38. The 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.
39. Then 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.”
40. But 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.
41. Then the men of Israel turned around, and the men of Benjamin panicked. They realized that their evil had overtaken them.
42. They 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.
43. They closed in on the men of Benjamin and pursued them without stopping. They overtook them east of Gibeah.
44. There were 18,000 experienced men from Benjamin who died in battle.