Judges 20:14

14 Instead, the Benjaminites gathered together from their cities to Gibeah to go out and fight against the Israelites.

Judges 20:14 Meaning and Commentary

Judges 20:14

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 20:14 In-Context

12 Then the tribes of Israel sent men throughout the tribe of Benjamin, saying, "What is this outrage that has occurred among you?

13 Hand over the perverted men in Gibeah so we can put them to death and eradicate evil from Israel." But the Benjaminites would not obey their fellow Israelites.

14 Instead, the Benjaminites gathered together from their cities to Gibeah to go out and fight against the Israelites.

15 On that day the Benjaminites rallied 26,000 armed men from their cities, besides 700 choice men rallied by the inhabitants of Gibeah.

16 There were 700 choice men who were left-handed among all these people; all could sling a stone at a hair and not miss.