96 BATTLES OF THE BIBLE.

piece were considered to have entered into a strict bond
with the person who sent it. The body so divided was
generally that of an animal which had been offered in
sacrifice. The children of Israel unanimously responded to
the call of the Levite; they gathered together as one man;
four hundred thousand men of war appeared before the
Lord in Mispeh. They called the Levite before them,
and asked him to explain this dreadful business. He
related the circumstances, the hearing of which deter-
mined them to go up against Gibeah. None of them
thought of returning to their homes till they had avenged
this wrong, but they sent a tenth part of their whole
number to bring the food that they would require while
they were engaged in the war. In the next place, they
sent messengers to the Benjamites, asking them to de-
liver up those wicked people who lived in Gibeah, scarce
deserving the name of men. Yet bad as they were,
their part was taken by all the tribe of Benjamin, who
paid no attention to the request of the other tribes, but
prepared themselves to oppose them in battle. The
number of the children of Benjamin who were men of
war was twenty-six thousand ; among these were seven
hundred men left-handed, who could sling stones to a
hairbreadth, and not miss.

George. Twenty-six thousand was a very small army
to oppose four hundred thousand ; the Benjamites would
be sure to be beaten.

Marianne. Of course they would, because the Israelites
were in the right.