20:17. Of the men of Israel also, beside the children of Benjamin, were found four hundred thousand that drew swords and were prepared to fight.
20:18. And they arose and came to the house of God, that is, to Silo: and they consulted God, and said: Who shall be in our army the first to go to the battle against the children of Benjamin? And the Lord answered them: Let Juda be your leader.
20:19. And forthwith the children of Israel rising in the morning, camped by Gabaa:
20:20. And going out from thence to fight against Benjamin, began to assault the city.
20:21. And the children of Benjamin coming out of Gabaa slew of the children of Israel that day two and twenty thousand men.
20:22. Again Israel, trusting in their strength and their number, set their army in array in the same place, where they had fought before:
Trusting in their strength... The Lord suffered them to be overthrown and many of them to be slain, though their cause was just; partly in punishment of the idolatry which they exercised or tolerated in the tribe of Dan, and elsewhere; and partly because they trusted in their own strength; and therefore, though he bid them fight, he would not give them the victory, till they were thoroughly humbled and had learned to trust in him alone.
20:23. Yet so that they first went up and wept before the Lord until night: and consulted him and said: Shall I go out any more to fight against the children of Benjamin my brethren or not? And he answered them: Go up against them, and join battle.
20:24. And when the children of Israel went out the next day to fight against the children of Benjamin,
20:25. The children of Benjamin sallied forth out of the gates of Gabaa: and meeting them, made so great a slaughter of them, as to kill eighteen thousand men that drew the sword.