Judges:17-21

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* And there was a man of mount Ephraim , whose name was Micah . * And he said unto his mother , The eleven hundred shekels of silver that were taken from thee , about which thou cursedst , and spakest of also in mine ears , behold , the silver is with me ; I took it . And his mother said , Blessed be thou of the LORD , my son . * And when he had restored the eleven hundred shekels of silver to his mother , his mother said , I had wholly dedicated the silver unto the LORD from my hand for my son , to make a graven image and a molten image : now therefore I will restore it unto thee . * Yet he restored the money unto his mother ; and his mother took two hundred shekels of silver , and gave them to the founder , who made thereof a graven image and a molten image : and they were in the house of Micah . * And the man Micah had an house of gods , and made an ephod , and teraphim , and consecrated one of his sons , who became his priest . * In those days there was no king in Israel , but every man did that which was right in his own eyes . * And there was a young man out of Bethlehemjudah of the family of Judah , who was a Levite , and he sojourned there . * And the man departed out of the city from Bethlehemjudah to sojourn where he could find a place : and he came to mount Ephraim to the house of Micah , as he journeyed . * And Micah said unto him , Whence comest thou ? And he said unto him , I am a Levite of Bethlehemjudah , and I go to sojourn where I may find a place . * And Micah said unto him , Dwell with me , and be unto me a father and a priest , and I will give thee ten shekels of silver by the year , and a suit of apparel , and thy victuals . So the Levite went in . * And the Levite was content to dwell with the man ; and the young man was unto him as one of his sons . * And Micah consecrated the Levite ; and the young man became his priest , and was in the house of Micah . * Then said Micah , Now know I that the LORD will do me good , seeing I have a Levite to my priest . * In those days there was no king in Israel : and in those days the tribe of the Danites sought them an inheritance to dwell in ; for unto that day all their inheritance had not fallen unto them among the tribes of Israel . * And the children of Dan sent of their family five men from their coasts , men of valour , from Zorah , and from Eshtaol , to spy out the land , and to search it ; and they said unto them , Go , search the land : who when they came to mount Ephraim , to the house of Micah , they lodged there . * When they were by the house of Micah , they knew the voice of the young man the Levite : and they turned in thither , and said unto him , Who brought thee hither ? and what makest thou in this place ? and what hast thou here ? * And he said unto them , Thus and thus dealeth Micah with me , and hath hired me , and I am his priest . * And they said unto him , Ask counsel , we pray thee , of God , that we may know whether our way which we go shall be prosperous . * And the priest said unto them , Go in peace : before the LORD is your way wherein ye go . * Then the five men departed , and came to Laish , and saw the people that were therein , how they dwelt careless , after the manner of the Zidonians , quiet and secure ; and there was no magistrate in the land , that might put them to shame in any thing ; and they were far from the Zidonians , and had no business with any man . * And they came unto their brethren to Zorah and Eshtaol : and their brethren said unto them , What say ye ? * And they said , Arise , that we may go up against them : for we have seen the land , and , behold , it is very good : and are ye still ? be not slothful to go , and to enter to possess the land . * When ye go , ye shall come unto a people secure , and to a large land : for God hath given it into your hands ; a place where there is no want of any thing that is in the earth . * And there went from thence of the family of the Danites , out of Zorah and out of Eshtaol , six hundred men appointed with weapons of war . * And they went up , and pitched in Kirjathjearim , in Judah : wherefore they called that place Mahanehdan unto this day : behold , it is behind Kirjathjearim . * And they passed thence unto mount Ephraim , and came unto the house of Micah . * Then answered the five men that went to spy out the country of Laish , and said unto their brethren , Do ye know that there is in these houses an ephod , and teraphim , and a graven image , and a molten image ? now therefore consider what ye have to do . * And they turned thitherward , and came to the house of the young man the Levite , even unto the house of Micah , and saluted him . * And the six hundred men appointed with their weapons of war , which were of the children of Dan , stood by the entering of the gate . * And the five men that went to spy out the land went up , and came in thither , and took the graven image , and the ephod , and the teraphim , and the molten image : and the priest stood in the entering of the gate with the six hundred men that were appointed with weapons of war . * And these went into Micah 's house , and fetched the carved image , the ephod , and the teraphim , and the molten image . Then said the priest unto them , What do ye ? * And they said unto him , Hold thy peace , lay thine hand upon thy mouth , and go with us , and be to us a father and a priest : is it better for thee to be a priest unto the house of one man , or that thou be a priest unto a tribe and a family in Israel ? * And the priest 's heart was glad , and he took the ephod , and the teraphim , and the graven image , and went in the midst of the people . * So they turned and departed , and put the little ones and the cattle and the carriage before them . * And when they were a good way from the house of Micah , the men that were in the houses near to Micah 's house were gathered together , and overtook the children of Dan . * And they cried unto the children of Dan . And they turned their faces , and said unto Micah , What aileth thee , that thou comest with such a company ? * And he said , Ye have taken away my gods which I made , and the priest , and ye are gone away : and what have I more ? and what is this that ye say unto me , What aileth thee ? * And the children of Dan said unto him , Let not thy voice be heard among us , lest angry fellows run upon thee , and thou lose thy life , with the lives of thy household . * And the children of Dan went their way : and when Micah saw that they were too strong for him , he turned and went back unto his house . * And they took the things which Micah had made , and the priest which he had , and came unto Laish , unto a people that were at quiet and secure : and they smote them with the edge of the sword , and burnt the city with fire . * And there was no deliverer , because it was far from Zidon , and they had no business with any man ; and it was in the valley that lieth by Bethrehob . And they built a city , and dwelt therein . * And they called the name of the city Dan , after the name of Dan their father , who was born unto Israel : howbeit the name of the city was Laish at the first . * And the children of Dan set up the graven image : and Jonathan , the son of Gershom , the son of Manasseh , he and his sons were priests to the tribe of Dan until the day of the captivity of the land . * And they set them up Micah 's graven image , which he made , all the time that the house of God was in Shiloh . * And it came to pass in those days , when there was no king in Israel , that there was a certain Levite sojourning on the side of mount Ephraim , who took to him a concubine out of Bethlehemjudah . * And his concubine played the whore against him , and went away from him unto her father 's house to Bethlehemjudah , and was there four whole months . * And her husband arose , and went after her , to speak friendly unto her , and to bring her again , having his servant with him , and a couple of asses : and she brought him into her father 's house : and when the father of the damsel saw him , he rejoiced to meet him . * And his father in law , the damsel 's father , retained him ; and he abode with him three days : so they did eat and drink , and lodged there . * And it came to pass on the fourth day , when they arose early in the morning , that he rose up to depart : and the damsel 's father said unto his son in law , Comfort thine heart with a morsel of bread , and afterward go your way . * And they sat down , and did eat and drink both of them together : for the damsel 's father had said unto the man , Be content , I pray thee , and tarry all night , and let thine heart be merry . * And when the man rose up to depart , his father in law urged him : therefore he lodged there again . * And he arose early in the morning on the fifth day to depart : and the damsel 's father said , Comfort thine heart , I pray thee . And they tarried until afternoon , and they did eat both of them . * And when the man rose up to depart , he , and his concubine , and his servant , his father in law , the damsel 's father , said unto him , Behold , now the day draweth toward evening , I pray you tarry all night : behold , the day groweth to an end , lodge here , that thine heart may be merry ; and to morrow get you early on your way , that thou mayest go home . * But the man would not tarry that night , but he rose up and departed , and came over against Jebus , which is Jerusalem ; and there were with him two asses saddled , his concubine also was with him . * And when they were by Jebus , the day was far spent ; and the servant said unto his master , Come , I pray thee , and let us turn in into this city of the Jebusites , and lodge in it . * And his master said unto him , We will not turn aside hither into the city of a stranger , that is not of the children of Israel ; we will pass over to Gibeah . * And he said unto his servant , Come , and let us draw near to one of these places to lodge all night , in Gibeah , or in Ramah . * And they passed on and went their way ; and the sun went down upon them when they were by Gibeah , which belongeth to Benjamin . * And they turned aside thither , to go in and to lodge in Gibeah : and when he went in , he sat him down in a street of the city : for there was no man that took them into his house to lodging . * And , behold , there came an old man from his work out of the field at even , which was also of mount Ephraim ; and he sojourned in Gibeah : but the men of the place were Benjamites . * And when he had lifted up his eyes , he saw a wayfaring man in the street of the city : and the old man said , Whither goest thou ? and whence comest thou ? * And he said unto him , We are passing from Bethlehemjudah toward the side of mount Ephraim ; from thence am I : and I went to Bethlehemjudah , but I am now going to the house of the LORD ; and there is no man that receiveth me to house . * Yet there is both straw and provender for our asses ; and there is bread and wine also for me , and for thy handmaid , and for the young man which is with thy servants : there is no want of any thing . * And the old man said , Peace be with thee ; howsoever let all thy wants lie upon me ; only lodge not in the street . * So he brought him into his house , and gave provender unto the asses : and they washed their feet , and did eat and drink . * Now as they were making their hearts merry , behold , the men of the city , certain sons of Belial , beset the house round about , and beat at the door , and spake to the master of the house , the old man , saying , Bring forth the man that came into thine house , that we may know him . * And the man , the master of the house , went out unto them , and said unto them , Nay , my brethren , nay , I pray you , do not so wickedly ; seeing that this man is come into mine house , do not this folly . * Behold , here is my daughter a maiden , and his concubine ; them I will bring out now , and humble ye them , and do with them what seemeth good unto you : but unto this man do not so vile a thing . * But the men would not hearken to him : so the man took his concubine , and brought her forth unto them ; and they knew her , and abused her all the night until the morning : and when the day began to spring , they let her go . * Then came the woman in the dawning of the day , and fell down at the door of the man 's house where her lord was , till it was light . * And her lord rose up in the morning , and opened the doors of the house , and went out to go his way : and , behold , the woman his concubine was fallen down at the door of the house , and her hands were upon the threshold . * And he said unto her , Up , and let us be going . But none answered . Then the man took her up upon an ass , and the man rose up , and gat him unto his place . * And when he was come into his house , he took a knife , and laid hold on his concubine , and divided her , together with her bones , into twelve pieces , and sent her into all the coasts of Israel . * And it was so , that all that saw it said , There was no such deed done nor seen from the day that the children of Israel came up out of the land of Egypt unto this day : consider of it , take advice , and speak your minds . * Then all the children of Israel went out , and the congregation was gathered together as one man , from Dan even to Beersheba , with the land of Gilead , unto the LORD in Mizpeh . * And the chief 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 that drew sword . * (Now the children of Benjamin heard that the children of Israel were gone up to Mizpeh .) Then said the children of Israel , Tell us , how was this wickedness ? * And the Levite , the husband of the woman that was slain , answered and said , I came into Gibeah that belongeth to Benjamin , I and my concubine , to lodge . * And the men of Gibeah rose against me , and beset the house round about upon me by night , and thought to have slain me : and my concubine have they forced , that she is dead . * And 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 . * Behold , ye are all children of Israel ; give here your advice and counsel . * And all the people arose as one man , saying , We will not any of us go to his tent , neither will we any of us turn into his house . * But now this shall be the thing which we will do to Gibeah ; we will go up by lot against it ; * And we will take ten men of an hundred throughout all the tribes of Israel , and an hundred of a thousand , and a thousand out of ten thousand , to fetch victual for the people , that they may do , when they come to Gibeah of Benjamin , according to all the folly that they have wrought in Israel . * So all the men of Israel were gathered against the city , knit together as one man . * And the tribes of Israel sent men through all the tribe of Benjamin , saying , What wickedness is this that is done among you ? * Now therefore deliver us the men , the children of Belial , which are in Gibeah , that we may put them to death , and put away evil from Israel . But the children of Benjamin would not hearken to the voice of their brethren the children of Israel : * But the children of Benjamin gathered themselves together out of the cities unto Gibeah , to go out to battle against the children of Israel . * And the children of Benjamin were numbered at that time out of the cities twenty and six thousand men that drew sword , beside the inhabitants of Gibeah , which were numbered seven hundred chosen men . * Among all this people there were seven hundred chosen men lefthanded ; every one could sling stones at an hair breadth , and not miss . * And the men of Israel , beside Benjamin , were numbered four hundred thousand men that drew sword : all these were men of war . * And the children of Israel arose , and went up to the house of God , and asked counsel of God , and said , Which of us shall go up first to the battle against the children of Benjamin ? And the LORD said , Judah shall go up first . * And the children of Israel rose up in the morning , and encamped against Gibeah . * And the men of Israel went out to battle against Benjamin ; and the men of Israel put themselves in array to fight against them at Gibeah . * And the children of Benjamin came forth out of Gibeah , and destroyed down to the ground of the Israelites that day twenty and two thousand men . * And the people the men of Israel encouraged themselves , and set their battle again in array in the place where they put themselves in array the first day . * (And the children of Israel went up and wept before the LORD until even , and asked counsel of the LORD , saying , Shall I go up again to battle against the children of Benjamin my brother ? And the LORD said , Go up against him .) * And the children of Israel came near against the children of Benjamin the second day . * And Benjamin went forth 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 . * Then all the children of Israel , and all the people , went up , and came unto the house of God , and wept , and sat there before the LORD , and fasted that day until even , and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the LORD . * And the children of Israel enquired of the LORD , (for the ark of the covenant of God was there in those days , * 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 ? And the LORD said , Go up ; for to morrow I will deliver them into thine hand . * And Israel set liers in wait round about Gibeah . * And the children of Israel went up against the children of Benjamin on the third day , and put themselves in array against Gibeah , as at other times . * And the children of Benjamin went out against the people , and were drawn away from the city ; and they began to smite of the people , and kill , as at other times , in the highways , of which one goeth up to the house of God , and the other to Gibeah in the field , about thirty men of Israel . * And the children of Benjamin said , They are smitten down before us , as at the first . But the children of Israel said , Let us flee , and draw them from the city unto the highways . * And all the men of Israel rose up out of their place , and put themselves in array at Baaltamar : and the liers in wait of Israel came forth out of their places , even out of the meadows of Gibeah . * And there came against Gibeah ten thousand chosen men out of all Israel , and the battle was sore : but they knew not that evil was near them . * And the LORD smote Benjamin before Israel : and the children of Israel destroyed of the Benjamites that day twenty and five thousand and an hundred men : all these drew the sword . * So the children of Benjamin saw that they were smitten : for the men of Israel gave place to the Benjamites , because they trusted unto the liers in wait which they had set beside Gibeah . * And the liers in wait hasted , and rushed upon Gibeah ; and the liers in wait drew themselves along , and smote all the city with the edge of the sword . * Now there was an appointed sign between the men of Israel and the liers in wait , that they should make a great flame with smoke rise up out of the city . * And when the men of Israel retired in the battle , Benjamin began to smite and kill of the men of Israel about thirty persons : for they said , Surely they are smitten down before us , as in the first battle . * But when the flame began to arise up out of the city with a pillar of smoke , the Benjamites looked behind them , and , behold , the flame of the city ascended up to heaven . * And when the men of Israel turned again , the men of Benjamin were amazed : for they saw that evil was come upon them . * Therefore they turned their backs before the men of Israel unto the way of the wilderness ; but the battle overtook them ; and them which came out of the cities they destroyed in the midst of them . * Thus they inclosed the Benjamites round about , and chased them , and trode them down with ease over against Gibeah toward the sunrising . * And there fell of Benjamin eighteen thousand men ; all these were men of valour . * And they turned and fled toward the wilderness unto the rock of Rimmon : and they gleaned of them in the highways five thousand men ; and pursued hard after them unto Gidom , and slew two thousand men of them . * So that all which fell that day of Benjamin were twenty and five thousand men that drew the sword ; all these were men of valour . * But six hundred men turned and fled to the wilderness unto the rock Rimmon , and abode in the rock Rimmon four months . * And the men of Israel turned again upon the children of Benjamin , and smote them with the edge of the sword , as well the men of every city , as the beast , and all that came to hand : also they set on fire all the cities that they came to . * Now the men of Israel had sworn in Mizpeh , saying , There shall not any of us give his daughter unto Benjamin to wife . * And the people came to the house of God , and abode there till even before God , and lifted up their voices , and wept sore ; * And said , O LORD God of Israel , why is this come to pass in Israel , that there should be to day one tribe lacking in Israel ? * And it came to pass on the morrow , that the people rose early , and built there an altar , and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings . * And the children of Israel said , Who is there among all the tribes of Israel that came not up with the congregation unto the LORD ? For they had made a great oath concerning him that came not up to the LORD to Mizpeh , saying , He shall surely be put to death . * And the children of Israel repented them for Benjamin their brother , and said , There is one tribe cut off from Israel this day . * How shall we do for wives for them that remain , seeing we have sworn by the LORD that we will not give them of our daughters to wives ? * And they said , What one is there of the tribes of Israel that came not up to Mizpeh to the LORD ? And , behold , there came none to the camp from Jabeshgilead to the assembly . * For the people were numbered , and , behold , there were none of the inhabitants of Jabeshgilead there . * And the congregation sent thither twelve thousand men of the valiantest , and commanded them , saying , Go and smite the inhabitants of Jabeshgilead with the edge of the sword , with the women and the children . * And this is the thing that ye shall do , Ye shall utterly destroy every male , and every woman that hath lain by man . * And they found among the inhabitants of Jabeshgilead four hundred young virgins , that had known no man by lying with any male : and they brought them unto the camp to Shiloh , which is in the land of Canaan . * And the whole congregation sent some to speak to the children of Benjamin that were in the rock Rimmon , and to call peaceably unto them . * And Benjamin came again at that time ; and they gave them wives which they had saved alive of the women of Jabeshgilead : and yet so they sufficed them not . * And the people repented them for Benjamin , because that the LORD had made a breach in the tribes of Israel . * Then the elders of the congregation said , How shall we do for wives for them that remain , seeing the women are destroyed out of Benjamin ? * And they said , There must be an inheritance for them that be escaped of Benjamin , that a tribe be not destroyed out of Israel . * Howbeit we may not give them wives of our daughters : for the children of Israel have sworn , saying , Cursed be he that giveth a wife to Benjamin . * Then they said , Behold , there is a feast of the LORD in Shiloh yearly in a place which is on the north side of Bethel , on the east side of the highway that goeth up from Bethel to Shechem , and on the south of Lebonah . * Therefore they commanded the children of Benjamin , saying , Go and lie in wait in the vineyards ; * And see , and , behold , if the daughters of Shiloh come out to dance in dances , then come ye out of the vineyards , and catch you every man his wife of the daughters of Shiloh , and go to the land of Benjamin . * And it shall be , when their fathers or their brethren come unto us to complain , that we will say unto them , Be favourable unto them for our sakes : because we reserved not to each man his wife in the war : for ye did not give unto them at this time , that ye should be guilty . * And the children of Benjamin did so , and took them wives , according to their number , of them that danced , whom they caught : and they went and returned unto their inheritance , and repaired the cities , and dwelt in them . * And the children of Israel departed thence at that time , every man to his tribe and to his family , and they went out from thence every man to his inheritance . * In those days there was no king in Israel : every man did that which was right in his own eyes .

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