21 The Benjaminites came out of Gibeah and cut down twenty-two thousand Israelites on the battlefield that day.
22 But the Israelites encouraged one another and again took up their positions where they had stationed themselves the first day.
23 The Israelites went up and wept before the Lord until evening, and they enquired of the Lord. They said, ‘Shall we go up again to fight against the Benjaminites, our fellow Israelites?’The Lord answered, ‘Go up against them.’
24 Then the Israelites drew near to Benjamin the second day.
25 This time, when the Benjaminites came out from Gibeah to oppose them, they cut down another eighteen thousand Israelites, all of them armed with swords.
26 Then all the Israelites, the whole army, went up to Bethel, and there they sat weeping before the Lord. They fasted that day until evening and presented burnt offerings and fellowship offerings to the Lord.
27 And the Israelites enquired of the Lord. (In those days the ark of the covenant of God was there,