Thematic Bible: Ambushes at gibeah


Thematic Bible



The Israelites hid some soldiers around Gibeah. 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. 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. read more.
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. 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. 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. Jehovah gave Israel victory over the army of Benjamin. The Israelites killed twenty five thousand one hundred of the enemy that day, 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. These men ran quickly toward Gibeah. They spread out and killed everyone there. The main Israelite army and the men in hiding had a prearranged signal. When they saw a big cloud of smoke going up from the town, the Israelites out on the battlefield were to turn around. By this time the Benjaminites had already killed the thirty Israelites. They told themselves: We have beaten them. The signal appeared. A cloud of smoke rose above the town. The Benjaminites looked behind them to see the whole city going up in flames. Then the Israelites turned around. The Benjaminites were thrown into panic because they could see that they were about to be destroyed. They retreated from the Israelites. They ran toward the open country and could not escape. They were caught between the main army and the men now coming out of the city. They were destroyed. The Israelites trapped the enemy. Without stopping they pursued them as far as a point east of Gibeah. They killed them as they advanced.