36. So the people of Benjamin saw that they were defeated.The men of Israel gave ground to Benjamin, because they trusted the men in ambush whom they had set against Gibeah.
37. Then the men in ambush hurried and rushed against Gibeah; the men in ambush moved out and struck all the city with the edge of the sword.
38. Now the appointed signal between the men of Israel and the men in the main ambush was that when they made a great cloud of smoke rise up out of the city
39. the men of Israel should turn in battle. Now Benjamin had begun to strike and kill about thirty men of Israel. They said, “Surely they are defeated before us, as in the first battle.”
40. But when the signal began to rise out of the city in a column of smoke, the Benjaminites looked behind them, and behold, the whole of the city went up in smoke to heaven.
41. Then the men of Israel turned, and the men of Benjamin were dismayed, for they saw that disaster was close upon them.
42. Therefore they turned their backs before the men of Israel in the direction of the wilderness, but the battle overtook them. And those who came out of the cities were destroying them in their midst.
43. Surrounding the Benjaminites, they pursued them and trod them down from Nohah as far as opposite Gibeah on the east.