1. So all the Israelites joined together. They came to stand before the Lord in the city of Mizpah. They came from as far away as the cities of Dan and Beersheba. Even the Israelites from the land of Gilead were there.
2. The leaders of all the tribes of Israel were there. They took their places in the meeting of the people of God. There were 400,000 soldiers with swords.
3. (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.”
4. So the husband of the murdered woman answered: “My slave woman and I came to Gibeah in Benjamin to spend the night.
5. During the night the men of Gibeah came after me. They surrounded the house and wanted to kill me. They raped my slave woman. And she died!
6. So I took her and cut her into parts. Then I sent one part to each area of Israel’s land. I did it because the people of Benjamin have done this wicked and terrible thing in Israel.
7. Now, all you men of Israel, speak up. Tell what you have decided we should do.”