16. Among all this people there were seven hundred chosen men with their right hands impeded (they were lefthanded); each one could sling stones at a hairs breadth, and not miss. {Heb. sin}
17. And the men of Israel, not counting Benjamin, were numbered four hundred thousand men that drew sword; all these were men of war.
18. Then the sons of Israel arose and went up to the house of God and asked counsel of God and said, Which of us shall go up first to the battle against the sons of Benjamin? And the Lord said, Judah shall go up first.
19. And the sons of Israel rose up in the morning and encamped against Gibeah.
20. And the men of Israel went out to battle against Benjamin; and the men of Israel put themselves in order to fight against them at Gibeah.
21. And the sons of Benjamin came forth out of Gibeah and destroyed down to the ground twenty-two thousand men of the Israelites that day.
22. And the people encouraged themselves, and the men of Israel set their battle again in order in the place where they put themselves in order the first day.
23. (And the sons of Israel went up and wept before the Lord until evening and asked counsel of the Lord, saying, Shall I go up again to battle against the sons of Benjamin, my brother? And the Lord said, Go up against him.)
24. And the sons of Israel came near against the sons of Benjamin the second day.
25. And Benjamin went forth against them out of Gibeah the second day and again destroyed down to the ground eighteen thousand of the sons of Israel; all these drew the sword.
26. Then all the sons of Israel and all the people went up and came unto the house of God and wept and sat there before the Lord and fasted that day until evening and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the Lord.
27. And the sons of Israel enquired of the Lord (for the ark of the covenant of God was there in those days,
28. and Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, stood before it in those days), saying, Shall I yet again go out to battle against the sons of Benjamin, my brother, or shall I cease? And the Lord said, Go up, for tomorrow I will deliver them into thy hand.
29. And Israel set ambushes round about Gibeah.
30. And the sons of Israel went up against the sons of Benjamin on the third day and put themselves in order against Gibeah as at the other times.