Judges 20:39-48 ▼

39 and the men of Israel would turn in the battle. And Benjamin had begun to strike and kill of the men of Israel—about thirty men—for they said, “Surely he is utterly struck before us, as in the first battle.”

40 And the cloud began to rise from the city in a column of smoke, and Benjamin looked behind them, and there was going up all the city to the heavens.

41 And the men of Israel turned back, and the men of Benjamin were alarmed, for they saw that disaster had come upon them.

42 And they turned before the faces of the men of Israel in the direction of the wilderness, and the battle overtook him, and whoever came out of the cities they destroyed him in the midst of him.

43 They surrounded Benjamin, chased them, and easily trampled them down as far as the front of Gibeah toward the rising of the sun.

44 And fell of Benjamin eighteen thousand men, all of these men of valor.

45 And they turned and fled toward the wilderness to the rock of Rimmon, and they gleaned on the highways five thousand men, and they pursued them relentlessly up to Gidom, and they struck two thousand of their men.

46 And all who fell of Benjamin on that day were twenty-five thousand men who drew the sword, all of these men of valor.

47 And turned and fled into the wilderness to the rock of Rimmon six hundred men, and they stayed at the rock of Rimmon four months.

48 And the men of Israel turned back against the sons of Benjamin, and they struck them with the mouth of the sword from every city—men even to beasts—even to all they found; also to all the cities that are found they set fire.