Judges 20:16-26

¹⁶fighting so with the left hand as with the right hand, and casting so stones with slings at a certain thing, that they might smite also an hair, and the stroke of the stone should not be borne away into the tother part.

¹⁷Also of the men of Israel, without the sons of Benjamin, were found four hundred thousand drawing out sword, and ready to battle.

¹⁸Which rose, and came into the house of God, that is in Shiloh; and they counselled with God, and said, Who shall be prince in our host of the battle against the sons of Benjamin? To whom the Lord answered, Judah be your duke.

¹⁹And anon the sons of Israel rose early, and setted tents against Gibeah.

²⁰And from thence they went out to battle against Benjamin, and Israel began to fight against Gibeah.

²¹And the sons of Benjamin went out of Gibeah, and killed of the sons of Israel in that day two and twenty thousand men.

²²And again, the sons of Israel trusted in their own strength, and in number of people, and they dressed the battle array, in the same place in which they fought before;

²³so nevertheless that they went up before to the house of God, and they wept before the Lord unto the night, and they counselled with him, and said, Shall I go forth more to fight against the sons of Benjamin, my brethren, either nay? To whom he answered, Ascend ye or Goeth up to them, and begin ye the battle.

²⁴And when the sons of Israel had gone forth to battle in the tother day against Benjamin,

²⁵the sons of Benjamin brake out from the gates of Gibeah, and came to Israel; and the sons of Benjamin were wild against Israel by so fierce slaying, that they threw down eighteen thousand men of Israel drawing out sword.

²⁶Wherefore all the sons of Israel came into the house of God, and they sat, and wept before the Lord, and they fasted in that day unto the eventide; and they offered to the Lord burnt sacrifices, and peaceable sacrifices,