from Benjamin, Abidan son of Gideoni;

The ¹  remnant of Benjamin must be preserved. An entire Israelite tribe should not be wiped out. ² 

So they traveled on, ¹  and the sun went down when they were near Gibeah in the territory of Benjamin. ² 

The Israelites had taken an oath in Mizpah, saying, “Not one of us will allow his daughter to marry a Benjaminite.”

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

Iddo son of Zechariah led the half-tribe of Manasseh in Gilead, Jaasiel son of Abner led Benjamin,

Of Benjamin he said: The beloved of the Lord will live safely by him; he protects him all the time, and the Lord ¹  places him on his chest. ² 

The Levite, ¹  the husband of the murdered woman, spoke up, “I and my concubine stopped in ²  Gibeah in the territory of Benjamin ³  to spend the night.

Then the Benjaminites saw they were defeated. The Israelites retreated before ¹  Benjamin, because they had confidence in the men they had hid in ambush outside Gibeah.

But we can’t allow our daughters to marry them, ¹  for the Israelites took an oath, saying, ‘Whoever gives a woman to a Benjaminite will be destroyed!’ ² 

So they got up and crossed over by number: twelve belonging to Benjamin and to Ish-bosheth son of Saul, and twelve from the servants of David.