1And all the sons of Israel went out, and the congregation was assembled as one man, from Dan even to Beer-sheba, and the land of Gilead, to Jehovah at Mizpeh. 2And the leaders of all the people, of all the tribes of Israel, presented themselves in the assembly of all the people of God, four hundred thousand footmen drawing sword. 3And the sons of Benjamin heard that the sons of Israel had gone up to Mizpeh. And the sons of Israel said, Speak up. How did this evil happen? 4And the man replied, the Levite, husband of the woman who had been murdered, and said, I came into Gibeah which is to Benjamin, I and my concubine, to lodge. 5And the men of Gibeah rose up against me. And they turned around the house against me at night; they thought to kill me, and they raped my concubine, and she died. 6And I took hold on my concubine, and cut her in pieces, and sent her into all the land of the inheritance of Israel. For they have done lewdness and disgraceful folly in Israel. 7Behold, you are the sons of Israel. Give here your advice and counsel. 8And all the people rose up as one man, saying, Not one of us shall go to his tent, and not one of us shall return to his house. 9And now, this is the thing which we shall do to Gibeah, going against it by lot. 10And we shall take ten men of a hundred of all the tribes of Israel, and a hun- dred of a thousand, and a thousand of ten thousand, to take food for the people, that they may act, when they come to Gibeah of Benjamin, according to all the disgraceful folly which it has done in Israel. 11And every man of Israel was gathered to the city, knit together as one man. 12And the tribes of Israel sent men to all the tribes of Benjamin, saying, What is this evil which has happened among you? 13And now, give up the men, sons of worthlessness, which are in Gibeah, and we will cause them to die. And we shall consume evil from Israel. But Benjamin was not willing to listen to the voice of their brothers, the sons of Israel. 14And the sons of Benjamin were gathered out of the cities to Gibeah, to go out to battle with the sons of Israel. 15And the sons of Benjamin counted themselves on that day. Out of the cities were twenty-six thousand men drawing sword, besides the ones living in Gibeah who counted themselves seven hundred chosen men. 16Among all this people were seven hundred chosen men who were impeded in the right hand, each of these able to sling a stone at a hair, and he did not miss! 17And the men of Israel numbered themselves, besides Benjamin, four hundred thousand men drawing sword, each of these a man of war. 18And they rose up and went up to Bethel and asked of God. And the sons of Israel said, Who shall go up for us at the beginning of the battle with the sons of Benjamin? And Jehovah said, Judah, at the beginning. 19And the sons of Israel rose up in the morning and camped against Gibeah. 20And the men of Israel went to battle with Benjamin; and the men of Israel set themselves in order against them, to battle against Gibeah. 21And the sons of Benjamin came out from Gibeah. And on that day they destroyed twenty-two thousand to the earth in Israel. 22And the people, the men of Israel, made themselves strong, and again set the battle in order in the place where they set themselves on the first day. 23And the sons of Israel went up and wept before Jehovah until the evening, and asked of Jehovah, saying, Shall I again draw near to battle with the sons of my brother Benjamin? And Jehovah said, Go up against him. 24And the sons of Israel drew near to the sons of Benjamin on the second day. 25And Benjamin came out to meet them from Gibeah on the second day, and again destroyed to the earth eighteen thousand men of the sons of Israel; all these were drawers of sword. 26And all the sons of Israel went up, even all the people, and came to Beth-el, and wept. And they sat there before Jehovah, and fasted on that day until the evening, and caused burnt offerings and peace offerings to ascend before Jehovah. 27And the sons of Israel asked of Jehovah (and the ark of the covenant of God was there in those days, 28and Phinehas the son of Eleazar the son of Aaron was standing before it in those days) saying, Shall I again go out to battle with the sons of my brother Benjamin, or shall I cease? And Jehovah said, Go up, for tomorrow I will give him into your hand. 29And Israel set ambushers against Gibeah all around. 30And the sons of Israel went up against the sons of Benjamin on the third day, and set themselves in order against Gibeah, as at other times. 31And the sons of Benjamin came out to meet the people. They were drawn away out of the city, and began to strike the people down wounded as at other times, in the highways, of which one goes up to Beth-el, and one to Gibeah in the field, about thirty men of Israel. 32And the sons of Benjamin said, They are destroyed before us as at the beginning. But the sons of Israel said, Let us flee and draw them away out of the city, into the highways. 33And all the men of Israel rose from their place and set themselves in order at Baal-tamar. And Israel’s ambush came out of its place, out of the meadow of Gibeah. 34And they came in across from Gibeah, ten thousand chosen men out of all Israel. And the battle was heavy. And they did not know that evil was striking against them. 35And Jehovah struck Benjamin before Israel. And the sons of Israel destroyed twenty-five thousand, one hundred men on that day in Benjamin; all these were drawers of sword. 36And the sons of Benjamin saw that they were stricken. And the men of Israel had given place to Benjamin, for they trusted to the ambush which they had set against Gibeah. 37And the ambush hurried and came against Gibeah, and the ambush drew itself out and struck all of the city by the mouth of the sword. 38And there was a sign set to the men of Israel with the ambush, to make it great, their causing a rising of smoke to go up from the city. 39And the men of Israel turned in battle, and Benjamin had begun to strike, causing some to be slain of the men of Israel, about thirty men. For they said, Surely they are stricken down before us, as at the first battle. 40And the rising of smoke began to go up from the city, a pillar. And Benjamin turned around, and, behold, the whole city had gone up toward the heavens. 41And the men of Israel turned, and the men of Benjamin were troubled. For they had seen that evil had struck them. 42And they turned before the men of Israel toward the way of the wilderness. And the battle followed them. And those who were from the city were destroying them in their midst. 43They surrounded Benjamin, and they pursued them without rest. And they trod them down until they were opposite Gibeah, at the rising of the sun. 44And eighteen thousand men of Benjamin fell, all of these men of strength. 45And they turned and fled toward the wilderness to the rock of Rimmon. And they gleaned five thousand men of them in the highways, and caught them, to Gidom. And they struck two thousand men of them. 46And all the ones of Benjamin who fell were twenty five-thousand men drawing the sword on that day; all of these men of strength. 47And six hundred men turned and fled into the wilderness, to the rock of Rimmon. And they lived in the rock of Rimmon four months. 48And the men of Israel turned back to the sons of Benjamin, and struck them by the mouth of the sword, from the entire city to livestock, to all that was found. Also they set fire to all the cities which were found.
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.