As all of Israel gathered together they ask the children of Benjamin to hand over the guilty!
Jdg 20:13, … deliver up the men, the perverted men who are in Gibeah, that we may put them to death and remove the evil from Israel!” BUT THE CHILDREN OF BENJAMIN WOULD NOT LISTEN TO THE VOICE OF THEIR BRETHREN, THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL.
Twice Israel came before the LORD and said “which of us shall go up first to battle” & again “Shall I again draw near for battle”! ASKING OF THE LORD, YET WITHOUT REPENTANCE! ISRAEL. Israel fought and lost 22,000 men the first time and 18,000 men the second! Yes, Benjamin was guilty but so were the rest of Israel! “FOR THERE WAS NO KING IN ISRAEL!”
Gen 49:27, “Benjamin is a ravenous wolf; In the morning he shall devour the prey, And at night he shall divide the spoil.”
Jdg 20:26, Then all the children of Israel, that is, all the people, went up and came to the house of God and wept. They sat there before the LORD and fasted that day until evening; and they offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the LORD.
GOD ALLOWED TWO DAYS OF DEFEAT TO HUMBLE HIS PEOPLE! THIS IS THE PROPER WAY OF GOING TO THE LORD!
Joe 1:14, Consecrate a fast, Call a sacred assembly; Gather the elders And all the inhabitants of the land Into the house of the LORD your God, And cry out to the LORD.