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Judges Chapter
Twenty
Judges 20
Outlines Outlines
New King James Version (NKJV)
INTRODUCTION TO JUDGES 20
This
chapter relates
how that there was an assembly of the children of Israel at
Mizpeh
upon what had happened to the concubine of the Levite
where he
appeared and related the whole affair to them
Judges 20:1 upon
which they unanimously agreed to chastise the inhabitants of Gibeah for what
they had done
Judges 20:8
and in
order to do that sent to the tribe of Benjamin to deliver the guilty
but
instead of that they took to their arms
and prepared for battle in defence of
them
Judges 20:12 and
two battles ensued on this
in which the Israelites
who were on the right side
of the question
were worsted
Judges 20:18 but
upon their seeking the Lord again
and their humiliation before him
they
engaged a third time in battle
and got an entire victory over the
Benjaminites
and destroyed them all excepting six hundred men
Judges 20:26.
Judges 20:1 So
all the children of Israel came out
from Dan to Beersheba
as well as from the
land of Gilead
and the congregation gathered together as one man before the Lord at Mizpah.
YLT
1And all the sons of Israel
go out
and the company is assembled as one man
from Dan even unto Beer-Sheba
and the land of Gilead
unto Jehovah
at Mizpeh.
Then all the children of Israel went out
.... Of their
tribes
cities
habitations
not every individual of them
but some of the
chief of them
with a select company with them:
and the congregation was gathered together as one man; with as much
unanimity and ease met together in one place
at the same time
as if only one
man had been pitched upon and deputed for that purpose:
from Dan even to Beersheba
from the city Dan
lately built
which was in the most northern parts of the land of Canaan
to
Beersheba
a city in the most southern part
which included all the tribes in
the land of Canaan
who all
excepting Benjamin
assembled:
with the land of Gilead; which lay on the other
side Jordan
inhabited by the two tribes of Reuben and Dan
and the half tribe
of Manasseh
who also came on this occasion:
unto the Lord in Mizpeh; a city which lay upon
the borders of Judah and Benjamin
and is therefore assigned to them both
Joshua 15:38 for
this was not Mizpeh in the land of Gilead
but a city near to Shiloh; and
according to FullerF2Pisah-Sight
B. 2. c. 12. p. 259.
eight miles
from Gibeah
and so was a convenient place to meet at: it is not to be thought
the tribes met here
by a secret impulse upon their minds
but by a summons of
some principal persons in one of the tribes
very probably in the tribe of
Ephraim
where the Levite dwelt
and in which was the tabernacle of the Lord
and of which the last supreme magistrate was
namely
Joshua; and all having
notice of the occasion of it
met very readily; and because they assembled in
the name and fear of God
and it was in the cause of God
and as a solemn
assembly
a judicial one
in which God was usually present
they are said to be
gathered unto him
and the rather
as they sought for direction and counsel
from him in the affair before them.
Judges 20:2 2 And the leaders of all the
people
all the tribes of Israel
presented themselves in the assembly of the
people of God
four hundred thousand foot soldiers who drew the sword.
YLT
2And the chiefs of all the people
of all the tribes of Israel
station themselves in the assembly of the people
of God
four hundred thousand footmen drawing sword.
And the chief of all the people
.... The princes of the
tribes and heads of families
rulers of thousands
and hundreds
and fifties
and tens; or the "corners"F3פנות
"anguli"
V. L. Pagninus
Montanus
Munster
Vatablus
Drusius
Tigurine version.
who were like the corner stones in a building
which are
not only the most valuable and ornamental
but the strength of the building
which cement it
and support it
and hold it together; though Abarbinel thinks
this intends the division and separation of each tribe
which encamped in a
separate corner and side by itself: but the former sense seems best
and the
meaning is
that the principal men of them:
even of all the tribes of Israel; excepting the tribe of
Benjamin:
presented themselves in the assembly of the people of God; now gathered
together: which assembly consisted
besides the heads of them
of
four hundred thousand footmen that drew sword; or were armed
men; there were 600
000 or more in Israel able to bear arms; but as now the
wars in Canaan were pretty much at an end
the militia of the nation was not so
regularly kept up
and many were employed in tilling the ground
and dressing
the vines
and the like; and besides
as there were none of the tribe of
Benjamin present
it need not be wondered at there should be no more
but
rather that so many should be gathered together on such an occasion.
Judges 20:3 3 (Now the children of
Benjamin heard that the children of Israel had gone up to Mizpah.)
Then the children of Israel said
“Tell us
how did this
wicked deed happen?”
YLT
3And the sons of Benjamin
hear that the sons of Israel have gone up to Mizpeh. And the sons of Israel
say
`Speak ye
how hath this evil been?'
Now the children of Benjamin heard that the children of Israel
were gone up to Mizpeh
.... Having no doubt the same notice the rest of the tribes had;
but the thing complained of being done in their tribe
and by some of it
they
might be willing to screen the delinquents
or were careless about and
indifferent to the case
and secure and easy
as imagining their brethren would
never go to war with them about it; or were proud and haughty
and would pay no
regard to the summons given them:
then said the children of Israel
tell us
how was this wickedness? proclamation
was made in the assembly
that if any person there knew anything of this
shocking affair
and horrid iniquity
which was the occasion of their meeting
together
that they would rise up and declare what was the cause of it
how it
came about
and by whom it was done; or they addressed themselves particularly
to the Levite
and his host
and his servant
who might all be upon the spot to
bear witness in this case
as it is certain the former of them was
who upon
this stood up
and spoke as follows.
Judges 20:4 4 So the Levite
the husband
of the woman who was murdered
answered and said
“My concubine and I went into
Gibeah
which belongs to Benjamin
to spend the night.
YLT 4And the man
the Levite
husband of the woman who hath been murdered
answereth and saith
`Into Gibeah
(which [is] to Benjamin) I have come
I and my concubine
to lodge;
And the Levite
the husband of the woman that was slain
answered
and said
.... He rose up
and
in answer to their request
declared the
whole affair as follows: and none so proper as he
who was upon the spot when
it was done
and so near a relation of the deceased
and had a right to demand
justice to be done; for from hence it appears that she was his lawful wife
though called a concubine:
I came into Gibeah
that belongeth to Benjamin; which he so
particularly describes
to distinguish it from another of the same name in the
tribe of Judah
lest any mistake should be made
and an innocent people should
suffer in their reputation
or otherwise; and which also would account for the
tribe of Benjamin not being present at this convention:
I and my concubine
to lodge; thither they came
not
with an intention to stay
to sojourn there
and much less to do them any
injury
or to infringe any of their rights and privileges; nor in the least to
be burdensome to them
having brought all necessary provisions with them for
themselves
servants
and cattle
only to get a night's lodging with them.
Judges 20:5 5 And the men of Gibeah rose
against me
and surrounded the house at night because of me. They intended to
kill me
but instead they ravished my concubine so that she died.
YLT
5and rise against me do the
masters of Gibeah -- and they go round the house against me by night -- me they
thought to slay
and my concubine they have humbled
and she dieth;
And the men of Gibeah rose against me
.... Not all
of them
but some that dwelt in that city; he forbears giving them the
character they justly deserved
sons of Belial. These came in a tumultuous and
violent manner:
and beset the house round about upon me by night; that he might
not make his escape
resolving if possible to get him into their hands
and do
with him according to their will:
and thought to have slain me; their first intention
was to commit the unnatural sin on him
and
if he resisted
to slay him; but
this he modestly conceals
as being a sin not to be named in an assembly of
saints; and besides he might say this
because he himself chose rather to be
slain than to submit to their lust
which he knew must be the case upon his
refusal and resistance; and even if he had yielded
being overpowered
this
would have been the consequence
that he should have been abused even unto
death
as his wife was:
and my concubine have they forced
that she is dead; or
"afflicted"
or "humbled"F4ענו
"afflixerunt"
Pagninus
Montanus
Vatablus. her; which is a modest
expression for carnal knowledge of her
and which they had to such excess that
she died through it.
Judges 20:6 6 So I took hold of my
concubine
cut her in pieces
and sent her throughout all the territory of the
inheritance of Israel
because they committed lewdness and outrage in Israel.
YLT
6and I lay hold on my concubine
and cut her in pieces
and send her into all the country of the inheritance of
Israel; for they have done wickedness and folly in Israel;
And I took my concubine
and cut her in pieces
.... Lest it
should be thought that these barbarous creatures
after they had used her in
such a manner that occasioned her death
that they had committed this fact
also; the Levite takes it to himself
and owns that he did that:
and sent her throughout all the country of the inheritance of
Israel; to alarm them
and excite their attention to what had passed
and to raise their indignation against it:
for they have committed lewdness and folly in Israel; being guilty
of adultery and murder
and would have committed the unnatural crime
if they
could have had an opportunity of doing it.
Judges 20:7 7 Look! All of you are
children of Israel; give your advice and counsel here and now!”
YLT
7lo
ye [are] all sons of
Israel; give for you a word and counsel here.'
Behold
ye are all children of Israel
.... The
descendants of one man that feared the Lord; were of one nation
and of one
religion
men professing godliness
and therefore ought to bear testimony
against sin and wickedness of every sort
and especially such crying
abominations as these:
give your advice and counsel: in this place
being
assembled together on this occasion; consult what is best to be done
and let
every man speak his mind freely what step he thinks should be taken for the
glory of God
and honour of religion
and to bring such persons to justice who
had committed so foul a fact.
Judges 20:8 8 So all the people arose as
one man
saying
“None of us will go to his tent
nor will any turn back
to his house;
YLT
8And all the people rise as
one man
saying
`None of us doth go to his tent
and none of us doth turn
aside to his house;
And all the people arose as one man
.... Either the heads of
the people assembled in council
all agreed unanimously in one vote or
resolution
or all the 400
000 men were of the same mind
when the case was
reported to them:
saying
we will not any of us go to his tent
neither will we any
of us turn into his house; that is
they would not return home
to
take one nights rest in their houses
or attend to the business of their
callings or to any affair of life
however urgent
till satisfaction was made
for the evil committed.
Judges 20:9 9 but now this is the
thing which we will do to Gibeah: We will go up against it by lot.
YLT
9and now
this [is] the
thing which we do to Gibeah -- against it by lot!
But now this shall be the thing which we will do to Gibeah
.... Where the
fact was done; what follows was proposed by some
and unanimously agreed to by
all:
we will go up by lot against it; cast lots who shall go
up to it and demand satisfaction for the offence committed; and if denied
to
act in an hostile manner against it.
Judges 20:10 10 We will take ten men out
of every hundred throughout all the tribes of Israel
a hundred out of every
thousand
and a thousand out of every ten thousand
to make provisions
for the people
that when they come to Gibeah in Benjamin
they may repay all
the vileness that they have done in Israel.”
YLT
10and we have taken ten men
of a hundred
of all the tribes of Israel
and a hundred of a thousand
and a
thousand of a myriad
to receive provision for the people
to do
at their
coming to Gibeah of Benjamin
according to all the folly which it hath done in
Israel.'
And we will take ten men of an hundred
throughout all the tribes
of Israel
.... Excepting that of Benjamin which was not with them
not any
of them:
and a hundred out of a thousand
and a thousand out of ten
thousand; in all 40
000
out of the 400
000:
to fetch victual for the people; ten men were to provide
food for ninety
and one hundred men for nine hundred
and 1000 men for 9000
in all 40
000
for 360
000; these were either to go to their own tribes and
habitations
or to the towns and cities adjacent
to procure food for this
large army; for they came from their homes without any provision
not knowing that
the affair would keep them long; but perceiving that it would require time
before it could be determined
they judged it the wisest method for some to be
appointed to take care of provision for the army
that it might not be
scattered about on that account
but pursue the war with vigour till
satisfaction was obtained:
that they might do
when they came to Gibeah of Benjamin
according to all the folly that they have wrought in Israel; punish with
death the delinquents
and chastise the inhabitants
and especially the
magistrates
for their connivance at such wicked persons among them
and
negligence of doing their duty.
Judges 20:11 11 So all the men of Israel
were gathered against the city
united together as one man.
YLT
11And every man of Israel is
gathered unto the city
as one man -- companions.
So all the men of Israel were gathered against the city
.... Of
Gibeah
even 360
000 men:
knit together as one man; went heart and hand
together
united in their sentiments and resolutions
determining to have
justice done
or lose their lives in this cause: according to the JewsF5Schulchan
Aruch
par. 1. c. 580. sect. 2.
this was on the twenty third of Shebet
which
answers to part of January and part of February
on which day a fast was kept
on this account.
Judges 20:12 12 Then the tribes of Israel
sent men through all the tribe of Benjamin
saying
“What is this
wickedness that has occurred among you?
YLT
12And the tribes of Israel
send men among all the tribes of Benjamin
saying
`What [is] this evil which
hath been among you?
And the tribes of Israel sent men through all the tribes of
Benjamin
.... Meaning the families of Benjamin; for as sometimes a tribe
is called a family
Joshua 7:17 so a
family is called a tribe; and there were ten families in the tribe of Benjamin
according to the number of his sons
the fathers of these families. Genesis 46:21
which being numerous and powerful
and consisting of men of courage
and expert
in war
thought themselves a match for the ten tribes of Israel now assembled
who sent one out of each tribe
very probably ten in all
upon this errand; for
they judged it most advisable
before they went to war with them
to try to get
the offenders
delivered up to justice
and so prevent the shedding of blood of
either side; and the rather
as there were none of the tribe of Benjamin at
this assembly
and which indeed might give them reason to suspect they meant
not to join with them in an amicable manner in this affair: however
they were
willing to try peaceable methods first:
saying
what wickedness is this that is done among you? not that they
were sent to inquire what the crime was that was committed
that was fully
known; but by putting the question in this manner
their design was to
aggravate it
and to put the men of Benjamin on considering how great it was
what an enormous sin it was that was committed
and that among them; and
therefore it lay upon them
either to punish the perpetrators of it themselves
or deliver them up to them to be punished according to the common law of
Israel.
Judges 20:13 13 Now therefore
deliver up
the men
the perverted men [a] 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.
YLT
13And now
give up the men --
sons of worthlessness -- which [are] in Gibeah
and we put them to death
and
we put away evil from Israel.' And [the sons of] Benjamin have not been willing
to hearken to the voice of their brethren
the sons of Israel;
Now
therefore
deliver us the men
the children of Belial
which
are in Gibeah
.... Those wicked men that were the authors of that abominable
wickedness there committed:
that we may put them to death; as they deserved
since
they were guilty both of adultery and murder; their meaning is
that they in
conjunction with the tribe of Benjamin might condemn them to death and punish
them with it
as their crime deserved:
and put away evil from Israel; prevent both the spread
of such a sinful evil in the nation
encouraged by such examples
and the evil
of punishment coming upon them from God
should they let such wickedness pass
with impunity:
but the children of Benjamin would not hearken to the voice of
their brethren the children of Israel; they refused to give up
the men of Gibeah
that had been guilty of such great wickedness; reckoning it
a reproach
as JosephusF6Antiqu. l. 5. c. 2. sect. 9. says
to obey
the commands of others
for fear of war
and unwilling to yield to any in arms
neither on account of multitude nor courage.
Judges 20:14 14 Instead
the children of
Benjamin gathered together from their cities to Gibeah
to go to battle against
the children of Israel.
YLT
14and the sons of Benjamin
are gathered out of the cities to Gibeah
to go out to battle with the sons of
Israel.
But the children of Benjamin gathered themselves together out of
the cities unto Gibeah
.... To protect and defend it against the other tribes
being a
city of theirs and where the persons charged with the crime lived; these got
together thither out of the several cities of the tribe of Benjamin
as many as
could bear arms:
to go out to battle against the children of Israel; they neither
denied the fact
nor attempted to palliate and excuse it
nor sought for peace
but at once betook themselves to arms; which showed not only want of prudence
but pride
passion and self-confidence
and that they were sadly depraved in
their morals to rise up in defence of such wicked men; and a strange
infatuation to expect success against such vastly superior numbers
and in so
bad a cause.
Judges 20:15 15 And from their cities at
that time the children of Benjamin numbered twenty-six thousand men who drew
the sword
besides the inhabitants of Gibeah
who numbered seven hundred select
men.
YLT
15And the sons of Benjamin
number themselves on that day; out of the cities [are] twenty and six thousand
men drawing sword
apart from the inhabitants of Gibeah
[who] numbered
themselves
seven hundred chosen men;
And the children of Benjamin were numbered at that time out of the
cities
.... All that they could muster up
and gather together out of
their several cities
were no more man than
twenty and six thousand men that drew the sword able bodied
men fit for war
and expert in it:
beside the inhabitants of Gibeah
which were numbered seven
hundred chosen men young
stout
and strong
and in all but 26
700; and what are
these to an army of 400
000 men
or however 360
000 that came up against
Gibeah
while 40
000 were employed in getting provisions for them? JosephusF7Antiqu.
l. 5. c. 2. sect. 10. makes the number of the Benjaminites still less
no more
than 25
600
led thereunto by an later account
that 25
000 Benjaminites were
slain in the third and last battle
and only six hundred escaped to a rock for
safety
not considering that 1000 men may well be supposed to be lost in the
two first battles; for it would be strange indeed that they should lose none in
two engagement with so large an army; the same error is committed in the
Vulgate Latin version
which makes them no more than 25
000; with which agrees
the Alexandrian copy of the Septuagint version: though that
according to the
Vatican exemplar
has but 23
000. The numbers in the Hebrew text are no doubt
the right.
Judges 20:16 16 Among all this people were
seven hundred select men who were left-handed; every one could sling a
stone at a hair’s breadth and not miss.
YLT
16among all this people [are]
seven hundred chosen men
bound of their right hand
each of these slinging
with a stone at the hair
and he doth not err.
Among all this people there were seven hundred chosen men
lefthanded
.... According to Ben Gersom
these were the seven hundred men of
Gibeah; but this does not appear from the text
but
on the contrary
that
these were among all the people; or there were so many to be selected out of
them all
who were lefthanded men; nor is it likely that all the inhabitants of
one place should be such. Benjamin signifies a son of the right hand
yet this
tribe had a great number of lefthanded men in it
see Judges 3:15.
JosephusF8Antiqu. l. 5. c. 2. sect. 10. wrongly reduces the number
to five hundred:
everyone could sling stones at an hair's breadth
and not miss: the mark they
slung the stone at
so very expert were they at it; and perhaps their having
such a number of skilful men in this art made them more confident of success
and emboldened them in this daring undertaking
to point to which this
circumstance seems to be mentioned. There were a people that inhabited the
islands
now called Majorca and Minorca
anciently Baleares
from their
skilfulness in slinging stones
to which they brought up from their childhood
as it is related various writers
StraboF9Geograph l. 3. p. 116.
Diodorus SiculusF11Bibliothec. l. 5. p. 298.
FlorasF12Roman
Cost. l. 3. c. 8. and othersF13Vid. Barthii Ammadv. ad Claudian. in
3 Consul. Honor. ver. 50. ; that their mothers used to set their breakfast on a
beam or post
or some such thing
at a distance
which they were not to have
unless they could strike it off; and the first of these writers says
that they
exercised this art from the time that the Phoenicians held these islands; and
according to PlinyF14Nat. Hist. l. 7. c. 56.
the Phoenicians
the
old inhabitants of Canaan
were the first inventors of slings
and from these
the Benjaminites might learn it. The Indians are saidF15Philoetrat.
Vit. Apollon. l. 2. c. 12. to be very expert in slinging stones to an hair's
breadth.
Judges 20:17 17 Now besides Benjamin
the
men of Israel numbered four hundred thousand men who drew the sword; all of
these were men of war.
YLT
17And the men of Israel
numbered themselves
apart from Benjamin
four hundred thousand men
drawing
sword
each of these a man of war.
And the men of Israel
beside Benjamin
.... Who did
not join them in this affair
but opposed them:
were numbered four hundred thousand men that drew sword: see Judges 20:9.
all these were men of war; inured to it
skilful
and courageous.
Judges 20:18 18 Then the children of
Israel arose and went up to the house of God[b] to inquire
of God. They said
“Which of us shall go up first to battle against the
children of Benjamin?”
The Lord
said
“Judah first!”
YLT
18And they rise and go up to
Beth-El
and ask of God
and the sons of Israel say
`Who doth go up for us at
the commencement to battle with the sons of Benjamin?' and Jehovah saith
`Judah -- at the commencement.'
And the children of Israel arose
.... From Mizpeh
where
they were assembled
having heard that the Benjaminites were gathered together
to defend the men of Gibeah:
and went up to the house of God; to the tabernacle which
was in Shiloh
Judges 18:31
see Joshua 18:1 though
the Targum takes Bethel for the name of a place so called; and so do Ben Gersom
and JosephusF16Ut supra. (Antiqu. l. 5. c. 2. sect. 10.)
which was
near Shiloh
for Shiloh is said to be on the north side of Bethel
Judges 21:19 but as
there is no reason to believe the tabernacle was now removed from Shiloh
thither
so it is not likely they would go to any other place but where the
tabernacle ark
and high priest were:
and asked counsel of God; before Phinehas the high
priest
according to the judgment of Urim and Thummim
Judges 20:28.
and said which of us shall go up first to the battle against the
children of Benjamin? there being no supreme magistrate
judge
or general
to lead
them; they did not ask whether they should go to war or no with their brethren;
they made no doubt of that
taking it for granted they had sufficient reason
for so doing
and that it was according to the will of God; nor did they
inquire whether they should be victorious or not
they made no doubt of being
victorious
both from their superior numbers
and the justness of their cause;
they only inquire who should lead them on
having no general; and this they
might do
to prevent any contentions among them about being precedence:
and the Lord said
Judah shall go up first: which tribe
pitched their standard first about the tabernacle
and marched first in their
journeys in the wilderness
and was ordered to go up first and fight the
Canaanites
being a powerful and warlike tribe.
Judges 20:19 19 So the children of Israel
rose in the morning and encamped against Gibeah.
YLT
19And the sons of Israel rise
in the morning
and encamp against Gibeah
And the children of Israel rose up in the morning
.... After
they had had counsel at Shiloh
and which perhaps was by a deputation sent
thither:
and encamped against Gibeah: formed a camp near
Gibeah of 360
000 men
enough to have stormed and taken that city at once
one
would think.
Judges 20:20 20 And the men of Israel went
out to battle against Benjamin
and the men of Israel put themselves in battle
array to fight against them at Gibeah.
YLT
20and the men of Israel go
out to battle with Benjamin
and the men of Israel set themselves in array with
them
[for] battle against Gibeah
And the men of Israel went out to battle against Benjamin
.... From the
place where they were encamped:
and the men of Israel put themselves in array to fight against
them at Gibeah; not only against the inhabitants of Gibeah
but the children of
Benjamin
that came to the defence of them; they formed
themselves in a line
of battle
and prepared for an action.
Judges 20:21 21 Then the children of
Benjamin came out of Gibeah
and on that day cut down to the ground twenty-two
thousand men of the Israelites.
YLT
21and the sons of Benjamin
come out from Gibeah
and destroy in Israel on that day two and twenty thousand
men -- to the earth.
And the children of Benjamin came forth out of Gibeah
.... Which was
their place of rendezvous
and which they came to defend; and in and about
which they had stationed their whole army of 26
000 men:
and destroyed down to the ground: killed dead upon the
spot:
of the Israelites that day twenty and two thousand men; wanting but
4000 of their whole number
excepting the men of Gibeah
which was such a
rebuff the Israelites did not expect
being engaged in so just a cause
and
having such a numerous army. Several Jewish
writersF17T. Bab.
Sanhedrin
fol. 103. 2. Pirke Eliezer
c. 28. Jarchi & Kimchi in loc. think
this was on account of their idolatry
that though they were very zealous to
revenge corporeal adultery in the case of the Levite's concubine
and to remove
such iniquity from Israel; yet were not zealous to revenge and put away
spiritual adultery or idolatry in the case of the Danites
who had set up the
image of Micah
and so had spread idolatry not only in their own tribe
but
throughout Israel; and therefore God took this opportunity to avenge his own
quarrel
and rebuke them for their sin; and now did Benjamin raven as a wolf
according to Jacob's prophecy
Genesis 49:27.
Judges 20:22 22 And the people
that is
the men of Israel
encouraged themselves and again formed the battle line at
the place where they had put themselves in array on the first day.
YLT
22And the people
the men of
Israel
strengthen themselves
and add to set the battle in array in the place
where they arranged themselves on the first day.
And the people
the men of Israel
encouraged themselves
.... That
though they had lost a great number of men
yet still their forces were large
and greatly superior to those of Benjamin
and above all their cause was good:
and set their battle again in array formed a line of battle
again facing their enemy
inviting to another battle
and bidding defiance:
and in the place where they put themselves in array the first day; by which it
seems they kept the field of battle; though they lost so many men
they did not
flee before the children of Benjamin
but stood their ground; nor were they so
superstitious as to fancy the place unlucky; nor was it a bad situation they
were in
to which their want of success was owing
for then they would have
changed it.
Judges 20:23 23 Then the children of
Israel went up and wept before the Lord until evening
and asked
counsel of the Lord
saying
“Shall I again draw near for battle against the children of my brother
Benjamin?” And the Lord
said
“Go up against him.”
YLT
23And the sons of Israel go
up and weep before Jehovah till the evening
and ask of Jehovah
saying
`Do I
add to draw nigh to battle with the sons of Benjamin
my brother?' And Jehovah
saith
`Go up against him.'
And the children of Israel went up and wept before the Lord until
even
.... The evening of the day in which the battle was fought; not
that the whole army went up to Shiloh to the house of God there
but a
deputation of them
who lamented their defeat
and the loss of so many lives
but not their sins and transgressions
and particularly the idolatry they had
been guilty of:
and asked counsel of the Lord
saying
shall we go up again to
battle against the children of Benjamin my brother? they seemed
to have some doubt
by the loss they sustained
whether they were right in
going to war with Benjamin
especially as he was their brother; and therefore
the question now is
not who should go up first
which was already determined
but whether they should go at all; and still they do not ask any help of God in
battle
nor success
but were depending on their numbers
and the justness of
their cause
and therefore neither is promised to them
only they have an
answer to their question:
and the Lord said
go up against him; for Benjamin
was certainly in the wrong
and therefore the Israelites are directed to go
against him
and they also were not sufficiently chastised
nor thoroughly
humbled.
Judges 20:24 24 So the children of Israel
approached the children of Benjamin on the second day.
YLT
24And the sons of Israel draw
near unto the sons of Benjamin on the second day
And the children of Israel came near
.... To the city
of Gibeah
drew nigh to battle:
against the children of Benjamin the second day; for the two
battles were fought two days successively.
Judges 20:25 25 And Benjamin went out
against them from Gibeah on the second day
and cut down to the ground eighteen
thousand more of the children of Israel; all these drew the sword.
YLT
25and Benjamin cometh out to
meet them from Gibeah on the second day
and destroy among the sons of Israel
again eighteen thousand men -- to the earth; all these are drawing sword.
And Benjamin went forth against them out of Gibeah the second day
.... Flushed
with the victory they had obtained the day before:
and destroyed down to the ground of the children of Israel again
eighteen thousand men
all these drew the sword
were armed men; this
with the 22
000 slain the day preceding
made 40
000; the same number singled
out from among them by lot to provide food for them
and is thought by some to
be the case Deborah refers to
Judges 5:8 and is
what is certainly intended in Hosea 10:9.
Judges 20:26 26 Then all the children of
Israel
that is
all the people
went up and came to the house of God[c] 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.
YLT
26And all the sons of Israel
go up
even all the people
and come in to Beth-El
and weep
and sit there
before Jehovah
and fast on that day till the evening
and cause to ascend burnt-offerings
and peace-offerings before Jehovah.
Then all the children of Israel and all the people went up
and
came unto the house of God
.... This looks as if the whole body of the
army
with other people from parts adjacent
went up to the tabernacle of God
in Shiloh:
and wept and sat there before the Lord; not only
wept
but continued weeping
and that not merely for their defeat
but for
their sins
since it follows:
and fasted that day until even; afflicted their bodies
with fasting
which was a token of the humiliation of their souls for their
sins:
and offered burnt offering's and peace offerings before the Lord
to make
atonement for their sins
and to implore success on their arms.
Judges 20:27 27 So the children of Israel
inquired of the Lord
(the ark of the covenant of God was there in those days
YLT
27And the sons of Israel ask
of Jehovah
-- and there [is] the ark of the covenant of God in those days
And the children of Israel inquired of the Lord
.... By the
Word of the Lord
as the Targum
and which has the same expression in Judges 20:18 for
the ark of the covenant of God was there in those days; in Shiloh
where the
tabernacle was.
Judges 20:28 28 and Phinehas the son of
Eleazar
the son of Aaron
stood before it in those days)
saying
“Shall I yet
again go out to battle against the children of my brother Benjamin
or shall I
cease?” And the Lord
said
“Go up
for tomorrow I will deliver them into your hand.”
YLT
28and Phinehas son of
Eleazar
son of Aaron
is standing before it in those days -- saying
`Do I add
again to go out to battle with the sons of Benjamin
my brother
or do I
cease?' And Jehovah saith
`Go up
for to-morrow I give him into thy hand.'
And Phinehas the son of Eleazar
the son of Aaron
stood before it
in those days
.... Before the ark
ministering before the Lord
which shows
that this affair was long before the times of Samson
though placed after them;
or otherwise Phinehas must have been more than three hundred years of age
which is not probableF18Vid. Rainold. de lib. Apocryph. Praelect.
149
150. p. 345
353
354. . Phinehas's standing before the ark was the posture
of the priest when he inquired of the Lord for any by Urim and Thummim; the
person that inquired stood before him that was inquired of
as Kimchi observes
and he that was inquired of stood before the Shechinah
or the presence of the
divine Majesty
of which the ark was a symbol:
saying
shall I yet again go out to battle against the children of
Benjamin my brother
or shall I cease? in which the question is
put in somewhat different manner than before
not only desiring to know whether
it was the will of God they should renew the battle or not
since Benjamin was
their brother
but whether they should have success or not; intimating
that if
the Lord would bless and help them
they were willing to go up
but if not they
chose to desist; for they were fully convinced now they were wrong in depending
on their numbers
or the justness of their cause; whereas success depended
wholly on the will and pleasure of God
to which they desired to submit:
and the Lord said
go up
for tomorrow I will deliver them into
thine hand; now they are not only directed to go up to the battle
but are
promised victory.
Judges 20:29 29 Then Israel set men in
ambush all around Gibeah.
YLT
29And Israel setteth liers in
wait against Gibeah
round about
And Israel set liers in wait round about Gibeah. For though they
were assured of success and victory
yet they thought proper to make use of
means: and though their numbers were very great
they had recourse to art and
stratagem
and set an ambush in divers places
much in like manner as Israel
did for the men of Ai; the two cases being pretty much similar; this ambush was
set in the night
as Josephus saysF19Ut supra
(Antiqu. l. 5. c. 2.)
sect. 11.
Judges 20:30 30 And the children of Israel
went up against the children of Benjamin on the third day
and put themselves
in battle array against Gibeah as at the other times.
YLT
30and the sons of Israel go
up against the sons of Benjamin
on the third day
and arrange themselves
against Gibeah
as time by time.
And the children of Israel went up against the children of
Benjamin on the third day
.... Not the day following the second
battle
since it would take more time to go to Shiloh
and fast and offer
sacrifices there
but on the third day from the second battle:
and put themselves in array against Gibeah
as at other times; as they had
done on the first and second days of battle.
Judges 20:31 31 So the children of
Benjamin went out against the people
and were drawn away from the city.
They began to strike down and kill some of the people
as at the other
times
in the highways (one of which goes up to Bethel and the other to Gibeah)
and in the field
about thirty men of Israel.
YLT
31And the sons of Benjamin
come out to meet the people; they have been drawn away out of the city
and
begin to smite [some] of the people -- wounded as time by time
in the highways
(of which one is going up to Beth-El
and the other to Gibeah in the field)
[are] about thirty men of Israel.
And the children of Benjamin went out against the people
.... Sallied
out of Gibeah upon them
where they had put themselves in array against them:
and were drawn away from the city; the Israelites
retreating
and dissembling a flight
which drew the Benjaminites to pursue
after them
by which means they were drawn off to a greater distance from the
city of Gibeah:
and they began to smite the people
and kill as at other times; at the other
two battles:
in the highways; where it seems two ways met:
of which one goeth up to the house of God; to Bethel
as
the TargumF20So the Septuagint
and Noldius
p. 69. No. 345. ; or
rather to Shiloh
where the house or tabernacle of God was
and was two miles
from Gibeah
as BuntingF21Travels
&c. p. 121. says:
and the other to Gibeah in the field; so called
to
distinguish it from the other Gibeah situated on an hill:
about thirty men of Israel; which were killed in
this running fight; and it seems as if one part of the army of Israel took one
road
and the other the other road
and so divided the army of the Benjaminites
that pursued after them.
Judges 20:32 32 And the children of
Benjamin said
“They are defeated before us
as at first.” But the
children of Israel said
“Let us flee and draw them away from the city to the
highways.”
YLT
32And the sons of Benjamin
say
`They are smitten before us as at the beginning;' but the sons of Israel
said
`Let us flee
and draw them away out of the city
unto the highways.'
And the children of Benjamin said
they are smitten down before
us
as at first
.... At the first battle
which gave them great spirit
and they
concluded they should have victory
as before:
but the children of Israel said
let us flee
and draw them from
the city unto the highways; pretending to be afraid of them
and not
able to face them
and therefore made as if they fled through fear and
cowardice
which inspired the Benjaminites with fresh ardour to pursue them
closely
and so were drawn from the city to the highways
as expressed in the
preceding verse.
Judges 20:33 33 So all the men of Israel
rose from their place and put themselves in battle array at Baal Tamar. Then
Israel’s men in ambush burst forth from their position in the plain of Geba.
YLT
33And all the men of Israel
have risen from their place
and arrange themselves at Baal-Tamar
and the
ambush of Israel is coming forth out of its place
out of the meadow of Gibeah.
And all the men of Israel rose up out of their place
.... The main
body of the army
which fled before Benjamin
when they were come to a proper
place
stopped
and rose up out of it
and stood in their own defence:
and put themselves in array at Baaltamar; drew up in a
line of battle at that place
facing their enemies
in order to engage with
them: this place the Targum calls the plains of Jericho
that being the city of
palm trees
which Tamar signifies; and so Jarchi interprets it; but these are
too far off; it must be some place near Gibeah. JeromF23De loc. Heb.
fol. 89. I. speaks of a little village in his time in those parts
called
Bethamari
and may be thought to be this same place; perhaps in the times of
the old Canaanites here was a grove of palm trees
in which Baal was
worshipped
from whence it had its name:
and the liers in wait of Israel came forth out of their places
even out of the meadows of Gibeah; or plain of Gibeah
as
the Targum; for as the city was built on a hill
at the bottom of it were a
plain and fine meadows of grass
and here an ambush was placed at some little
distance from the city; and when the army of the Benjaminites were drawn off
from it
in pursuit of Israel
these came forth and placed themselves between
them and the city.
Judges 20:34 34 And ten thousand select
men from all Israel came against Gibeah
and the battle was fierce. But the
Benjamites[d] did not
know that disaster was upon them.
YLT
34And they come in over
against Gibeah -- ten thousand chosen men out of all Israel -- and the battle
[is] grievous
and they have not known that the evil is striking against them.
And there came against Gibeah ten thousand chosen men out of all
Israel
.... Which
according to Ben Gersom
were the liers in wait; and
came from the south
as the Targum says:
and the battle was sore; not between those liers
in wait
and the Benjaminites
but between those at Baaltamar
and them who set
themselves in battle array against them
and they fought stoutly on both sides:
but they knew not that evil was near them; that there
was an ambush laid
by which they were in great danger; they knew nothing of
the 10
000 men that were now come out against Gibeah
and were between them and
that.
Judges 20:35 35 The Lord defeated
Benjamin before Israel. And the children of Israel destroyed that day
twenty-five thousand one hundred Benjamites; all these drew the sword.
YLT
35And Jehovah smiteth
Benjamin before Israel
and the sons of Israel destroy in Benjamin
on that
day
twenty and five thousand
and a hundred men; all these [are] drawing
sword.
And the Lord smote Benjamin before Israel
.... Gave
Israel the victory over them at Baaltamar; for notwithstanding all the art and
stratagem they used
their numbers and their valour
victory was of the Lord
and to him it is ascribed; for until now Benjamin
though fewer in number
had
been always victorious; and the children of Israel destroyed of the
Benjaminites that day 25
100; which is the total sum of all that were slain of
them that day
the particulars of which are afterwards given:
all these drew the sword; were armed men.
Judges 20:36 36 So the children of
Benjamin saw that they were defeated. The men of Israel had given ground to the
Benjamites
because they relied on the men in ambush whom they had set against
Gibeah.
YLT
36And the sons of Benjamin
see that they have been smitten -- and the men of Israel give place to
Benjamin
for they have trusted unto the ambush which they had set against
Gibeah
So the children of Benjamin saw that they were smitten
.... Their
forces broken and worsted
many being killed:
for the men of Israel gave place to the Benjaminites; at first
and
made as if they were afraid of them
and so fled before them
which was only to
decoy them to a greater distance from the city Gibeah:
because they trusted unto the liers in wait
which they had set
beside Gibeah; that these would not only enter the city
and burn it
but meet
the Benjaminites fleeing back to it
when they should turn upon them and smite
them
and so cut off all that remained of them.
Judges 20:37 37 And the men in ambush
quickly rushed upon Gibeah; the men in ambush spread out and struck the whole
city with the edge of the sword.
YLT
37and the ambush have hasted
and push against Gibeah
and the ambush draweth itself out
and smiteth the
whole of the city by the mouth of the sword.
And the liers in wait hasted
.... When the time was
come agreed upon for them to rise out of their ambush:
and rushed upon Gibeah; at unawares
with great
force and violence entered the city
and took possession of it; or
"extended"F24יפשטו
"extenderunt se"
Tigurine version.
or spread themselves unto it;
before they lay close in a narrow compass
but now they put themselves in a
regular order
and marched rank and file
and reached from the meadows in which
they were
Judges 20:33
to
the city:
and the liers in wait drew themselves along; along the
city
in every part of it
spread themselves all over it
and made themselves
masters of every corner of it; or "made a long sound"F25ימשך "pertraxerunt buccinae sonitum"
Paguninus;
so Jarchi and Limchi. with a trumpet
protracted that to a great length
which
was done to terrify the inhabitants
or to let the Israelites know they were
possessed of the city:
and smote all the city with the edge of the sword; old men
women
and children
who were not able to bear arms.
Judges 20:38 38 Now the appointed signal
between the men of Israel and the men in ambush was that they would make a
great cloud of smoke rise up from the city
YLT
38And there was the appointed
sign to the men of Israel with the ambush -- their causing to go up a great
volume of smoke from the city.
Now there was an appointed sign between the men of Israel and the
liers in wait
.... Or an appointed timeF26המועד
"tempus constitutum"
Panginus
Montanus
Junius et Tremellius
Piscator. as the Targum; so Kimchi and Abarbinel. There was a time fixed
at
which the men of Israel proposed to be at Baaltamar
exactly when the
Benjaminites would be drawn at a proper distance from the city
and then the
liers in wait were to break forth
and rush upon it
and enter it:
and that they should make a great flame with smoke to rise up out
of the city; set it on fire
and cause the fire to burn fiercely
that there
might be a large ascent of flame and smoke to be seen afar off; which
when the
men of Israel saw
they would know the city was taken.
Judges 20:39 39 whereupon the men of
Israel would turn in battle. Now Benjamin had begun to strike and kill
about thirty of the men of Israel. For they said
“Surely they are defeated
before us
as in the first battle.”
YLT
39And the men of Israel turn
in battle
and Benjamin hath begun to smite the wounded among the men of
Israel
about thirty men
for they said
`Surely they are utterly smitten
before us
as [at] the first battle;
And when the men of Israel retired in the battle
.... Which is
before expressed by their fleeing
and giving place to the Benjaminites
and
was only an artifice of theirs
to draw them off from the city:
Benjamin began to smite and kill of the men of Israel about thirty
persons; which was done in the highways leading to Shiloh and Gibeah in
the field
Judges 20:31.
for they said
surely they are smitten down before us as in the
first battle; when the greater number of the Israelites were slain by them.
Judges 20:40 40 But when the cloud began
to rise from the city in a column of smoke
the Benjamites looked behind them
and there was the whole city going up in smoke to heaven.
YLT
40and the volume hath begun
to go up from the city -- a pillar of smoke -- and Benjamin turneth behind
and
lo
gone up hath the perfection of the city toward the heavens.
But when the flame began to arise up out of the city with a pillar
of smoke
.... Fire being set to it by the liers in wait
who had entered
it
and who made a large fire
which caused a vast pillar of flame and smoke to
arise
which might be seen a great way off:
the Benjamites looked behind them; perhaps at hearing the
blowing of the trumpet
and the long sound of that:
and
behold
the flame of the city ascended up to heaven; went upwards
and reached to a great height.
Judges 20:41 41 And when the men of Israel
turned back
the men of Benjamin panicked
for they saw that disaster had come
upon them.
YLT
41And the men of Israel have
turned
and the men of Benjamin are troubled
for they have seen that the evil
hath stricken against them –
And when the men of Israel turned again
.... Turned
their faces to the Benjaminites
on whom they had turned their backs; and which
they did on hearing the sound of the trumpet
or seeing the flame of the city
or both
and that in order to fight the Benjaminites
and smite them
as now
was their opportunity:
the men of Benjamin were amazed; at this strange and
sudden change of things
at the sight of the flame of their city behind them
and at the Israelites turning back to fight them
when they thought themselves
sure of victory
as at other times:
for they saw that evil was come upon them; that they
were in the utmost danger
between two fires
as we usually say
liers in wait
behind them
which had seized their city and burnt it
and the army of Israel
turning upon them with great spirit and resolution.
Judges 20:42 42 Therefore they turned their
backs before the men of Israel in the direction of the wilderness; but the
battle overtook them
and whoever came out of the cities they destroyed
in their midst.
YLT
42and they turn before the
men of Israel unto the way of the wilderness
and the battle hath followed
them; and those who [are] from the city are destroying them in their midst;
Therefore they turned their backs before the men of Israel
.... And fled from
them:
unto the way of the wilderness; what wilderness is not
certain
perhaps the wilderness of Judah; they did not turn directly back
towards Gibeah
perceiving that was taken
and in the hands of a body of men
that would meet them
and therefore they turned on one side towards the
wilderness
if happily they could make their escape thither
and shelter
themselves:
but the battle overtook them; that is
they that made
war
as the Targum
the Israelites that were engaged in battle with them
pursued them
and overtook them:
and them which came out of the cities they destroyed in the midst
of them; either the Israelites that came out of their cities to assist
their brethren destroyed the Benjaminites as they fled
or the Benjaminites who
came out of other cities to Gibeah
these were destroyed in the midst of it
with the inhabitants
by the liers in wait
when they entered it.
Judges 20:43 43 They surrounded the
Benjamites
chased them
and easily trampled them down as far as the
front of Gibeah toward the east.
YLT
43they have compassed the
Benjamites -- they have pursued them -- with ease they have trodden them down
till over-against Gibeah
at the sun-rising.
Thus they enclosed the Benjaminites round about
....
Surrounded them on all sides
the army of Israel being posted in different
places
and people coming out of all the cities to their assistance. JosephusF1Ut
supra. (Antiqu. l. 5. c. 2. sect. 10.) says
they were forced into
and cooped
up
in a hollow place in a valley
so that they could not escape:
and chased them; or "caused to pursue"F2הרדיפהו "persequi fecerunt eum"
Pagninus
Montanus
Drusius; "vel eos"
Vatablus. ; calling after them a
pursuit
crying to one another as they went along
saying
pursue them
pursue
them; so Jarchi and Kimchi; which cry
as it inspired the pursuers with zeal
so they pursued with terror:
and trod them down with ease; they making no
resistance
being quite dispirited; the Targrim is
"from the house of
their rest
'where they took up their rest
and designed to rest that night
but
could not
being so closely pursued
and diligently sought after. Some take
"menuchah"
rendered "ease"
to be the name of a place
from or unto which they were pursued and trodden down
see 1 Chronicles 2:52
and so the Septuagint seems to take it for the name of a place
rendering it
"from Noua":
over against Gibeah
towards the sunrising; that is
as
Jarchi interprets it
to the east of Gibeah
there was this overthrow and slaughter
made.
Judges 20:44 44 And eighteen thousand men
of Benjamin fell; all these were men of valor.
YLT
44And there fall of Benjamin
eighteen thousand men -- the whole of these [are] men of valour;
And there fell of Benjamin eighteen thousand men
.... Just the
number they had slain of Israel in the second battle. This is the number of
them that were slain when Israel turned upon them
and by that time they got to
the east of Gibeah; afterwards 5000 more were slain on the highways
and 2000
near Gidom
as after related:
all these were men of valour; as appears by three
times facing and engaging with the army of Israel
so vastly superior to them
and twice beating them.
Judges 20:45 45 Then they[e] turned and
fled toward the wilderness to the rock of Rimmon; and they cut down five
thousand of them on the highways. Then they pursued them relentlessly up to
Gidom
and killed two thousand of them.
YLT
45and they turn and flee
toward the wilderness
unto the rock of Rimmon; and they glean of them in the
highways five thousand men
and follow after them unto Gidom
and smite of them
two thousand men.
And they turned and fled toward the wilderness
unto the rock of
Rimmon
.... Which signifies pomegranate; perhaps it was in the form of
one
and may be the same as in 1 Samuel 14:2 where
Saul is said to be under a pomegranate tree
or under Rimmon
the rock Rimmon
for that is said to be near Gibeah
as this was. There was a village in the
times of Jerom called Remmon
fifteen miles from Jerusalem to the northF3De
loc. Heb. fol. 94. B.
but could not be near this rock to have its name from
thence; hither the rest of the army fled for shelter:
and they gleaned of them in the highways five thousand men; who were
scattered one from another
and as they were found in the highways
and picked
up
they were slain one after another
just as ears of corn are gleaned one by
one
after the harvest is got in
or as grapes in single berries
after the
vintage is over:
and pursued hard after them unto Gidom; which perhaps
had its name from the cutting off of the Benjaminites there:
and slew two thousand men of them; that is
2000 more
besides the 5000 before mentioned.
Judges 20:46 46 So all who fell of
Benjamin that day were twenty-five thousand men who drew the sword; all these were
men of valor.
YLT
46And all those falling of
Benjamin are twenty and five thousand men drawing sword
on that day -- the
whole of these [are] men of valour;
So that all which fell that day of Benjamin were twenty and
thousand men
.... It is before said 25
100 Judges 20:35 here
the one hundred are omitted
and the round number of thousands given
which is
no unusual way of speaking and writing; the whole army of Benjamin consisted of
26
700 of which 18
000 were slain in the field of battle
5000 in the highways
and 2000 at Gidom
in all 25
000; and we may suppose one hundred as they were
straggling in the road
or found in by places
or are not mentioned with either
of the thousands for the sake of a round number
and six hundred fled to the
rock Rimmon; as for the other 1000
it is highly probable
they fell in the two
first battles
as Ben Gersom and Abarbinel rightly suppose; for it is not
credible
that though they got such amazing victories
it was without the loss
of men
and these are as few as well can be imagined. Jarchi thinks these
thousand fled to the cities of Benjamin
and were slain when the Israelites
entered them
as after related
Judges 20:48 which
is much more probable than a tradition they have
that they went into the land
of Romania
and dwelt there. Now all those that were slain were men
that drew the sword; soldiers
not
husbandmen
artificers
&c. but armed men:
all these were men of valour; even those that fled
who chose rather to lose their lives than ask for quarter.
Judges 20:47 47 But six hundred men turned
and fled toward the wilderness to the rock of Rimmon
and they stayed at the
rock of Rimmon for four months.
YLT
47and there turn and flee
into the wilderness
unto the rock of Rimmon six hundred men
and they dwell in
the rock Rimmon four months.
But six hundred men
.... Who were all that
were left of 26
700
turned and fled to the wilderness; turned out of the
highway or common road
and being swift of foot
got to a wilderness; what
wilderness is not certain:
unto the rock Rimmon
and abode in the rock Rimmon four months; very probably
in a cave of that rock
which might be large enough to hold such a number; Saul
is said to have just the same number under it
and David had also a like number
in a cave at Engedi
1 Samuel 14:2
and
from hence these men might send out of their number to fetch in provision for
them from parts adjacent
after the heat of the action was over
and the rage
and fury of the Israelites subsided.
Judges 20:48 48 And the men of Israel
turned back against the children of Benjamin
and struck them down with the
edge of the sword—from every city
men and beasts
all who were found.
They also set fire to all the cities they came to.
YLT
48And the men of Israel have
turned back unto the sons of Benjamin
and smite them by the mouth of the sword
out of the city
-- men unto cattle
unto all that is found; also all the
cities which are found they have sent into fire.
And the men of Israel turned again upon the children of Benjamin
.... After
they had destroyed their army
the city of Gibeah
and the inhabitants of it:
not content with this
in their wrath and fury
turned and went:
and smote them with the edge of the sword
as well the men of
every city; even men
women
and children
in every city of Benjamin
at
least all that lay in their way; and which they might do to be avenged on them
for sending out their militia against them
which had made such a slaughter
among them to the loss of 40
000 men
or to fulfil their oath
that such who
came not to Mizpeh should be put to death; for which reason also the
inhabitants of Jabeshgilead
as well as of the cities of Benjamin
were put to
death
men
women
and children
dealing in the same severity with them as with
the Canaanitish nations
or as with a city given to idolatry:
as the beast
and all that came to hand; spared no
living creature
herds and flocks:
also they set on fire all the cities that they came unto; which
belonged to the tribe of Benjamin
so exceedingly wroth were they with them
for protecting such that had been the authors of such abominable wickedness
and for the loss of the lives of so many valuable men.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》
New King James
Version (NKJV)