20:12 The tribes of Israel sent men throughout the tribe 2 of Benjamin, saying, “How could such a wicked thing take place? 3 20:13 Now, hand over the good-for-nothings 4 in Gibeah so we can execute them and purge Israel of wickedness.” 5 But the Benjaminites refused to listen to their Israelite brothers. 20:14 The Benjaminites came from their cities and assembled at Gibeah 6 to make war against the Israelites. 20:15 That day the Benjaminites mustered from their cities twenty-six thousand sword-wielding soldiers, besides seven hundred well-trained soldiers from Gibeah. 7 20:16 Among this army 8 were seven hundred specially-trained left-handed soldiers. 9 Each one could sling a stone and hit even the smallest target. 10 20:17 The men of Israel (not counting Benjamin) had mustered four hundred thousand sword-wielding soldiers, every one an experienced warrior. 11
20:18 The Israelites went up to Bethel 12 and asked God, 13 “Who should lead the charge against the Benjaminites?” 14 The Lord said, “Judah should lead.” 20:19 The Israelites got up the next morning and moved 15 against Gibeah.
1 tn Heb “gathered at the city as one man, united.”
2 tc The MT reads the plural, but surely the singular (which is supported by the LXX and Vulgate) is preferable here.
3 tn Heb “What is this wicked thing which happened among you?”
3 tn Heb “the men, sons of wickedness.”
4 tn Heb “and burn away wickedness from Israel.”
4 tn Heb “assembled from the cities at Gibeah.”
5 tn Heb “besides from the ones living in Gibeah they mustered seven hundred choice men.”
6 tn Heb “And from all this people.”
7 tn Heb “seven hundred choice men, bound/restricted in the right hand.” On the significance of the idiom, “bound/restricted in the right hand,” see the translator’s note on 3:15.
8 tn “at a single hair and not miss.”
7 tn Heb “a man of war.”
8 map For location see Map4-G4; Map5-C1; Map6-E3; Map7-D1; Map8-G3.
9 tn Heb “They arose and went up to Bethel and asked God, and the Israelites said.”
10 tn Heb “Who should go up for us first for battle against the sons of Benjamin?”
9 tn Heb “encamped.”