Judges 20:1 Explained in Context

Verse 1. ¹ Then all the children of Israel went out, and the congregation was gathered together as one man, from Dan even to Beer-sheba, with the land of Gilead, unto the LORD in Mizpeh.

Verse 2. ² 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.

Verse 3. ³ (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?

Verse 4. ⁴ 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.

Verse 5. ⁵ 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.

Verse 6. ⁶ 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.

Verse 7. ⁷ Behold, ye are all children of Israel; give here your advice and counsel.

Verse 8. ⁸ 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.

Verse 9. ⁹ But now this shall be the thing which we will do to Gibeah; we will go up by lot against it;

Verse 10. ¹⁰ 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.

Verse 11. ¹¹ So all the men of Israel were gathered against the city, knit together as one man.