Chapter 20 38 Now there was an appointed sign between the men of Israel and the liers in wait, that they should make a great flame with smoke rise up out of the city.39 And when the men of Israel retired in the battle, Benjamin began to smite and kill of the men of Israel about thirty persons: for they said, Surely they are smitten down before us, as in the first battle.40 But when the flame began to arise up out of the city with a pillar of smoke, the Benjamites looked behind them, and, behold, the flame of the city ascended up to heaven.41 And when the men of Israel turned again, the men of Benjamin were amazed: for they saw that evil was come upon them.42 Therefore they turned their backs before the men of Israel unto the way of the wilderness; but the battle overtook them; and them which came out of the cities they destroyed in the midst of them.43 Thus they inclosed the Benjamites round about, and chased them, and trode them down with ease over against Gibeah toward the sunrising.44 And there fell of Benjamin eighteen thousand men; all these were men of valour.45 And they turned and fled toward the wilderness unto the rock of Rimmon: and they gleaned of them in the highways five thousand men; and pursued hard after them unto Gidom, and slew two thousand men of them.46 So that all which fell that day of Benjamin were twenty and five thousand men that drew the sword; all these were men of valour.47 But six hundred men turned and fled to the wilderness unto the rock Rimmon, and abode in the rock Rimmon four months.48 And the men of Israel turned again upon the children of Benjamin, and smote them with the edge of the sword, as well the men of every city, as the beast, and all that came to hand: also they set on fire all the cities that they came to.
Chapter 21 1 Now the men of Israel had sworn in Mizpeh, saying, There shall not any of us give his daughter unto Benjamin to wife.2 And the people came to the house of God, and abode there till even before God, and lifted up their voices, and wept sore;3 And said, O LORD God of Israel, why is this come to pass in Israel, that there should be to day one tribe lacking in Israel?4 And it came to pass on the morrow, that the people rose early, and built there an altar, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings.5 And the children of Israel said, Who is there among all the tribes of Israel that came not up with the congregation unto the LORD? For they had made a great oath concerning him that came not up to the LORD to Mizpeh, saying, He shall surely be put to death.6 And the children of Israel repented them for Benjamin their brother, and said, There is one tribe cut off from Israel this day.7 How shall we do for wives for them that remain, seeing we have sworn by the LORD that we will not give them of our daughters to wives?8 And they said, What one is there of the tribes of Israel that came not up to Mizpeh to the LORD? And, behold, there came none to the camp from Jabeshgilead to the assembly.9 For the people were numbered, and, behold, there were none of the inhabitants of Jabeshgilead there.