12 The tribes of Israel sent men throughout the tribe of Benjamin demanding, “What is this evil thing some of your men have done?
13 Hand over the wicked men in Gibeah so that we can put them to death. We must remove this evil from Israel.”But the Benjaminites would not listen to their fellow Israelites.
14 The Benjaminites left their own cities and met at Gibeah to fight the Israelites.
15 In only one day the Benjaminites got 26,000 soldiers together who were trained with swords. They also had 700 chosen men from Gibeah.
16 Seven hundred of these trained soldiers were left-handed, each of whom could sling a stone at a hair and not miss!
17 The Israelites, except for the Benjaminites, gathered 400,000 soldiers with swords.
18 The Israelites went up to the city of Bethel and asked God, “Which tribe shall be first to attack the Benjaminites?”The Lord answered, “Judah shall go first.”