t is, to send to the inhabitants of Gibeah, to know
whether they would deliver up the offenders to them, and if they deliver
them up, to rest satisfied with the punishment of those offenders;
but if they despised the message that was sent them, to punish them by
taking, up arms against them. Accordingly they sent to the inhabitants
of Gibeah, and accused the young men of the crimes committed in the
affair of the Levite's wife, and required of them those that had done
what was contrary to the law, that they might be punished, as having
justly deserved to die for what they had done; but the inhabitants
of Gibeah would not deliver up the young men, and thought it too
reproachful to them, out of fear of war, to submit to other men's
demands upon them; vaunting themselves to be no way inferior to any in
war, neither in their number nor in courage. The rest of their tribe
were also making great preparation for war, for they were so insolently
mad as also to resolve to repel force by force.

10. When it was related to the Israelites what the inhabitants of Gibeah
had resolved upon, they took their oath that no one of them would give
his daughter in marriage to a Benjamite, but make war with greater fury
against them than we have learned our forefathers made war against the
Canaanites; and sent out presently an army of four hundred thousand
against them, while the Benjamites' army-was twenty-five thousand and
six hundred; five hundred of whom were excellent at slinging stones with
their left hands, insomuch that when the battle was joined at Gibeah the
Benjamites beat the Israelites, and of them there fell two thousand
men; and probably more had been destroyed had not the night came on and
prevented it, and broken off the fight; so the Benjamites returned to
the city with joy, and the Israelites returned to their camp in a great
fright at what had happened. On the next day, when they fought again,
the Benjamites beat them; and eighteen thousand of the Israelites
were slain, and the rest deserted their camp out of fear of a greater
slaughter. So they came to Bethel, [13] a city that was near their
camp, and fasted on the next day; and besought God, by Phineas the high
priest, that his wrath against them might cease, and that he would be
satisfied with these two defeats, and give them the victory and power
over their enemies. Accordingly God promised them so to do, by the
prophesying of Phineas.

11. When therefore they had divi