Judges 20:23-48 ▼

23 And the sons of Israel went up and wept before the face of YHWH until the evening, and they inquired of YHWH, saying, “Shall I add to draw near for the battle against the sons of Benjamin my brother?” And YHWH said, “Go up against him.”

24 And the sons of Israel approached to the sons of Benjamin on the second day.

25 And Benjamin went out against them from Gibeah on the second day, and they cut down from the sons of Israel another eighteen thousand men to the ground, all these drawing the sword.

26 And all the sons of Israel went up, and all the people, and they came to Bethel and wept. And they sat there before the face of YHWH and fasted that day until the evening, and they offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the face of YHWH.

27 And the sons of Israel inquired of YHWH, and was there the ark of the covenant of God in those days.

28 And Phinehas son of Eleazar son of Aaron stood before it in those days, saying, “Shall I add again to go out into battle against the sons of Benjamin my brother, or shall I cease?” And YHWH said, “Go up, for tomorrow I will give them into your hand.”

29 And Israel set those lying in wait to Gibeah all around.

30 And the sons of Israel went up against the sons of Benjamin on the third day, and they arrayed against Gibeah as time upon time.

31 And the sons of Benjamin went out against the people, and they were drawn away from the city. And they began to strike down some of the people and kill some, as time upon time, in the highways, of which one goes up to Bethel and one to Gibeah, and in the field, about thirty men of Israel.

32 And the sons of Benjamin said, “They are struck down before us as at first.” And the sons of Israel said, “Let us flee and draw them away from the city to the highways.”

33 And all the men of Israel rose from their place, and arrayed at Baal-tamar, and those lying in wait of Israel burst forth from their place on the west of Gibeah.

34 And came over against Gibeah ten thousand select men from all Israel, and the battle was fierce. And they did not know that evil was upon them.

35 And YHWH defeated Benjamin before the face of Israel, and the sons of Israel destroyed in Benjamin that day twenty-five thousand and a hundred men, all these drawing the sword.

36 And the sons of Benjamin saw that they were defeated. And the men of Israel had given ground to Benjamin, because they trusted in those lying in wait whom they had set against Gibeah.

37 And those lying in wait quickly rushed upon Gibeah, and those lying in wait spread out and struck all the city with the mouth of the sword.

38 And there was a signal between the men of Israel and between those lying in wait, that they would make a great cloud of smoke rise up from the city,

39 and the men of Israel would turn in the battle. And Benjamin had begun to strike and kill of the men of Israel—about thirty men—for they said, “Surely he is utterly struck before us, as in the first battle.”

40 And the cloud began to rise from the city in a column of smoke, and Benjamin looked behind them, and there was going up all the city to the heavens.

41 And the men of Israel turned back, and the men of Benjamin were alarmed, for they saw that disaster had come upon them.

42 And they turned before the faces of the men of Israel in the direction of the wilderness, and the battle overtook him, and whoever came out of the cities they destroyed him in the midst of him.

43 They surrounded Benjamin, chased them, and easily trampled them down as far as the front of Gibeah toward the rising of the sun.

44 And fell of Benjamin eighteen thousand men, all of these men of valor.

45 And they turned and fled toward the wilderness to the rock of Rimmon, and they gleaned on the highways five thousand men, and they pursued them relentlessly up to Gidom, and they struck two thousand of their men.

46 And all who fell of Benjamin on that day were twenty-five thousand men who drew the sword, all of these men of valor.

47 And turned and fled into the wilderness to the rock of Rimmon six hundred men, and they stayed at the rock of Rimmon four months.

48 And the men of Israel turned back against the sons of Benjamin, and they struck them with the mouth of the sword from every city—men even to beasts—even to all they found; also to all the cities that are found they set fire.