And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and forgat the LORD their God, and served Baalim and the groves. And Manoah said unto his wife, We shall surely die, because we have seen God. And Gaal went out before the men of Shechem, and fought with Abimelech. And the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel; and he said, Because that this people hath transgressed my covenant which I commanded their fathers, and have not hearkened unto my voice; I also will not henceforth drive out any from before them of the nations which Joshua left when he died: That through them I may prove Israel, whether they will keep the way of the LORD to walk therein, as their fathers did keep it, or not. And he said unto the men of Succoth, Give, I pray you, loaves of bread unto the people that follow me; for they be faint, and I am pursuing after Zebah and Zalmunna, kings of Midian.
And his father in law, the damsel’s father, retained him; and he abode with him three days: so they did eat and drink, and lodged there. Then they said, Behold, there is a feast of the LORD in Shiloh yearly in a place which is on the north side of Bethel, on the east side of the highway that goeth up from Bethel to Shechem, and on the south of Lebonah. Now the men of Israel had sworn in Mizpeh, saying, There shall not any of us give his daughter unto Benjamin to wife. And Gaal went out before the men of Shechem, and fought with Abimelech.
And the angel of God said unto him, Take the flesh and the unleavened cakes, and lay them upon this rock, and pour out the broth. And he did so. And it came to pass, when Israel was strong, that they put the Canaanites to tribute, and did not utterly drive them out. And Benjamin went forth against them out of Gibeah the second day, and destroyed down to the ground of the children of Israel again eighteen thousand men; all these drew the sword.