<p class="bodytext">When the men started out, Joshua told those going to map out the land, &#8220;Go, walk through the land, map it out, and return to me. Then I will draw lots for you before the <sc>Lordsc> here in Shiloh.&#8221;

<p class="bodytext">The Israelites went up to Bethel<n id="1" /> and asked God,<n id="2" /> &#8220;Who should lead the charge against the Benjaminites?&#8221;<n id="3" /> The <sc>Lordsc> said, &#8220;Judah should lead.&#8221;

<p class="bodytext">Then the men of Israel and Judah charged forward, shouting a battle cry.<n id="1" /> They chased the Philistines to the valley<n id="2" /> and to the very gates of Ekron. The Philistine corpses lay fallen along the Shaaraim road to Gath and Ekron.

They went from Midian to Paran; they took some men from Paran and went to Egypt. Pharaoh, king of Egypt, supplied him with a house and food and even assigned him some land.<n id="1" />

So some of<n id="1" /> the Ephraimite family leaders, Azariah son of Jehochanan, Berechiah son of Meshillemoth, Jechizkiah son of Shallum, and Amasa son of Hadlai confronted<n id="2" /> those returning from the battle.

Men were assigned to take the prisoners and find clothes among the plunder for those who were naked.<n id="1" /> So they clothed them, supplied them with sandals, gave them food and drink, and provided them with oil to rub on their skin.<n id="2" /> They put the ones who couldn&#8217;t walk on donkeys.<n id="3" /> They brought them back to their brothers at Jericho,<n id="4" /> the city of the date palm trees, and then returned to Samaria.p>

<p class="bodytext">The following Levites prepared to carry out the king&#8217;s orders:<n id="1" />p> <p class="bodytext">From the Kohathites: Mahath son of Amasai and Joel son of Azariah;p> <p class="bodytext">from the Merarites: Kish son of Abdi and Azariah son of Jehallelel;p> <p class="bodytext">from the Gershonites: Joah son of Zimmah and Eden son of Joah;p>