KJV 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?
VERSE STUDY • KJV
Judges 20:3
(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?
Read it in 5 translations
BSB Berean Standard Bible
(Meanwhile the Benjamites heard that the Israelites had gone up to Mizpah.) And the Israelites asked, “Tell us, how did this wicked thing happen?”
WEB 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 did this wickedness happen?”
ASV 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?
YLT 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?’
Surrounding context — Judges 20
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.
Topics connected to this verse
Original-language word links
These Hebrew/Greek tokens are linked by Strong's number. Click one for its lexicon definition and other occurrences.
וַֽיִּשְׁמְעוּ֙H8085 · sha.mato hear: hearבְּנֵ֣יH1121 · benson: childבִנְיָמִ֔ןH1144 · bin.ya.minBenjaminכִּֽי־H3588 · kiforעָל֥וּH5927 · a.lahto ascend: riseבְנֵֽי־H1121 · benson: childיִשְׂרָאֵ֖לH3478 · yis.ra.elIsraelהַמִּצְפָּ֑הH4709 · mits.pahMizpahוַיֹּֽאמְרוּ֙H559 · a.marto sayבְּנֵ֣יH1121 · benson: childיִשְׂרָאֵ֔לH3478 · yis.ra.elIsraelדַּבְּר֕וּH1696 · da.varto speak: speakאֵיכָ֥הH349 · ekhhow?נִהְיְתָ֖הH1961 · ha.yahto beהָרָעָ֥הH7451 · rabad: harmfulהַזֹּֽאת׃H2063 · zotthis
Cross-references
Judges 19:22-27[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.Luke 12:58-59When thou goest with thine adversary to the magistrate, [as thou art] in the way, give diligence that thou mayest be delivered from him; lest he hale thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and the officer cast thee into prison.Proverbs 22:3A prudent [man] foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself: but the simple pass on, and are punished.Matthew 5:25Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison.Luke 14:31-32Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand?
HISTORICAL INTERPRETATION
Compare classic commentaries on Judges 20:3
Put Matthew Henry, Adam Clarke, Calvin, Wesley, Barnes, Jamieson–Fausset–Brown, Aquinas’ Catena and other public-domain sources beside the passage.
Compare commentaries →