Judges 20:29-48

291So Israel set men in ambush around Gibeah. 30The sons of Israel went up against the sons of Benjamin on the third day and arrayed themselves against Gibeah as at other times. 312The sons of Benjamin went out 3against the people and were drawn away from the city, and they began to strike 4and kill some of the people as at other times, on the highways, one of which goes up to Bethel and the other to Gibeah, and in the field, about thirty men of Israel. 32The sons of Benjamin said, “They are struck down before us, as at the first.” But the sons of Israel said, “Let us flee that we may draw them away from the city to the highways.” 33Then all the men of Israel arose from their place and arrayed themselves at Baal-tamar; 5and the men of Israel in ambush broke out of their place, even out of Maareh-geba. 34When ten thousand choice men from all Israel came against Gibeah, the battle became 6fierce; 7but 8Benjamin did not know that 9disaster was 10close to them. 35And the Lord struck Benjamin before Israel, so that the sons of Israel destroyed 25,100 men of Benjamin that day, all 11who draw the sword.

36So the sons of Benjamin saw that they were 12defeated. 13When the men of Israel gave 14ground to Benjamin because they relied on the men in ambush whom they had set against Gibeah, 3715the men in ambush hurried and rushed against Gibeah; the men in ambush also deployed and struck all the city with the edge of the sword. 38Now the appointed sign between the men of Israel and the men in ambush was 16that they would make a great cloud of smoke rise from the city. 39Then the men of Israel turned in the battle, and Benjamin began to strike 17and kill about thirty men of Israel, 18for they said, “Surely they are 19defeated before us, as in the first battle.” 40But when the cloud began to rise from the city in a column of smoke, Benjamin looked 20behind them; and behold, the whole city was going up in smoke to heaven. 41Then the men of Israel turned, and the men of Benjamin were terrified; for they saw that 2122disaster was 23close to them. 42Therefore, they turned their backs before the men of Israel 24toward the direction of the wilderness, but the battle overtook them while those who came out of the cities destroyed them in the midst of them. 4325They surrounded Benjamin, pursued them without rest and trod them down opposite Gibeah toward the 26east. 44Thus 18,000 men of Benjamin fell; all these were valiant warriors. 4527The rest turned and fled toward the wilderness to the rock of 28Rimmon, but they 29caught 5,000 of them on the highways and overtook them 30at Gidom and 31killed 2,000 of them. 46So all of Benjamin who fell that day were 25,000 men who draw the sword; all these were valiant warriors. 47But 600 men turned and fled toward the wilderness to the rock of Rimmon, and they remained at the rock of Rimmon four months. 48The men of Israel then turned back against the sons of Benjamin and struck them with the edge of the sword, both the entire city with the cattle and all that they found; they also set on fire all the cities which they found.