Lectionary Calendar
Friday, August 22nd, 2025
the Week of Proper 15 / Ordinary 20
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Read the Bible

Green's Literal Translation

Judges 20:3

And the sons of Benjamin heard that the sons of Israel had gone up to Mizpeh. And the sons of Israel said, Speak up. How did this evil happen?

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Mizpah;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Jews, the;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Benjamin;   Mizpah or Mizpeh;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Mizpah;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Jabesh (1);   Mizpah;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Benjamin;   Marriage;   Mizpah, Mizpeh;   Priests and Levites;   Samson;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Mizpah, Mizpeh ;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Gibeah;   Mizpah;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Jephthah;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Reign of the Judges;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Mizpah;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
The Benjaminites heard that the Israelites had gone up to Mizpah.
Hebrew Names Version
(Now the children of Binyamin heard that the children of Yisra'el had gone up to Mitzpah.) The children of Yisra'el said, Tell us, how was this wickedness brought to pass?
King James Version
(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?
Lexham English Bible
(The descendants of Benjamin heard that the Israelites had gone up to Mizpah.) And the Israelites said, "Tell us, how did this evil act occur?"
English Standard Version
(Now the people of Benjamin heard that the people of Israel had gone up to Mizpah.) And the people of Israel said, "Tell us, how did this evil happen?"
New Century Version
(The people of Benjamin heard that the Israelites had gone up to Mizpah.) Then the Israelites said to the Levite, "Tell us how this evil thing happened."
New English Translation
The Benjaminites heard that the Israelites had gone up to Mizpah. Then the Israelites said, "Explain how this wicked thing happened!"
Amplified Bible
(Now the Benjamites [in whose territory the crime was committed] heard that the [other tribes of the] sons of Israel had gone up to Mizpah.) And the sons of Israel said, "How did this evil thing happen?"
New American Standard Bible
(Now the sons of Benjamin heard that the sons of Israel had gone up to Mizpah.) And the sons of Israel said, "Tell us, how did this wickedness take place?"
Geneva Bible (1587)
(Now the children of Beniamin heard that the children of Israel were gone vp to Mizpeh) Then the children of Israel saide, Howe is this wickednesse committed?
Legacy Standard Bible
En die kinders van Benjamin het gehoor dat die kinders van Israel opgetrek het na Mispa. Toe sê die kinders van Israel: Vertel julle hoe hierdie misdaad gepleeg is.
Complete Jewish Bible
Now the people of Binyamin heard that the people of Isra'el had gone up to Mitzpah. The people of Isra'el said, "Tell us, how was this crime committed?"
Darby Translation
And the children of Benjamin heard that the children of Israel had gone up to Mizpah. And the children of Israel said, Tell [us], how was this wickedness?
Easy-to-Read Version
The people from the tribe of Benjamin heard that the Israelites were meeting together in Mizpah. The Israelites said, "Tell us how this terrible thing happened."
George Lamsa Translation
(Now the Benjamites heard that the children of Israel were gone up to Mizpeh.) Then said the children of Israel, Tell us, how did this wickedness happen?
Good News Translation
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?"
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
But the children of BenIamin herde, how that ye children of Israel were gone vp vnto Mispa. And the children of Israel sayde: Tell vs, how happened this euell?
American Standard Version
(Now the children of Benjamin heard that the children of Israel were gone up to Mizpah.) And the children of Israel said, Tell us, how was this wickedness brought to pass?
Bible in Basic English
(Now the children of Benjamin had word that the children of Israel had gone up to Mizpah.) And the children of Israel said, Make clear how this evil thing took place.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
(Now the chyldren of Beniamin heard that the chyldren of Israel were gone vp to Mispah) Then sayde the chyldren of Israel: Tell vs howe this wickednes is committed?
JPS Old Testament (1917)
Now the children of Benjamin heard that the children of Israel were gone up to Mizpah.--And the children of Israel said: 'Tell us, how was this wickedness brought to pass?'
King James Version (1611)
(Now the children of Beniamin heard that the children of Israel were gone vp to Mizpeh.) Then said the children of Israel, Tell vs, how was this wickednesse?
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And the children of Benjamin heard that the children of Israel were gone up to Massepha: and the children of Israel came and said, Tell us, where did this wickedness take place?
English Revised Version
(Now the children of Benjamin heard that the children of Israel were gone up to Mizpah.) And the children of Israel said, Tell us, how was this wickedness brought to pass?
Berean Standard Bible
(Now the Benjamites heard that the Israelites had gone up to Mizpah.) And the Israelites asked, "Tell us, how did this wicked thing happen?"
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And it was not `hid fro the sones of Beniamyn, that the sones of Israel hadden stied in to Maspha. And the dekene, hosebonde of the `wijf that was slayn, was axid, `how so greet felonye was doon;
Young's Literal Translation
And the sons of Benjamin hear that the sons of Israel have gone up to Mizpeh. And the sons of Israel say, `Speak ye, how hath this evil been?'
Update Bible Version
(Now the sons of Benjamin heard that the sons of Israel had gone up to Mizpah.) And the sons of Israel said, Tell us, how was this wickedness brought to pass?
Webster's Bible Translation
(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?
World English Bible
(Now the children of Benjamin heard that the children of Israel had gone up to Mizpah.) The children of Israel said, Tell us, how was this wickedness brought to pass?
New King James Version
(Now the children of Benjamin heard that the children of Israel had gone up to Mizpah.) Then the children of Israel said, "Tell us, how did this wicked deed happen?"
New Living Translation
(Word soon reached the land of Benjamin that the other tribes had gone up to Mizpah.) The Israelites then asked how this terrible crime had happened.
New Life Bible
(The people of Benjamin heard that the people of Israel had gone up to Mizpah.) The people of Israel said, "Tell us. How did this sinful thing happen?"
New Revised Standard
(Now the Benjaminites heard that the people of Israel had gone up to Mizpah.) And the Israelites said, "Tell us, how did this criminal act come about?"
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And the sons of Benjamin heard that the sons of Israel had gone up to Mizpah. Then said the sons of Israel, Tell us , In what manner was brought to pass this vileness?
Douay-Rheims Bible
(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,
Revised Standard Version
(Now the Benjaminites heard that the people of Israel had gone up to Mizpah.) And the people of Israel said, "Tell us, how was this wickedness brought to pass?"
THE MESSAGE
Meanwhile the Benjaminites got wind that the Israelites were meeting at Mizpah. The People of Israel said, "Now tell us. How did this outrageous evil happen?"
New American Standard Bible (1995)
(Now the sons of Benjamin heard that the sons of Israel had gone up to Mizpah.) And the sons of Israel said, "Tell us, how did this wickedness take place?"

Contextual Overview

1 And all the sons of Israel went out, and the congregation was assembled as one man, from Dan even to Beer-sheba, and the land of Gilead, to Jehovah at Mizpeh. 2 And the leaders of all the people of all the tribes of Israel, presented themselves in the assembly of all the people of God, four hundred thousand footmen drawing sword. 3 And the sons of Benjamin heard that the sons of Israel had gone up to Mizpeh. And the sons of Israel said, Speak up. How did this evil happen? 4 And the man, the Levite, husband of the woman who had been murdered, answered and said, I came into Gibeah which is to Benjamin, I and my concubine, to lodge. 5 And the men of Gibeah rose up against me. And they went around the house against me at night; they had in mind to kill me, and they raped my concubine, and she died. 6 And I took hold on my concubine, and cut her in pieces, and sent her into all the land of the inheritance of Israel. For they have done evil and folly in Israel. 7 Behold, you are the sons of Israel. Give here your advice and counsel. 8 And all the people rose up as one man, saying, Not one of us shall go to his tent, and not one of us shall return to his house. 9 And now, this is the thing which we shall do to Gibeah, going against it by lot. 10 And we shall take ten men of a hundred of all the tribes of Israel, and a hundred of a thousand, and a thousand of ten thousand, to take food for the people, that they may act when they come to Gibeah of Benjamin, according to all the follywhich it has done in Israel.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

the children of Benjamin: Proverbs 22:3, Matthew 5:25, Luke 12:58, Luke 12:59, Luke 14:31, Luke 14:32

how was: Judges 19:22-27

Reciprocal: Nehemiah 3:15 - Mizpah

Cross-References

Genesis 20:1
And Abraham pulled up stakes from there to the land of the Negeb, and lived between Kadesh and Shur, and stayed in Gerar.
Genesis 20:7
And now return the wife of the man, for he is a prophet, and he will pray for you, and you shall live. And if you do not return her, know that dying you shall die, you and all that are yours.
Genesis 20:12
And yet she really is my sister, daughter of my father; only not daughter of my mother. And she became my wife.
Genesis 20:13
And it happened when God made me wander from my father's house, even I said to her, This is your kindness which you do to me: at every place where we come there, say of me, He is my brother.
Genesis 20:14
Abimelech took sheep and oxen, and male slaves, and slave-girls, and gave to Abraham. And he returned his wife Sarah to him.
Genesis 20:15
Abimelech said, Behold, my land is before you. Live where it pleases you.
Genesis 28:12
And he dreamed. And, behold, a ladder was placed on the earth, its top reaching to the heavens. And, behold, the angels of God were going up and going down on it!
Genesis 31:24
And God came to Laban the Syrian in a dream of the night, and said to him, Watch out for yourself, that you not speak with Jacob from good to evil.
Genesis 37:5
And Joseph dreamed a dream, and told it to his brothers. And they increased to hate him still more.
Genesis 37:9
And he dreamed still another dream, and told it to his brothers. And he said, Behold, I have dreamed another dream: And, behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars were bowing themselves to me.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Now the children of Benjamin heard that the children of Israel were gone up to Mizpeh,.... Having no doubt the same notice the rest of the tribes had; but the thing complained of being done in their tribe, and by some of it, they might be willing to screen the delinquents, or were careless about and indifferent to the case, and secure and easy, as imagining their brethren would never go to war with them about it; or were proud and haughty, and would pay no regard to the summons given them:

then said the children of Israel, tell us, how was this wickedness? proclamation was made in the assembly, that if any person there knew anything of this shocking affair, and horrid iniquity, which was the occasion of their meeting together, that they would rise up and declare what was the cause of it, how it came about, and by whom it was done; or they addressed themselves particularly to the Levite, and his host, and his servant, who might all be upon the spot to bear witness in this case, as it is certain the former of them was, who upon this stood up, and spoke as follows.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Judges 20:3. Tell us, how was this wickedness? — They had heard before, by the messengers he sent with the fragments of his wife's body; but they wish to hear it, in full council, from himself.


 
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