Judges 20 - 21 - Legacy Standard Bible

Judges 20 - 21

A Battle Between Israel and Benjamin

Then 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 Mizpah. 2 And the chiefs 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 soldiers who 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?” 4 So 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 men of Gibeah rose up against me and surrounded the house at night because of me. They intended to kill me; instead, they violated my concubine, and she died. 6 And I seized my concubine and cut her in pieces and sent her throughout the land of Israel’s inheritance; for they have committed a lewd and disgraceful act in Israel. 7 Behold, all you sons of Israel, give your advice and counsel here.” 8 Then 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 Gibeah of Benjamin, they may do to them according to all the disgraceful acts that they have done in Israel.” 11 Thus all the men of Israel were gathered against the city, united as one man. 12 Then the tribes of Israel sent men through the entire tribe of Benjamin, saying, “What is this evil that has taken place among you? 13 So now, give up the men, the vile fellows in Gibeah, that we may put them to death and purge this evil from Israel.” But the sons of Benjamin were not willing to listen to the voice of their brothers, the sons of Israel. 14 Then the sons of Benjamin gathered from the cities to Gibeah, to go out to battle against the sons of Israel. 15 And from the cities on that day the sons of Benjamin were numbered, 26,000 men who draw the sword, besides the inhabitants of Gibeah who were numbered, 700 choice men. 16 Out of all these people 700 choice men were left-handed; each one could sling a stone at a hair and not miss. 17 And the men of Israel besides Benjamin were numbered, 400,000 men who draw the sword; all these were men of war. 18 Then the sons of Israel arose, went up to Bethel, and asked 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.” 19 So the sons of Israel arose in the morning and camped against Gibeah. 20 And the men of Israel went out to battle against Benjamin, and the men of Israel arranged themselves for battle against them at Gibeah. 21 Then the sons of Benjamin came out of Gibeah and destroyed to the ground on that day 22,000 men of Israel. 22 But 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. 23 And the sons of Israel went up and wept before Yahweh until evening and asked of Yahweh, saying, “Shall we again approach for battle against the sons of my brother Benjamin?” And Yahweh said, “Go up against him.” 24 Then the sons of Israel drew near to the sons of Benjamin the second day. 25 And 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. 26 Then all 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. 27 Then the sons of Israel asked of Yahweh (now the ark of the covenant of God was there in those days, 28 and 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, for tomorrow I will give them into your hand.” 29 So Israel set men in ambush around Gibeah. 30 And the sons of Israel went up against the sons of Benjamin on the third day and arrayed themselves against Gibeah as at other times. 31 So the sons of Benjamin went out to meet the people and were drawn away from the city, and they began to strike and 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. 32 The sons of Benjamin said, “They are defeated 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.” 33 Then all the men of Israel arose from their place and arrayed themselves at Baal-tamar; and the men of Israel in ambush burst forth of their place, even out of Maareh-geba. 34 Then 10,000 choice men from all Israel came against Gibeah, and the battle became heavy; but Benjamin did not know that calamity was about to reach them. 35 Then Yahweh defeated Benjamin before Israel, so that the sons of Israel destroyed 25,100 men of Benjamin that day, all who drew the sword. 36 So the sons of Benjamin saw that they were defeated. Now the men of Israel had given ground to Benjamin because they relied on the men in ambush whom they had set against Gibeah. 37 So 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. 38 Now the appointed sign between the men of Israel and the men in ambush was that they would make a great cloud of smoke rise from the city. 39 So the men of Israel had turned around in the battle, and Benjamin had begun to strike and slay about thirty men of Israel, for they said, “Surely they are defeated before us, as in the first battle.” 40 But the cloud began to rise from the city in a column of smoke, and Benjamin turned behind them; and behold, the whole city was going up in smoke to heaven. 41 Then the men of Israel turned around again, and the men of Benjamin were dismayed; for they saw that calamity had reached them. 42 Therefore, they turned their backs before the men of Israel toward 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. 43 They surrounded Benjamin, pursued them without rest, and trod them down opposite Gibeah to the east toward the sunrise. 44 Thus 18,000 men of Benjamin fell; all these were valiant men. 45 And the rest turned and fled toward the wilderness to the rock of Rimmon, but they caught 5,000 of them on the highways and overtook them at Gidom and struck down 2,000 of them. 46 So all of Benjamin who fell that day were 25,000 men who drew the sword; all these were valiant men. 47 But 600 men turned and fled toward the wilderness to the rock of Rimmon, and they remained at the rock of Rimmon four months. 48 Now 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

Now the men of Israel had sworn in Mizpah, saying, “None of us shall give his daughter to Benjamin as a wife.” 2 So the people came to Bethel and sat there before God until evening and lifted up their voices and wept bitterly. 3 And they said, “Why, O Yahweh, God of Israel, has this come about in Israel, so that one tribe should be missing today from Israel?” 4 Now it happened the next day that the people arose early and built an altar there and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. 5 Then 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 they had taken a great oath concerning him who did not come up to Yahweh at Mizpah, saying, “He shall surely be put to death.” 6 And 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 sworn by Yahweh not to give them any of our daughters in marriage.”

Sons of Benjamin Steal the Daughters of Shiloh

8 So 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. 9 Indeed the people were numbered, but behold, not one of the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead was there. 10 And the congregation sent 12,000 of the men of valor there and commanded them, saying, “Go and strike 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 shall devote to destruction every man and every woman who has known, that is lain with, a man.” 12 And they found among the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead 400 young virgins who had not known a man by lying with him; and they brought them to the camp at Shiloh, which is in the land of Canaan. 13 Then the whole congregation sent word and spoke to the sons of Benjamin who were at the rock of Rimmon and called out peace to them. 14 Then 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 enough for them. 15 And the people were sorry for Benjamin because Yahweh had made a breach in the tribes of Israel. 16 Then 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?” 17 And 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 had sworn, saying, “Cursed is he who gives a wife to Benjamin.” 19 So they said, “Behold, there is a feast of Yahweh from year to year in Shiloh, which is on the north side of Bethel, on the east side of the highway that goes up from Bethel to Shechem, and on the south side of Lebonah.” 20 And they commanded the sons of Benjamin, saying, “Go and lie in wait in the vineyards, 21 and watch; and behold, if the daughters of Shiloh come out to take 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 a wife in the battle, and you did not give your daughters to them; otherwise you would now be guilty.’” 23 And 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 rebuilt the cities and lived in them. 24 Then 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. 25 In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.

2 Timothy 1 - 2

Guard the Treasure Entrusted to You

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, according to the promise of life in Christ Jesus, 2 To Timothy, my beloved child: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. 3 I am grateful to God, whom I serve with a clear conscience the way my forefathers did, as I unceasingly remember you in my prayers night and day, 4 longing to see you, having remembered your tears, so that I may be filled with joy, 5 being reminded of the unhypocritical faith within you, which first dwelt in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am convinced that it is in you as well. 6 For this reason I remind you to kindle afresh the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. 7 For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and self-discipline. 8 Therefore do not be ashamed of either the witness about our Lord or me His prisoner, but join with me in suffering for the gospel according to the power of God, 9 who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus from all eternity, 10 but now has been manifested by the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, 11 for which I was appointed a preacher and an apostle and a teacher. 12 For this reason I also suffer these things, but I am not ashamed; for I know whom I have believed and I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day. 13 Hold to the standard of sound words which you have heard from me, in the faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. 14 Guard, through the Holy Spirit who dwells in us, the treasure which has been entrusted to you. 15 You are aware of this: that all who are in Asia turned away from me, among whom are Phygelus and Hermogenes. 16 The Lord give mercy to the house of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains, 17 but when he was in Rome, he eagerly searched for me and found me— 18 the Lord grant to him to find mercy from the Lord on that day—and you know very well what services he rendered at Ephesus.

Remember Jesus Christ

You therefore, my child, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 2 And the things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. 3 Suffer hardship with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. 4 No soldier in active service entangles himself in the affairs of everyday life, so that he may please the one who enlisted him as a soldier. 5 And also if anyone competes as an athlete, he is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules. 6 The hard-working farmer ought to be the first to receive his share of the crops. 7 Understand what I say, for the Lord will give you insight in everything. 8 Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, of the seed of David, according to my gospel, 9 for which I endure hardship even to chains as a criminal. But the word of God has not been chained. 10 For this reason I endure all things for the sake of the elect, so that they also may obtain the salvation, which is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory. 11 It is a trustworthy saying:

For if we died with Him, we will also live with Him;

If we endure, we will also reign with Him;

If we will deny Him, He also will deny us;

If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself.

Accurately Handle the Word of Truth

14 Remind them of these things, solemnly charging them in the presence of God not to dispute about words, which is useless and leads to the ruin of the hearers. 15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth. 16 But avoid godless and empty chatter, for it will lead to further ungodliness, 17 and their word will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, 18 who have gone astray from the truth saying that the resurrection has already taken place, and they upset the faith of some. 19 Nevertheless, the firm foundation of God stands, having this seal, “The Lord knows those who are His,” and, “Everyone who names the name of the Lord is to depart from wickedness.” 20 Now in a large house there are not only gold and silver vessels, but also vessels of wood and of clay, and some to honor and some to dishonor. 21 Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from these things, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified, useful to the Master, having been prepared for every good work. 22 Now flee from youthful lusts and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. 23 But refuse foolish and ignorant speculations, knowing that they produce quarrels. 24 And the Lord’s slave must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged, 25 with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may give them repentance leading to the full knowledge of the truth, 26 and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will.

Proverbs 4

A Father’s Wise Instruction

Hear, O sons, the discipline of a father,

And pay attention that you may know understanding,

For I give you sound learning;

Do not forsake my instruction.

When I was a son to my father,

Tender and the only son before my mother,

Then he instructed me and said to me,

“Let your heart hold fast my words;

Keep my commandments and live;

Acquire wisdom! Acquire understanding!

Do not forget and do not turn away from the sayings of my mouth.

Do not forsake her, and she will keep you;

Love her, and she will guard you.

The beginning of wisdom is: Acquire wisdom;

And with all your acquiring, acquire understanding.

Prize her, and she will exalt you;

She will honor you if you embrace her.

She will give for your head a garland of grace;

She will present you with a crown of beauty.”

Hear, my son, and receive my sayings

And the years of your life will be many.

I have instructed you in the way of wisdom;

I have led you in upright tracks.

When you walk, your steps will not be impeded;

And if you run, you will not stumble.

Seize discipline; do not let go.

Guard her, for she is your life.

Do not enter the path of wicked men

And do not step into the way of evil men.

Avoid it, do not pass by it;

Stray from it and pass on.

For they do not sleep unless they do evil;

And they are robbed of sleep unless they make someone stumble.

For they eat the bread of wickedness

And drink the wine of violence.

But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn,

That shines brighter and brighter until the fullness of day.

The way of the wicked is like thick darkness;

They do not know over what they stumble.

My son, pay attention to my words;

Incline your ear to my sayings.

Do not let them deviate from your eyes;

Keep them in the midst of your heart.

For they are life to those who find them

And healing to all his flesh.

Guard your heart with all diligence,

For from it flow the springs of life.

Put away from you a perverse mouth

And put devious lips far from you.

Let your eyes look directly ahead

And even let your eyelids be fixed straight in front of you.

Watch the track of your feet

And all your ways will be established.

Do not turn to the right nor to the left;

Turn your foot from evil.