1. Then all the children of Israel went out and gathered together as one man from Dan to Bersabee, with the land of Galaad, to the Lord in Maspha:
2. And all the chiefs of the people, and all the tribes of Israel met together in the assembly of the people of God, four hundred thousand footmen fit for war.
3. (Nor were the children of Benjamin ignorant that the children of Israel were come up to Maspha.) And the Levite the husband of the woman that was killed, being asked, how so great a wickedness had been committed,
4. Answered: I came into Gabaa of Benjamin with my wife, and there I lodged:
5. And behold the men of that city in the night beset the house wherein I was, intending to kill me, and abused my wife with an incredible fury of lust, so that at last she died.
6. And I took her and cut her in pieces, and sent the, parts into all the borders of your possession: because there never was so heinous a crime, and so great an abomination committed in Israel.
7. You are all here, O children of Israel, determine what you ought to do.
8. And all the people standing, answered as by the voice of one man: We will not return to our tents, neither shall any one of us go into his own house:
9. But this we will do in common against Gabaa:
10. We will take ten men of a hundred out of all the tribes of Israel, and a hundred out of a thousand, and a thousand out of ten thousand, to bring victuals for the army, that we might fight against Gabaa of Benjamin, and render to it for its wickedness, what it deserveth.
11. And all Israel were gathered together against the city, as one man, with one mind, and one counsel:
12. And they sent messengers to all the tribe of Benjamin to say to them: Why hath so great an abomination been found among you?
13. Deliver up the men of Gabaa, that have committed this heinous crime, that they may die, and the evil may be taken away out of Israel. But they would not hearken to the proposition of their brethren the children of Israel:
14. But out of all the cities which were of their lot, they gathered themselves together into Gabaa, to aid them, and to fight against the whole people of Israel.
15. And there were found of Benjamin five and twenty thousand men that drew the sword, besides the inhabitants of Gabaa,
16. Who were seven hundred most valiant men, fighting with the left hand as well as with the right: and slinging stones so sure that they could hit even a hair, and not miss by the stone's going on either side.