Judges 19-21; Psalms 76 - Prayer Tents

Judges 19

The Levite and His Concubine

19Now in those days Israel had no king. There was a man from the tribe of Levi living in a remote area of the hill country of Ephraim. One day he brought home a woman from Bethlehem in Judah to be his concubine.H3117H4428H3478H376H3881H1481H3411H2022H669H3947H802H6370H1035H3063 2But she became angry with him and returned to her father's home in Bethlehem. After about four months,H6370H2181H3212H1H1004H1035H3063H702H2320H3117 3her husband set out for Bethlehem to speak personally to her and persuade her to come back. He took with him a servant and a pair of donkeys. When he arrived at her father's house, her father saw him and welcomed him.H376H6965H3212H310H1696H3820H7725H5288H6776H2543H935H1H1004H1H5291H7200H8055H7125 4Her father urged him to stay awhile, so he stayed three days, eating, drinking, and sleeping there.H2859H5291H1H2388H3427H7969H3117H398H8354H3885 5On the fourth day the man was up early, ready to leave, but the woman's father said to his son-in-law, "Have something to eat before you go."H7243H3117H7925H1242H6965H3212H5291H1H559H2860H5582H3820H6595H3899H310H3212 6So the two men sat down together and had something to eat and drink. Then the woman's father said, "Please stay another night and enjoy yourself."H3427H398H8354H8147H3162H5291H1H559H376H2974H3885H3820H3190 7The man got up to leave, but his father-in-law kept urging him to stay, so he finally gave in and stayed the night.H376H6965H3212H2859H6484H3885H7725 8On the morning of the fifth day he was up early again, ready to leave, and again the woman's father said, "Have something to eat; then you can leave later this afternoon." So they had another day of feasting.H7925H1242H2549H3117H3212H5291H1H559H5582H3824H4102H3117H5186H398H8147 9Later, as the man and his concubine and servant were preparing to leave, his father-in-law said, "Look, it's almost evening. Stay the night and enjoy yourself. Tomorrow you can get up early and be on your way."H376H6965H3212H6370H5288H2859H5291H1H559H3117H7503H6150H3885H3117H2583H3885H3824H3190H4279H7925H1870H1980H168 10But this time the man was determined to leave. So he took his two saddled donkeys and his concubine and headed in the direction of Jebus (that is, Jerusalem).H376H14H3885H6965H3212H935H5227H2982H3389H6776H2543H2280H6370 11It was late in the day when they neared Jebus, and the man's servant said to him, "Let's stop at this Jebusite town and spend the night there."H2982H3117H3966H7286H5288H559H113H3212H5493H5892H2983H3885 12"No," his master said, "we can't stay in this foreign town where there are no Israelites. Instead, we will go on to Gibeah.H113H559H5493H5892H5237H1121H3478H5674H1390 13Come on, let's try to get as far as Gibeah or Ramah, and we'll spend the night in one of those towns."H559H5288H3212H7126H259H4725H3885H1390H7414 14So they went on. The sun was setting as they came to Gibeah, a town in the land of Benjamin,H5674H3212H8121H935H681H1390H1144 15so they stopped there to spend the night. They rested in the town square, but no one took them in for the night.H5493H935H3885H1390H935H3427H7339H5892H376H622H1004H3885 16That evening an old man came home from his work in the fields. He was from the hill country of Ephraim, but he was living in Gibeah, where the people were from the tribe of Benjamin.H935H2205H376H4639H7704H6153H376H2022H669H1481H1390H582H4725H1145 17When he saw the travelers sitting in the town square, he asked them where they were from and where they were going.H5375H5869H7200H732H376H7339H5892H2205H376H559H3212H370H935 18"We have been in Bethlehem in Judah," the man replied. "We are on our way to a remote area in the hill country of Ephraim, which is my home. I traveled to Bethlehem, and now I'm returning home. But no one has taken us in for the night,H559H5674H1035H3063H3411H2022H669H3212H1035H3063H1980H1004H3068H376H622H1004 19even though we have everything we need. We have straw and feed for our donkeys and plenty of bread and wine for ourselves."H3426H8401H4554H2543H3899H3196H519H5288H5650H4270H1697 20"You are welcome to stay with me," the old man said. "I will give you anything you might need. But whatever you do, don't spend the night in the square."H2205H376H559H7965H7535H4270H3885H7339 21So he took them home with him and fed the donkeys. After they washed their feet, they ate and drank together.H935H1004H1101H2543H7364H7272H398H8354 22While they were enjoying themselves, a crowd of troublemakers from the town surrounded the house. They began beating at the door and shouting to the old man, "Bring out the man who is staying with you so we can have sex with him."H3820H3190H582H5892H582H1121H1100H5437H1004H5437H1849H1817H559H1167H1004H2205H376H559H3318H376H935H1004H3045 23The old man stepped outside to talk to them. "No, my brothers, don't do such an evil thing. For this man is a guest in my house, and such a thing would be shameful.H376H1167H1004H3318H559H408H251H7489H310H376H935H1004H6213H5039 24Here, take my virgin daughter and this man's concubine. I will bring them out to you, and you can abuse them and do whatever you like. But don't do such a shameful thing to this man."H1323H1330H6370H3318H6031H6213H5869H2896H376H6213H2063H5039H1697 25But they wouldn't listen to him. So the Levite took hold of his concubine and pushed her out the door. The men of the town abused her all night, taking turns raping her until morning. Finally, at dawn they let her go.H582H14H8085H376H2388H6370H3318H2351H3045H5953H3915H1242H7837H5927H7971 26At daybreak the woman returned to the house where her husband was staying. She collapsed at the door of the house and lay there until it was light.H935H802H6437H1242H5307H6607H376H1004H113H216 27When her husband opened the door to leave, there lay his concubine with her hands on the threshold.H113H6965H1242H6605H1817H1004H3318H3212H1870H802H6370H5307H6607H1004H3027H5592 28He said, "Get up! Let's go!" But there was no answer. So he put her body on his donkey and took her home.H559H6965H3212H6030H376H3947H2543H376H6965H3212H4725 29When he got home, he took a knife and cut his concubine's body into twelve pieces. Then he sent one piece to each tribe throughout all the territory of Israel.H935H1004H3947H3979H2388H6370H5408H6106H8147H6240H5409H7971H1366H3478 30Everyone who saw it said, "Such a horrible crime has not been committed in all the time since Israel left Egypt. Think about it! What are we going to do? Who's going to speak up?"H1961H7200H559H2063H7200H3117H1121H3478H5927H776H4714H3117H7760H5779H1696

Judges 20

Israel’s War with Benjamin

20Then all the Israelites were united as one man, from Dan in the north to Beersheba in the south, including those from across the Jordan in the land of Gilead. The entire community assembled in the presence of the LORD at Mizpah.H1121H3478H3318H5712H6950H259H376H1835H884H776H1568H3068H47092The leaders of all the people and all the tribes of Israel—400,000 warriors armed with swords—took their positions in the assembly of the people of God.H6438H5971H7626H3478H3320H6951H5971H430H702H3967H505H376H7273H8025H27193(Word soon reached the land of Benjamin that the other tribes had gone up to Mizpah.) The Israelites then asked how this terrible crime had happened.H1121H1144H8085H1121H3478H5927H4709H559H1121H3478H1696H1961H74514The Levite, the husband of the woman who had been murdered, said, "My concubine and I came to spend the night in Gibeah, a town that belongs to the people of Benjamin.H3881H376H376H802H7523H6030H559H935H1390H1144H6370H38855That night some of the leading citizens of Gibeah surrounded the house, planning to kill me, and they raped my concubine until she was dead.H1167H1390H6965H5437H1004H5437H3915H1819H2026H6370H6031H41916So I cut her body into twelve pieces and sent the pieces throughout the territory assigned to Israel, for these men have committed a terrible and shameful crime.H270H6370H5408H7971H7704H5159H3478H6213H2154H5039H34787Now then, all of you—the entire community of Israel—must decide here and now what should be done about this!"H1121H3478H3051H1988H1697H60988And all the people rose to their feet in unison and declared, "None of us will return home! No, not even one of us!H5971H6965H259H376H559H376H3212H168H376H5493H10049Instead, this is what we will do to Gibeah; we will draw lots to decide who will attack it.H1697H6213H1390H148610One tenth of the men from each tribe will be chosen to supply the warriors with food, and the rest of us will take revenge on Gibeah of Benjamin for this shameful thing they have done in Israel."H3947H6235H582H3967H7626H3478H3967H505H505H7233H3947H6720H5971H6213H935H1387H1144H5039H6213H347811So all the Israelites were completely united, and they gathered together to attack the town.H376H3478H622H5892H2270H259H37612The Israelites sent messengers to the tribe of Benjamin, saying, "What a terrible thing has been done among you!H7626H3478H7971H582H7626H1144H559H7451H196113Give up those evil men, those troublemakers from Gibeah, so we can execute them and purge Israel of this evil." But the people of Benjamin would not listen.H5414H582H1121H1100H1390H4191H1197H7451H3478H1121H1144H14H8085H6963H251H1121H347814Instead, they came from their towns and gathered at Gibeah to fight the Israelites.H1121H1144H622H5892H1390H3318H4421H1121H347815In all, 26,000 of their warriors armed with swords arrived in Gibeah to join the 700 elite troops who lived there.H1121H1144H6485H3117H5892H6242H8337H505H376H8025H2719H3427H1390H6485H7651H3967H977H37616Among Benjamin's elite troops, 700 were left-handed, and each of them could sling a rock and hit a target within a hairsbreadth without missing.H5971H7651H3967H977H376H334H3027H3225H7049H68H8185H239817Israel had 400,000 experienced soldiers armed with swords, not counting Benjamin's warriors.H376H3478H1144H6485H702H3967H505H376H8025H2719H376H442118Before the battle the Israelites went to Bethel and asked God, "Which tribe should go first to attack the people of Benjamin?" The LORD answered, "Judah is to go first."H1121H3478H6965H5927H1004H430H1008H7592H430H559H4310H5927H8462H4421H1121H1144H3068H559H3063H846219So the Israelites left early the next morning and camped near Gibeah.H1121H3478H6965H1242H2583H139020Then they advanced toward Gibeah to attack the men of Benjamin.H376H3478H3318H4421H1144H376H3478H6186H4421H139021But Benjamin's warriors, who were defending the town, came out and killed 22,000 Israelites on the battlefield that day.H1121H1144H3318H1390H7843H776H3478H3117H6242H8147H505H37622But the Israelites encouraged each other and took their positions again at the same place they had fought the previous day.H5971H376H3478H2388H4421H3254H6186H4725H6186H7223H311723For they had gone up to Bethel and wept in the presence of the LORD until evening. They had asked the LORD, "Should we fight against our relatives from Benjamin again?" And the LORD had said, "Go out and fight against them."H1121H3478H5927H1058H6440H3068H6153H7592H3068H559H5066H3254H4421H1121H1144H251H3068H559H592724So the next day they went out again to fight against the men of Benjamin,H1121H3478H7126H1121H1144H8145H311725but the men of Benjamin killed another 18,000 Israelites, all of whom were experienced with the sword.H1144H3318H7125H1390H8145H3117H7843H776H1121H3478H8083H6240H505H376H8025H271926Then all the Israelites went up to Bethel and wept in the presence of the LORD and fasted until evening. They also brought burnt offerings and peace offerings to the LORD.H1121H3478H5971H5927H935H1004H430H1008H1058H3427H6440H3068H6684H3117H6153H5927H5930H8002H6440H306827The Israelites went up seeking direction from the LORD. (In those days the Ark of the Covenant of God was in Bethel,H1121H3478H7592H3068H727H1285H430H311728and Phinehas son of Eleazar and grandson of Aaron was the priest.) The Israelites asked the LORD, "Should we fight against our relatives from Benjamin again, or should we stop?" The LORD said, "Go! Tomorrow I will hand them over to you."H6372H1121H499H1121H175H5975H6440H3117H559H3254H3318H4421H1121H1144H251H2308H3068H559H5927H4279H5414H302729So the Israelites set an ambush all around Gibeah.H3478H7760H693H5439H139030They went out on the third day and took their positions at the same place as before.H1121H3478H5927H1121H1144H7992H3117H6186H1390H647131When the men of Benjamin came out to attack, they were drawn away from the town. And as they had done before, they began to kill the Israelites. About thirty Israelites died in the open fields and along the roads, one leading to Bethel and the other leading back to Gibeah.H1121H1144H3318H7125H5971H5423H5892H2490H5221H5971H2491H6471H4546H259H5927H1004H430H1008H259H1390H7704H7970H376H347832Then the warriors of Benjamin shouted, "We're defeating them as we did before!" But the Israelites had planned in advance to run away so that the men of Benjamin would chase them along the roads and be drawn away from the town.H1121H1144H559H5062H6440H7223H1121H3478H559H5127H5423H5892H454633When the main group of Israelite warriors reached Baal-tamar, they turned and took up their positions. Meanwhile, the Israelites hiding in ambush to the west of Gibeah jumped up to fight.H376H3478H6965H4725H6186H1193H693H3478H1518H4725H4629H138734There were 10,000 elite Israelite troops who advanced against Gibeah. The fighting was so heavy that Benjamin didn't realize the impending disaster.H935H5048H1390H6235H505H977H376H3478H4421H3513H3045H7451H506035So the LORD helped Israel defeat Benjamin, and that day the Israelites killed 25,100 of Benjamin's warriors, all of whom were experienced swordsmen.H3068H5062H1144H6440H3478H1121H3478H7843H1145H3117H6242H2568H505H3967H376H8025H271936Then the men of Benjamin saw that they were beaten. The Israelites had retreated from Benjamin's warriors in order to give those hiding in ambush more room to maneuver against Gibeah.H1121H1144H7200H5062H376H3478H5414H4725H1145H982H693H7760H139037Then those who were hiding rushed in from all sides and killed everyone in the town.H693H2363H6584H1390H693H4900H5221H5892H6310H271938They had arranged to send up a large cloud of smoke from the town as a signal.H4150H376H3478H5973H693H7235H4864H6227H5927H589239When the Israelites saw the smoke, they turned and attacked Benjamin's warriors. By that time Benjamin's warriors had killed about thirty Israelites, and they shouted, "We're defeating them as we did in the first battle!"H376H3478H2015H4421H1144H2490H5221H2491H376H3478H7970H376H559H5062H5062H6440H7223H442140But when the warriors of Benjamin looked behind them and saw the smoke rising into the sky from every part of the town,H4864H2490H5927H5892H5982H6227H1145H6437H310H3632H5892H5927H806441the men of Israel turned and attacked. At this point the men of Benjamin became terrified, because they realized disaster was close at hand.H376H3478H2015H376H1144H926H7200H7451H506042So they turned around and fled before the Israelites toward the wilderness. But they couldn't escape the battle, and the people who came out of the nearby towns were also killed.H6437H6440H376H3478H1870H4057H4421H1692H5892H7843H843243The Israelites surrounded the men of Benjamin and chased them relentlessly, finally overtaking them east of Gibeah.H3803H1145H3803H7291H1869H4496H5227H1390H4217H812144That day 18,000 of Benjamin's strongest warriors died in battle.H5307H1144H8083H6240H505H376H582H242845The survivors fled into the wilderness toward the rock of Rimmon, but Israel killed 5,000 of them along the road. They continued the chase until they had killed another 2,000 near Gidom.H6437H5127H4057H5553H7417H5953H4546H2568H505H376H1692H310H1440H5221H505H37646So that day the tribe of Benjamin lost 25,000 strong warriors armed with swords,H5307H3117H1144H6242H2568H505H376H8025H2719H582H242847leaving only 600 men who escaped to the rock of Rimmon, where they lived for four months.H8337H3967H376H6437H5127H4057H5553H7417H3427H5553H7417H702H232048And the Israelites returned and slaughtered every living thing in all the towns—the people, the livestock, and everything they found. They also burned down all the towns they came to.H376H3478H7725H1121H1144H5221H6310H2719H4974H5892H5704H929H4672H7971H784H5892H4672

Judges 21

Israel Provides Wives for Benjamin

21The Israelites had vowed at Mizpah, "We will never give our daughters in marriage to a man from the tribe of Benjamin."H376H3478H7650H4709H559H376H5414H1323H1144H8022Now the people went to Bethel and sat in the presence of God until evening, weeping loudly and bitterly.H5971H935H1004H430H1008H3427H6153H6440H430H5375H6963H1058H1065H14193"O LORD, God of Israel," they cried out, "why has this happened in Israel? Now one of our tribes is missing from Israel!"H559H3068H430H3478H3478H3117H259H7626H6485H34784Early the next morning the people built an altar and presented their burnt offerings and peace offerings on it.H4283H5971H7925H1129H4196H5927H5930H80025Then they said, "Who among the tribes of Israel did not join us at Mizpah when we held our assembly in the presence of the LORD?" At that time they had taken a solemn oath in the LORD's presence, vowing that anyone who refused to come would be put to death.H1121H3478H559H7626H3478H834H5927H6951H3068H1419H7621H5927H3068H4709H559H4191H41916The Israelites felt sorry for their brother Benjamin and said, "Today one of the tribes of Israel has been cut off.H1121H3478H5162H1144H251H559H259H7626H1438H3478H31177How can we find wives for the few who remain, since we have sworn by the LORD not to give them our daughters in marriage?"H6213H802H3498H7650H3068H5414H1323H8028So they asked, "Who among the tribes of Israel did not join us at Mizpah when we assembled in the presence of the LORD?" And they discovered that no one from Jabesh-gilead had attended the assembly.H559H259H7626H3478H5927H4709H3068H935H376H4264H3003H1568H69519For after they counted all the people, no one from Jabesh-gilead was present.H5971H6485H376H3427H3003H156810So the assembly sent 12,000 of their best warriors to Jabesh-gilead with orders to kill everyone there, including women and children.H5712H7971H8147H6240H505H376H1121H2428H6680H559H3212H5221H3427H3003H1568H6310H2719H802H294511"This is what you are to do," they said. "Completely destroy all the males and every woman who is not a virgin."H1697H6213H2763H2145H802H4904H304512Among the residents of Jabesh-gilead they found 400 young virgins who had never slept with a man, and they brought them to the camp at Shiloh in the land of Canaan.H4672H3427H3003H1568H702H3967H5291H1330H3045H376H4904H2145H935H4264H7887H776H366713The Israelite assembly sent a peace delegation to the remaining people of Benjamin who were living at the rock of Rimmon.H5712H7971H1696H1121H1144H5553H7417H7121H796514Then the men of Benjamin returned to their homes, and the 400 women of Jabesh-gilead who had been spared were given to them as wives. But there were not enough women for all of them.H1144H7725H6256H5414H802H2421H802H3003H1568H467215The people felt sorry for Benjamin because the LORD had made this gap among the tribes of Israel.H5971H5162H1144H3068H6213H6556H7626H347816So the elders of the assembly asked, "How can we find wives for the few who remain, since the women of the tribe of Benjamin are dead?H2205H5712H559H6213H802H3498H802H8045H114417There must be heirs for the survivors so that an entire tribe of Israel is not wiped out.H559H3425H6413H1144H7626H4229H347818But we cannot give them our own daughters in marriage because we have sworn with a solemn oath that anyone who does this will fall under God's curse."H3201H5414H802H1323H1121H3478H7650H559H779H5414H802H114419Then they thought of the annual festival of the LORD held in Shiloh, south of Lebonah and north of Bethel, along the east side of the road that goes from Bethel to Shechem.H559H2282H3068H7887H3117H3117H6828H1008H4217H8121H4546H5927H1008H7927H5045H382920They told the men of Benjamin who still needed wives, "Go and hide in the vineyards.H6680H1121H1144H559H3212H693H375421When you see the young women of Shiloh come out for their dances, rush out from the vineyards, and each of you can take one of them home to the land of Benjamin to be your wife!H7200H1323H7887H3318H2342H4246H3318H3754H2414H376H802H1323H7887H1980H776H114422And when their fathers and brothers come to us in protest, we will tell them, 'Please be sympathetic. Let them have your daughters, for we didn't find wives for all of them when we destroyed Jabesh-gilead. And you are not guilty of breaking the vow since you did not actually give your daughters to them in marriage.'"H1H251H935H7378H559H2603H3947H376H802H4421H5414H6256H81623So the men of Benjamin did as they were told. Each man caught one of the women as she danced in the celebration and carried her off to be his wife. They returned to their own land, and they rebuilt their towns and lived in them.H1121H1144H6213H5375H802H4557H2342H1497H3212H7725H5159H1129H5892H342724Then the people of Israel departed by tribes and families, and they returned to their own homes.H1121H3478H1980H6256H376H7626H4940H3318H376H515925In those days Israel had no king; all the people did whatever seemed right in their own eyes.H3117H4428H3478H376H6213H3477H5869

Psalms 76

76[For the choir director: A psalm of Asaph. A song to be accompanied by stringed instruments.] God is honored in Judah; his name is great in Israel.H5329H5058H4210H7892H623H3063H430H3045H8034H1419H34782Jerusalem is where he lives; Mount Zion is his home.H8004H5520H4585H67263There he has broken the fiery arrows of the enemy, the shields and swords and weapons of war. InterludeH7665H7565H7198H4043H2719H4421H55424You are glorious and more majestic than the everlasting mountains.H215H117H2042H29645Our boldest enemies have been plundered. They lie before us in the sleep of death. No warrior could lift a hand against us.H47H3820H7997H5123H8142H582H2428H4672H30276At the blast of your breath, O God of Jacob, their horses and chariots lay still.H1606H430H3290H7393H5483H72907No wonder you are greatly feared! Who can stand before you when your anger explodes?H3372H5975H6440H227H6398From heaven you sentenced your enemies; the earth trembled and stood silent before you.H1779H8085H8064H776H3372H82529You stand up to judge those who do evil, O God, and to rescue the oppressed of the earth. InterludeH430H6965H4941H3467H6035H776H554210Human defiance only enhances your glory, for you use it as a weapon.H2534H120H3034H7611H2534H229611Make vows to the Lord your God, and keep them. Let everyone bring tribute to the Awesome One.H5087H7999H3068H430H5439H2986H7862H417212For he breaks the pride of princes, and the kings of the earth fear him.H1219H7307H5057H3372H4428H776