Judges 17 - 21
Micah’s Idolatry
17Now there was a man of the hill country of Ephraim whose name was Micah. 2He said to his mother, “The 1,100 pieces of silver which were taken from you, about which you uttered a curse and spoke of it 1in my hearing, behold, the silver is with me; it was I who took it.” And his mother said, “Blessed be my son by Yahweh.” 3And he then returned the 1,100 pieces of silver to his mother, and his mother said, “I wholly set apart the silver from my hand as holy to Yahweh for my son ato make a graven image and a molten image; so now I will return 1them to you.” 4So he returned the silver to his mother, and his mother took 200 pieces of silver and gave them to the silversmith. And he made 1them into a graven image and a molten image, and 2they were in the house of Micah. 5And the man Micah had a 1,ashrine, and he made an bephod and 2,chousehold idols and 3ordained one of his sons, dand he became his priest. 6In those days athere was no king in Israel; bevery man did what was right in his own eyes.
7And there was a young man from aBethlehem in Judah, of the family of Judah, who was a Levite; and he was sojourning there. 8Then the man went from the city, from Bethlehem in Judah, to sojourn wherever he might find a place; and as he made his journey, he came to the ahill country of Ephraim to the house of Micah. 9And Micah said to him, “Where do you come from?” And he said to him, “I am a Levite from Bethlehem in Judah, and I am going to sojourn wherever I may find a place.” 10Micah then said to him, “Remain with me and be aa father and a priest to me, and I will give you ten pieces of silver a year, a suit of clothes, and your sustenance.” So the Levite went in. 11And the Levite was willing to remain with the man, and the young man became to him like one of his sons. 12So Micah 1ordained the Levite, and the young man abecame his priest and 2lived in the house of Micah. 13Then Micah said, “Now I know that Yahweh will prosper me because I have a Levite as priest.”
Danites Seek an Inheritance
18aIn those days there was no king of Israel; and bin those days the tribe of the Danites was seeking an inheritance for themselves to live in, for until that day the land among the tribes of Israel had not fallen to them as an inheritance. 2So the sons of Dan sent from their family five men out of their whole number, 1men of valor from aZorah and Eshtaol, to spy out the land and to search it; and they said to them, “Go, search the land.” And they came to bthe hill country of Ephraim, to the house of Micah, and lodged there. 3They were near the house of Micah, and they recognized the voice of the young man, the Levite. So they turned aside there and said to him, “Who brought you here? And what are you doing in this place? And what do you have here?” 4And he said to them, “Thus and so has Micah done to me, and he has hired me, and aI have become his priest.” 5And they said to him, “Ask of God, please, that we may know whether our way on which we are going will be successful.” 6So the priest said to them, “Go in peace; your way in which you are going is before Yahweh.”
7Then the five men went forth and came to aLaish and saw the people who were in it living in security, after the 1manner of the Sidonians, quiet and secure; for there was no 2oppressive conqueror dishonoring them for anything in the land, and they were far from the Sidonians and had no dealings with anyone. 8So they came back to their brothers at Zorah and Eshtaol, and their brothers said to them, “What do you report?” 9And they said, “Arise, and let us go up against them; for we have seen the land, and behold, it is very good. And will you be silent? Do not delay to go, to enter, to possess the land. 10“When you enter, you will come to a secure people and a spacious land; for God has given it into your hand, aa place where there is no lack of anything that is on the earth.”
11Then from the family of the Danites, from Zorah and from Eshtaol, 600 men armed with weapons of war set out. 12And they went up and camped at Kiriath-jearim in Judah. Therefore they called that place 1,aMahaneh-dan to this day; behold, it is 2west of Kiriath-jearim. 13Then they passed from there to the hill country of Ephraim and came to the house of Micah.
Danites Take Micah’s Idols
14And the five men who went to spy out the country of Laish answered and said to their relatives, “Do you know that there are in these houses aan ephod and 1household idols and a graven image and a molten image? So now, know what you should do.” 15Then they turned aside there and came to the house of the young man, the Levite, to the house of Micah, and asked him of his welfare. 16Now the 600 men armed with their weapons of war, who were of the sons of Dan, were standing by the entrance of the gate. 17Then the five men who went to spy out the land went up and entered there, and took athe graven image and the ephod and household idols and the molten image. And the priest was standing by the entrance of the gate with the 600 men armed with weapons of war. 18Now these had entered into Micah’s house and took the graven image, the ephod and household idols and the molten image. Then the priest said to them, “What are you doing?” 19And they said to him, “Be silent; aput your hand over your mouth and come with us and be to us ba father and a priest. Is it better for you to be a priest to the house of one man or to be priest to a tribe and a family in Israel?” 20And the priest’s heart was merry, and he took the ephod and household idols and the graven image and entered among the people.
21Then they turned and went away and put the little ones and the livestock and the valuables in front of them. 22They had gone some distance from the house of Micah, and the men who were in the houses near Micah’s house were summoned and then overtook the sons of Dan. 23And they called out to the sons of Dan, who turned 1around and said to Micah, “What is the matter with you, that you were summoned together?” 24And he said, “You have taken away my gods which I made, and the priest, and have gone away, and what do I have besides? So how can you say to me, ‘What is the matter with you?’” 25Then the sons of Dan said to him, “Do not let your voice be heard among us, lest men, bitter of soul, fall upon you and you 1lose your life, with the lives of your household.” 26So the sons of Dan went on their way; and when Micah saw that they were too strong for him, he turned and went back to his house.
27Now they took what Micah had made and the priest who had belonged to him, and they came to aLaish, to a people quiet and secure, and struck them with the edge of the sword; and they burned the city with fire. 28And there was no one to deliver them because it was far from Sidon and they had no dealings with anyone, and it was in the valley which is near aBeth-rehob. And they rebuilt the city and lived in it. 29aAnd they called the name of the city Dan, after the name of Dan their father who was born in Israel; however, the name of the city formerly was Laish. 30Then the sons of Dan set up for themselves athe graven image; and Jonathan, the son of bGershom, the son of 1Moses, che and his sons were priests to the tribe of the Danites until the day of the exile of the land. 31So they set up for themselves Micah’s graven image which he had made, all the time that the ahouse of God was at Shiloh.
Benjamites Violate a Levite’s Concubine
19Now it happened in those days, when athere was no king in Israel, that there was a certain Levite sojourning in the remote part of the hill country of Ephraim, who took a concubine for himself from Bethlehem in Judah. 2But his concubine played the harlot against him, and she went away from him to her father’s house in Bethlehem in Judah and was there for a period of four months. 3Then her husband arose and went after her to aspeak to her heart in order to bring her back, and his young man was with him as well as a pair of donkeys. So she brought him into her father’s house, and the girl’s father saw him and was glad to meet him. 4And his father-in-law, the girl’s father, prevailed upon him; and he remained with him three days. So they ate and drank and spent the night there. 5Now it happened on the fourth day that they got up early in the morning, and he arose to go; and the girl’s father said to his son-in-law, “aSustain 1yourself with a piece of bread, and afterward you may go.” 6So both of them sat down and ate and drank together; and the girl’s father said to the man, “Please be willing to spend the night, and alet your heart be merry.” 7Then the man arose to go, but his father-in-law pressed him so that he turned back and spent the night there. 8And on the fifth day he arose to go early in the morning, and the girl’s father said, “Please sustain 1yourself and wait until 2afternoon”; so both of them ate. 9Then the man arose to go along with his concubine and young man, and his father-in-law, the girl’s father, said to him, “Behold now, the day has drawn 1to a close; please spend the night. Behold, the day is 2coming to an end; spend the night here that your heart may be merry. Then tomorrow you may arise early for your journey so that you may go to your tent.”
10But the man was not willing to spend the night, so he arose and went and came to a place before aJebus (that is, Jerusalem). And there were with him a pair of saddled donkeys; his concubine also was with him. 11They were alongside of Jebus, and the day was almost gone. And athe young man said to his master, “Come, please, and let us turn aside into this city of the Jebusites and spend the night in it.” 12However, his master said to him, “We will not turn aside into the city of foreigners who are not of the sons of Israel; but we will pass on by until Gibeah.” 13Then he said to his young man, “Come and let us draw near to one of these places; and we will spend the night in Gibeah or Ramah.” 14So they passed along and went their way, and the sun set on them near Gibeah which belongs to Benjamin. 15Then they turned aside there in order to enter and to spend the night in Gibeah. So 1they entered and sat down in the open square of the city. Now no one was taking them into his house to spend the night.
16But behold, an old man was coming from his work, from the field, at evening. Now the man was from athe hill country of Ephraim, and he was sojourning in Gibeah, but the men of the place bwere Benjamites. 17And he lifted up his eyes and saw the traveler in the open square of the city; and the old man said, “Where are you going, and where do you come from?” 18And he said to him, “We are passing from Bethlehem in Judah to the remote part of the hill country of Ephraim. I am from there, and I went to Bethlehem in Judah. But I am now going to 1the house of Yahweh, and no man is taking me into his house. 19“Yet there is both straw and fodder for our donkeys, and also bread and wine for me, 1your maidservant, and athe young man who is with your servants; there is no lack of anything.” 20Then the old man said, “aPeace be to you. Only let me take care of all that you lack; however, do not spend the night in the open square.” 21aSo he brought him into his house and gave the donkeys fodder, and they washed their feet and ate and drank.
22They were making their hearts merry, and behold, athe men of the city, certain 1,bvile fellows, surrounded the house, pounding the door; and they spoke to the owner of the house, the old man, saying, “Bring out the man who came into your house that we may 2know him.” 23Then the man, the owner of the house, went out to them and said to them, “No, my brothers, please do not do evil. Since this man has come into my house, ado not commit this disgraceful act. 24“aBehold, my daughter who is a virgin, and his concubine—please let me bring them out that you may violate them and do to them whatever is good in your eyes. But do not commit such a disgraceful act against this man.” 25But the men were not willing to listen to him. So the man took hold of his concubine and brought her out to them; and they knew her and abused her all night until morning, and they let her go at the 1breaking of dawn. 261As the day began to dawn, the woman came and fell down at the doorway of the man’s house where her master was, until full daylight.
27Then her master arose in the morning and opened the doors of the house and went out to go on his way, and behold, the woman, his concubine, was lying at the doorway of the house with her hands on the threshold. 28And he said to her, “Get up and let us go,” abut there was no answer. Then he took her on the donkey; and the man arose and went to his 1home. 29Then he entered his house and took a knife and took hold of his concubine and acut her in twelve pieces, limb by limb, and sent her throughout the territory of Israel. 30And all who saw it said, “Nothing like this has ever happened or been seen from the day when the sons of Israel came up from the land of Egypt to this day. Consider it; atake counsel and speak up!”
A Battle Between Israel and Benjamin
20Then all the sons of Israel from Dan to Beersheba, including the land of Gilead, came out, and the congregation assembled as one man to Yahweh at aMizpah. 2And the 1chiefs of all the people, even of all the tribes of Israel, took their stand in the assembly of the people of God, 400,000 foot 2soldiers awho draw the sword. 3(Then the sons of Benjamin heard that the sons of Israel had gone up to Mizpah.) And the sons of Israel said, “Tell us, how did this evil take place?” 4So the Levite, the husband of the woman who was murdered, answered and said, “I came with my concubine to spend the night at Gibeah which belongs to Benjamin. 5“Then the amen of Gibeah rose up against me and surrounded the house at night because of me. They intended to kill me; instead, they bviolated my concubine, and she died. 6“And I aseized my concubine and cut her in pieces and sent her throughout the land of Israel’s inheritance; for bthey have committed a lewd and disgraceful act in Israel. 7“Behold, all you sons of Israel, agive your advice and counsel here.”
8Then all the people arose as one man, saying, “Not one of us will go to his tent, nor will any of us turn aside to his house. 9“But now this is the thing which we will do to Gibeah; we will go up against it by lot. 10“And we will take 10 men out of 100 throughout the tribes of Israel, and 100 out of 1,000, and 1,000 out of 10,000 in order to take up provisions for the people, that when they come to 1Gibeah of Benjamin, they may do to them according to all the disgraceful acts that they have done in Israel.” 11Thus all the men of Israel were gathered against the city, united as one man.
12Then the tribes of Israel sent men through the entire 1tribe of Benjamin, saying, “What is this evil that has taken place among you? 13“So now, give up the men, the 1,avile fellows in Gibeah, that we may put them to death and bpurge this evil from Israel.” But the sons of Benjamin were not willing to listen to the voice of their brothers, the sons of Israel. 14Then the sons of Benjamin gathered from the cities to Gibeah, to go out to battle against the sons of Israel. 15And from the cities on that day the asons of Benjamin were 1numbered, 26,000 men who draw the sword, besides the inhabitants of Gibeah who were 2numbered, 700 choice men. 16Out of all these people 700 achoice men were left-handed; each one could sling a stone at a hair and not miss.
17And the men of Israel besides Benjamin were 1numbered, 400,000 men who draw the sword; all these were men of war.
18Then the sons of Israel arose, went up to Bethel, and aasked of God and said, “Who shall go up for us to begin the battle against the sons of Benjamin?” Then Yahweh said, “Judah shall begin it.”
19So the sons of Israel arose in the morning and camped against Gibeah. 20And the men of Israel went out to battle against Benjamin, and the men of Israel arranged themselves for battle against them at Gibeah. 21Then the sons of Benjamin came out of Gibeah and adestroyed to the ground on that day 22,000 men of Israel. 22But the people, the men of Israel, strengthened themselves and arranged themselves for battle again in the place where they had arranged themselves the first day. 23aAnd the sons of Israel went up and wept before Yahweh until evening and basked of Yahweh, saying, “Shall we again approach for battle against the sons of my brother Benjamin?” And Yahweh said, “Go up against him.”
24Then the sons of Israel drew near to the sons of Benjamin the second day. 25And Benjamin went out to meet them from Gibeah the second day and destroyed to the ground again 18,000 men of the sons of Israel; all these drew the sword. 26Then aall the sons of Israel and all the people went up and came to Bethel and wept; thus they remained there before Yahweh and fasted that day until evening. And they offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before Yahweh. 27Then the sons of Israel aasked of Yahweh (now the ark of the covenant of God was there in those days, 28and Phinehas the son of Eleazar, Aaron’s son, stood before it to minister in those days), saying, “Shall I yet again go out to battle against the sons of my brother Benjamin, or shall I cease?” And Yahweh said, “Go up, afor tomorrow I will give them into your hand.”
29aSo Israel set men in ambush around Gibeah. 30And the sons of Israel went up against the sons of Benjamin on the third day and arrayed themselves against Gibeah as at other times. 31aSo the sons of Benjamin went out to meet the people and were drawn away from the city, and they began to strike 1and slay some of the people as at other times, on the highways, one of which goes up to Bethel and the other to Gibeah, and in the field, about thirty men of Israel. 32The sons of Benjamin said, “They are 1defeated before us, as at the first.” But the sons of Israel said, “Let us flee that we may draw them away from the city to the highways.” 33Then all the men of Israel arose from their place and arrayed themselves at Baal-tamar; aand the men of Israel in ambush burst forth of their place, even out of Maareh-geba. 34Then 10,000 choice men from all Israel came against Gibeah, and the battle became heavy; abut 1Benjamin did not know that 2calamity was 3about to reach them. 35Then Yahweh 1defeated Benjamin before Israel, so that the sons of Israel destroyed 25,100 men of Benjamin that day, all 2who drew the sword.
36So the sons of Benjamin saw that they were 1defeated. aNow the men of Israel had given 2ground to Benjamin because they relied on the men in ambush whom they had set against Gibeah. 37aSo the men in ambush hurried and rushed against Gibeah. Then the men in ambush deployed and struck all the city with the edge of the sword. 38Now the appointed sign between the men of Israel and the men in ambush was athat they would make a great cloud of smoke rise from the city. 39So the men of Israel had turned around in the battle, and Benjamin had begun to strike 1and slay about thirty men of Israel, afor they said, “Surely they are 2defeated before us, as in the first battle.” 40But the cloud began to rise from the city in a column of smoke, and Benjamin turned abehind them; and behold, the whole city was going up in smoke to heaven. 41Then the men of Israel turned around again, and the men of Benjamin were dismayed; for they saw that 1,acalamity had 2reached them. 42Therefore, they turned their backs before the men of Israel atoward the direction of the wilderness, but the battle overtook them, and those who came out of the cities destroyed them in the midst of them. 43aThey surrounded Benjamin, pursued them without rest, and trod them down opposite Gibeah to the east toward the sunrise. 44Thus 18,000 men of Benjamin fell; all these were valiant men. 451And the rest turned and fled toward the wilderness to the rock of aRimmon, but they 2caught 5,000 of them on the highways and overtook them 3at Gidom and struck down 2,000 of them. 46So all of Benjamin who fell that day were 25,000 men who drew the sword; all these were valiant men. 47But 600 men turned and fled toward the wilderness to the rock of Rimmon, and they remained at the rock of Rimmon four months. 48Now the men of Israel returned to the sons of Benjamin and struck them with the edge of the sword, both the entire city with the cattle and all that they found; they also set on fire all the cities which they found.
A Tribe Is Cut Off
21Now the men of Israel ahad sworn in Mizpah, saying, “None of us shall give his daughter to Benjamin as a wife.” 2aSo the people came to Bethel and sat there before God until evening and lifted up their voices and wept 1bitterly. 3And they said, “Why, O Yahweh, God of Israel, has this come about in Israel, so that one tribe should be missing today from Israel?” 4Now it happened the next day that the people arose early and built aan altar there and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings.
5Then the sons of Israel said, “Who is there among all the tribes of Israel who did not come up in the assembly to Yahweh?” For 1they had taken a great oath concerning him awho did not come up to Yahweh at Mizpah, saying, “He shall surely be put to death.” 6And the sons of Israel were sorry for their brother Benjamin and said, “One tribe is cut off from Israel today. 7“What shall we do for wives for those who are left? But we have asworn by Yahweh not to give them any of our daughters in marriage.”
Sons of Benjamin Steal the Daughters of Shiloh
8So they said, “What one is there of the tribes of Israel who did not come up to Yahweh at Mizpah?” And behold, no one had come to the camp from Jabesh-gilead to the assembly. 9Indeed the people were 1numbered, but behold, not one of the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead was there. 10And the congregation sent 12,000 of the men of valor there and commanded them, saying, “Go and astrike the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead with the edge of the sword, with the women and the little ones. 11“Now this is the thing that you shall do: you ashall devote to destruction every man and every woman who has known, that is lain with, a man.” 12And they found among the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead 400 young virgins who had not known a man by lying with 1him; and they brought them to the camp at Shiloh, which is in the land of Canaan.
13Then the whole congregation sent word and spoke to the sons of Benjamin who were aat the rock of Rimmon and bcalled out peace to them. 14Then Benjamin returned at that time, and they gave them the women whom they had kept alive from the women of Jabesh-gilead; yet they did not find 1enough for them. 15And the people were sorry for Benjamin because Yahweh had made a breach in the tribes of Israel.
16Then the elders of the congregation said, “What shall we do for wives for those who are left, since the women are destroyed out of Benjamin?” 17And they said, “There must be a possession for the survivors of Benjamin, so that a tribe will not be blotted out from Israel. 18“But we cannot give them wives of our daughters.” For the sons of Israel ahad sworn, saying, “Cursed is he who gives a wife to Benjamin.”
19So they said, “Behold, there is a feast of Yahweh from year to year in aShiloh, which is on the north side of Bethel, on 1the east side of the highway that goes up from Bethel to Shechem, and on the south side of Lebonah.” 20And they commanded the sons of Benjamin, saying, “Go and lie in wait in the vineyards, 21and watch; and behold, if the daughters of Shiloh come out to 1,atake part in the dances, then you shall come out of the vineyards, and each of you shall catch his wife from the daughters of Shiloh and go to the land of Benjamin. 22“And it will be when their fathers or their brothers come to contend with us, that we shall say to them, ‘Be gracious to us concerning them because we did not take for each man of Benjamin 1a wife in the battle, 2,aand you did not give your daughters to them; otherwise you would now be guilty.’” 23And the sons of Benjamin did so and carried away wives according to their number from those who danced, whom they stole away. And they went and returned to their inheritance and arebuilt the cities and lived in them. 24Then the sons of Israel went away from there at that time, every man to his tribe and family, and each one of them went out from there to his inheritance.
25aIn those days there was no king in Israel; every man did what was right in his own eyes.