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Judges Chapter Twenty

 

Judges 20 Outlines Outlines

Israel’s War with the Benjamites (v.1~48)

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)

Footnotes:

  1. Judges 20:13 Literally sons of Belial
  2. Judges 20:18 Or Bethel
  3. Judges 20:26 Or Bethel
  4. Judges 20:34 Literally they
  5. Judges 20:45 Septuagint reads the rest.