Study Desk

Now the agreed sign between the men of Israel and the men in ambush was ^(C1)that they would make a great cloud of smoke rise from the city.

Then the men of Israel turned in the battle, and Benjamin began to strike and kill about thirty men of Israel, ^(C1)for they said, "Undoubtedly they are ^(F1)defeated before us, as in the first battle."

But when the cloud began to rise from the city in a column of smoke, Benjamin looked ^(C1)behind them; and behold, the entire city was going up in smoke to heaven.

Then the men of Israel turned, and the men of Benjamin were terrified; for they saw that ^(C1)disaster was ^(F1)close to them.

Therefore, they turned their backs before the men of Israel to flee in the ^(C1)direction of the wilderness, but the battle overtook them while those who attacked from the cities were annihilating them in the midst of them.

^(C1)They surrounded Benjamin, pursued them without rest, and trampled them down opposite Gibeah toward the ^(F1)east.

So eighteen thousand men of Benjamin fell; all of these were valiant men.

^(F1)The rest turned and fled toward the wilderness to the rock of ^(C1)Rimmon, but they ^(F2)caught five thousand of them on the roads and overtook them ^(F3)at Gidom, and ^(F4)killed two thousand of them.

So all those of Benjamin who fell that day were twenty-five thousand men who drew the sword; all of these were valiant men.