he took his men ¹  and divided them into three units and set an ambush in the field. When he saw the people coming out of the city, ²  he attacked and struck them down. ³ 

The leaders ¹  of all the people from all the tribes of Israel took their places in the assembly of God’s people, which numbered ²  four hundred thousand sword-wielding foot soldiers.

“When the leaders took the lead ¹  in Israel, When the people answered the call to war – Praise the Lord!

My heart went out ¹  to Israel’s leaders, to the people who answered the call to war. Praise the Lord!

The next day the Shechemites ¹  came out to the field. When Abimelech heard about it, ² 

When Joshua dismissed ¹  the people, the Israelites went to their allotted portions of territory, ²  intending to take possession of the land.

After Ehud brought the tribute payment, he dismissed the people who had carried it. ¹ 

Then the survivors ¹  came down ²  to the mighty ones; ³  the Lord’s people came down to me ⁴  as ⁵  warriors.

The men of Zebulun were not concerned about their lives; ¹  Naphtali charged on to the battlefields. ² 

Now, come up ¹  at night with your men ²  and set an ambush in the field outside the city. ³ 

So Abimelech and all his men came up ¹  at night and set an ambush outside Shechem – they divided into ²  four units.

Since ¹  the Lord God of Israel has driven out ²  the Amorites before his people Israel, do you think you can just take it from them? ³ 

The next morning the people got up early and built an altar there. They offered up burnt sacrifices and token of peace. ¹ 

When they took roll call, ¹  they noticed ²  none of the inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead were there.

The people regretted what had happened to ¹  Benjamin because the Lord had weakened ²  the Israelite tribes.

Now, announce to the men, ¹  ‘Whoever is shaking with fear ²  may turn around and leave Mount Gilead.’” ³  Twenty-two thousand men ⁴  went home; ⁵  ten thousand remained.

Gaal saw the men ¹  and said to Zebul, “Look, men are coming down from the tops of the hills.” But Zebul said to him, “You are seeing the shadows on the hills – it just looks like men.” ² 

The Benjaminites attacked ¹  the army, leaving the city unguarded. ²  They began to strike down their enemy ³  just as they had done before. On the main roads (one leads to Bethel, ⁴  the other to Gibeah) and in the field, they struck down ⁵  about thirty Israelites.

When the Lord’s messenger finished speaking these words to all the Israelites, the people wept loudly. ¹ 

Hear ¹  the sound of those who divide the sheep ²  among the watering places; there they tell of ³  the Lord’s victorious deeds, the victorious deeds of his warriors ⁴  in Israel. Then the Lord’s people went down to the city gates –