12. And they sent messengers to the entire tribe of Benjamin, who said: "Why has so great a wickedness been found among you?
13. Deliver the men of Gibeah, who have perpetrated this deplorable act, so that they may die, and so that the evil may be taken away from Israel." And they were not willing to listen to the command of their brothers, the sons of Israel.
14. Instead, out of all the cities that were their lot, they convened at Gibeah, so that they might bring them assistance, and so that they might contend against the entire people of Israel.
15. And there were found from Benjamin twenty-five thousand who drew the sword, aside from the inhabitants of Gibeah,
16. who were seven hundred very strong men, fighting with the left hand as well as with the right hand, and casting stones from a sling so accurately that they were able to strike even a hair, and the path of the stone would by no means miss to either side.
17. Then too, among the men of Israel apart from the sons of Benjamin, there were found four hundred thousand who drew the sword and who were prepared for battle.
18. And they rose up and went to the house of God, that is, to Shiloh. And they consulted God, and they said, "Who shall be, in our army, the first to contend against the sons of Benjamin?" And the Lord responded to them, "Let Judah be your leader."
19. And immediately the sons of Israel, rising up in the morning, made camp near Gibeah.
20. And setting out from there to fight against Benjamin, they began to assault the city.
21. And the sons of Benjamin, departing from Gibeah, slew twenty-two thousand men from the sons of Israel, on that day.
22. Again the sons of Israel, trusting in both strength and number, set their troops in order, in the same place where they had contended before.
23. But first they also went up and wept before the Lord, even until night. And they consulted him and said, "Should I continue to go forth, so as to contend against the sons of Benjamin, my brothers, or not?" And he responded to them, "Ascend against them, and undertake the struggle."
24. And when the sons of Israel had continued to do battle against the sons of Benjamin on the next day,