12. The tribes of Israel sent men throughout the tribe of Benjamin to say, “What is this evil that has occurred among you?
13. Now give up the men, the scoundrels who are in Gibeah, that we may put them to death and thus purge the evil from Israel.” But the Benjaminites refused to listen to their kindred, the Israelites.
14. Instead, the Benjaminites assembled from their cities at Gibeah, to march out to battle with the Israelites.
15. On that day the Benjaminites mustered from their cities twenty-six thousand swordsmen, in addition to the inhabitants of Gibeah, who mustered seven hundred picked men
16. who were left-handed, every one of them able to sling a stone at a hair without missing.
17. The men of Israel, without Benjamin, mustered four hundred thousand swordsmen, all of them warriors.
18. They went up to Bethel and consulted God. When the Israelites asked, “Who shall go up first for us to do battle with the Benjaminites?” the Lord said: Judah first.
19. The Israelites rose in the morning and encamped against Gibeah.
20. The men of Israel marched out to do battle with Benjamin and drew up in battle array against them at Gibeah.
21. The Benjaminites marched out of Gibeah that day and felled twenty-two thousand men of Israel.
22. But the army of the men of Israel took courage and again drew up for battle in the place where they had drawn up on the previous day.
23. Then the Israelites went up and wept before the Lord until evening. “Shall I again engage my brother Benjamin in battle?” they asked the Lord; and the Lord answered: Attack!
24. When the Israelites drew near to the Benjaminites on the second day,
25. Benjamin marched out of Gibeah against them again and felled eighteen thousand Israelites, all of them swordsmen.
26. So the entire Israelite army went up and entered Bethel, where they sat weeping before the Lord. They fasted that day until evening and presented burnt offerings and communion offerings before the Lord.
27. The Israelites consulted the Lord (for the ark of the covenant of the Lord was there in those days,