The Israelites turned away from the tribe of Benjamin because they trusted in the people they had hidden around Gibeah.
The men of the ambush hurried to Gibeah and killed all the people who lived in the city. And the host of Israel and the ambush conspired against the city, and said, When they saw the smoke rising from the city, they returned in haste.
By this time the members of the tribe of Benjamin had killed 30 Israelites.
They said, "We still beat them."
Then the tribe of Benjamin saw a great cloud of smoke and wondered why the city was on fire. And the men of Israel turned again, and the men of Benjamin were amazed: for they saw that evil was come upon them. And they turned and fled toward the wilderness, and were caught.
They were surrounded by a large army of Israel and the army that came out of the town and killed them.
The Israelites surrounded their enemies and did not pursue them as far as the east side of Gibeah and killed them.
About 18,000 of Benjamin's best soldiers died. And some fled, and escaped into the wilderness to the rocks of Rimmon. About five thousand of them were killed on the streets.
The Israelites chased the others to Gidom and killed 2,000 more. All that were slain in Israel of the tribe of Benjamin were about 25,000 valiant men.
But 600 of them escaped to the wilderness of the Rock of Rimmon, and abode there four months. And the children of Israel returned, and smote the rest of the children of Benjamin, and slew them with the edge of the sword, and utterly destroyed all the souls that were therein;
They burned all the towns in the area.