This time, the Israelites made some of their soldiers hide in places around Gibeah. On the third day, their other soldiers stood in the same places as before. They were ready to fight. The soldiers of Benjamin came out of Gibeah to attack them. But the Israelites moved away from the city so that Benjamin's soldiers chased after them. The men of Benjamin began to kill the Israelites, as they had done before. They killed about 30 Israelites in the fields and on the roads that went to Bethel and Gibeah. The soldiers of Benjamin were saying, ‘We are winning against them, as we have done before!’ But the Israelites were saying, ‘We will continue to run away so that their soldiers chase us. We will lead them away from the city onto the roads.’ When the men of Israel reached Baal Tamar, they stopped there. They stood in their places, ready to fight. At the same time, the Israelite soldiers who had hidden themselves on the west side of Gibeah ran out of their places. 10,000 Israelite soldiers who knew how to fight well attacked Gibeah. There was a big battle. The men of Benjamin did not realize that they were in a lot of trouble. The LORD destroyed Benjamin's army as the Israelites attacked them. Israel's soldiers killed more than 25,000 soldiers of Benjamin's army that day.
Read Judges 20
Share
Compare All Versions: Judges 20:29-35
22 Days
For all the victory and triumph in the book of Joshua, Judges paints a far more somber picture. The repetition, "Everyone did what was right in their own eyes" (Judges 17:6, 21:25) describes this dark period of Israel's history succinctly. Yet even in the midst of their rebellion, God was faithful to fulfill his covenantal promises to his people.
31 Days
Daily Bible reading plan with four daily reading passages in four categories: Old Testament History, Old Testament Poetry/Prophecy, New Testament Narrative, and New Testament Epistle. Created by Indian Hills Community Church.
Save verses, read offline, watch teaching clips, and more!
Home
Bible
Plans
Videos