[20:1] All the people of Israel from Dan in the north to Beersheba in the south, as well as from the land of Gilead in the east, answered the call. They gathered in one body in the Lord's presence at Mizpah.
[20:2] The leaders of all the tribes of Israel were present at this gathering of God's people, and there were 400,000 foot soldiers.
[20:3] Meanwhile the people of Benjamin heard that all the other Israelites had gathered at Mizpah. The Israelites asked, “Tell us, how was this crime committed?”
[20:4] The Levite whose concubine had been murdered answered, “My concubine and I went to Gibeah in the territory of Benjamin to spend the night.
[20:5] The men of Gibeah came to get me and surrounded the house at night. They intended to kill me; instead they raped my concubine, and she died.
[20:6] I took her body, cut it in pieces, and sent one piece to each of the twelve tribes of Israel. These people have committed an evil and immoral act among us.
[20:7] All of you here are Israelites. What are we going to do about this?”
[20:8] All the people stood up together and said, “None of us, whether he lives in a tent or in a house, will go home.
[20:9] This is what we will do: we will draw lots and choose some men to attack Gibeah.
[20:10] One tenth of the men in Israel will provide food for the army, and the others will go and punish Gibeah for this immoral act that they have committed in Israel.”
[20:11] So all the men in Israel assembled with one purpose—to attack the town.
[20:12] The Israelite tribes sent messengers all through the territory of the tribe of Benjamin to say, “What is this crime that you have committed?
[20:13] Now hand over those perverts in Gibeah, so that we can kill them and remove this evil from Israel.” But the people of Benjamin paid no attention to the other Israelites.
[20:14] From all the cities of Benjamin they came to Gibeah to fight the other people of Israel.
[20:17] Not counting the tribe of Benjamin, the Israelites gathered 400,000 trained soldiers.