Judges 20:18-28

18The Israelites went up to Bethel and asked God, “Who should lead the charge against the Benjaminites?” The Lord said, “Judah should lead.”

19The Israelites got up the next morning and moved against Gibeah.

20The men of Israel marched out to fight Benjamin; they arranged their battle lines against Gibeah.

21The Benjaminites attacked from Gibeah and struck down twenty-two thousand Israelites that day.

22The Israelite army took heart and once more arranged their battle lines, in the same place where they had taken their positions the day before.

23The Israelites went up and wept before the Lord until evening. They asked the Lord, “Should we again march out to fight the Benjaminites, our brothers?” The Lord said, “Attack them!”

24So the Israelites marched toward the Benjaminites the next day.

25The Benjaminites again attacked them from Gibeah and struck down eighteen thousand sword-wielding Israelite soldiers.

26So all the Israelites, the whole army, went up to Bethel. They wept and sat there before the Lord; they did not eat anything that day until evening. They offered up burnt sacrifices and tokens of peace to the Lord.

27The Israelites asked the Lord (for the ark of God’s covenant was there in those days;

28Phinehas son of Eleazar, son of Aaron, was serving the Lord in those days), “Should we once more march out to fight the Benjaminites our brothers, or should we quit?” The Lord said, “Attack, for tomorrow I will hand them over to you.”