1Then the whole gathering of the children of Israel (from Dan to BerSabeEh) came to a meeting before Jehovah at MasSepha in the land of Gilead. 2They all stood there before Jehovah as an assembly of the people of God, along with four hundred thousand sword carrying soldiers, 3and the children of BenJamin had heard that everyone had gone there. Then, when everyone was there, they asked, ‘Tell us; Where did this terrible thing happen?’ 4And the Levite (the husband of the woman who was killed) said, ‘My concubine and I had gone into BabaAh of BenJamin to spend the night. 5Then the men there came against me and surrounded the house at night, and they wanted to kill me. But they abused and raped my concubine instead, until she was dead. 6So, I picked her up and cut her into pieces, then I sent them to all the inheritances of the children of Israel; for these men have done a lewd and disgusting thing in Israel! 7And look, all you children of Israel; Think about what happened and then discuss it among yourselves.’ 8Well, all the people agreed and said, ‘None of us will return to our tents or houses 9until this thing that was done in BabaAh [is settled]. Let’s have a lottery to choose who will go to fight against that city… 10we’ll choose ten men from among every hundred of all the tribes of Israel (a hundred out of every thousand and a thousand out of every ten thousand), then we will gather enough provisions and send them to BabaAh of BenJamin to pay them back for the disgusting things they’ve done in Israel.’ 11So, all the men of Israel agreed, and they prepared to march on the city. 12Then they sent messengers throughout the whole tribe of BenJamin to say: ‘What is this wicked thing that has been done among you? 13Now, surrender the sons of criminals that are in BabaAh, and we will execute them to purge their wickedness from Israel.’ But the children of BenJamin refused to listen to the voices of their brothers, the children of Israel, 14and [men from] all their cities gathered at BabaAh to fight against the rest of Israel. 15The children of BenJamin sent twenty-three thousand soldiers, along with seven hundred of the best men from BabaAh, all of whom were capable of fighting with both hands… 16they could sling a stone at a hair and not miss. 17Now, the army of Israel (other than those of BenJamin) numbered four hundred thousand men of war. 18But [before they went to battle], they went to BethEl to ask God, ‘Who must lead us in the fight against the children of BenJamin?’ And Jehovah replied, ‘Judah must go first and serve as your leader.’ 19Then the next morning, the children of Israel went and camped around BabaAh, 20and the battle began. 21Well, the sons of BenJamin came out from BabaAh in an attack and cut down twenty-two thousand men of Israel. 22So the men of Israel sent for reinforcements and got ready to fight in the same place where they had fought on the previous day. 23[But first], they went and spent the day crying before Jehovah, and in the evening they asked Him, ‘Should we go to fight against our brothers the children of BenJamin again?’ And Jehovah said, ‘Go and fight them.’ 24So the children of Israel advanced against the children of BenJamin on the second day. 25And the children of BenJamin came out of BabaAh to meet them and killed eighteen thousand more of their soldiers. 26Then all the children of Israel (the people and their troops) went to BethEl and sat there crying before Jehovah, and they fasted all that day until the evening. Then they offered whole burnt offerings and perfect sacrifices to Jehovah. 27Well, back then, the [Sacred Chest] of Jehovah God was there [in BethEl]. 28And Phineas (the son of EliEzer and grandson of Aaron) would go and stand before it whenever the children of Israel wanted to ask Jehovah for anything. So, again they asked: ‘Must we go again to fight with our brothers, the sons of BenJamin?’ And Jehovah replied, ‘If you go there in the morning, I will give them into your hands.’ 29Then the children of Israel [went back] and encircled BabaAh, [but this time] they set up an ambush. 30So when the children of Israel went to fight the children of BenJamin on the third day, they prepared for an attack against BabaAh as they had done before. 31And after the children of BenJamin came out to meet them and started cutting them down between the roads that lead to BethEl and BabaAh (after they had killed about thirty men), everyone had been drawn outside the city. 32For the children of BenJamin said, ‘They’re falling before us as they did before.’ But then the children of Israel said; ‘Now let’s retreat and we’ll draw them out of the city and into the roads.’ And that’s what they did. And that’s when all the men who were hiding 33got up out and engaged them at Baal Thamar, and Israel’s reinforcements also came from MaraAgabe. 34So, ten thousand of Israel’s best men attacked BabaAh. And although [BenJamin’s] troops fought back fiercely, they didn’t know that they were doomed. 35So, Jehovah allowed the children of Israel to cut down BenJamin that day. And all together, the children of Israel destroyed twenty-five thousand of BenJamin’s soldiers. 36For, when they realized that the children of BenJamin were losing, the men of Israel turned back and attacked, because they trusted in the ambush that they had prepared against BabaAh. 37[The plan was that] when they pulled back, those who were hiding were to get up and attack BabaAh and cut [everyone in] the city down with swords. 38Well, the children of Israel had arranged for a battle signal from those who had been hiding. For when they captured the city, they were to send up a smoke signal. 39And when the children of Israel saw that they had taken BabaAh, that’s when they turned and attacked. For by then, the children of BenJamin had started killing the wounded among the men of Israel (about thirty of them), and they were saying, ‘Surely they’re going to fall again as they did in the first [two] battles.’ 40But then the [smoke] signal started to arise, and it kept growing into a huge column of smoke rising into the sky. And when the men of BenJamin looked behind them, they saw that the city was being destroyed. 41So when the men of Israel turned back and attacked, the men of BenJamin started running, because they saw that something bad had happened. 42Then they retreated all the way into the desert before of the children of Israel, but they were soon overtaken, and even people from the [surrounding] cities came to fight them… 43they chased the men of BenJamin from Nua almost to BabaAh in the east. 44And eighteen thousand mighty men of BenJamin fell there. 45Well, the rest [of BenJamin’s army] then turned and ran through the desert to the rock of RemMon, where the children of Israel picked off five thousand of them; and then they chased the remaining ones as far as GeDan, where they cut down two thousand men. 46So, BenJamin lost twenty-five thousand of their finest soldiers, 47and the rest (six hundred of them) turned and ran through the desert to the rock of RemMon, where they hid out for four months. 48Meanwhile, the children of Israel returned to the territory of BenJamin and cut down [everyone] in their cities (around MethLa), including their cattle, and they burned all the cities and everything they found there in a fire.
Jamieson Fausset Brown Bible Commentary 1 THE LEVITE, IN A GENERAL ASSEMBLY, DECLARES HIS WRONG. (
Judg 20:1-
Judg 20:7)
all . . . the congregation was gathered as one man--In consequence of the immense sensation the horrid tragedy of Gibeah had produced, a national assembly was convened, at which "the chief of all the people" from all parts of the land, including the eastern tribes, appeared as delegates.
Mizpeh--the place of convention (for there were other Mizpehs), was in a town situated on the confines of Judah and Benjamin (
Josh 15:38;
Josh 18:26). Assemblies were frequently held there afterwards (
1Sam 7:11;
1Sam 10:17); and it was but a short distance from Shiloh. The phrase, "unto the Lord," may be taken in its usual sense, as denoting consultation of the oracle. This circumstance, together with the convention being called "the assembly of the people of God," seems to indicate, that amid the excited passions of the nation, those present felt the profound gravity of the occasion and adopted the best means of maintaining a becoming deportment.
3 Now the children of Benjamin heard that the children of Israel were gone up to Mizpeh--Some suppose that Benjamin had been passed over, the crime having been perpetrated within the territory of that tribe [
Judg 19:16]; and that, as the concubine's corpse had been divided into twelve pieces [
Judg 19:29] --two had been sent to Manasseh, one respectively to the western and eastern divisions. It is more probable that Benjamin had received a formal summons like the other tribes, but chose to treat it with indifference, or haughty disdain.
4 the Levite, the husband of the woman that was slain, answered and said--The injured husband gave a brief and unvarnished recital of the tragic outrage, from which it appears that force was used, which he could not resist. His testimony was doubtless corroborated by those of his servant and the old Ephraimite. There was no need of strong or highly colored description to work upon the feelings of the audience. The facts spoke for themselves and produced one common sentiment of detestation and vengeance.
8 THEIR DECREE. (
Judg 20:8-
Judg 20:17)
all the people arose as one man--The extraordinary unanimity that prevailed shows, that notwithstanding great disorders had broken out in many parts, the people were sound at the core; and remembering their national covenant with God, they now felt the necessity of wiping out so foul a stain on their character as a people. It was resolved that the inhabitants of Gibeah should be subjected to condign punishment. But the resolutions were conditional. For as the common law of nature and nations requires that an inquiry should be made and satisfaction demanded, before committing an act of hostility or vengeance, messengers were despatched through the whole territory of Benjamin, demanding the immediate surrender or execution of the delinquents. The request was just and reasonable; and by refusing it the Benjamites virtually made themselves a party in the quarrel. It must not be supposed that the people of this tribe were insensible or indifferent to the atrocious character of the crime that had been committed on their soil. But their patriotism or their pride was offended by the hostile demonstration of the other tribes. The passions were inflamed on both sides; but certainly the Benjamites incurred an awful responsibility by the attitude of resistance they assumed.
14 the children of Benjamin gathered themselves together out of the cities unto Gibeah--Allowing their valor to be ever so great, nothing but blind passion and unbending obstinacy could have impelled them to take the field against their brethren with such a disparity of numbers.
16 left-handed; every one could sling stones at an hair-breadth, and not miss--The sling was one of the earliest weapons used in war. The Hebrew sling was probably similar to that of the Egyptian, consisting of a leather thong, broad in the middle, with a loop at one end, by which it was firmly held with the hand; the other end terminated in a lash, which was let slip when the stone was thrown. Those skilled in the use of it, as the Benjamites were, could hit the mark with unerring certainty. A good sling could carry its full force to the distance of two hundred yards.
18 THE ISRAELITES LOSE FORTY THOUSAND. (
Judg 20:18-
Judg 20:28)
the children of Israel arose, and went up to the house of God--This consultation at Shiloh was right. But they ought to have done it at the commencement of their proceedings. Instead of this, all their plans were formed, and never doubting, it would seem, that the war was just and inevitable, the only subject of their inquiry related to the precedency of the tribes--a point which it is likely was discussed in the assembly. Had they asked counsel of God sooner, their expedition would have been conducted on a different principle--most probably by reducing the number of fighting men, as in the case of Gideon's army. As it was, the vast number of volunteers formed an excessive and unwieldy force, unfit for strenuous and united action against a small, compact, and well-directed army. A panic ensued, and the confederate tribes, in two successive engagements, sustained great losses. These repeated disasters (notwithstanding their attack on Benjamin had been divinely authorized) overwhelmed them with shame and sorrow. Led to reflection, they became sensible of their guilt in not repressing their national idolatries, as well as in too proudly relying on their superior numbers and the precipitate rashness of this expedition. Having humbled themselves by prayer and fasting, as well as observed the appointed method of expiating their sins, they were assured of acceptance as well as of victory. The presence and services of Phinehas on this occasion help us to ascertain the chronology thus far, that the date of the occurrence must be fixed shortly after the death of Joshua.
29 THEY DESTROY ALL THE BENJAMITES, EXCEPT SIX HUNDRED. (Jdg. 20:29-48)
And Israel set liers-in-wait round about Gibeah--A plan was formed of taking that city by stratagem, similar to that employed in the capture of Ai [
Josh 8:9].
33 Baal-tamar--a palm-grove, where Baal was worshipped. The main army of the confederate tribes was drawn up there.
out of the meadows of Gibeah--Hebrew, "the caves of Gibeah"; a hill in which the ambuscades lay hid.
34 there came against Gibeah ten thousand chosen men--This was a third division, different both from the ambuscade and the army, who were fighting at Baal-tamar. The general account stated in
Judg 20:35 is followed by a detailed narrative of the battle, which is continued to the end of the chapter.
45 they turned and fled toward the wilderness unto the rock of Rimmon--Many of the fugitives found refuge in the caves of this rocky mountain, which is situated to the northeast of Beth-el. Such places are still sought as secure retreats in times of danger; and until the method of blowing up rocks by gunpowder became known, a few men could in such caves sustain a siege for months.
46 all which fell that day of Benjamin were twenty and five thousand men--On comparing this with
Judg 20:35, it will be seen that the loss is stated here in round numbers and is confined only to that of the third day. We must conclude that a thousand had fallen during the two previous engagements, in order to make the aggregate amount given (
Judg 20:15).
48 the men of Israel turned again upon the children of Benjamin, and smote them with the edge of the sword--This frightful vengeance, extending from Gibeah to the whole territory of Benjamin, was executed under the impetuous impulse of highly excited passions. But doubtless the Israelites were only the agents of inflicting the righteous retributions of God; and the memory of this terrible crisis, which led almost to the extermination of a whole tribe, was conducive to the future good of the whole nation.