Study Desk

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

The sons of Israel went up against the sons of Benjamin on the third day and arrayed themselves against Gibeah as at other times.

^(t)The sons of Benjamin went out ^[o]against the people and were drawn away from the city, and they began to strike ^[p]and kill some of the people as at other times, on the highways, one of which goes up to Bethel and the other to Gibeah, and in the field, about thirty men of Israel.

The sons of Benjamin said, "They are struck down before us, as at the first." But the sons of Israel said, "Let us flee that we may draw them away from the city to the highways."

Then all the men of Israel arose from their place and arrayed themselves at Baal-tamar; ^(u)and the men of Israel in ambush broke out of their place, even out of Maareh-geba.

When ten thousand choice men from all Israel came against Gibeah, the battle became ^[q]fierce; ^(v)but ^[r]Benjamin did not know that ^[s]disaster was ^[t]close to them.

And the Lord struck Benjamin before Israel, so that the sons of Israel destroyed 25,100 men of Benjamin that day, all ^[u]who draw the sword.

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

^(x)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.