Judges 20:39-48 ▼

39 So the men of Israel had turned around in the battle, and Benjamin had begun to strike and slay about thirty men of Israel, for they said, “Surely they are defeated before us, as in the first battle.”

40 But the cloud began to rise from the city in a column of smoke, and Benjamin turned behind them; and behold, the whole city was going up in smoke to heaven.

41 Then the men of Israel turned around again, and the men of Benjamin were dismayed; for they saw that calamity had reached them.

42 Therefore, they turned their backs before the men of Israel toward the direction of the wilderness, but the battle overtook them, and those who came out of the cities destroyed them in the midst of them.

43 They surrounded Benjamin, pursued them without rest, and trod them down opposite Gibeah to the east toward the sunrise.

44 Thus 18,000 men of Benjamin fell; all these were valiant men.

45 And the rest turned and fled toward the wilderness to the rock of Rimmon, but they caught 5,000 of them on the highways and overtook them at Gidom and struck down 2,000 of them.

46 So all of Benjamin who fell that day were 25,000 men who drew the sword; all these were valiant men.

47 But 600 men turned and fled toward the wilderness to the rock of Rimmon, and they remained at the rock of Rimmon four months.

48 Now the men of Israel returned to the sons of Benjamin and struck them with the edge of the sword, both the entire city with the cattle and all that they found; they also set on fire all the cities which they found.