Judges 20:16-26

16 Out of all these people 700 * ¹choice men were left-handed * *; each one could sling a stone at a hair and not miss.

17 Then the men of Israel besides * Benjamin were numbered, 400,000 * * men who draw the sword; all these were men of war.

Civil War, Benjamin Defeated

18 Now the sons of Israel arose, went up to Bethel, and ²inquired of God and said, "Who shall go up first for us to battle against the sons of Benjamin?" Then the LORD said, "Judah shall go up first."

19 So the sons of Israel arose in the morning and camped against Gibeah.

20 The men of Israel went out to battle against Benjamin, and the men of Israel arrayed for battle against them at Gibeah.

21 Then the sons of Benjamin came out of Gibeah and ³felled to the ground on that day 22,000 * * men of Israel.

22 But the people, the men of Israel, encouraged themselves and arrayed for battle again in the place where * they had arrayed themselves the first day.

23 ⁴The sons of Israel went up and wept before the LORD until evening, and ⁵inquired of the LORD, saying, "Shall we again draw near for battle against the sons of my brother Benjamin?" And the LORD said, "Go up against him."

24 Then the sons of Israel came against the sons of Benjamin the second day.

25 Benjamin went out against them from Gibeah the second day and felled to the ground again 18,000 * * men of the sons of Israel; all these drew the sword.

26 Then ⁶all the sons of Israel and all the people went up and came to Bethel and wept; thus they remained there before the LORD and fasted that day until evening. And they offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the LORD.

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Judges 20:16-26 Meaning and Commentary

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, Jud 20:1-7 upon which they unanimously agreed to chastise the inhabitants of Gibeah for what they had done, Jud 20:8-11, 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, Jud 20:12-17 and two battles ensued on this, in which the Israelites, who were on the right side of the question, were worsted, Jud 20:18-25 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, Jud 20:26-48.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

Cross References 6

1. Judges 3:15; 1 Chronicles 12:2
2. Numbers 27:21; Judges 20:23, 27
3. Judges 20:25
4. Joshua 7:6, 7
5. Judges 20:18
6. Judges 20:23; Judges 21:2

Footnotes 5

[a]. Or "mustered"
[b]. Lit "destroyed"
[c]. Lit "approached"
[d]. Lit "to meet"
[e]. Lit "destroyed"