18. The Israelites went up to Bethel and asked God, “Who should lead the charge against the Benjaminites?” The Lord said, “Judah should lead.”
19. The Israelites got up the next morning and moved against Gibeah.
20. The men of Israel marched out to fight Benjamin; they arranged their battle lines against Gibeah.
21. The Benjaminites attacked from Gibeah and struck down twenty-two thousand Israelites that day.
22. The Israelite army took heart and once more arranged their battle lines, in the same place where they had taken their positions the day before.
23. The 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!”
24. So the Israelites marched toward the Benjaminites the next day.
25. The Benjaminites again attacked them from Gibeah and struck down eighteen thousand sword-wielding Israelite soldiers.
26. So 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.
27. The Israelites asked the Lord (for the ark of God’s covenant was there in those days;