Judges 20:18-36 - The War Against The Benjaminites
18 The Israelites went to the house of God at Bethel, and there they asked God: Which of us should attack the Benjaminites first? Jehovah answered: The tribe of Judah.
19 So the Israelites started out the next morning and camped near the city of Gibeah. 20 They went to attack the army of Benjamin, and placed the soldiers in battle array to fight against Gibeah. 21 The army of Benjamin came out of the city. That day they killed twenty-two thousand Israelite soldiers. 22 The Israelite army was encouraged as they placed the soldiers in position again at the place where they put themselves the first day. 23 They mourned in the presence of Jehovah until evening. They asked him if they should go again in battle against their brothers the Benjaminites? Jehovah's answer was: Yes.
24 The Israelites marched against the army of Benjamin a second time. 25 The second time the Benjaminites came out of Gibeah. This time they killed eighteen thousand trained Israelite soldiers.
26 The people of Israel went up to Bethel and mourned. They sat there in Jehovah's presence and fasted until evening. They offered fellowship sacrifices and burned some sacrifices whole in the presence of Jehovah. 27 The Ark of the Covenant was there at Bethel in those days. Phinehas, the son of Eleazar and grandson of Aaron, was in charge of it. 28 The people asked Jehovah: Should we go to battle against our brothers the Benjaminites again, or should we cease? Jehovah answered: Fight. Tomorrow I will give you victory over them. 29 The Israelites hid some soldiers around Gibeah. 30 Then for the third straight day they marched against the army of Benjamin. They placed their soldiers in battle position facing Gibeah, as they had done before. 31 The Benjaminites came out to fight and were drawn away from the city. Just as before they killed some Israelites in the open country, on the road to Bethel and on the road to Gibeah. They killed about thirty Israelites. 32 The Benjaminites said: They are defeated just as before. But the Israelites planned to retreat and lead them away from the city onto the roads. 33 The main army of the Israelites pulled back and regrouped at Baaltamar. The men surrounding Gibeah suddenly rushed out of hiding in the rocky country around the city. 34 Ten thousand, specially chosen men, out of all Israel, attacked Gibeah, and the fighting was fierce. The Benjaminites did not realize they were about to be destroyed. 35 Jehovah gave Israel victory over the army of Benjamin. The Israelites killed twenty five thousand one hundred of the enemy that day, 36 The Benjaminites knew they were defeated. The main body of the Israelite army had retreated from the Benjaminites. This is because they relied on the men that were hiding around Gibeah.