18. And the children of Israel arose, and went up to Beth-el, and asked counsel of God; and they said, Who shall go up for us first to battle against the children of Benjamin? And the Lord said, Judah shall go up first.
19. And the children 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 set the battle in array against them at Gibeah.
21. And the children of Benjamin came forth out of Gibeah, and destroyed down to the ground of the Israelites on that day twenty and two thousand men.
22. And the people, the men of Israel, encouraged themselves, and set the battle again in array in the place where they set themselves in array the first day.
23. (And the children of Israel went up and wept before the Lord until even; and they asked of the Lord, saying, Shall I again draw nigh to battle against the children of Benjamin my brother? And the Lord said, Go up against him.)
24. And the children of Israel came near against the children of Benjamin the second day.
25. And Benjamin went forth against them out of Gibeah the second day, and destroyed down to the ground of the children of Israel again eighteen thousand men; all these drew the sword.
26. Then all the children of Israel, and all the people, went up, and came unto Beth-el, and wept, and sat there before the Lord, and fasted that day until even; and they offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the Lord.
27. And the children of Israel asked 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 children of Benjamin my brother, or shall I cease? And the Lord said, Go up; for tomorrow I will deliver him into thine hand.
29. And Israel set liers in wait against Gibeah round about.
30. And the children of Israel went up against the children of Benjamin on the third day, and set themselves in array against Gibeah, as at other times.
31. And the children of Benjamin went out against the people, and were drawn away from the city; and they began to smite and kill of the people, as at other times, in the highways, of which one goeth up to Beth-el, and the other to Gibeah, in the field, about thirty men of Israel.