18. The children of Israel arose, went up to Bethel, and asked counsel of God. They asked, “Who shall go up for us first to battle against the children of Benjamin?”The Lord said, “Judah first.”
19. The children of Israel rose up in the morning, and encamped against Gibeah.
20. 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. The children of Benjamin came out of Gibeah, and on that day destroyed twenty-two thousand of the Israelite men down to the ground.
22. 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. The children of Israel went up and wept before the Lord until evening; and they asked of the Lord, saying, “Shall I again draw near to battle against the children of Benjamin my brother?”The Lord said, “Go up against him.”
24. The children of Israel came near against the children of Benjamin the second day.
25. Benjamin went out 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 to Bethel, and wept, and sat there before the Lord, and fasted that day until evening; then they offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the Lord.
27. The children of Israel asked 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?”The Lord said, “Go up; for tomorrow I will deliver him into your hand.”
29. Israel set ambushes all around Gibeah.