Judges 20:13 KJV
13 Now therefore deliver us the men,
the children of Belial, which are in Gibeah, that we may put them to death, and put
away evil from Israel. But the children of Benjamin would not hearken to the voice
of their brethren the children of Israel
* * *
Hebrew: zanah: To commit fornication, to be unfaithful, to play the harlot

What was the sin of Gibeah of Benjamin?

"Some people of Belial" from Gibea gathered around the house of this host and the old man offered his own daughters to be raped instead of his guest the sodomite Gibeans required. Now, these Gibeans weren't even completely Israelite,
but Canaanites who acted as coming from far land and making a convenant with Joshua - who - reliant in past victories - did not consult the LORD at that one time.

Then the man threw out his unfaithful concubine, and the mass raped her until morning. The man found that she was not responding, and dead from mass abuse.

The reaction of the man was rather harsh - he cut his dead concubine in pieces, and sent her to twelve tribes of Israel.

The tribes gathered and requested that the children of Belial be delivered to justice. But for unknown reason and wrong loyalty, Benjamites refused and chose to kill brethren who did not sin rather than the sodomites who raped a woman unto
death.

The tribes then made a war against Benjamin, and lost despite the wrong cause of Benjamin and Gibeah. This is a mystery, why God gave victory to smaller number
of Benjamites against the people whose cause was obviously just.

The second raid on Benjamites ended up the same way.

Only then the Israelites humbled themselves, sanctified themselves, and offered acceptable sacrifice to the LORD.

Then the LORD gave them victory, and Benjamites were defeated as one.

Unfortunately, wrong loyalty to the children of Belial living among the Benjamites
resulted in loss of one tribe - it is noteworthy that Benjamin was also the youngest son of Jacob's true and first choice of Rachel, while Levi and Judah were sons of Lea, whom her father Laban gave to Jacob by deceit.

(Ephraim and Menasheh were sons of Joseph, other Rachel's son with the daughter of Egyptian priest whom he married in captivity after being sold by his brohters.)

From the feast lasting five days in the concubine father's house it can be concluded that there was no poverty or hunger in Israel at the time, so the people became wanton.

in the LORD God Almighty, Merciful, Longsuffering (Slow to anger),
in the Lord Jesus Christ of Nazareth and
in the Holy Ghost of God holy name
Amen
Amen

a disciple

Judges 20
25 But the men would not hearken to him: so the man took his
concubine, and brought her forth unto them; and they knew her, and abused her all
the night until the morning: and when the day began to spring, they let her go. 26 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, till it was light.
27 And her lord rose up in the morning, and opened the doors of the house, and went
out to go his way: and, behold, the woman his concubine was fallen down at the door
of the house, and her hands were upon the threshold. 28 And he said unto her, Up,
and let us be going. But none answered. Then the man took her up upon an ass, and
the man rose up, and gat him unto his place. 29 And when he was come into his house,
he took a knife, and laid hold on his concubine, and divided her, together with her
bones, into twelve pieces, and sent her into all the coasts of Israel. 30 And it
was so, that all that saw it said, There was no such deed done nor seen from the day
that the children of Israel came up out of the land of Egypt unto this day: consider of it, take advice, and speak your minds.

AUTHORITY OF THE SCRIPTURE
Judges 19-21 KJV
The Levite and his Concubine
1 And it came to pass in those days, when there was no king in Israel, that there
was a certain Levite sojourning on the side of mount Ephraim, who took to him a concubine out of Bethlehem Judah. 2 And his concubine played the whore against him,
and went away from him unto her father's house to Bethlehem Judah, and was there
four whole months. 3 And her husband arose, and went after her, to speak friendly
unto her, and to bring her again, having his servant with him, and a couple of asses:
and she brought him into her father's house: and when the father of the damsel saw him, he rejoiced to meet him. 4 And his father in law, the damsel's father, retained him; and he abode with him three days: so they did eat and drink, and lodged there. 5 And it came to pass on the fourth day, when they arose early in the morning, that he rose up to depart: and the damsel's father said unto his son
in law, Comfort thine heart with a morsel of bread, and afterward go your way. 6 And they sat down, and did eat and drink both of them together: for the damsel's
father had said unto the man, Be content, I pray thee, and tarry all night, and let thine heart be merry. 7 And when the man rose up to depart, his father in law
urged him: therefore he lodged there again. 8 And he arose early in the morning on the fifth day to depart: and the damsel's father said, Comfort thine heart, I
pray thee. And they tarried until afternoon, and they did eat both of them. 9 And
when the man rose up to depart, he, and his concubine, and his servant, his father
in law, the damsel's father, said unto him, Behold, now the day draweth toward evening, I pray you tarry all night: behold, the day groweth to an end, lodge here,
that thine heart may be merry; and to morrow get you early on your way, that thou
mayest go home.
10 But the man would not tarry that night, but he rose up and departed, and came
over against Jebus, which is Jerusalem; and there were with him two asses saddled,
his concubine also was with him. 11 And when they were by Jebus, the day was far
spent; and the servant said unto his master, Come, I pray thee, and let us turn in into this city of the Jebusites, and lodge in it. 12 And his master said unto
him, We will not turn aside hither into the city of a stranger, that is not of the
children of Israel; we will pass over to Gibeah. 13 And he said unto his servant,
Come, and let us draw near to one of these places to lodge all night, in Gibeah,
or in Ramah. 14 And they passed on and went their way; and the sun went down upon
them when they were by Gibeah, which belongeth to Benjamin. 15 And they turned aside thither, to go in and to lodge in Gibeah: and when he went in, he sat him down in a street of the city: for there was no man that took them into his house
to lodging.
16 And, behold, there came an old man from his work out of the field at even, which was also of mount Ephraim; and he sojourned in Gibeah: but the men of the place were Benjamites. 17 And when he had lifted up his eyes, he saw a wayfaring
man in the street of the city: and the old man said, Whither goest thou? and whence comest thou? 18 And he said unto him, We are passing from Bethlehem Judah
toward the side of mount Ephraim; from thence am I: and I went to Bethlehem Judah,
but I am now going to the house of the LORD; and there is no man that receiveth me
to house. 19 Yet there is both straw and provender for our asses; and there is bread and wine also for me, and for thy handmaid, and for the young man which is
with thy servants: there is no want of any thing. 20 And the old man said, Peace
be with thee; howsoever let all thy wants lie upon me; only lodge not in the street.
21 So he brought him into his house, and gave provender unto the asses: and they
washed their feet, and did eat and drink.
Gibeah's Crime
22 Now as they were making their hearts merry, behold, the men of the city, certain
sons of Belial, beset the house round about, and beat at the door, and spake to the
master of the house, the old man, saying, Bring forth the man that came into thine
house, that we may know him. 23 And the man, the master of the house, went out unto
them, and said unto them, Nay, my brethren, nay, I pray you, do not so wickedly;
seeing that this man is come into mine house, do not this folly. 24 Behold, here
is my daughter a maiden, and his concubine; them I will bring out now, and humble
ye them, and do with them what seemeth good unto you: but unto this man do not so vile a thing. 25 But the men would not hearken to him: so the man took his concubine, and brought her forth unto them; and they knew her, and abused her all
the night until the morning: and when the day began to spring, they let her go. 26 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, till it was light.
27 And her lord rose up in the morning, and opened the doors of the house, and went
out to go his way: and, behold, the woman his concubine was fallen down at the door
of the house, and her hands were upon the threshold. 28 And he said unto her, Up,
and let us be going. But none answered. Then the man took her up upon an ass, and
the man rose up, and gat him unto his place. 29 And when he was come into his house,
he took a knife, and laid hold on his concubine, and divided her, together with her
bones, into twelve pieces, and sent her into all the coasts of Israel. 30 And it
was so, that all that saw it said, There was no such deed done nor seen from the day
that the children of Israel came up out of the land of Egypt unto this day: consider of it, take advice, and speak your minds.
Judges 20

The Decree of the Assembly
1 Then all the children of Israel went out, and the congregation was gathered together
as one man, from Dan even to Beersheba, with the land of Gilead, unto the LORD in
Mizpeh. 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. 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?
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. 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. 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. 7 Behold,
ye are all children of Israel; give here your advice and counsel.
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. 9 But now this shall be the thing
which we will do to Gibeah; we will go up by lot against it; 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. 11 So all the men of Israel were gathered against the city, knit
together as one man.
12 And the tribes of Israel sent men through all the tribe of Benjamin, saying, What wickedness is this that is done among you? 13 Now therefore deliver us the men,
the children of Belial, which are in Gibeah, that we may put them to death, and put
away evil from Israel. But the children of Benjamin would not hearken to the voice
of their brethren the children of Israel: 14 But the children of Benjamin gathered
themselves together out of the cities unto Gibeah, to go out to battle against the
children of Israel. 15 And the children of Benjamin were numbered at that time out
of the cities twenty and six thousand men that drew sword, beside the inhabitants
of Gibeah, which were numbered seven hundred chosen men. 16 Among all this people
there were seven hundred chosen men lefthanded; every one could sling stones at an
hair breadth, and not miss.
17 And the men of Israel, beside Benjamin, were numbered four hundred thousand men
that drew sword: all these were men of war.
Civil War against Benjamin

(2 Samuel 2:12-32; 2 Chronicles 13:4-19; Matthew 13:33-33; Luke 13:20-21)
18 And the children of Israel arose, and went up to the house of God, and asked counsel of God, and said, Which of us shall go up first to the battle against the
children of Benjamin? And the LORD said, Judah shall go up first.
19 And the children of Israel rose up in the morning, and encamped against Gibeah.
20 And the men of Israel went out to battle against Benjamin; and the men of Israel
put themselves in array to fight against them at Gibeah. 21 And the children of Benjamin came forth out of Gibeah, and destroyed down to the ground of the Israelites
that day twenty and two thousand men. 22 And the people the men of Israel encouraged
themselves, and set their battle again in array in the place where they put themselves
in array the first day. 23 (And the children of Israel went up and wept before the
LORD until even, and asked counsel of the LORD, saying, Shall I go up again to battle
against the children of Benjamin my brother? And the LORD said, Go up against him.)
Defeat of the Benjamites
24 And the children of Israel came near against the children of Benjamin the second
day. 25 And Benjamin went forth 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. 26 Then all the children of Israel, and all the people,
went up, and came unto the house of God, and wept, and sat there before the LORD,
and fasted that day until even, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the LORD. 27 And the children of Israel inquired of the LORD, (for the ark
of the covenant of God was there in those days, 28 And 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? And the
LORD said, Go up; for to morrow I will deliver them into thine hand.
29 And Israel set liers in wait round about Gibeah. 30 And the children of Israel
went up against the children of Benjamin on the third day, and put themselves in
array against Gibeah, as at other times. 31 And the children of Benjamin went out
against the people, and were drawn away from the city; and they began to smite of
the people, and kill, as at other times, in the highways, of which one goeth up to
the house of God, and the other to Gibeah in the field, about thirty men of Israel.
32 And the children of Benjamin said, They are smitten down before us, as at the
first. But the children of Israel said, Let us flee, and draw them from the city
unto the highways. 33 And all the men of Israel rose up out of their place, and put themselves in array at Baaltamar: and the liers in wait of Israel came forth
out of their places, even out of the meadows of Gibeah. 34 And there came against
Gibeah ten thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and the battle was sore: but they knew not that evil was near them. 35 And the LORD smote Benjamin before Israel: and the children of Israel destroyed of the Benjamites that day twenty and five thousand and an hundred men: all these drew the sword.
36 So the children of Benjamin saw that they were smitten: for the men of Israel
gave place to the Benjamites, because they trusted unto the liers in wait which they had set beside Gibeah. 37 And the liers in wait hasted, and rushed upon Gibeah; and the liers in wait drew themselves along, and smote all the city with
the edge of the sword. 38 Now there was an appointed sign between the men of Israel
and the liers in wait, that they should make a great flame with smoke rise up out
of the city. 39 And when the men of Israel retired in the battle, Benjamin began
to smite and kill of the men of Israel about thirty persons: for they said, Surely
they are smitten down before us, as in the first battle. 40 But when the flame began to arise up out of the city with a pillar of smoke, the Benjamites looked behind them, and, behold, the flame of the city ascended up to heaven. 41 And when
the men of Israel turned again, the men of Benjamin were amazed: for they saw that evil was come upon them. 42 Therefore they turned their backs before the men
of Israel unto the way of the wilderness; but the battle overtook them; and them
which came out of the cities they destroyed in the midst of them. 43 Thus they inclosed the Benjamites round about, and chased them, and trode them down with ease over against Gibeah toward the sunrising. 44 And there fell of Benjamin eighteen thousand men; all these were men of valour. 45 And they turned and fled
toward the wilderness unto the rock of Rimmon: and they gleaned of them in the highways five thousand men; and pursued hard after them unto Gidom, and slew two
thousand men of them. 46 So that all which fell that day of Benjamin were twenty
and five thousand men that drew the sword; all these were men of valour. 47 But six hundred men turned and fled to the wilderness unto the rock Rimmon, and abode
in the rock Rimmon four months. 48 And the men of Israel turned again upon the children of Benjamin, and smote them with the edge of the sword, as well the men
of every city, as the beast, and all that came to hand: also they set on fire all
the cities that they came to.
Judges 21

Mourning the Tribe of Benjamin
1 Now the men of Israel had sworn in Mizpeh, saying, There shall not any of us give
his daughter unto Benjamin to wife. 2 And the people came to the house of God, and
abode there till even before God, and lifted up their voices, and wept sore; 3 And
said, O LORD God of Israel, why is this come to pass in Israel, that there should
be to day one tribe lacking in Israel? 4 And it came to pass on the morrow, that
the people rose early, and built there an altar, and offered burnt offerings and
peace offerings.
5 And the children of Israel said, Who is there among all the tribes of Israel that
came not up with the congregation unto the LORD? For they had made a great oath concerning him that came not up to the LORD to Mizpeh, saying, He shall surely be
put to death. 6 And the children of Israel repented them for Benjamin their brother,
and said, There is one tribe cut off from Israel this day. 7 How shall we do for
wives for them that remain, seeing we have sworn by the LORD that we will not give
them of our daughters to wives?
Provision for Benjamin's Survival
8 And they said, What one is there of the tribes of Israel that came not up to Mizpeh to the LORD? And, behold, there came none to the camp from Jabeshgilead to the assembly. 9 For the people were numbered, and, behold, there were none of
the inhabitants of Jabeshgilead there. 10 And the congregation sent thither twelve
thousand men of the valiantest, and commanded them, saying, Go and smite the inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead with the edge of the sword, with the women and the children. 11 And this is the thing that ye shall do, Ye shall utterly destroy every male, and every woman that hath lain by man. 12 And they found among the inhabitants of Jabeshgilead four hundred young virgins, that had known no man by lying with any male: and they brought them unto the camp to Shiloh, which is in the land of Canaan.
13 And the whole congregation sent some to speak to the children of Benjamin that
were in the rock Rimmon, and to call peaceably unto them. 14 And Benjamin came again at that time; and they gave them wives which they had saved alive of the women of Jabeshgilead: and yet so they sufficed them not. 15 And the people repented them for Benjamin, because that the LORD had made a breach in the tribes
of Israel.
16 Then the elders of the congregation said, How shall we do for wives for them that remain, seeing the women are destroyed out of Benjamin? 17 And they said, There must be an inheritance for them that be escaped of Benjamin, that a tribe be not destroyed out of Israel. 18 Howbeit we may not give them wives of our daughters: for the children of Israel have sworn, saying, Cursed be he that giveth a wife to Benjamin.
19 Then they said, Behold, there is a feast of the LORD in Shiloh yearly in a place which is on the north side of Bethel, on the east side of the highway that goeth up from Bethel to Shechem, and on the south of Lebonah. 20 Therefore they commanded the children of Benjamin, saying, Go and lie in wait in the vineyards; 21 And see, and, behold, if the daughters of Shiloh come out to dance in dances, then come ye out of the vineyards, and catch you every man
his wife of the daughters of Shiloh, and go to the land of Benjamin. 22 And
it shall be, when their fathers or their brethren come unto us to complain, that we will say unto them, Be favourable unto them for our sakes: because
we reserved not to each man his wife in the war: for ye did not give unto
them at this time, that ye should be guilty. 23 And the children of Benjamin did so, and took them wives, according to their number, of them that danced, whom they caught: and they went and returned unto their inheritance, and repaired the cities, and dwelt in them. 24 And the children of Israel departed thence at that time, every man to his tribe and to his family, and they went out
from thence every man to his inheritance.
25 In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right
in his own eyes.

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