Judges 20:18-25

Christian Standard Bible Anglicised

¹⁸ They set out, went to Bethel, and enquired of God.^(A) The Israelites asked, ‘Who is to go first to fight for us against the Benjaminites? ’

And the Lord answered, ‘Judah will be first.’

¹⁹ In the morning, the Israelites set out and camped near Gibeah. ²⁰ The men of Israel went out to fight against Benjamin and took their battle positions against Gibeah. ²¹ The Benjaminites came out of Gibeah and slaughtered twenty-two thousand men of Israel on the field that day. ²² But the Israelite troops rallied and again took their battle positions in the same place where they positioned themselves on the first day. ²³ They went up, wept^(B) before the Lord until evening,^(C) and enquired of him, ‘Should we again attack our brothers the Benjaminites? ’

And the Lord answered, ‘Fight against them.’

²⁴ On the second day the Israelites advanced against the Benjaminites. ²⁵ That same day the Benjaminites came out from Gibeah to meet them and slaughtered an additional eighteen thousand Israelites on the field; all were armed.