12The tribes of Israel sent men through all the tribe of Benjamin, saying, What wickedness is this that is happen among you?
13Now therefore deliver up the men, the base fellows, who are in Gibeah, that we may put them to death, and put away evil from Israel. But Benjamin would not listen to the voice of their brothers the children of Israel.
14The children of Benjamin gathered themselves together out of the cities to Gibeah, to go out to battle against the children of Israel.
15The children of Benjamin were numbered on that day out of the cities twenty-six thousand men who drew the sword, besides the inhabitants of Gibeah, who were numbered seven hundred chosen men.
16Among all this people there were seven hundred chosen men left-handed; everyone could sling stones at a hair-breadth, and not miss.
17The men of Israel, besides Benjamin, were numbered four hundred thousand men who drew sword: all these were men of war.
18The children of Israel arose, and went up to Bethel, and asked counsel of God; and they said, Who shall go up for us first to battle against the children of Benjamin? Yahweh said, Judah [shall go up] first.
