20 18 The people of Israel arose and went up to Bethel, and inquired of God, "Which of us shall go up first to battle against the Benjaminites?" And Yahweh said, "Judah shall go up first."
20 19 Then the people of Israel rose in the morning, and encamped against Gibeah. 20 20 And the men of Israel went out to battle against Benjamin; and the men of Israel drew up the battle line against them at Gibeah. 20 21 The Benjaminites came out of Gibeah, and felled to the ground on that day twenty-two thousand men of the Israelites. 20 22 But the people, the men of Israel, took courage, and again formed the battle line in the same place where they had formed it on the first day. 20 23 And the people of Israel went up and wept before Yahweh until the evening; and they inquired of Yahweh, "Shall we again draw near to battle against our brethren the Benjaminites?" And Yahweh said, "Go up against them."
20 24 So the people of Israel came near against the Benjaminites the second day. 20 25 And Benjamin went against them out of Gibeah the second day, and felled to the ground eighteen thousand men of the people of Israel; all these were men who drew the sword. 20 26 Then all the people of Israel, the whole army, went up and came to Bethel and wept; they sat there before Yahweh, and fasted that day until evening, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before Yahweh. 20 27 And the people of Israel inquired of Yahweh (for the ark of the covenant of God was there in those days, 20 28 and Phinehas the son of Eleazar, son of Aaron, ministered before it in those days), saying, "Shall we yet again go out to battle against our brethren the Benjaminites, or shall we cease?" And Yahweh said, "Go up; for tomorrow I will give them into your hand."
20 29 So Israel set men in ambush round about Gibeah. 20 30 And the people of Israel went up against the Benjaminites on the third day, and set themselves in array against Gibeah, as at other times. 20 31 And the Benjaminites went out against the people, and were drawn away from the city; and as at other times they began to smite and kill some of the people, in the highways, one of which goes up to Bethel and the other to Gibeah, and in the open country, about thirty men of Israel. 20 32 And the Benjaminites said, "They are routed before us, as at the first." But the men of Israel said, "Let us flee, and draw them away from the city to the highways." 20 33 And all the men of Israel rose up out of their place, and set themselves in array at Baal-tamar; and the men of Israel who were in ambush rushed out of their place west of Geba. 20 34 And there came against Gibeah ten thousand picked men out of all Israel, and the battle was hard; but the Benjaminites did not know that disaster was close upon them. 20 35 And Yahweh defeated Benjamin before Israel; and the men of Israel destroyed twenty-five thousand one hundred men of Benjamin that day; all these were men who drew the sword. - How the Israelites won. Jdg.20.36-48
20 36 So the Benjaminites saw that they were defeated.
The men of Israel gave ground to Benjamin, because they trusted to the men in ambush whom they had set against Gibeah.