13. Hand over those evil men of Gibeah. We'll put them to death. In that way we'll get rid of those evil people." But the people of Benjamin wouldn't listen to the other people of Israel.
14. They came together at Gibeah from their towns. They came to fight against the other people of Israel.
15. Right away the people of Benjamin gathered together 26,000 men from their towns. They were carrying swords. The men were added to the 700 who had been chosen from those who were living in Gibeah.
16. Among all of those men there were 700 who were left-handed. Each of them could sling a stone at a hair and not miss.
17. Israel gathered 400,000 men together. They were carrying swords. All of them were fighting men. That number didn't include the tribe of Benjamin.
18. The people of Israel went up to Bethel. There they spoke to God. They asked him, "Who will go up first and fight for us against the people of Benjamin?" The Lord answered, "The tribe of Judah will go first."
19. The next morning the people of Israel got up. They set up camp near Gibeah.
20. The men of Israel went out to fight against the men of Benjamin. They took up their battle positions against them at Gibeah.
21. The men of Benjamin came out of Gibeah. They killed 22,000 men of Israel on the field of battle that day.
22. But the men of Israel cheered each other on. They again took up their positions in the places where they had been the first day.
23. The men of Israel went and sobbed in the sight of the Lord until evening. They spoke to the Lord. They asked, "Should we go up again to fight against the men of Benjamin? They are our fellow Israelites." The Lord answered, "Go up and fight against them."
24. The men of Israel came near the men of Benjamin on the second day.
25. The men of Benjamin came out from Gibeah to oppose them. That time they killed 18,000 more men of Israel. All of the men who died had been carrying swords.
26. Then all of the people of Israel went up to Bethel. They sat there and sobbed in the sight of the Lord. They didn't eat anything that day until evening. Then they brought burnt offerings and friendship offerings to the Lord.
27. Again the people of Israel spoke to the Lord. In those days the ark of the covenant of God was there.
28. Phinehas was serving as priest at the ark. He was the son of Eleazar. Eleazar was the son of Aaron. The people of Israel asked, "Should we go up again to fight against the men of Benjamin? They are our fellow Israelites." The Lord answered, "Go. Tomorrow I will hand them over to you."