Joshuaand allIsraelpretendedto be beatenbeforethem, and fledby the wayof the wilderness.
In the wilderness:Beth-arabah,Middinand Secacah,
Then the lotfor the sonsof Josephwentfrom the Jordanat Jerichoto the watersof Jerichoon the eastinto the wilderness,goingup from Jerichothrough the hillcountryto Bethel.
Their borderon the northsidewas from the Jordan,then the borderwentup to the sideof Jerichoon the north,and wentup through the hillcountrywestward,and it endedat the wildernessof Beth-aven.
It cameabout when the kingof Aisaw[it], that the menof the cityhurriedand roseup earlyand wentout to meetIsraelin battle,he and allhis peopleat the appointedplacebeforethe desertplain.But he did not knowthat [there was] an ambushagainst him behindthe city.
So the sonsof Benjaminsawthat they were defeated.When the menof Israelgavegroundto Benjaminbecausethey reliedon the men in ambushwhomthey had setagainstGibeah,
Therefore, they turnedtheir backs beforethe menof Israeltowardthe directionof the wilderness,but the battleovertookthem whilethose whocame out of the citiesdestroyedthem in the midstof them.
