Bagian: Perang saudara antara suku Benyamin dan suku Israel lainnya
1Maka para pemimpin suku-suku Israel mengadakan pertemuan penting untuk seluruh umat TUHAN. Semua suku berkumpul dan bersatu di hadapan TUHAN di Mispa. Hanya suku Benyamin yang sengaja tidak hadir di pertemuan itu. Tetapi yang lain semuanya datang, dari wilayah Dan di utara sampai Bersyeba di selatan, termasuk daerah Gilead. Pasukan yang hadir berjumlah 400.000 orang bersenjata pedang. Di sana, para pemimpin bertanya kepada suami dari perempuan yang mati itu, “Ceritakanlah kepada kami, bagaimana kejahatan itu terjadi?”4Jawabnya, “Saya dan gundik saya datang ke kota Gibea milik suku Benyamin untuk menginap di sana.5Malam harinya, orang kota itu mengepung rumah tempat kami bermalam untuk membunuh saya. Lalu mereka memperkosa gundik saya sampai dia mati.6Mayat itu saya potong-potong dan saya kirimkan ke seluruh wilayah Israel supaya semua tahu bahwa Gibea sudah melakukan perbuatan yang begitu hina dan keji di tengah-tengah bangsa Israel.7Jadi, hai umat Israel semuanya, pertimbangkanlah dan putuskanlah apa yang harus kita lakukan!”8Dengan serentak seluruh rakyat bangkit dan berseru, “Tidak ada seorang pun dari kita yang akan kembali ke kemah atau pulang ke rumah sebelum masalah ini dibereskan!9“Inilah yang akan kita lakukan terhadap Gibea: Kita akan mengundi untuk menentukan regu pasukan yang akan menyerang mereka.10Dan kita akan memilih sepersepuluh orang dari setiap suku Israel untuk menyediakan makanan bagi regu yang masuk pertempuran ini. Kekejian yang dilakukan warga Gibea terhadap Israel harus dibalas!”11Demikianlah seluruh bangsa Israel bersatu untuk menyerang Gibea.12Kemudian suku-suku Israel mengutus pembawa pesan ke seluruh suku Benyamin untuk menyampaikan, “Kalian harus mengakui bahwa orang-orangmu sudah melakukan kejahatan besar, dan hal itu harus dihukum!13Serahkanlah orang-orang bejat di Gibea itu untuk kita hukum mati, agar kejahatan ini terhapus dari Israel.” Akan tetapi, suku Benyamin tidak mau mendengarkan saudara-saudara mereka, yaitu umat Israel dari suku-suku lain.14Malahan, orang-orang Benyamin dari kota-kota lain berkumpul di Gibea untuk berperang melawan bangsa Israel.15Sebanyak 26.000 orang suku Benyamin bersenjata pedang berkumpul dari kota-kota lain saat itu, belum termasuk 700 pasukan terlatih dari Gibea.16Di antara semua pasukan itu, ada 700 orang kidal yang bisa menembakkan batu tanpa meleset sehelai rambut pun.17Sedangkan bangsa Israel selain suku Benyamin mengumpulkan 400.000 orang bersenjata pedang. Semuanya berpengalaman dalam perang.18Lalu pasukan Israel pergi mendaki ke Betel. Di situ mereka bertanya kepada Allah, “Siapakah di antara kami yang lebih dulu maju berperang melawan suku Benyamin?” TUHAN menjawab, “Suku Yehuda yang pertama.”19Besok paginya, pasukan Israel berangkat dan berkemah di dekat Gibea.20Mereka maju untuk menyerang suku Benyamin. Pasukan Israel itu membuat barisan perang menghadap ke Gibea.21Lalu keluarlah pasukan Benyamin dari Gibea dan membunuh 22.000 orang Israel pada hari itu juga.22Maka bangsa Israel pergi ke Betel dan menangis di hadapan TUHAN sampai malam. Mereka bertanya kepada TUHAN, “Oh TUHAN, perlukah kami berperang lagi melawan suku Benyamin, saudara kami sendiri?” Jawab TUHAN, “Maju dan lawanlah mereka.” Maka mereka mengumpulkan semangat dan kembali membuat barisan perang di tempat yang sama seperti hari pertama.24Pada hari yang kedua itu, bangsa Israel maju melawan suku Benyamin.25Lalu keluarlah pasukan Benyamin dari Gibea pada hari itu dan membunuh 18.000 tentara Israel.26Maka seluruh pasukan Israel pergi lagi ke Betel dan menangis di hadapan TUHAN. Di sana mereka berpuasa sampai malam serta mempersembahkan kurban yang dibakar habis dan kurban tanda damai kepada TUHAN.27Pada waktu itu, peti perjanjian Allah ada di sana. Imam yang melayani adalah Pinehas anak Eliezer, cucu Harun. Bangsa Israel pun bertanya kepada TUHAN, “Perlukah kami maju sekali lagi melawan suku Benyamin, saudara-saudara kami, atau haruskah kami berhenti?” TUHAN menjawab, “Majulah, karena besok Aku akan membuat kalian menang atas mereka.”29Maka bangsa Israel menempatkan sebagian pasukan mereka bersembunyi di sekeliling Gibea.30Pada hari yang ketiga itu, pasukan Israel kembali maju melawan suku Benyamin. Mereka membuat barisan perang menghadap ke Gibea seperti sebelumnya.31Lalu keluarlah pasukan Benyamin dari kota Gibea melawan pasukan Israel. Mereka terpancing oleh pasukan Israel untuk menjauh dari kota. Seperti sebelumnya, pasukan Benyamin mulai membunuh beberapa tentara Israel di padang-padang dan di sepanjang jalan utama, baik ke arah kota Betel maupun ke arah Gibea. Kira-kira tiga puluh pasukan Israel terbunuh.32Kata orang Benyamin, “Kita mengalahkan mereka seperti sebelumnya!” Tetapi sebenarnya pasukan Israel memang sengaja lari supaya orang Benyamin mengejar mereka semakin jauh dari kota.33Pasukan Israel itu mundur dari posisi mereka sampai ke Baal Tamar. Di situ mereka mengatur kembali barisan perang untuk melakukan serangan balik. Pada saat yang sama, pasukan Israel lainnya keluar dari tempat persembunyian mereka di sebelah barat Gibea34dan menyerang kota itu. Jumlah mereka sebanyak 10.000 pasukan Israel pilihan. Peperangan itu begitu sengit sehingga pasukan Benyamin tidak sadar bahwa sebentar lagi mereka akan binasa.35TUHAN membuat bangsa Israel menang atas suku Benyamin. Hari itu, pasukan Israel membunuh 25.100 tentara Benyamin.
Bagian: Strategi mengalahkan suku Benyamin
36Akhirnya suku Benyamin sadar bahwa mereka sudah kalah. Pasukan Israel lari dari pasukan Benyamin supaya pasukan Benyamin terpancing menjauh dari kota. Dengan begitu, pasukan Israel yang bersembunyi di sekeliling Gibea bisa leluasa menyerang kota itu.37Mereka menyerbu ke dalam kota dan membunuh semua yang ada di sana.38Sebelum perang dimulai, pasukan yang bersembunyi itu sudah bersepakat dengan pasukan Israel utama, bahwa sesudah mereka menyerbu Gibea, mereka akan menaikkan asap tebal sebagai tanda39bahwa pasukan Israel utama harus berbalik menyerang. Waktu itu, pasukan Benyamin sudah mulai mengalahkan dan membunuh sekitar tiga puluh orang Israel. Mereka berseru, “Kita mengalahkan mereka seperti sebelumnya!”40Tetapi asap tebal mulai naik dari kota itu. Ketika pasukan Benyamin menengok ke belakang, kota itu sudah terbakar! Asapnya naik tinggi ke langit.41Saat itulah pasukan Israel yang utama berbalik menyerang Benyamin. Pasukan Benyamin sangat ketakutan karena mereka sadar bahwa kehancuran mereka sudah dekat.42Maka mereka berbalik dan kabur dari pasukan utama Israel. Mereka lari ke arah padang belantara. Tetapi orang Benyamin tidak berhasil lepas dari pertempuran itu. Pasukan Israel yang lain keluar dari Gibea dan menghabisi mereka di tengah jalan.43Karena dikepung, pasukan Benyamin tidak bisa lari jauh, dan kebanyakan terbunuh di sebelah timur Gibea.44Sebanyak 18.000 prajurit terbaik Benyamin mati dalam pertempuran itu.45Orang-orang yang tersisa berusaha melarikan diri ke bukit batu Rimon. Namun, pasukan Israel membunuh 5.000 tentara Benyamin di tengah jalan, dan 2.000 lagi ketika mengejar yang lain sampai ke Gidom.46Jadi, sebanyak 25.000 pasukan terbaik suku Benyamin gugur pada hari itu.47Hanya enam ratus orang yang berhasil kabur ke bukit batu Rimon di padang belantara. Mereka tinggal di sana selama empat bulan.48Kemudian bangsa Israel kembali dan menumpas segala milik suku Benyamin tanpa kecuali, baik manusia maupun binatang. Mereka juga membakar semua kota Benyamin.
World English Bible (dengan Deuterokanonika)
1Then all the children of Israel went out, and the congregation was assembled as one man, from Dan even to Beersheba, with the land of Gilead, to Yahweh at Mizpah.2The chiefs 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 who drew sword.3(Now the children of Benjamin heard that the children of Israel had gone up to Mizpah.) The children of Israel said, “Tell us, how did this wickedness happen?”4The Levite, the husband of the woman who was murdered, answered, “I came into Gibeah that belongs to Benjamin, I and my concubine, to spend the night.5The men of Gibeah rose against me, and surrounded the house by night. They intended to kill me and they raped my concubine, and she is dead.6I 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.7Behold, you children of Israel, all of you, give here your advice and counsel.”8All the people arose as one man, saying, “None of us will go to his tent, neither will any of us turn to his house.9But now this is the thing which we will do to Gibeah: we will go up against it by lot;10and we will take ten men of one hundred throughout all the tribes of Israel, and one hundred of one thousand, and a thousand out of ten thousand to get food for the people, that they may do, when they come to Gibeah of Benjamin, according to all the folly that the men of Gibeah have done in Israel.”11So all the men of Israel were gathered against the city, knit together as one man.12The tribes of Israel sent men through all the tribe of Benjamin, saying, “What wickedness is this that has happened among you?13Now therefore deliver up the men, the wicked fellows who are in Gibeah, that we may put them to death and put away evil from Israel.” But Benjamin would not listen to the voice of their brothers, the children of Israel.14The children of Benjamin gathered themselves together out of the cities to Gibeah, to go out to battle against the children of Israel.15The children of Benjamin were counted on that day out of the cities twenty-six thousand men who drew the sword, in addition to the inhabitants of Gibeah, who were counted seven hundred chosen men.16Among all these soldiers there were seven hundred chosen men who were left-handed. Every one of them could sling a stone at a hair and not miss.17The men of Israel, besides Benjamin, were counted four hundred thousand men who drew sword. All these were men of war.18The children of Israel arose, went up to Bethel, and asked counsel of God. They asked, “Who shall go up for us first to battle against the children of Benjamin?” Yahweh said, “Judah first.”19The children of Israel rose up in the morning and encamped against Gibeah.20The men of Israel went out to battle against Benjamin; and the men of Israel set the battle in array against them at Gibeah.21The children of Benjamin came out of Gibeah, and on that day destroyed twenty-two thousand of the Israelite men down to the ground.22The people, the men of Israel, encouraged themselves, and set the battle again in array in the place where they set themselves in array the first day.23The children of Israel went up and wept before Yahweh until evening; and they asked of Yahweh, saying, “Shall I again draw near to battle against the children of Benjamin my brother?” Yahweh said, “Go up against him.”24The children of Israel came near against the children of Benjamin the second day.25Benjamin went out 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.26Then all the children of Israel and all the people went up, and came to Bethel, and wept, and sat there before Yahweh, and fasted that day until evening; then they offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before Yahweh.27The children of Israel asked Yahweh (for the ark of the covenant of God was there in those days,28and 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?” Yahweh said, “Go up; for tomorrow I will deliver him into your hand.”29Israel set ambushes all around Gibeah.30The children of Israel went up against the children of Benjamin on the third day, and set themselves in array against Gibeah, as at other times.31The children of Benjamin went out against the people, and were drawn away from the city; and they began to strike and kill of the people as at other times, in the highways, of which one goes up to Bethel and the other to Gibeah, in the field, about thirty men of Israel.32The children of Benjamin said, “They are struck down before us, as at the first.” But the children of Israel said, “Let’s flee, and draw them away from the city to the highways.”33All the men of Israel rose up out of their place and set themselves in array at Baal Tamar. Then the ambushers of Israel broke out of their place, even out of Maareh Geba.34Ten thousand chosen men out of all Israel came over against Gibeah, and the battle was severe; but they didn’t know that disaster was close to them.35Yahweh struck Benjamin before Israel; and the children of Israel destroyed of Benjamin that day twenty-five thousand one hundred men. All these drew the sword.36So the children of Benjamin saw that they were struck, for the men of Israel yielded to Benjamin because they trusted the ambushers whom they had set against Gibeah.37The ambushers hurried, and rushed on Gibeah; then the ambushers spread out, and struck all the city with the edge of the sword.38Now the appointed sign between the men of Israel and the ambushers was that they should make a great cloud of smoke rise up out of the city.39The men of Israel turned in the battle, and Benjamin began to strike and kill of the men of Israel about thirty persons; for they said, “Surely they are struck down before us, as in the first battle.”40But when the cloud began to arise up out of the city in a pillar of smoke, the Benjamites looked behind them; and behold, the whole city went up in smoke to the sky.41The men of Israel turned, and the men of Benjamin were dismayed; for they saw that disaster had come on them.42Therefore they turned their backs before the men of Israel to the way of the wilderness, but the battle followed hard after them; and those who came out of the cities destroyed them in the middle of it.43They surrounded the Benjamites, chased them, and trod them down at their resting place, as far as near Gibeah toward the sunrise.44Eighteen thousand men of Benjamin fell; all these were men of valor.45They turned and fled toward the wilderness to the rock of Rimmon. They gleaned five thousand men of them in the highways, and followed hard after them to Gidom, and struck two thousand men of them.46So that all who fell that day of Benjamin were twenty-five thousand men who drew the sword. All these were men of valor.47But six hundred men turned and fled toward the wilderness to the rock of Rimmon, and stayed in the rock of Rimmon four months.48The men of Israel turned again on the children of Benjamin, and struck them with the edge of the sword—including the entire city, the livestock, and all that they found. Moreover they set all the cities which they found on fire.