And they answered him, "Hold thy peace, and put thine hand upon thy mouth, and come with us, and be unto us a father and a priest. Whether is it better for thee to be a priest? Unto the house of one man, or to be priest unto a tribe or a kindred in Israel?"

And the priest was glad and took the ephod and the images, and the graven image, and went with the people.

And they turned and departed, and put the children, the cattle and their costly things before them.

When they were a good way from the house of Micah, the men that were in the houses that were by Micah's house, made an outcry, and followed after the children of Dan and called unto them.

And they turned their faces, and said unto Micah, "What aileth thee, that thou makest an outcry?"

And he said, "Ye have taken away my gods which I made, and also the priest, and go your ways with them! And what have I more? How then say ye 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 all thine household too."

And so the children of Dan went their ways. And when Micah saw that they were too strong for him, he turned and went back unto his house again.

And they took the things which Micah had made, and the priest which he had, and went unto Laish, even unto a people that were at rest and without mistrust, and smote them with the edge of the sword and burnt the city with fire.

And there was no man to help, because it was far from Sidon, and they had no meddling with any other nation. And the city stood in the valley that lieth by Bethrehob. And they built the city and dwelt therein.

And called it Dan, after the name of Dan their father which was born unto Israel. Howbeit in very deed the name of the city was Laish at the beginning.

And the children of Dan set them up the graven image. And Jonathan the son of Gershon, the son of Manasseh and his sons were the priests unto the tribe of the Danites, until they were carried away out of the land captive.

And they set them up the carved image which Micah made, all the while that the house of God was in Shiloh.

which concubine played the whore in his house, and went away from him, unto her father's house to Bethlehem Judah, and there continued four months.

And her husband arose and went after her, to speak friendly unto her, and to bring her home again; and his lad with him and a couple of asses. And she brought him unto her father's house, and when the father of the damsel saw him, he rejoiced of his coming.

And his father-in-law, the damsel's father, kept him that he abode with him three days and so they ate and drank and lodged there.

The fourth day they arose early in the morning, and the man stood up to depart. But the damsel's father said unto his son-in-law, "Comfort thine heart with a morsel of bread and then go your way."

And they sat down and did eat and drink both of them together. Then said the damsel's father unto the man, "Go to, I pray thee, and tarry all night and let thine heart be merry."

Howbeit, the man stood up to depart: but his father-in-law compelled him to turn again and to tarry all night there.

And he rose up early the fifth day to depart. Then said the damsel's father, "Comfort thine heart": and so made him tarry until after midday. And they did eat both of them together.

And then the man arose to depart with his concubine and his lad. But his father-in-law, the damsel's father, said unto him, "Behold, the day goeth fast away and draweth toward even. Tarry all night: at the least way tarry this day here and let thine heart be merry. And tomorrow get you early upon your way and get thee to thy tent."

Neverthelater, the man would not tarry, but arose and departed and came as far as Jebus, which is Jerusalem, and his two asses laden, and his concubine, and his lad with him.

And when they were fast by Jebus, the day was sore spent and the young man said unto his master, "Come I pray thee and let us turn in, into this city of the Jebusites and lodge all night there."

But his master said unto him, "We will not turn in to a strange city that are not of the children of Israel: we will go forth to Gibeah."

And he said unto his lad, "Go forward, and we shall come to one place or other and shall lodge all night in Gibeah or in Ramah."

And they went forward upon their way, and the sun went down upon them when they were fast by Gibeah which is in Benjamin.

And they turned thitherward to go and lodge all night in Gibeah. And when they came in, they sat them down in a street of the city, for there was no man took them in to lodge.

But behold, there came an old man from his work, out of the fields, at even - which was also of mount Ephraim, and but a stranger in Gibeah, for the men of the place were of the children of Benjamin.

And when he had lifted up his eyes, and saw a wayfaring man in the streets of the city he said, "Whither goest thou? And whence comest thou?"

And the other answered him, "We come from Bethlehem Judah toward the side of mount Ephraim: from thence am I, and went to Bethlehem Judah and go now to the house of the LORD. But there is no man that receiveth me to house:

and yet I have straw and provender for our asses, and bread and wine for me and thy handmaid, and thy lad that are with thy servant, and lack nothing."

And he brought him into his house, and gave fodder unto his asses. And they washed their feet, and did eat and drink.

And as they were making their hearts merry, the men of the city which were wicked, set the house round about, and thrust at the door, and spake to the man of the house, the old man, saying, "Bring forth the man that came into thine house, that we may know him."

But the man of the house went out to them and said unto them, "Oh, nay my brethren, do not so wickedly seeing that this man is come into mine house: do not this folly.

Behold my daughter, yet a virgin, and this man's concubine: them I will bring out unto you, and humble them, and do with them what seemeth you good: but unto this man, do not this folly."

But the men would not hearken to him. Nevertheless the man took his concubine and brought her out unto them, and they had to do with her, and entreated her shamefully, all the night even unto the morning. And when the day began to spring, they let her go.

And 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, and there she lay till day.

And her lord arose up in the morning and opened the doors of the house and went out to go his way. And behold, his concubine lay along before the door of the house, and her hand upon the threshold.

And he said unto her, "Up, and let us be going." But she answered not. Then he took her up upon an ass and stood up and gat him unto his own home.

And when he was come unto his house, he took a dressing knife, and caught his concubine and divided her through the bones into twelve pieces, and sent her into all quarters of Israel.

And all that saw it said, "There was no such deed done or seen since the children of Israel came out of Egypt unto this day. Consider the matter, give counsel and say your minds."

Then all the children of Israel went out: and there gathered a congregation together as it had been but one man, even from Dan to Beersheba and out of the land of Gilead, unto the land to Mizpeh.

And there stood folk out of all quarters of all the tribes of Israel, in the congregation of the people of God, four hundred thousand footmen that drew swords.

And the children of Benjamin heard that the children of Israel were gone up to Mizphah. Then said the children of Israel, "Tell us how this wickedness happened."

And the Levite, the woman's husband that was slain, answered and said, "I came into Gibeah that is in Benjamin with my concubine to lodge all night.

And the citizens of Gibeah rose against me, and set the house round about upon me by night, and thought to have slain me: and caught my concubine and forced her, that she died.

And I took my concubine and cut her in pieces and sent her throughout all the lands of the inheritance of Israel. For they have committed abomination and folly in Israel.

Behold, ye are all children of Israel. See therefore and give your advice in the case."

Then all the people arose, as it had been one man, saying, "There shall not a man of us go to his tent, neither turn into his house.

And now this is it that we shall do to Gibeah, and cast lots against it.

And we will take ten men of the hundred throughout all the tribes of Israel, and a hundred of the thousand, and a thousand out of the ten thousand, to fetch victuals for the people to make that they may go against Gibeah Benjamin, according to all the folly, that they have wrought in Israel."

And so all the men of Israel gathered together, unto Gibeah, knit together as it had been but one man.

And the tribes of Israel sent men through all the tribe of Benjamin saying, "What wickedness is this that is happened among you?

Now therefore deliver us the men, those wicked wretches of Gibeah that we may slay them, and put away evil from Israel." Neverthelater, the children of Benjamin would not hearken unto the voice of their brethren the children of Israel:

but gathered themselves together out of the cities unto Gibeah, to come out in battle against the children of Israel.

And the children of Benjamin were numbered at that time, out of the cities: twenty six thousand men that drew swords, beside the inhabiters of Gibeah which were numbered seven hundred chosen men.

And among all these folk were seven hundred left handed men, which every one could sling stones at a hair breadth, and not miss.

And the children of Israel, beside the children of Benjamin, were numbered four hundred thousand men that drew swords, and all men of war.

And the children of Israel arose and went up to Bethel, and asked of God, who should begin the battle against the children of Benjamin, and the LORD said, "Judah shall begin."

And the children of Israel stood up early and besieged Gibeah.

And the men of Israel went out to battle against Benjamin, and put themselves in array against them, to fight against Gibeah.

And the children of Benjamin came out of Gibeah and destroyed in Israel that day twenty two thousand men, and brought them to the earth.

And the folk of the children of Israel plucked up their hearts, and went to again and made battle in the same place where they did the first day:

but they went first up and wept before the LORD unto evening, and asked of the LORD saying, "Shall we go again to battle against the children of Benjamin, our brethren?"

And the LORD said, "Go up unto them." And when the children of Israel were come to the children of Benjamin the second day,

the children of Benjamin went against them out of Gibeah, the second day, and destroyed to the earth of the children of Israel once again, eighteen thousand men that drew swords every man of them.

Then the children of Israel and all the people went up and came unto Bethel, and wept and sat there before the LORD, and fasted the same day unto evening, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the LORD.

And they asked the LORD - for there was the ark of the covenant of God, in those days;

and Phinehas the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron waiting upon it at that time - and they said, "Shall we go out any more to battle against the children of Benjamin our brethren, or shall we cease?" And the LORD said, "Go. For tomorrow I will deliver them into your hands."

And Israel set layers await against Gibeah round about.

And the children of Israel went against the children of Benjamin the third time, and put themselves in array against Gibeah, as twice before.

Then came the children of Benjamin against the people, till they were drawn a great way from the city. And they began to smite of the people dead - as twice before, by two highways of which one goeth up to Bethel and the other to Gibeah through the field - upon a thirty men of Israel.

For the children of Benjamin thought that the other had been beaten before them, as at the first time. But the children of Israel said, "Let us flee and pluck them away from the city, unto the highways."

And then all the men of Israel rose up out of their standing, and put themselves in array at Baaltamar. And likewise the layers in wait of Israel came forth out of their places, even out of the meadows of Gibeah,

and came before Gibeah: ten thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and there was sore battle. But the other knew not that evil was so nigh them.

And the LORD plagued Benjamin before Israel, so that the children of Israel destroyed in Benjamin the same day twenty five thousand and a hundred men, that drew swords every one of them.

It seemed the children of Benjamin, that the other had been put to the worse. For the men of Israel gave room to Benjamin, because they trusted unto the layers in wait which they had laid against Gibeah.

And the layers in wait hasted and ran upon Gibeah, and went and smote all the city with the edge of the sword.

And the appointment of the men of Israel with the layers in wait to run upon Benjamin with the sword, was when they should make the smoke rise up out of the city.

And the men of Israel fled in the battle. And Benjamin began to smite dead of the children of Israel, about a thirty persons, for they supposed that the other had been put to the worse before them, as in the first battle.

Then began to arise out of the city, a pillar of smoke. And the Benjamites looked back: and behold, the wasting of the whole city began to ascend up to heaven.

And they turned before the men of Israel into the way that leadeth to the wilderness, the other following them at the hard heels. And beside that they of the city destroyed them in the middle of them.

And they compassed Benjamin about, and chased them to Menuah, and overran them before Gibeah on the east side.

And there were slain of Benjamin eighteen thousand, and all men of might.

And they turned and fled to the wilderness ward and unto the rock of pomegranates. And the other slew by the way of the rest of them, five thousand men, and sticked unto them until they came to Gidom, and slew two thousand more of them.

So that all that were slain that same day of Benjamin were twenty five thousand men that drew swords, and all men of might.

Only, six hundred men turned and fled to the wilderness, unto the rock of pomegranates and abode there four months.

And then the men of Israel turned back again unto the children of Benjamin, and smote them with the edge of the sword in the cities, both man and beast and all that came to hand, and moreover set all the cities they could come by on fire.

And the men of Israel sware in Mizpeh saying, "There shall none of us give his daughter unto any of Benjamin to wife."

And the people came to Bethel and abode there till evening, before God, and lifted up their voices and wept sore,

and said, "O LORD God of Israel, why is this chanced in Israel, that there should be this day one tribe lacking in Israel?"

And on the morrow the people rose up betimes and made there an altar and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings.

And the children of Israel asked, "Who are they among all the tribes of Israel that came not with the congregation unto the LORD?" For they had made a great oath concerning them that came not up to the LORD to Mizpeh, saying that they should surely die.

And the children of Israel had pity on Benjamin their brethren, and said, "There is one tribe cut off from Israel this day:

what shall we do unto the remnant of them, for to get them wives, forasmuch as we have sworn by the LORD that we will not give them of our daughters to wives?"

Then they said, "What are they of the tribes of Israel that came not up to Mizpeh to the LORD?" And behold there came none of the inhabiters of Jabeshgilead unto the congregation.

And when the people were viewed, behold, there were none of the inhabiters of Jabeshgilead there.

And the congregation sent thither twelve thousand men of the strongest of them, and commanded them saying, "Go and smite the inhabiters of Jabeshgilead with the edge of the sword, both women and children.

And this is that ye shall do: utterly destroy all the males and the women that have lain by men."

And they found among the inhabiters of Jabeshgilead four hundred damsels; virgins that had known no man by lying with any male. And they brought them unto the host to Shiloh which is in the land of Canaan.