Judges 20
1 Then all the children of Israel went out, and the congregation was assembled as one man, from Dan even to Beersheba, with the land of Gilead, to 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 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.
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 (Now the children of Benjamin heard that the children of Israel had gone up to Mizpah.) The children of Israel said, “Tell us, how did this wickedness happen?”
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 The Levite, the husband of the woman who was murdered, answered, “I came into Gibeah that belongs to Benjamin, I and my concubine, to spend the night.
and he answeride, Y cam with my wijf in to Gabaa of Beniamyn, and Y turnede thidur.
5 The men of Gibeah rose against me, and surrounded the house by night. They intended to kill me and they raped my concubine, and she is dead.
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 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.
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 Behold, you children of Israel, all of you, give here your advice and counsel.”
Alle ye sones of Israel ben present; deme ye, what ye owen do.
8 All the people arose as one man, saying, “None of us will go to his tent, neither will any of us turn 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 But now this is the thing which we will do to Gibeah: we will go up against it by lot;
but we schulen do this in comyn ayens Gabaa.
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 food for the people, that they may do, when they come to Gibeah of Benjamin, according to all the folly that the men of Gibeah have done 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 against the city, knit together as one man.
And al the puple, `as o man, cam togidere to the citee bi the same thouyt and o counsel.
12 The tribes of Israel sent men through all the tribe of Benjamin, saying, “What wickedness is this that has happened 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 wicked 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.
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 The children of Benjamin gathered themselves together out of the cities to Gibeah, to go out to battle against the children 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 The children of Benjamin were counted on that day out of the cities twenty-six thousand men who drew the sword, in addition to the inhabitants of Gibeah, who were counted seven hundred chosen men.
And fyue and twenti thousynde weren foundun of Beniamyn, of men drawynge out swerd, outakun the dwelleris of Gabaa,
16 Among all these soldiers there were seven hundred chosen men who were left-handed. Every one of them could sling a stone at a hair 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 The men of Israel, besides Benjamin, were counted four hundred thousand men who drew sword. All these were men 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 The children of Israel arose, went up to Bethel, and asked counsel of God. They asked, “Who shall go up for us first to battle against the children of Benjamin?” 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 The children of Israel rose up in the morning and encamped against Gibeah.
And anoon the sones of Israel risiden eerli, and settiden tentis ayens Gabaa.
20 The men of Israel went out to battle against Benjamin; and the men of Israel set the battle in array against them at Gibeah.
And fro thennus thei yeden forth to batel ayens Beniamyn, and bigunnen to fiyte ayens `the citee.
21 The children of Benjamin came out of Gibeah, and on that day destroyed twenty-two thousand of the Israelite men down 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 The people, the men of Israel, encouraged themselves, and set the battle again in array in the place where they set themselves in array 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 The children of Israel went up and wept before Yahweh until evening; and they asked of Yahweh, saying, “Shall I again draw near to battle against the children of Benjamin my brother?” 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 The children of Israel came near against the children of Benjamin the second day.
And whanne the sones of Israel hadden go forth to batel in the tother dai ayens Beniamyn,
25 Benjamin went out 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.
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 all the children of Israel and all the people went up, and came to Bethel, and wept, and sat there before Yahweh, and fasted that day until evening; then they offered burnt offerings 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 The children of Israel asked Yahweh (for the ark of the covenant of God was there 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, 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?” Yahweh said, “Go up; for tomorrow I will deliver him into your 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 Israel set ambushes all around Gibeah.
And the sones of Israel settiden buyschementis bi the cumpas of the citee of Gabaa;
30 The children of Israel went up against the children of Benjamin on the third day, and set themselves in array against Gibeah, as at other times.
and the thridde tyme as onys and tweis thei brouyten forth oost ayens Beniamyn.
31 The children of Benjamin went out against the people, and were drawn away from the city; and they began to strike and kill of the people as at other times, in the highways, of which one goes up to Bethel and the other to Gibeah, in the field, about thirty men of 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 The children of Benjamin said, “They are struck down before us, as at the first.” But the children of Israel said, “Let’s flee, and draw them away from the city to 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 All the men of Israel rose up out of their place and set themselves in array at Baal Tamar. Then the ambushers of Israel broke out of their place, even out of Maareh Geba.
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 Ten thousand chosen men out of all Israel came over against Gibeah, and the battle was severe; but they didn’t know that disaster was close to 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 Yahweh struck Benjamin before Israel; and the children of Israel destroyed of Benjamin that day twenty-five thousand 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 children of Benjamin saw that they were struck, for the men of Israel yielded to Benjamin because they trusted the ambushers whom they had set against 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 The ambushers hurried, and rushed on Gibeah; then the ambushers spread out, and struck 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 ambushers was that they should make a great cloud of smoke rise up 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 The men of Israel turned in the battle, and Benjamin began to strike and kill of the men of Israel about thirty persons; for they said, “Surely they are struck down 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 But when the cloud began to arise up out of the city in a pillar of smoke, the Benjamites looked behind them; and behold, the whole city went up in smoke to the sky.
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 The men of Israel turned, and the men of Benjamin were dismayed; for they saw that disaster had come on 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 Therefore they turned their backs before the men of Israel to the way of the wilderness, but the battle followed hard after them; and those who came out of the cities destroyed them in the middle of it.
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 surrounded the Benjamites, chased them, and trod them down at their resting place, as far as near Gibeah toward the 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 Eighteen thousand men of Benjamin fell; all these were men of valor.
Forsothe thei, that weren slayn in the same place, weren eiytene thousynde of `men, alle strongeste fiyteris.
45 They turned and fled toward the wilderness to the rock of Rimmon. They gleaned five thousand men of them in the highways, and followed hard after them to Gidom, and struck two thousand men of them.
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 that all who fell that day of Benjamin were twenty-five thousand men who drew the sword. All these were men of valor.
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 six hundred men turned and fled toward the wilderness to the rock of Rimmon, and stayed in the rock of 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 The men of Israel turned again on the children of Benjamin, and struck them with the edge of the sword—including the entire city, the livestock, and all that they found. Moreover they set all the cities which they found 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.
