Darby Bible (EN)

1And all the children of Israel went forth, and the assembly gathered together as one man, from Dan to Beer-sheba, and the land of Gilead, unto Jehovah at Mizpah. 2And the heads of all the people, of all the tribes of Israel, presented themselves in the congregation of the people of God, four hundred thousand footmen that drew sword. 3And the children of Benjamin heard that the children of Israel had gone up to Mizpah. And the children of Israel said, Tell us, how was this wickedness? 4Then the Levite, the husband of the woman that was murdered, answered and said, I came to Gibeah that belongs to Benjamin, I and my concubine, to lodge. 5And the citizens of Gibeah rose against me, and surrounded the house because of me, by night; they thought to slay me, and my concubine have they humbled so that she died. 6Then I took my concubine, and cut her in pieces, and sent her throughout the country of the inheritance of Israel; for they have committed lewdness and villany in Israel. 7Behold, all ye, children of Israel, deliberate and give here your counsel. 8And all the people rose up as one man, saying, We will not any one go to his tent, neither will we any one turn into his house. 9But now this is the thing which we will do to Gibeah: we go by lot against it; 10and we will take ten men of a hundred throughout all the tribes of Israel, and a hundred of a thousand, and a thousand of ten thousand, to fetch victuals for the people, that they may do, when they come to Gibeah of Benjamin, according to all the villany that they have wrought in Israel. 11And all the men of Israel were gathered against the city, knit together as one man. 12And the tribes of Israel sent men to all the families of Benjamin, saying, What wickedness is this that has been done among you? 13And now give up the men, the sons of Belial, who are in Gibeah, that we may put them to death, and put away evil from Israel. But the children of Benjamin would not hearken to the voice of their brethren the children of Israel. 14And the children of Benjamin gathered themselves together out of the cities of Gibeah, to go out to battle against the children of Israel. 15And the children of Benjamin were numbered at that time out of the cities, twenty-six thousand men that drew sword, besides the inhabitants of Gibeah, who were numbered seven hundred chosen men. 16Among all this people there were seven hundred chosen men left-handed; all these slang stones at a hair breadth, and missed not. 17And the men of Israel, besides Benjamin, were numbered four hundred thousand men that drew sword: all these were men of war.  18And the children of Israel arose and went up to Bethel, and inquired of God, and said, Which of us shall go up first to the battle against the children of Benjamin? And Jehovah said, Judah first. 19And the children of Israel rose up in the morning and encamped against Gibeah. 20And the men of Israel went out to battle against Benjamin; and the men of Israel put themselves in array to fight against them at Gibeah. 21And the children of Benjamin went forth out of Gibeah, and destroyed to the ground of the Israelites that day twenty-two thousand men. 22And the people, the men of Israel, took courage, and set the battle again in array in the place where they put themselves in array the first day. 23And the children of Israel went up and wept before Jehovah until even, and inquired of Jehovah, saying, Shall I go up again to battle against the children of Benjamin my brother? And Jehovah said, Go up against him. 24And the children of Israel came near against the children of Benjamin the second day. 25And Benjamin went forth against them out of Gibeah the second day, and again destroyed to the ground of the children of Israel eighteen thousand men: all these drew the sword. 26Then all the children of Israel, and all the people, went up and came to Bethel, and wept, and abode there before Jehovah, and fasted that day until even, and offered up burnt-offerings and peace-offerings before Jehovah. 27And the children of Israel inquired 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, stood before it in those days), saying, Shall I yet again go out to battle against the children of Benjamin my brother, or shall I cease? And Jehovah said, Go up; for to-morrow I will give them into thy hand. 29And Israel set liers in wait against Gibeah, round about. 30And the children of Israel went up against the children of Benjamin on the third day, and put themselves in array against Gibeah, as at the other times. 31And the children of Benjamin went out against the people, and were drawn away from the city, and began to smite of the people, slaying as at the former times, in the highways, of which one leads to Bethel and the other to Gibeah in the field, about thirty men of Israel. 32And the children of Benjamin said, They are smitten down before us, as at the first. And the children of Israel said, Let us flee, that we may draw them from the city to the highways. 33And all the men of Israel rose up out of their place, and put themselves in array at Baal-Tamar; and the ambush of Israel rushed forth out of their place, out of the meadows of Geba. 34And there came from opposite Gibeah ten thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and the battle was severe; but they knew not that disaster was coming upon them. 35And Jehovah smote Benjamin before Israel; and the children of Israel destroyed of the Benjaminites that day twenty-five thousand one hundred men: all these drew the sword. 36And the children of Benjamin saw that they were smitten. - And the men of Israel gave place to Benjamin, because they trusted to the ambush that they had set against Gibeah. 37And the ambush hasted, and fell upon Gibeah; and the ambush drew along, and smote the whole city with the edge of the sword. 38Now there was an appointed sign between the men of Israel and the ambush, that they should make a thick column of smoke rise up out of the city. 39And when the men of Israel turned back in the battle, Benjamin began to smite, slaying of the men of Israel about thirty men; for they said, Surely they are quite routed before us as in the first battle. 40And when the burning began to rise up out of the city as a pillar of smoke, Benjamin looked behind, and behold, the whole city ascended in smoke to the heavens. 41Then the men of Israel turned back, and the men of Benjamin were amazed, for they saw that disaster was come upon them. 42And they turned before the men of Israel to the way of the wilderness; but the battle overtook them; and those who came out of the cities destroyed them in their midst. 43They encompassed the Benjaminites, chased them, trode them down at the resting-place over against Gibeah toward the sun-rising. 44And there fell of Benjamin eighteen thousand men: all these, men of valour. 45And they turned and fled towards the wilderness to the cliff of Rimmon, and they gleaned of them in the highways five thousand men; and pursued hard after them to Gidom, and slew two thousand men of them. 46So that all who fell that day of Benjamin were twenty-five thousand men that drew the sword: all these, men of valour. 47And six hundred men turned and fled to the wilderness to the cliff of Rimmon, and abode at the cliff of Rimmon four months. 48And the men of Israel turned again upon the children of Benjamin, and smote them with the edge of the sword, as well the men of every city as the cattle, and all that was found; even all the cities that were found did they set on fire.


Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
 1   Judg 20:1 The Levite in a general assembly declares his wrong.
Judg 20:8 The decree of the assembly.
Judg 20:12 The Benjamites, being cited, make head against the Israelites.
Judg 20:18 The Israelites in two battles lose forty thousand.
Judg 20:26 They destroy by a stratagem all the Benjamites, except six hundred.
Then all.
Judg 20:2 Judg 20:8 Judg 20:11 Judg 21:5 Deut 13:12 - Deut 13:18 Josh 22:12
as one man.
1Sam 11:7 1Sam 11:8 2Sam 19:14 Ezra 3:1 Neh 8:1
from Dan.
Judg 18:29 1Sam 3:20 2Sam 3:10 2Sam 24:2 1Chr 21:2 2Chr 30:5
with the.
Num 32:1 Num 32:40 Josh 17:1 2Sam 2:9
unto the.
Judg 20:18 Judg 20:26 Judg 11:11
in Mizpeh.
Judg 10:17 Judg 11:11 Josh 15:38 Josh 18:26 1Sam 7:5 1Sam 7:6 1Sam 10:17 2Kgs 25:23
It does not appear that the Israelites on this occasion, were summoned by the authority of any one common head, but they came together by the consent and agreement, as it were, of one common heart, fired with a holy zeal for the honour of God and Israel. The place of their meeting was Mizpeh; they gathered together unto the Lord there; for Mizpeh was so very near to Shiloh, that their encampment might very well be supposed to reach from Mizpeh to Shiloh. Shiloh was a small town, and therefore, when there was a general meeting of the people to present themselves before God, they chose Mizpeh for their head quarters, which was the next adjoining city of note; perhaps, because they were not willing to give that trouble to Shiloh, which so great an assembly would occasion; it being the residence of the priests that attended the tabernacle.


 2   drew sword.
Judg 20:15 Judg 20:17 Judg 8:10 2Sam 24:9 2Kgs 3:26

 3   the children of Benjamin.
Pro 22:3 Matt 5:25 Luke 12:58 Luke 12:59 Luke 14:31 Luke 14:32
how was.
Judg 19:22 - Judg 19:27

 4   the Levite. Heb. the man the Levite. I came.
Judg 19:15 - Judg 19:28

 5   And the men.
Judg 19:22
beset.
Gen 19:4 - Gen 19:8
and my concubine.
Judg 19:25 Judg 19:26
forced. Heb. humbled.
Deut 22:24 Ezek 22:10 Ezek 22:11

 6   cut her.
Judg 19:29
folly in Israel.
Judg 20:10 Judg 19:23 Gen 34:7 Josh 7:15 2Sam 13:12 2Sam 13:13

 7   ye are all.
Exod 19:5 Exod 19:6 Deut 4:6 Deut 14:1 Deut 14:2 1Cor 5:1 1Cor 5:6 1Cor 5:10 - 1Cor 5:12
give here.
Judg 19:30 Josh 9:14 Pro 20:18 Pro 24:6 Jas 1:5

 8   as one man.
Judg 20:1 Judg 20:11
We will not.
Judg 21:1 Judg 21:5 Pro 21:3 Eccl 9:10

 9   by lot against it.
Josh 14:2 1Sam 14:41 1Sam 14:42 1Chr 24:5 Neh 11:1 Pro 16:33 Jonah 1:7 Acts 1:26

 10   ten thousand: or, myriad,
Gen 24:60

 11   Knit together as one man. Heb. fellows.


 12   sent men.
Deut 13:14 Deut 20:10 Josh 22:13 - Josh 22:16 Matt 18:15 - Matt 18:18 Rom 12:18

 13   deliver.
2Sam 20:21 2Sam 20:22
children of Belial.
Judg 19:22 Deut 13:13 1Sam 30:22 2Sam 20:1 2Sam 23:6 1Kgs 21:13 2Chr 13:7
put away.
Deut 17:7 Deut 17:12 Deut 19:19 Deut 21:21 Deut 22:21 Deut 22:24 Deut 24:7 Eccl 11:10
would not.
1Sam 2:25 2Chr 25:16 2Chr 25:20 Pro 29:1 Hos 9:9 Hos 10:9 Rom 1:32 Rev 18:4 Rev 18:5
The conduct of the Israelites was very equitable in this demand; but perhaps the rulers or elders of Gibeah ought previously to have been applied to, to deliver up the criminals to justice. However, the refusal of the Benjamites, and their protection of those who had committed this horrible wickedness, because they were of their own tribe, prove them to have been deeply corrupted, and (all their advantages considered) as ripe for divine vengeance as the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah had been. Confiding in their own valour and military skill, they seen to have first prepared for battle in this unequal contest with such superior numbers.


 14   Num 20:20 Num 21:23 2Chr 13:13 Job 15:25 Job 15:26

 15   twenty.
Judg 20:25 Judg 20:35 Judg 20:46 Judg 20:47 Num 26:41

 16   left-handed. Itter yad yemeeno, "obstructed in his right hand;" so the Chaldee Targum, gemid beedaih deyammeena, contracted or impeded in his right hand." Le Clerc observes, that the 700 men left-handed seem therefore to have been made slingers, because they could not use the right hand, which is employed in managing heavier arms; and they could discharge the stones from the sling in a direction against which their opponents were not upon their guard, and thus do the greater execution.
Judg 3:15 1Chr 12:2
sling stones. The sling was a very ancient warlike instrument; and, in the hands of those who were skilled in the use of it, produced astonishing effects. The inhabitants of the islands of Baleares, now Majorca and Minorca, were the most celebrated slingers of antiquity. They did not permit their children to break their fast, till they had struck down the bread they had to eat from the top of a pole, or some distant eminence. Vegetius tells us, that slingers could in general hit the mark at 600 feet distance.
1Sam 17:40 1Sam 17:49 1Sam 17:50 1Sam 25:29 2Chr 26:14

 17   four hundred.
Judg 20:2 Num 1:46 Num 26:51 1Sam 11:8 1Sam 15:4 1Chr 21:5 2Chr 17:14 - 2Chr 17:18

 18   house of.
Judg 18:31 Judg 19:18 Josh 18:1 Joel 1:14
asked.
Judg 20:7 Judg 20:23 Judg 20:26 Judg 20:27 Judg 1:1 Num 27:5 Num 27:21 Josh 9:14
Judah.
Judg 1:1 Judg 1:2 Gen 49:8 - Gen 49:10

 19   rose up.
Josh 3:1 Josh 6:12 Josh 7:16

 20   Judg 20:20

 21   the children.
Gen 49:27 Hos 10:9
destroyed.
Deut 23:9 2Chr 28:10 Ps 33:16 Ps 73:18 Ps 73:19 Ps 77:19 Eccl 9:1 - Eccl 9:3 Jer 12:1

 22   encouraged.
Judg 20:15 Judg 20:17 1Sam 30:6 2Sam 11:25 Ps 64:5

 23   wept.
Judg 20:26 Judg 20:27 Ps 78:34 - Ps 78:36 Hos 5:15
And the. It seems most evident that the Israelites did not seek the protection of God. When they "went to the house of God," (ver. 18, Judg 20:18) it was not to enquire concerning the expediency of the war, nor of its success, but which of the tribes should begin the attack: and here the question is, "Shall I go up again to battle against the children of Benjamin my brother?" Having so much right on their side, they had no doubt of the justice of their cause, and the propriety of their conduct; and having such a superiority of numbers, they had no doubt of success. But God humbled them, and delivered them into the hands of their enemies; and shewed them that the race was not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong.


 24   Judg 20:24

 25   destroyed.
Judg 20:21 Gen 18:25 Job 9:12 Job 9:13 Ps 97:2 Rom 2:5 Rom 3:5 Rom 11:33

 26   all the children.
Judg 20:18 Judg 20:23
wept.
1Sam 7:6 2Chr 20:3 Ezra 8:21 Ezra 9:4 Ezra 9:5 Joel 1:14 Joel 2:12 - Joel 2:18 Jonah 3:5 - Jonah 3:10

 27   enquired.
Judg 20:18 Judg 20:23 Num 27:21
the ark.
Josh 18:1 1Sam 4:3 1Sam 4:4 Ps 78:60 Ps 78:61 Jer 7:12
The loss of two battles at length brought this stiff-necked people to enquire of the Lord; for all the company at this time met at Shiloh, and kept a day of fasting and prayer with great earnestness and solemnity. "Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear."
Isa 59:1

 28   Phinehas. It is evident, from this mention of Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, that these transactions must have taken place not long after the death of Joshua.
Num 25:7 - Num 25:13 Josh 22:13 Josh 22:30 - Josh 22:32 Josh 24:33
stood.
Deut 10:8 Deut 18:5
Shall I yet.
Josh 7:7 1Sam 14:37 1Sam 23:4 - 1Sam 23:12 1Sam 30:8 2Sam 5:19 - 2Sam 5:24 2Sam 6:3 2Sam 6:7 - 2Sam 6:12 Pro 3:5 Pro 3:6 Jer 10:23
Go up.
Judg 1:2 Judg 7:9 2Chr 20:17

 29   Israel. Though God had promised them success, they knew they could expect it only by the use of proper means. Hence they used all prudent precaution, and employed all their military skill.
liers.
Judg 20:34 Josh 8:4 2Sam 5:23

 30   Judg 20:30

 31   drawn.
Josh 8:14 - Josh 8:16
smite of the people, and kill, as at. Heb. smite of thepeople wounded as at, etc. the house of God. or, Beth-el. Gibeah.
Judg 19:13 Judg 19:14 Isa 10:29
thirty.
Josh 7:5

 32   Let us flee. This was done, not only because they had placed an ambuscade behind Gibeah, which was to enter and burn the city as soon as the Benjamites left it; but it would seem, that the slingers, by being within the city and its fortifications, had great advantage over the Israelites by their slings, when they could not come among them with their swords, unless they got them in the plain country.
Josh 8:15 Josh 8:16

 33   rose up.
Josh 8:18 - Josh 8:22
put themselves. There appear to have been three divisions of the Israelitish army: one at Baal-tamar, (which was situated, says Eusebius, near Gibeah;) a second behind the city in ambush; and a third, who skirmished with the Benjamites before Gibeah.


 34   ten thousand.
Judg 20:29
knew not.
Josh 8:14 Job 21:13 Pro 4:19 Pro 29:6 Eccl 8:11 Eccl 8:12 Eccl 9:12 Isa 3:10 Isa 3:11 Isa 47:11 Matt 24:44 Luke 21:34 Luke 21:34 1Thess 5:3

 35   twenty.
Judg 20:15 Judg 20:44 - Judg 20:46 Job 20:5
Though the numbers of the Israelites were immensely superior to those of Benjamin, though the stratagem was well laid and ingeniously executed, and the battle bravely fought, yet the inspired historian ascribes the victory to the hand of the Lord, as entirely as if he had smitten the Benjamites by a miracle.


 36   for the man.
Josh 8:15 - Josh 8:29

 37   the liers in wait hasted.
Josh 8:19
drew themselves along. or, made a long sound with thetrumpets.
Exod 19:13 Josh 6:5

 38   Now there. From this verse to the end of the chapter, we have the details of the same operations which are mentioned, in a general way, in the preceding verses of this chapter.
sign. or, time.
Gen 17:21 2Kgs 4:16
*marg:
Judg 20:38
and. Heb. with. flame. Heb. elevation.


 39   And when.
Judg 20:31
smite and kill. Heb. smite the wounded.


 40   a pillar.
Gen 19:28 Song 3:6 Joel 2:30 Rev 19:3
looked.
Josh 8:20
flame. Heb. whole consumption.


 41   were amazed.
Exod 15:9 Exod 15:10 Isa 13:8 Isa 13:9 Isa 33:14 Luke 17:27 Luke 17:28 Luke 21:26 1Thess 5:3 2Pet 2:12 Rev 6:15 - Rev 6:17 Rev 18:8 - Rev 18:10
was come upon them. Heb. touched them.


 42   the battle.
Lam 1:3 Hos 9:9 Hos 10:9

 43   inclosed.
Josh 8:20 - Josh 8:22
with ease. or, from Menuchah, etc. over against. Heb. untoover against.


 44   Judg 20:44

 45   Rimmon.
Josh 15:32 1Chr 6:77 Zech 14:10

 46   twenty.
Judg 20:15 Judg 20:35

 47   six hundred.
Judg 21:13 Ps 103:9 Ps 103:10 Isa 1:9 Jer 14:7 Lam 3:32 Hab 3:2
rock of Rimmon. The rock Rimmon was doubtless a strong place; but it is uncertain where situated. It is probable however, that it was near, and took its name from, the village of Remmon, mentioned by Eusebius, fifteen miles north from Jerusalem. It appears that rocks are still resorted to in the East, as places of security; and some of them are even capable of sustaining a siege. De La Roque says, that "The Grand Seignior, wishing to seize the person of the emir (Fakr-eddin, prince of the Druses,) gave orders to the pacha to take him prisoner: he accordingly came in search of him, with a new army, in the district of Chouf, which is part of mount Lebanon, wherein is the village of Gesin, and close to it, the rock which served for a retreat to the emir. It is named in Arabic, Magara Gesin, i.e., the cavern of Gessin, by which name it is famous. The pacha pressed the emir so closely, that this unfortunate prince was obliged to shut himself up in the cleft of a great rock, with a small number of his officers. The pacha besieged him there several months; and was going to blow up the rock by a mine, when the emir capitulated."


 48   smote them.
Deut 13:15 - Deut 13:17 2Chr 25:13 2Chr 28:6 - 2Chr 28:9 Pro 18:19
came to hand. Heb. was found. they came to. Heb. werefound.