From: "FamilyNet" 

Bible Reading for March 24


Judges 19
[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 Bethlehemjudah. [2] And his concubine
played the whore against him, and went away from him unto her father's
house to Bethlehemjudah, 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 Bethlehemjudah toward the
side of mount Ephraim; from thence am I: and I went to Bethlehemjudah, 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. [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, 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
[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.
[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. [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.)
[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 Baal-tamar: 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
[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? [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 Jabesh-gilead to the assembly.
[9] For the people were numbered, and, behold, there were none of the
inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead 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 Jabesh-gilead 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 Jabesh-gilead: 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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