Judges 20:20–32

²⁰And the men of Israel went out to battle against Benjamin, and the men of Israel arranged themselves for battle against them at Gibeah.

²¹Then the sons of Benjamin came out of Gibeah and ^adestroyed to the ground on that day 22,000 men of Israel.

²²But the people, the men of Israel, strengthened themselves and arranged themselves for battle again in the place where they had arranged themselves the first day.

^23aAnd the sons of Israel went up and wept before Yahweh until evening and ^basked of Yahweh, saying, “Shall we again approach for battle against the sons of my brother Benjamin?” And Yahweh said, “Go up against him.”

²⁴Then the sons of Israel drew near to the sons of Benjamin the second day.

²⁵And Benjamin went out to meet them from Gibeah the second day and destroyed to the ground again 18,000 men of the sons of Israel; all these drew the sword.

²⁶Then ^aall the sons of Israel and all the people went up and came to Bethel and wept; thus they remained there before Yahweh and fasted that day until evening. And they offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before Yahweh.

²⁷Then the sons of Israel ^aasked of Yahweh (now the ark of the covenant of God was there in those days,

²⁸and Phinehas the son of Eleazar, Aaron’s son, stood before it to minister in those days), saying, “Shall I yet again go out to battle against the sons of my brother Benjamin, or shall I cease?” And Yahweh said, “Go up, ^afor tomorrow I will give them into your hand.”

^29aSo Israel set men in ambush around Gibeah.

³⁰And the sons of Israel went up against the sons of Benjamin on the third day and arrayed themselves against Gibeah as at other times.

^31aSo the sons of Benjamin went out to meet the people and were drawn away from the city, and they began to strike ¹and slay some of the people as at other times, on the highways, one of which goes up to Bethel and the other to Gibeah, and in the field, about thirty men of Israel.

³²The sons of Benjamin said, “They are ¹defeated before us, as at the first.” But the sons of Israel said, “Let us flee that we may draw them away from the city to the highways.”