Judges 20
1 Then went forth all the sons of Israel, and the assembly came together as one man, from Dan even to Beersheba with the land of Gilead, —unto Yahweh at Mizpah.
Therfor alle the sones of Israel yeden, and weren gaderid togidere as o man, fro Dan `til to Bersabee, and fro the lond of Galaad to the Lord in Maspha; and alle the `corneris of puplis;
2 And the chiefs of all the people—all the tribes of Israel—presented themselves in the convocation of the people of God, —four hundred thousand footmen, that drew the sword.
and alle the lynagis of Israel camen to gidere in to the chirche of `the puple of God, foure hundrid thousynde of `foot men fiyters.
3 And the sons of Benjamin heard that the sons of Israel had gone up to Mizpah. Then said the sons of Israel, Tell [us], In what manner was brought to pass this vileness?
And it was not `hid fro the sones of Beniamyn, that the sones of Israel hadden stied in to Maspha. And the dekene, hosebonde of the `wijf that was slayn, was axid, `how so greet felonye was doon;
4 And the Levite, husband of the woman that was cut in pieces, responded and said, —Into Gibeah that pertaineth to Benjamin, I entered, I and my concubine, to tarry the night.
and he answeride, Y cam with my wijf in to Gabaa of Beniamyn, and Y turnede thidur.
5 And the owners of Gibeah rose up against me, and beset the house, for my sake, by night, —me, they thought to slay, and, my concubine, they so humbled, that she died.
And lo! men of that citee cumpassiden in nyyt the hows, in which Y dwellide, and thei wolden sle me, and thei bitraueliden my wijf with vnbileueful woodnesse of letcherie; at the last sche was deed.
6 So I laid hold on my concubine, and cut her in pieces, and sent her throughout all the country of the inheritance of Israel, —because they had wrought lewdness and impiety, in Israel.
And Y took, and Y kittide hir in to gobetis, and Y sente partis in to alle the termes of youre possessioun; for so greet felonye and so greuouse synne was neuere doon in Israel.
7 Lo! ye all, are sons of Israel, —give your word and counsel, here.
Alle ye sones of Israel ben present; deme ye, what ye owen do.
8 Then arose all the people, as one man, saying, —No man of us will go to his tent, and no man of us will turn aside to his house.
And al the puple stood, and answeride as bi word of o man, `that is acordyngli, with out ayenseiyng and with out delay, We schulen not go awei in to oure tabernaclis, nethir ony man schal entre in to his hows;
9 Now, therefore, this is the thing, that we will do to Gibeah, —[Go] against it by lot;
but we schulen do this in comyn ayens Gabaa.
10 and we will take ten men of a hundred, of all the tribes of Israel, and a hundred of a thousand, and a thousand of ten thousand, to fetch provisions for the people, —that they may do, when they come to Gibeah of Benjamin, according to all the impiety that it hath wrought in Israel.
`Ten men be chosun of an hundrid, of alle the lynagis of Israel, and an hundrid of a thousynde, and a thousynde of ten thousynde, that thei bere metis to the oost, and that we, fiytynge ayens Gabaa of Beniamyn, moun yelde to it `for the trespas that that it deserueth.
11 So all the men of Israel were gathered together against the city, as one man knit together.
And al the puple, `as o man, cam togidere to the citee bi the same thouyt and o counsel.
12 And the tribes of Israel sent men throughout all the divisions of Benjamin, saying, —What is this vile thing that hath been brought to pass, among you?
And `thei senten messangeris to al the lynage of Beniamyn, `whiche messangeris seiden, Whi so greet felony is foundun in you?
13 Now, therefore, deliver up the men—the sons of the Abandoned One—who are in Gibeah, that we may put them to death, and vileness be consumed out of Israel. But [the sons of] Benjamin would not hearken unto the voice of their brethren, the sons of Israel.
Bitake ye the men of Gabaa, that diden this wickidnesse, that thei die, and yuel be doon awey fro Israel. `Whiche nolden here the comaundement of her britheren, the sones of Israel,
14 Then did the sons of Benjamin gather themselves together out of the cities, unto Gibeah, —to go forth to battle against the sons of Israel.
but of alle the citees, that weren of `her part, thei camen togidere in to Gabaa, to helpe hem, and to fiyte ayens al the puple of Israel.
15 And the sons of Benjamin were numbered on that day, out of the cities, twenty-six thousand men, that drew the sword, —besides, of the inhabitants of Gibeah, were numbered seven hundred chosen men.
And fyue and twenti thousynde weren foundun of Beniamyn, of men drawynge out swerd, outakun the dwelleris of Gabaa,
16 Out of all this people, were seven hundred chosen men, left-handed, —any one of whom could sling with a stone to a hair’s-breadth, and not miss.
whiche weren seuen hundrid strongeste men, fiytynge so with the lefthond as with the riythond, and castynge so stoonus with slyngis at a certeyn thing, that thei myyten smyte also an heer, and the strook of the stoon schulde not be borun in to `the tother part.
17 And, the men of Israel, were numbered, apart from Benjamin, four hundred thousand men, that drew the sword, —every one of these being a man of war.
Also of the men of Israel, with out the sones of Beniamin, weren foundun foure hundrid thousynd `of men drawynge swerd and redi to batel.
18 And they arose, and went up to Bethel, and asked of God, and the sons of Israel said, Who shall go up for us first, to fight against the sons of Benjamin? And Yahweh said—Judah, first.
Whiche riseden and camen in to the hows of God, that is in Silo; and thei counceliden God, and seiden, Who schal be prince in oure oost of the batel ayens the sones of Beniamyn? To whiche the Lord answeride, Judas be youre duyk.
19 And the sons of Israel arose in the morning, —and encamped against Gibeah.
And anoon the sones of Israel risiden eerli, and settiden tentis ayens Gabaa.
20 And the men of Israel went forth, to fight against Benjamin, —so the men of Israel set themselves in array against them, to fight against Gibeah.
And fro thennus thei yeden forth to batel ayens Beniamyn, and bigunnen to fiyte ayens `the citee.
21 Then came forth the sons of Benjamin out of Gibeah, —and laid low of Israel, on that day, twenty-two thousand men, to the ground.
And the sones of Beniamyn yeden out of Gabaa, and killiden of the sones of Israel in that dai two and twenti thousynde of men.
22 And the people, the men of Israel, encouraged themselves, —and again set themselves in array for battle in the place where they had set themselves in array on the first day.
And eft the sones of Israel tristiden in strengthe and noumbre, and dressiden schiltrun, in the same place in which thei fouyten bifore;
23 Now the sons of Israel had gone up, and wept before Yahweh, until the evening, and asked of Yahweh, saying, Shall I again draw near to battle against the sons of Benjamin, my brother? And Yahweh said, Go up against him.
so netheles that thei stieden bifore, and wepten bifor the Lord `til to nyyt, and counseliden hym, and seiden, Owe Y go forth more to fiyte ayens the sones of Beniamyn, my britheren, ether nay? To whiche he answeride, Stie ye to hem, and bigynne ye batel.
24 So the sons of Israel came near against the sons of Benjamin, on the second day.
And whanne the sones of Israel hadden go forth to batel in the tother dai ayens Beniamyn,
25 And Benjamin came forth to meet them out of Gibeah, on the second day, and laid low, of the sons of Israel, yet eighteen thousand men, to the ground, —all these, drew the sword.
the sones of Beniamyn braken out of the yates of Gabaa, and camen to hem; and the sones of Beniamyn weren wood ayens hem bi so greet sleyng, that thei castiden doun eiytene thousynde of men drawynge swerd.
26 Then went up all the sons of Israel, and all the people, and came to Bethel, and wept, and tarried there before Yahweh, and fasted on that day, until the evening, —and caused to go up ascending-sacrifices and peace-offerings, before Yahweh.
Wherfor alle the sones of Israel camen in to the hows of God, and saten, and wepten bifore the Lord, and thei fastiden in that dai `til to euentid; and thei offeriden to the Lord brent sacrifices and pesible sacrifices,
27 And the sons of Israel asked of Yahweh, —there, being the ark of the covenant of God, in those days;
and axiden of her staat. In that tyme the arke of boond of pees of God was there in Silo;
28 and Phinehas, son of Eleazar, son of Aaron, was standing before it in those days, saying: Shall I yet again go forth to battle, against the sons of Benjamin, my brother, or shall I forbear? And Yahweh said—Go up, for, to-morrow, will I deliver him into thy hand.
and Fynees, the sone of Eleazar, sone of Aaron, was souereyn of the hows. Therfor thei counseliden the Lord, and seiden, Owen we go out more to batel ayens the sones of Beniamyn, oure britheren, ethir reste? To whiche the Lord seide, Stie ye, for to morewe Y schal bytake hem in to youre hondis.
29 And Israel set liers in wait against Gibeah, round about.
And the sones of Israel settiden buyschementis bi the cumpas of the citee of Gabaa;
30 So the sons of Israel went up against the sons of Benjamin, on the third day, —and set themselves in array against Gibeah, as time after time.
and the thridde tyme as onys and tweis thei brouyten forth oost ayens Beniamyn.
31 And the sons of Benjamin came forth against the people, they were drawn away from the city, —and began to smite of the people, slaying as time after time, in the highways, whereof, one, goeth up to Bethel, and, the other, to Gibeah in the field, about thirty men in Israel.
But also the sones of Beniamyn braken out of the citee booldli, and pursueden ferthere the aduersaryes fleynge, so that thei woundiden of hem, as in the firste dai and the secounde, and killiden bi twey paththis `the aduersaries turnynge backis; of whiche paththis oon was borun in to Bethel, the tother in to Gabaa. And thei castiden doun aboute thretti men;
32 Then said the sons of Benjamin, They are, being smitten, before us, as at the first. But the sons of Israel had said—Let us flee, and draw them away from the city, into the highways.
for thei gessiden to sle hem `bi customable maner; whiche `feyneden fliyt bi craft, and token counsel, that thei schulden drawe hem fro the citee, and that thei as fleynge schulden brynge to the forseid paththis.
33 And, all the men of Israel, rose up out of their place, and set themselves in array in Baal-tamar, —and, the liers in wait of Israel, began to break forth out of their place, out of the forest of Gibeah.
Therfor alle the sones of Israel risiden of her seetis, and settiden schiltrun in the place which is clepid Baalthamar. And the buschementis, that weren aboute the citee, bigunnen to opene hem silf litil and litil,
34 And there came over against Gibeah ten thousand chosen men, out of all Israel, and the battle was severe, —they, not knowing that disaster was overtaking them.
and to go forth fro the west part of the citee. But also othere ten thousynde of men of al Israel excitiden the dwelleris of the cite to batels; and the batel was maad greuous ayens the sones of Beniamyn, and thei vndurstoden not, that perisching neiyede to hem on eche part.
35 Thus Yahweh smote Benjamin before Israel, and the sons of Israel destroyed in Benjamin, that day, twenty-five thousand and one hundred men, —all these, drew the sword.
And the Lord smoot hem in the siyt of the sones of Israel, and `thei killiden of hem in that dai fyue and twenti thousynde and an hundrid men, alle the werryours and drawynge swerd.
36 So the sons of Benjamin saw that they were smitten, —and that the men of Israel had given place to Benjamin, because they trusted to the liers in wait, whom they had set near Gibeah.
Sotheli the sones of Beniamyn bigunnen to fle, `whanne thei sien, that thei weren the lowere. And the sones of Israel sien this, and `yauen to hem place to fle, that thei schulden come to the buyschementis maad redi, whiche thei hadden set bisidis the citee.
37 And, the liers in wait, hasted, and rushed upon Gibeah, —and the liers in wait marched forward, and smote all the city with the edge of the sword.
And whanne thei hadden rise sudenli fro hid places, and Beniamyn yaf backis to the sleeris, thei entriden in to the citee, and smytiden it by the scharpnesse of swerd.
38 Now, the appointed sign, between the men of Israel and the liers in wait, had been, —to cause a great cloud of smoke to ascend out of the city.
Sotheli the sones of Israel hadden youe a signe to hem whiche thei hadden set in buyschementis, that aftir that thei hadden take the citee, thei schulden kyndle fier, and that bi smook stiynge an hiy, thei schulden schewe the citee takun.
39 So, when the men of Israel turned in the battle, —and, the Benjamites, began to smite and slay of the sons of Israel, about thirty men, for they said, Yea! they are, smitten, before us, as in the first battle,
And whanne the sones of Israel set in thilke batel sien this; for the sones of Beniamyn gessiden hem to fle, and thei sueden bisiliere, whanne thretti men of her oost weren slayn;
40 then, the cloud, began to ascend out of the city, a pillar of smoke, —and the Benjamites looked behind them, and lo! the whole city flamed up towards the heavens.
and `the sones of Israel sien as a piler of smoke stie fro the citee; also Beniamyn bihelde bihynde, whanne he siy the citee takun, and flawmes borun in hiye,
41 And, when, the men of Israel, turned, then were the men of Benjamin dismayed, —for they saw that disaster had overtaken them.
thei that feyneden fliyt bifore, `ayenstoden strongliere with face turned. And whanne the sones of Beniamyn hadden seyn this, thei weren turned in to fliyt,
42 And, when they turned before the men of Israel unto the way of the desert, the battle, over took them, —while, as for them that came out of the cities, they began to destroy them in their midst: —
and thei bigunnen to go to the weie of deseert; while also aduersaries pursueden hem there, but also thei, that hadden brent the citee, camen ayens hem.
43 they hemmed in the Benjamites, they pursued them, with ease, trode they them down, —as far as over against Gibeah, towards sunrise.
And so it was doon, that thei weren slayn of enemyes on ech part, nether ony reste of men diynge was; and thei felden, and weren cast doun at the eest coost of the citee of Gabaa.
44 So there fell of Benjamin, eighteen thousand men, —all these being men of valour.
Forsothe thei, that weren slayn in the same place, weren eiytene thousynde of `men, alle strongeste fiyteris.
45 And, when they turned and fled towards the desert unto the cliff Rimmon, then gleaned they of them, in the highways, five thousand men, —and they followed hard after them as far as Gidom, and smote of them, two thousand men.
And whanne thei that leften of Beniamyn hadden seyn this, thei fledden in to wildirnesse, and thei yeden to the stoon, whos name is Remmon. And in that fliyt the sones of Israel yeden opynli, `and yeden in to dyuerse places, and killiden fyue thousynde men; and whanne thei yeden ferther, thei pursueden hem, and killiden also othere twei thousynde.
46 So then it came to pass that, all the fallen of Benjamin, were twenty-five thousand men, that drew the sword, on that day, —all these being men of valour.
And so it was doon, that alle that felden doun of Beniamyn in diuerse places, weren fyue and twenti thousynde, `fiyterys moost redi to batels.
47 But there turned and fled, towards the desert, unto the cliff Rimmon, six hundred men, —who abode in the cliff Rimmon, four months.
And so sixe hundrid men leften of al the noumbre of Beniamyn, that myyten ascape, and fle in to wildirnesse; and thei saten in the stoon of Remmon foure monethis.
48 Thus, the men of Israel, turned against the sons of Benjamin, and smote them with the edge of the sword, beginning with the city, each and every one down to the beast, even to every one that was met with, —moreover, all the cities they came to, they set on fire.
Forsothe the sones of Israel yeden out, and smytiden with swerd alle the remenauntis of the citee, fro men `til to werk beestis; and deuourynge flawme wastide alle the citees and townes of Beniamyn.
