Judges 20:16-26

Judges 20:16-26

[16] Among all this people  there were seven  hundred  men  lefthanded;  every one could sling  stones  at an hair  breadth, and not miss.  [17] And the men  of Israel,  beside Benjamin,  were numbered  four  hundred  thousand  men  that drew  sword:  all these were men  of war.  [18] And the children  of Israel  arose,  and went up  of God,  and asked  counsel of God,  and said,  Which  of us shall go up  first  to the battle  against the children  of Benjamin?  And the LORD  said,  Judah  shall go up first.  [19] And the children  of Israel  rose up  in the morning,  and encamped  against Gibeah.  [20] And the men  of Israel  went out  to battle  against Benjamin;  and the men  of Israel  put themselves in array  to fight  against them at Gibeah.  [21] And the children  of Benjamin  came forth  out of Gibeah,  and destroyed down  to the ground  of the Israelites  that day  twenty  and two  thousand  men.  [22] And the people  the men  of Israel  encouraged  themselves, and set their battle  again  in array  in the place  where they put themselves in array  the first  day.  [23] (And the children  of Israel  went up  and wept  before  the LORD  until even,  and asked  counsel of the LORD,  saying,  Shall I go up  again  to battle  against the children  of Benjamin  my brother?  And the LORD  said,  Go up  against him.) [24] And the children  of Israel  came near  against the children  of Benjamin  the second  day.  [25] And Benjamin  went forth  against  them out of Gibeah  the second  day,  and destroyed down  to the ground  of the children  of Israel  again eighteen  thousand  men;  all these drew  the sword.  [26] Then all the children  of Israel,  and all the people,  went up,  and came  and wept,  and sat  there before  the LORD,  and fasted  that day  until even,  and offered  burnt offerings  and peace offerings  before  the LORD.