Judges 20:14-31

14So the men of Benjamin went from their towns and assembled at Gibeah to go to war with the men of Israel.

15That day 26,000 men armed with swords came from Benjamin’s cities and organized for battle along with 700 of Gibeah’s best men.

16Out of all these troops, the best 700 were left-handed. Each could sling a stone at a hair and not miss.

17The men of Israel (Benjamin not included) totaled 400,000 soldiers armed with swords.

18The men of Israel went to Bethel. They asked God, “Who will go first to fight Benjamin?” The Lord answered, “Judah will go first.”

19The Israelites got up early in the morning and camped at Gibeah.

20So the men of Israel went to war with the men of Benjamin. The Israelites formed their battle line facing Gibeah.

21That day the men of Benjamin came out from Gibeah. They slaughtered 22,000 of Israel’s men.

22But Israel’s troops got reinforcements. They formed their battle line where they had formed it on the first day.

23The Israelites went and cried in the presence of the Lord until evening. They asked the Lord, “Should we continue to wage war against our close relatives, the men of Benjamin?” The Lord answered, “Go fight them!”

24On the second day the Israelite troops advanced against Benjamin.

25Benjamin went out from Gibeah to meet them. This time they slaughtered 18,000 men from Israel who were armed with swords.

26Then all the men of Israel and all the troops went to Bethel. They sat there and cried in the presence of the Lord and fasted that day until evening. Then they sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings to the Lord.

27In those days the ark of God’s promise was at Bethel.

28(Phinehas, son of Eleazar and grandson of Aaron, served in front of it.) So the people of Israel asked the Lord, “Should we continue to wage war against our close relatives, the men of Benjamin? Or should we stop?” The Lord answered, “Go! Tomorrow I will hand them over to you.”

29Then Israel placed troops in ambush around Gibeah.

30On the third day the men of Israel went to fight the men of Benjamin. They formed their battle line facing Gibeah as they did before.

31The men of Benjamin went out to attack Israel’s troops and were led away from the city. They started to inflict casualties as before. They killed about 30 men from Israel in the open country and on the roads to Bethel and Gibeah.