Judges 20:18-39

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,

²⁷and they asked the Lord of their state. In that time, the ark of the bond of peace of God was there;

²⁸and Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, was sovereign of the Lord’s house. Then they counselled with the Lord, and said, Shall we go out more to battle against the sons of Benjamin, our brethren, either shall we rest? To whom the Lord said, Go ye up against them, for tomorrow I shall betake Benjamin into your hands.

²⁹And the sons of Israel setted ambushments by compass of the city of Gibeah;

³⁰and the third time, as once and twice before, they brought forth the host against Benjamin.

³¹But also then the sons of Benjamin brake out from the city boldly, and they pursued further the adversaries fleeing, so that they wounded of Israel, as they did in the first day, and the second, and they killed by two paths Israel turning backs; of the which paths one was straight out into Bethel, and the tother into Gibeah. And Benjamin threw down about thirty men of Israel;

³²for they guessed to destroy Israel as they did before; and by craft, Israel took counsel, feigning them to flee, that they should draw Benjamin from the city, and that they as fleeing should bring forth Benjamin to the foresaid paths.

³³Therefore all the sons of Israel rose of their seats, and setted battle array in the place which is called Baaltamar. And the ambushments, that were about the city, began to open themselves little and little, and to go forth from the west part of the city.

³⁴But also other ten thousand of men of all Israel excited the dwellers of the city to battles; and the battle was made grievous against the sons of Benjamin, and they understood not, that perishing nighed to them on each part.

³⁵And the Lord smote Benjamin in the sight of the sons of Israel, and Israel killed of them in that day five and twenty thousand and an hundred men, and all these were warriors and men drawing out sword.

³⁶Soothly the sons of Benjamin began to flee, when they saw, that they were the lower. And the sons of Israel saw this, and gave to them place to flee, that they should come to the ambushments made ready, which they had set beside the city.

³⁷And when these ambushments had risen up suddenly from the hid places, and Benjamin gave backs to the slayers, they entered into the city, and they smote it by sharpness of sword.

³⁸Soothly the sons of Israel had given a sign to them which they had set in ambushments, that after that they had taken the city, they should kindle fire, and that by smoke ascending or going up on high, they should show the city taken.

³⁹And when the sons of Israel set in that battle saw this; for the sons of Benjamin guessed them to flee, and they pursued them busilier, when thirty men of their host were slain;