Judges 20:18–28

18 Then the ⌊Israelites⌋y got up and went up to Bethel, and they inquired of God, saying, “Who will go up first for the battle against the descendantsz of Benjamin?” And Yahweh said, “Judah will go first.” 19 And the ⌊Israelites⌋a got up in the morning, and they encamped against Gibeah. 20 Then the men of Israel marched out for the battle against Benjamin, and the men of Israel took up positions against them for battle at Gibeah. 21 The descendantsb of Benjamin went out from Gibeah, and they struck down on that day twenty-two thousand men of Israel to the ground. 22 But the troops, the men of Israel, ⌊encouraged themselves⌋,c and again they arranged their battle lines in the place where they had arranged themselves the first day. 23 The ⌊Israelites⌋d went up and wept before Yahweh until evening and inquired of Yahweh, saying, “Should we again draw near from the battle against the descendantse of Benjamin, our relatives?”f And Yahweh said, “Go up against them.”g

24 And the ⌊Israelites⌋h drew near to the descendantsi of Benjamin on the second day. 25 And Benjamin went out from Gibeah to meet them on the second day, and they struck down the ⌊Israelites⌋j again, eighteen thousand men to the ground; all of these were ⌊sword-wielding⌋.k 26 And all the ⌊Israelites⌋l and all the troops went up and came to Bethel and wept; and they sat there before Yahweh and fasted on that day until evening; and they offered burnt offerings and fellowship offerings before Yahweh. 27 And the ⌊Israelites⌋m inquired of Yahweh (In those days the ark of the covenant of God was there, 28 and Phinehas son of Eleazar, son of Aaron, was standing ⌊before it⌋n to minister in those days), saying, “Should we go out once more to battle against the descendantso of Benjamin our relatives,p or should we stop?” And Yahweh said, “Go up tomorrow; I will give themq into your hand.”