Judges 20:36–48

³⁶Then the men of Benjamin realized they were defeated. 

The Israelites had allowed the men of Benjamin to take back some ground. The Israelites relied on those waiting in ambush near Gibeah. ³⁷The men in ambush quickly charged toward Gibeah. They spread out in the city and killed everyone. ³⁸The men of Israel had arranged with those waiting in ambush that they would make a big column of smoke rise from the city as a signal. ³⁹Then the men of Israel would turn around in the battle. 

The men of Benjamin had already killed about 30 men of Israel. They even said, “Israel is completely defeated, just like in the first battle.” 

⁴⁰But when the column of smoke started to rise from the city, the men of Benjamin turned around and saw the whole city going up in smoke. ⁴¹Then the men of Israel turned around, and the men of Benjamin panicked. They realized that their evil had overtaken them. ⁴²They turned in front of Israel toward the road to the desert. But the battle caught up with the men of Benjamin. Israel slaughtered whoever came out of the cities on the road to the desert. ⁴³They closed in on the men of Benjamin and pursued them without stopping. They overtook them east of Gibeah. ⁴⁴There were 18,000 experienced men from Benjamin who died in battle. ⁴⁵The others turned and fled into the desert to Rimmon Rock. But the men of Israel killed 5,000 more on the roads. They caught up with another 2,000 and killed them near Gidom. ⁴⁶In all, 25,000 men from Benjamin who were armed with swords were killed that day. They were all experienced men. 

⁴⁷But 600 men turned and fled into the desert to Rimmon Rock. They stayed at Rimmon Rock for four months. 

⁴⁸Then the men of Israel went back to attack the rest of the territory of Benjamin. They killed all the people and cattle they found in every city. They also burned down every city they came to.