Judges 20:3
New International Version
(The Benjamites heard that the Israelites had gone up to Mizpah.) Then the Israelites said, “Tell us how this awful thing happened.”

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.

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?”

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?”

King James Bible
(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?

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 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?”

NASB 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?”

NASB 1977
(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?”

Legacy Standard Bible
(Then 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 evil take place?”

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?”

Christian Standard Bible
The Benjaminites heard that the Israelites had gone up to Mizpah. The Israelites asked, “Tell us, how did this evil act happen? ”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
The Benjaminites heard that the Israelites had gone up to Mizpah. The Israelites asked, “Tell us, how did this outrage occur?”

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?

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And the sons of Benjamin heard that the sons of Israel came up to Matspaya, and the sons of Israel said: “Tell us how this evil happened”

Brenton Septuagint Translation
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?

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,

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?

GOD'S WORD® Translation
The people of Benjamin heard that Israel had come to Mizpah. The people of Israel said, "Tell us how such an evil thing could 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?"

International Standard Version
While the descendants of Benjamin were learning that the Israelis had gone up to Mizpah, the Israelis asked, "Somebody tell us how this evil could happen?"

JPS Tanakh 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?'

Literal Standard Version
And the sons of Benjamin hear that the sons of Israel have gone up to Mizpeh. And the sons of Israel say, “Speak! How has this evil been?”

Majority 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?”

New American Bible
Meanwhile, the Benjaminites heard that the Israelites had gone up to Mizpah. The Israelites asked, “How did this evil thing happen?”

NET Bible
The Benjaminites heard that the Israelites had gone up to Mizpah. Then the Israelites said, "Explain how this wicked thing happened!"

New Revised Standard Version
(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?”

New Heart English Bible
(Now the people 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?"

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 did this wickedness happen?”

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?'

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Decree of the Assembly
2The leaders of all the people and all the tribes of Israel presented themselves in the assembly of God’s people: 400,000 men on foot, armed with swords. 3(Meanwhile the Benjamites heard that the Israelites had gone up to Mizpah.) And the Israelites asked, “Tell us, how did this wicked thing happen?” 4So the Levite, the husband of the murdered woman, answered: “I and my concubine came to Gibeah in Benjamin to spend the night.…

Cross References
Judges 20:2
The leaders of all the people and all the tribes of Israel presented themselves in the assembly of God's people: 400,000 men on foot, armed with swords.

Judges 20:4
So the Levite, the husband of the murdered woman, answered: "I and my concubine came to Gibeah in Benjamin to spend the night.


Treasury of Scripture

(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?

the children of Benjamin

Proverbs 22:3
A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself: but the simple pass on, and are punished.

Matthew 5:25
Agree 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 12:58,59
When 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…

how was

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…

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Judges 20
1. The Levite in a general assembly declared his wrong
8. The decree of the assembly
12. The Benjamites, being cited, make head against the Israelites
18. The Israelites in two battles lose forty thousand
26. They destroy by a plan all the Benjamites, except six hundred.














(3) Heard.--Probably the Benjamites had received the same summons as the other tribes (see Judges 19:29), but insolently refused to notice the summons.

Tell us.--Literally, Tell ye us. The request is addressed to any who could give the necessary information.

Verse 3. - The children of Benjamin heard, etc. This seems to be mentioned to show that the absence of the Benjamites from the national council was not from ignorance, but from contumacy. Tell as, etc. This was addressed to all whom it might concern. The Levite answered.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
(Now the Benjamites
בְּנֵ֣י (bə·nê)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 1121: A son

heard
וַֽיִּשְׁמְעוּ֙ (way·yiš·mə·‘ū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 8085: To hear intelligently

that
כִּֽי־ (kî-)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

the Israelites
בְנֵֽי־ (ḇə·nê-)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 1121: A son

had gone up
עָל֥וּ (‘ā·lū)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 5927: To ascend, in, actively

to Mizpah.)
הַמִּצְפָּ֑ה (ham·miṣ·pāh)
Article | Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 4709: Mizpah -- the name of several places in Israel

And the Israelites
בְּנֵ֣י (bə·nê)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 1121: A son

asked,
וַיֹּֽאמְרוּ֙ (way·yō·mə·rū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 559: To utter, say

“Tell
דַּבְּר֕וּ (dab·bə·rū)
Verb - Piel - Imperative - masculine plural
Strong's 1696: To arrange, to speak, to subdue

us, how
אֵיכָ֥ה (’ê·ḵāh)
Interjection
Strong's 349: How?, how!, where

did this
הַזֹּֽאת׃ (haz·zōṯ)
Article | Pronoun - feminine singular
Strong's 2063: Hereby in it, likewise, the one other, same, she, so much, such deed, that,

wicked thing
הָרָעָ֥ה (hā·rā·‘āh)
Article | Adjective - feminine singular
Strong's 7451: Bad, evil

happen?”
נִהְיְתָ֖ה (nih·yə·ṯāh)
Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be


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OT History: Judges 20:3 Now the children of Benjamin heard that (Jd Judg. Jdg)
Judges 20:2
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