, four hundred thousand footmen | twenty and six thousand men that drew that drew sword. 3 (Now the children of Benjamin heard that the children of Israel were gone up to Mizpeh.) Then said the chil dren 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 Is. rael: 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: sword, beside the inhabitants of Gibeah, which were numbered seven hundred chosen men. 16 Among all this people there were seven hundred chosen men left handed, every one could sling stones at a 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. 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 out of ten thousand, to fetch 23 (And the children of Israel went up victual for the people, that they may do, and wept before the LORD until even, when they come to Gibeah of Benjamin, and asked counsel of the LORD, say. according to all the folly that they haveing, Shall I go up again to battle against wrought in Israel. the children of Benjamin my brother? And the LORD said, Go up against him.) 11 So all the men of Israel were ga. thered 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 chil dren 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, 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 thou sand 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 inquired of the LORD, (for the Ark of the cove. nant of God was there in those days, with Benjamin, CHAP. XXI. and smite them 28 And Phinehas the son of Eleazar | smitten down before us, as in the first the son of Aaron stood before it in those battle. 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 high ways, 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 high ways. 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 waft of Israel came forth out of their places, even out of the meadows of Gi beah. 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 a 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 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 enclosed the Benjamites round about, and chased them, and trode them down with ease over against Gibeah toward the sun rising. 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 high ways 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 thou sand men that drew the sword; all these were men of valour. 47 But six hundred men turned and fled to the wilderness unto the fock 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. CHAP. XXI. The people bewail the desolation of Benjamin. Now OW the men of Israel had sworn in Mizpeh, saying, There shall not any of us give his daughter unto Benja min to wife. 2 And the people came to the house of God, and abode there till even before God, and lifted up their voices, and wept sore: 3 And said, O LORD God of Israel, why is this come to pass in Israel, that there should be to day one tribe lacking in Israel? |