Chapter Nine
Now Benjamin was walking in the wilderness between Ramoth and Sarid, and this was in the Hill Country of Ephraim, above the valley of Jezreel, and it was late in the year, and it was the fifteenth year since the return of the Israelites to the country that The Lord had promised them. And Benjamin was travelling alone, with few servants, for he wished to see the skies above him, and the stars, and he wished to prayer to The Lord in his isolation and know Him in that way.
And Benjamin every year did this thing, to go out alone into the wilds to fast and to pray, and the people of Israel saw this and knew that Benjamin was a man of G-d and righteous, and worthy to lead them in war, and to Judge over them in peace times.
But Benjamin was troubled in his heart and he did not know peace and came to pray to The Lord and to find solace, for he had done an ill thing in the eyes of The Lord, or so it seemed to Benjamin and would now make atonement for his error.
Najran was a man of Gad, the son of Mattha, and he had been accused of stealing from the flocks of the men of Asher, and fights there had been, and much discourse and much dispute, and Benjamin had been called to Judge in this matter, for there was bloodshed, and one side saying one thing and another side saying another thing, and agreement in all this there was none.
So Benjamin had came to Beth-Hoglah, on the north edge of the Arabah, of the Salt Sea, and he had Judged there.
Testimony had been given, and countered and given again, and Benjamin had listened in wisdom and had pronounced, and Najran had been sentenced to be stoned to death with stones for his crime, and he was taken forth, to that certain place, and there was stoned to death with stones for his crime. And justice had been done in the eyes of G-d.
But wonders then happened in Beth-Hoglah, that gave light to the matter, fire was kindled from nothing, the river burned like wood, boils sprouted on faces and burst with stench, and breath grew hard and weary and all thought that death had come to Beth-Hoglah. And Benjamin prayed and sacrificed and made offerings to G-d but this still the wonders came.
Then Petan, of Asher, son of Buki, came to Benjamin and confessed his crime, and confessed with oaths and in front of all, that Najran, the son of Mattha, had been innocent, and that the man of guilt had been he Petan, the son of Buki, and that he had paid men to give false testimony to blame Najran, “for ever did I hate Najran son of Mattha, and ever did I seek to do him wrong, yet now I have brought wrong upon all of Israel, and upon the people of Beth-Hoglah.”
And Benjamin struck him, and cursed him to the ground, and there Petan fell dead, and all the afflictions of Beth-Hoglah departed. But yet was Benjamin's heart troubled.
Yet was Benjamin's heart troubled, so he went forth into the wilderness, to fast and to make offerings to G-d and to weep for his part in the death of Najran.
Benjamin made tent for the night, and made to sleep, but he was joined at his fire by a travelling man, who joined him in his camp and shared his fire. And the travelling man spoke to Benjamin and asked him to reveal the troubles of his heart and Benjamin would not do this, and so the man and Benjamin spoke long hours of talk. And at length from Benjamin was given the story of Najran and the judgement of Beth-Hoglah and of Benjamin there. And the man told Benjamin that his heart need not be troubled, for he was blameless of Najran's death, “for the evil of the world comes in all forms and guises and it is not for men to see or know it in all its garments, only G-d may see all evils.”
And Benjamin fell asleep while the man spoke and as he slept was taken by a great light, and was calm.
When he awoke the man had gone, and Benjamin realised that he had been speaking with an Angel of the Lord, and he was much astounded.
And Benjamin was known as The Blessed from that day onwards.
Now Benjamin was walking in the wilderness between Ramoth and Sarid, and this was in the Hill Country of Ephraim, above the valley of Jezreel, and it was late in the year, and it was the fifteenth year since the return of the Israelites to the country that The Lord had promised them. And Benjamin was travelling alone, with few servants, for he wished to see the skies above him, and the stars, and he wished to prayer to The Lord in his isolation and know Him in that way.
And Benjamin every year did this thing, to go out alone into the wilds to fast and to pray, and the people of Israel saw this and knew that Benjamin was a man of G-d and righteous, and worthy to lead them in war, and to Judge over them in peace times.
But Benjamin was troubled in his heart and he did not know peace and came to pray to The Lord and to find solace, for he had done an ill thing in the eyes of The Lord, or so it seemed to Benjamin and would now make atonement for his error.
Najran was a man of Gad, the son of Mattha, and he had been accused of stealing from the flocks of the men of Asher, and fights there had been, and much discourse and much dispute, and Benjamin had been called to Judge in this matter, for there was bloodshed, and one side saying one thing and another side saying another thing, and agreement in all this there was none.
So Benjamin had came to Beth-Hoglah, on the north edge of the Arabah, of the Salt Sea, and he had Judged there.
Testimony had been given, and countered and given again, and Benjamin had listened in wisdom and had pronounced, and Najran had been sentenced to be stoned to death with stones for his crime, and he was taken forth, to that certain place, and there was stoned to death with stones for his crime. And justice had been done in the eyes of G-d.
But wonders then happened in Beth-Hoglah, that gave light to the matter, fire was kindled from nothing, the river burned like wood, boils sprouted on faces and burst with stench, and breath grew hard and weary and all thought that death had come to Beth-Hoglah. And Benjamin prayed and sacrificed and made offerings to G-d but this still the wonders came.
Then Petan, of Asher, son of Buki, came to Benjamin and confessed his crime, and confessed with oaths and in front of all, that Najran, the son of Mattha, had been innocent, and that the man of guilt had been he Petan, the son of Buki, and that he had paid men to give false testimony to blame Najran, “for ever did I hate Najran son of Mattha, and ever did I seek to do him wrong, yet now I have brought wrong upon all of Israel, and upon the people of Beth-Hoglah.”
And Benjamin struck him, and cursed him to the ground, and there Petan fell dead, and all the afflictions of Beth-Hoglah departed. But yet was Benjamin's heart troubled.
Yet was Benjamin's heart troubled, so he went forth into the wilderness, to fast and to make offerings to G-d and to weep for his part in the death of Najran.
Benjamin made tent for the night, and made to sleep, but he was joined at his fire by a travelling man, who joined him in his camp and shared his fire. And the travelling man spoke to Benjamin and asked him to reveal the troubles of his heart and Benjamin would not do this, and so the man and Benjamin spoke long hours of talk. And at length from Benjamin was given the story of Najran and the judgement of Beth-Hoglah and of Benjamin there. And the man told Benjamin that his heart need not be troubled, for he was blameless of Najran's death, “for the evil of the world comes in all forms and guises and it is not for men to see or know it in all its garments, only G-d may see all evils.”
And Benjamin fell asleep while the man spoke and as he slept was taken by a great light, and was calm.
When he awoke the man had gone, and Benjamin realised that he had been speaking with an Angel of the Lord, and he was much astounded.
And Benjamin was known as The Blessed from that day onwards.
