Online Bible

Book of Judges, Chapter 20

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Judges 20 NWT - New World TranslationJudges 20 NWT - New World Translation

Chapter 20 of Judges—New World Translation (NWT)

  1. ¶ Consequently all the sons of Israel went out1 and the assembly congregated themselves as one man,2 from Dan3 down to Beʹer-sheʹba[a]4 along with the land of Gilʹe·ad,5 to Jehovah at Mizʹpah.6
  2. So the keymen[b] of all the people and all the tribes of Israel took their station in the congregation[c] of the people of the [true] God,7 four hundred thousand men on foot who drew the sword.8
  3. ¶ And the sons of Benjamin got to hear that the sons of Israel had gone up to Mizʹpah.9
    ¶ Then the sons of Israel said: “SPEAK. How has this bad thing been brought about?”10
  4. At this the man, the Levite,11 the husband of the murdered woman, answered and said: “It was to Gibʹe·ah,12 which belongs to Benjamin, that I came, I and my concubine,13 to stay overnight.
  5. And the landowners of Gibʹe·ah proceeded to rise up against me and to surround the house against me by night. It was I that they figured on killing, but it was my concubine that they raped,14 and she gradually died.15
  6. Hence I grasped my concubine and cut her up and sent her into every field of Israel’s inheritance,16 because they had carried on loose conduct17 and disgraceful folly in Israel.18
  7. Look! All YOU sons of Israel, give YOUR word and counsel19 here.”
  8. ¶ So all the people rose up as one man,20 saying: “We shall not go any of us to his tent, nor shall we turn aside any of us to his house.21
  9. And now this is the thing that we shall do to Gibʹe·ah. Let us go up[d] by lot22 against it.
  10. And we must take ten men out of a hundred of all the tribes of Israel, and a hundred out of a thousand, and a thousand out of ten thousand, to procure provisions for the people, that they may take action by going against Gibʹe·ah[e] of Benjamin, in view of all the disgraceful folly23 that they[f] did in Israel.”
  11. Thus all the men of Israel were gathered against the city as one man, as allies.
  12. ¶ Accordingly the tribes of Israel sent men to all the tribesmen[g] of Benjamin,24 saying: “What is this bad thing that has been brought about among YOU?25
  13. And now give over the men,26 the good-for-nothing men,27 that are in Gibʹe·ah,28 that we may put them to death,29 and let us clear out what is bad from Israel.”30 And the sons of Benjamin[h] did not want to listen to the voice of their brothers, the sons of Israel.31
  14. ¶ Then the sons of Benjamin went gathering together out of the cities to Gibʹe·ah to go out to battle against the sons of Israel.
  15. So the sons of Benjamin got to be mustered on that day from the cities, twenty-six thousand men drawing sword,32 apart from the inhabitants of Gibʹe·ah, of whom seven hundred chosen men were mustered.
  16. Out of all this people there were seven hundred chosen men left-handed.[i]33 Every one of these was a slinger of stones34 to a hairbreadth and would not miss.
  17. ¶ And the men of Israel were mustered apart from Benjamin, four hundred thousand men drawing sword.35 Every one of these was a man of war.
  18. And they proceeded to rise up and go on up to Bethʹel and to inquire of God.36 Then the sons of Israel said: “Who of us should go up in the lead to the battle against the sons of Benjamin?”37 To this Jehovah said: “Judah in the lead.”38
  19. ¶ After that the sons of Israel rose up in the morning and camped against Gibʹe·ah.
  20. ¶ The men of Israel now went out to battle against Benjamin; and the men of Israel proceeded to draw up in battle formation against them at Gibʹe·ah.
  21. So the sons of Benjamin came on out from Gibʹe·ah39 and brought twenty-two thousand men in Israel down to ruin to the earth on that day.40
  22. However, the people, the men of Israel, showed themselves courageous and again went drawing up in battle formation in the place where they had drawn up in formation on the first day.
  23. Then the sons of Israel went up and wept41 before Jehovah until the evening and inquired of Jehovah, saying: “Shall I again approach for battle against the sons of Benjamin my brother?”42 To this Jehovah said: “Go up against him.”
  24. ¶ Accordingly the sons of Israel drew near to the sons of Benjamin on the second day.43
  25. In turn Benjamin came on out from Gibʹe·ah to meet them on the second day and brought a further eighteen thousand men among the sons of Israel down to ruin to the earth,44 all of these drawing sword.45
  26. At that all the sons of Israel,46 even all the people, went on up and came to Bethʹel[j] and wept47 and sat there before Jehovah and fasted48 on that day until the evening and offered up burnt offerings49 and communion offerings50 before Jehovah.
  27. After that the sons of Israel inquired of Jehovah,51 as it was there that the ark of the covenant52 of the [true] God was in those days.
  28. Now Phinʹe·has53 the son of El·e·aʹzar, the son of Aaron, was standing before it in those days,54 saying: “Shall I go out yet again to battle against the sons of Benjamin my brother or shall I cease to?”55 To this Jehovah said: “Go up, because tomorrow I shall give him into your hand.”56
  29. Then Israel set men in ambush57 against Gibʹe·ah all around.
  30. ¶ And the sons of Israel proceeded to go up against the sons of Benjamin on the third day, and to draw up in formation against Gibʹe·ah the same as at the other times.58
  31. When the sons of Benjamin went on out to meet the people, they were drawn away from the city.59 Then, the same as at the other times, they started to strike down some of the people mortally wounded on the highways, one of which goes up to Bethʹel60 and the other to Gibʹe·ah,61 in the field, about thirty men in Israel.62
  32. So the sons of Benjamin began to say: “They are suffering defeat before us the same as at the first.”63 As for the sons of Israel, they said: “Let us flee,64 and we shall certainly draw them away from the city onto the highways.”
  33. And all the men of Israel rose up from their places and went drawing up in formation at Baʹal-taʹmar, while those of Israel in ambush65 were making a charge out of their places in the vicinity of Gibʹe·ah.66
  34. Thus ten thousand chosen men out of all Israel came in front of Gibʹe·ah, and the fighting was heavy; and the Benʹja·mites[k] did not know that calamity67 was impending over them.
  35. ¶ And Jehovah proceeded to defeat Benjamin68 before Israel, so that the sons of Israel on that day brought down to ruin in Benjamin twenty-five thousand one hundred men, all of these drawing sword.69
  36. ¶ However, the sons of Benjamin imagined that the men of Israel faced defeat when they kept giving ground70 to Benjamin because they trusted in the ambush that they had set against Gibʹe·ah.
  37. As for the ambush, they acted quickly and went dashing toward Gibʹe·ah.71 Then the ambush72 spread out and struck all the city with the edge of the sword.73
  38. ¶ Now the men of Israel had come to the arrangement with the ambush[l] for them to make a smoke signal[m] go up from the city.74
  39. ¶ When the sons of Israel turned around in the battle, Benjamin started to strike down about thirty men mortally wounded among the men of Israel,75 for they said: “They are unquestionably suffering nothing but defeat before us just as in the first battle.”76
  40. And the signal77 started to go up from the city as a pillar of smoke.78 So when Benjamin turned his face back, look! the whole city went up heavenward.79
  41. And the men of Israel made an about-face,80 and the men of Benjamin were disturbed,81 for they saw that calamity had reached them.82
  42. Hence they turned before the men of Israel in the direction of the wilderness, and the battle followed them up closely, while the men from out of the cities were bringing them down to ruin in their midst.
  43. They surrounded Benjamin.83 They pursued him without a place to rest.84 They trampled him down directly in front of Gibʹe·ah85 toward the rising of the sun.
  44. Finally there fell eighteen thousand men of Benjamin, all of these being valiant men.86
  45. ¶ Thus they turned and went fleeing to the wilderness to the crag of Rimʹmon.87 And they made a gleaning of five thousand men of them on the highways,88 and they kept following closely after them as far as Giʹdom and so struck down two thousand more men of them.
  46. And all those of Benjamin that fell on that day amounted at last to twenty-five thousand men drawing sword,89 all these being valiant men.
  47. But six hundred men turned and went fleeing to the wilderness to the crag of Rimʹmon, and they continued to dwell on the crag of Rimʹmon90 four months.
  48. ¶ And the men of Israel came back against the sons of Benjamin and went striking with the edge of the sword those of the city, [from] men to domestic animal up to all that were found.91 Also, all the cities that were found they consigned to the fire.92

FOOTNOTES

  1. ^ “From Dan down to Beer-sheba.” Heb., lemid·Danʹ weʽadh-Beʼerʹ Sheʹvaʽ; the first occurrence of this expression.
  2. ^ Lit., “the corner towers,” pictorial of vital or important men, chiefs.
  3. ^ “Congregation of.” Gr., ek·kle·siʹai; Lat., ec·cleʹsi·am.
  4. ^ “Let us go up,” LXX; M ­omits.
  5. ^ “Gibeah.” Lit., “Geba.” Both names mean “Hill.”
  6. ^ “They,” LXXASy; M, “it.”
  7. ^ Lit., “tribes,” M; LXXVg, “tribe”; Sy, “house.”
  8. ^ “The sons of Benjamin,” TLXXSy and the qere of 32 Heb. mss (with vowel points for “sons of,” but without the Heb. consonants, placed in front of “Benjamin”). It is qere but not kethib (read but not written).
  9. ^ “Ambidextrous,” LXX. See 3:15 ftn, “Man.”
  10. ^ “Came to the house of God,” Vg.
  11. ^ Lit., “and they.”
  12. ^ “The ambush.” Heb., ha·ʼo·revʹ. The following word heʹrev is to be omitted because of an evident dittography.
  13. ^ Lit., “an uplifting of the smoke.”

REFERENCES

  1. ^ De 13:12; Jos 22:12; Jg 21:5
  2. ^ 1Sa 11:7; 2Sa 19:14
  3. ^ Jos 19:47; Jg 18:29; 2Sa 3:10; 1Ch 21:2; 2Ch 30:5
  4. ^ 1Sa 3:20; 2Sa 24:2
  5. ^ Jos 22:9
  6. ^ 1Sa 7:5; 10:17; 2Ki 25:23
  7. ^ Ps 83:18; Is 44:8
  8. ^ Jg 20:17; 2Sa 24:9; 2Ki 3:26
  9. ^ Jg 20:1
  10. ^ Jg 19:22
  11. ^ Jg 19:1
  12. ^ Jg 19:12
  13. ^ Jg 19:2
  14. ^ Jg 19:25
  15. ^ Jg 19:26
  16. ^ Jg 19:29
  17. ^ Le 19:29; 20:14; Ps 119:150; Pr 10:23; 1Pe 4:3
  18. ^ Jg 19:23
  19. ^ Jg 19:30; Pr 11:14; 13:10; 20:18; 24:6
  20. ^ Jg 20:1
  21. ^ Pr 21:3
  22. ^ Jg 1:1; 20:18; 1Sa 14:42; Ne 11:1; Pr 16:33; Ac 1:26
  23. ^ Ge 34:7; Jg 19:23, 25; 2Sa 13:12
  24. ^ Jos 18:11
  25. ^ De 13:14; Jos 22:16; Eph 5:11
  26. ^ 2Sa 20:21
  27. ^ Jg 19:22, 25
  28. ^ Jg 19:12
  29. ^ Le 20:10
  30. ^ De 13:5; 17:7; 22:22; 1Co 5:6, 13
  31. ^ 1Sa 2:25; Pr 29:1; Ho 9:9; 10:9; Ro 9:18
  32. ^ Nu 26:41
  33. ^ Jg 3:15
  34. ^ Ge 49:27; 1Sa 17:40, 49; 1Ch 12:2; 2Ch 26:14
  35. ^ Jg 20:2
  36. ^ Ex 28:30; Nu 27:21; Jg 20:27; Pr 3:6
  37. ^ Jg 1:1
  38. ^ Ge 49:8; Nu 10:14; Jg 1:2; 1Ch 5:2
  39. ^ Jg 19:12; Ho 10:9
  40. ^ Ge 49:27; Ps 33:16; Je 12:1
  41. ^ Jg 20:26; Pr 3:5; 16:3
  42. ^ Jg 20:28
  43. ^ Jg 20:19
  44. ^ Jg 20:21
  45. ^ Jg 20:17
  46. ^ Jg 20:2
  47. ^ Jg 20:23
  48. ^ 2Ch 20:3; Ezr 8:21; Jl 1:14
  49. ^ Le 1:3
  50. ^ Le 3:1; 19:5; Jg 21:4; 1Sa 10:8
  51. ^ Nu 27:21; Jg 20:18; Ps 85:8; Pr 16:3
  52. ^ Jos 18:1; 1Sa 4:3
  53. ^ Ex 6:25; Nu 25:7; Jos 22:13; 24:33; Ps 106:30
  54. ^ Ex 28:43; 29:9
  55. ^ Jg 20:23
  56. ^ 2Sa 5:19
  57. ^ Jos 8:4; 1Sa 15:5; Pr 24:6; Ec 9:18
  58. ^ Jg 20:20, 22
  59. ^ Jos 8:16; Jg 20:36
  60. ^ Ge 28:19; Jos 18:22; Jg 20:26
  61. ^ Jg 19:12; 1Sa 10:26
  62. ^ Jg 20:39
  63. ^ Jg 20:21, 25
  64. ^ Jos 8:15
  65. ^ Jos 8:19
  66. ^ Jg 19:12
  67. ^ Jos 8:14; Jg 20:41; Pr 4:19; 28:14; 29:1
  68. ^ Nu 26:41; Jg 20:14, 28, 48
  69. ^ Le 18:29; Jg 20:15, 46
  70. ^ Jos 8:16; Jg 20:31
  71. ^ Jos 8:19
  72. ^ Jos 8:7; Jg 20:29
  73. ^ Jos 8:24
  74. ^ Jos 8:19
  75. ^ Jg 20:31
  76. ^ Jg 20:21, 25
  77. ^ Jg 20:38
  78. ^ Ge 19:28
  79. ^ Jos 8:20
  80. ^ Jos 8:21
  81. ^ Is 13:8
  82. ^ Jg 20:34
  83. ^ Jos 8:22
  84. ^ Jos 10:19
  85. ^ Ho 9:9; 10:9
  86. ^ Jg 11:1; 20:15
  87. ^ Jg 20:47; 21:13
  88. ^ Jg 20:31
  89. ^ Jg 20:15, 35
  90. ^ Jg 20:45; 21:13
  91. ^ De 13:15; Jg 20:34
  92. ^ Jos 8:19

Read Judges Chapter 20 in other Bible versions:

Comments

  1. Kiamia DoelKiamia Doel
    Jan 9, 2025 23:00 GMT

    The NWT adds words to the text that are not in the greek Manuscripts to fit it's own doctrinal position for example

    Compare the wording of the NWT and the NKJV at Colossians 1:15-17

    NKJV says

    15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. 17 And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.

    NWT says

    15 He is the image of the invisible God,the firstborn OF all creation;16 because by means of him all OTHER things were created in the heavens and on the earth, the things visible and the things invisible,whether they are thrones or lordships or governments or authorities. All OTHER things have been created through him and for him. 17 Also, he is before all OTHER things,and by means of him all OTHER things were made to exist,

    The word “other” is not in the Greek but they add it Why? So they can decieve their followers into thinking that Christ was created by the Father and that he then created other things, that is not what the Greek says.

    1. SmeSme
      Feb 27, 2025 11:17 GMT

      Truth is from God and those that follow him. As for lies? John8:44

      Kiamia, I noticed you used a modern version of kjv to make your point about the nwt.

      Why didn’t you use the original kjv of col1:15?

      Is it because it disproves your point? It proves the opposite of what you wrote?

      Here is kjv col1:15 ¶” Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn OF every creature:“

      Now I appeal to your Christian nature to correct your mistake as God is watching each of us, and let us bless the God of Jesus his father.

      Kjv 1Pe 1:3  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ….

  2. YanekYanek
    Dec 24, 2024 22:18 GMT

    Joshua, Jehovah’s Witnesses have never denied the deity of the Messiah in his prehuman existence. While on Earth he was fully 100% human. I do not mean he was a mere human, he was not affected by Adam’s unfaithful behavior, he was sinless.

  3. David yakubuDavid yakubu
    Oct 29, 2022 08:05 GMT

    When i do read some comments and seeing that its the same people that are supposed to be called believers but are talking ill of other denominations, it hurts. Let us all remember that We should judge not

    1. jonas smithjonas smith
      Apr 23, 2023 02:57 GMT

      The bible tells us to test the spirits. Satan disguises himself as angel of light. So yes some denomination are not teaching the truth. You are responsible for judging which ones are not. You have to judge the truth at all times. this is what the bible teaches

  4. THTH
    Apr 7, 2021 00:20 GMT

    The NWT is a very good translation. Dr. Jason David BeDuhn PhD attests to that in his book Truth in Translation. drive.google.com/...5p16melHzg8/view

    1. James LernerJames Lerner
      Jul 20, 2024 09:48 GMT

      The NWT is Satanic filth to its very core.

      The JW Cult is Satanic to its very core.

      Praise Yahweh I will never be a victim of JW brainwashing. If I burn in Hell for eternity or I am ultimately annihilated so be it

      May Yahweh's curse rest on the Watchtower Society and its Satanic leadership

    2. jim mcleodjim mcleod
      Aug 22, 2021 06:16 GMT

      NWT is a false translation that takes away from the deity of Jesus !

  5. SlightlyChaoticSlightlyChaotic
    Jan 30, 2021 16:33 GMT

    Thank you for taking the time to provide this service. I like seeing the NASB on your web page in the same format as I read on paper. On other sites, the text area is smaller, and so I have to keep scrolling down to read and sometimes I lose the context. So I really appreciate the format.

    As far as the NWT, you are certainly free to do whatever you think best with your own web pages. I'd suggest that you make a note anytime you have a translation that is associated with only one denomination or church, for example:
    New World Translation (Jehovah's Witness version).

    In Jesus' parable of the wheat and the tares. the main idea seems to be that you can't easily distinguish between God's people and not-God's people on this earth, so our Lord's response is to wait until they are shown to be the kind of people they are inside. But the NWT seems like false teaching to me. So I think the warning passages from Jesus' apostles are more applicable, as in 2 Peter 3:15-16, when he talks about Paul's writings:
    "There are some things in them that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures."
    And we also have the positive exhortations, as in 2 Timothy 2:15:
    "Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth."

    1. BroderickBroderick
      Jan 31, 2021 00:57 GMT

      Your suggestion regarding the denominational flagging is duly noted. But I can’t help but wonder, wouldn’t a Catholic also want “Protestant versions” marked as well?

      As for the parable, I’m pretty sure the slaves were convinced in their own minds that they could tell the tares from the wheat. After all, aren’t they the ones who identified the problem in the first place? But the master obviously thought otherwise.

      Furthermore, even at the time when Jesus himself was walking the earth, not everybody who claimed fellowship actually followed him causing John to inquire at Mark 9:39, “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in Your name, and we tried to prevent him because he was not following us.” But Jesus said, “Do not hinder him . . . for he who is not against us is for us.”

  6. Joshua HarderJoshua Harder
    Dec 11, 2020 17:48 GMT

    Hello, question.. why have you included the NWT with other legitimate bible translations? Or why have you not atleast included a warning to readers? Don't you fear that someone could be influenced by the Watchtower's intentional heresies? Thank you.

    1. KevinKevin
      Jul 11, 2021 17:45 GMT

      en.m.wikipedia.org/..._Holy_Scriptures

      See the section critical review

    2. ChrisChris
      Jan 8, 2021 07:15 GMT

      Please site these intentional heresies. I am well versed in the watch tower outline and agree they are in many ways incorrect but i also bet i can point many out from EVERY established or main denomination. There is much to learn from them all as one who drinks milk?

      Judge not lest ye be judged, that is not to pass judgement on you either brother.

      I debate with scripture. I don't hold it to be true that Michael is Y'Shua HaMeshiach but I also firmly hold it to be true that our G-d and Heavenly Father are not the word encarnate and only begotten son.

      I love not seeing "lord" which i relate to baal. I feel the catholic church is a satanic establishment and I am aware a freemason started the hovies but there are evil in high places and our fight is also with principalities.

      What i'm saying is that in my darkest hours, those two were some of if not the only ones who would bring a Bible and eucharist and pray with me.

      We all fall short of the glory of G-d.

      Don't forget the NWT was recognized as the most accurate translation on Jeopardy.

      Lastly, this is different I noted than the NWT i have read and am very familiar with. Pull up the watchtower page and compare. I truly look forward to getting this one!

  7. julietjuliet
    Aug 17, 2022 09:36 GMT

    the sky is blue

  8. mercymercy
    Aug 12, 2022 21:23 GMT

    i am Mercy, the sky is blue what else do you need

    1. mercymercy
      Aug 12, 2022 21:25 GMT

      i am so sorry, it was a big mistake

  9. God is able to do all thingsGod is able to do all things
    May 17, 2021 17:59 GMT

    Jesus how much love calling yo name

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    Jul 4, 2025 19:06 GMT

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