Study Desk

^(C1)So Israel set men in ambush around Gibeah.

And the sons of Israel went up against the sons of Benjamin on the third day and lined up against Gibeah as at other times.

^(C1)When the sons of Benjamin went out against the people, they were lured away from the city, and they began to strike and kill some of the people as at other times, on the roads (one of which goes up to Bethel, and the other to Gibeah), and in the field, about thirty men of Israel.

And the sons of Benjamin said, "They are defeated before us, like the first time." But the sons of Israel said, "Let's flee, so that we may draw them away from the city to the roads."

Then all the men of Israel rose from their place and lined up at Baal-tamar; ^(C1)and the men of Israel in ambush charged from their place, from Maareh-geba.

When ten thousand choice men from all Israel came against Gibeah, the battle became ^(F1)fierce; ^(C1)but ^(F2)Benjamin did not know that disaster was ^(F3)close to them.

And the LORD struck Benjamin before Israel, so that the sons of Israel destroyed 25,100 men of Benjamin that ^(F1)day, all who drew the sword.

So the sons of Benjamin saw that they were ^(F1)defeated. ^(C1)When the men of Israel gave ^(F2)ground to Benjamin because they relied on the men in ambush whom they had set against Gibeah,

^(C1)the men in ambush hurried and rushed against Gibeah; the men in ambush also deployed and struck all the city with the edge of the sword.