Judges 20:18-36 - The War Against The Benjaminites
18 And the children of Israel arose and went up to Bethel, and asked of God, who should begin the battle against the children of Benjamin, and the LORD said, "Judah shall begin."
19 And the children of Israel stood up early and besieged Gibeah. 20 And the men of Israel went out to battle against Benjamin, and put themselves in array against them, to fight against Gibeah. 21 And the children of Benjamin came out of Gibeah and destroyed in Israel that day twenty two thousand men, and brought them to the earth. 22 And the folk of the children of Israel plucked up their hearts, and went to again and made battle in the same place where they did the first day: 23 but they went first up and wept before the LORD unto evening, and asked of the LORD saying, "Shall we go again to battle against the children of Benjamin, our brethren?"
24 And the LORD said, "Go up unto them." And when the children of Israel were come to the children of Benjamin the second day, 25 the children of Benjamin went against them out of Gibeah, the second day, and destroyed to the earth of the children of Israel once again, eighteen thousand men that drew swords every man of them.
26 Then the children of Israel and all the people went up and came unto Bethel, and wept and sat there before the LORD, and fasted the same day unto evening, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the LORD. 27 And they asked the LORD - for there was the ark of the covenant of God, in those days; 28 and Phinehas the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron waiting upon it at that time - and they said, "Shall we go out any more to battle against the children of Benjamin our brethren, or shall we cease?" And the LORD said, "Go. For tomorrow I will deliver them into your hands." 29 And Israel set layers await against Gibeah round about. 30 And the children of Israel went against the children of Benjamin the third time, and put themselves in array against Gibeah, as twice before. 31 Then came the children of Benjamin against the people, till they were drawn a great way from the city. And they began to smite of the people dead - as twice before, by two highways of which one goeth up to Bethel and the other to Gibeah through the field - upon a thirty men of Israel. 32 For the children of Benjamin thought that the other had been beaten before them, as at the first time. But the children of Israel said, "Let us flee and pluck them away from the city, unto the highways." 33 And then all the men of Israel rose up out of their standing, and put themselves in array at Baaltamar. And likewise the layers in wait of Israel came forth out of their places, even out of the meadows of Gibeah, 34 and came before Gibeah: ten thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and there was sore battle. But the other knew not that evil was so nigh them. 35 And the LORD plagued Benjamin before Israel, so that the children of Israel destroyed in Benjamin the same day twenty five thousand and a hundred men, that drew swords every one of them. 36 It seemed the children of Benjamin, that the other had been put to the worse. For the men of Israel gave room to Benjamin, because they trusted unto the layers in wait which they had laid against Gibeah.