Judges 20:45

45 When they turned back and fled toward the desert to the rock of Rimmon, the Israelites picked off another five thousand men on the main roads. And when they caught up with them at Gidom, they struck down two thousand more.

Judges 20:45 Meaning and Commentary

Judges 20:45

And they turned and fled toward the wilderness, unto the rock
of Rimmon
Which signifies pomegranate; perhaps it was in the form of one, and may be the same as in ( 1 Samuel 14:2 ) where Saul is said to be under a pomegranate tree, or under Rimmon, the rock Rimmon, for that is said to be near Gibeah, as this was. There was a village in the times of Jerom called Remmon, fifteen miles from Jerusalem to the north ^F3, but could not be near this rock to have its name from thence; hither the rest of the army fled for shelter:

and they gleaned of them in the highways five thousand men;
who were scattered one from another, and as they were found in the highways, and picked up, they were slain one after another, just as ears of corn are gleaned one by one, after the harvest is got in, or as grapes in single berries, after the vintage is over:

and pursued hard after them unto Gidom;
which perhaps had its name from the cutting off of the Benjaminites there:

and slew two thousand men of them;
that is, 2000 more besides the 5000 before mentioned.

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FOOTNOTES:

F3 De loc. Heb. fol. 94. B.

Judges 20:45 In-Context

43 They encircled the Benjaminites, chased them from Nohah, and trampled them to the east of Gibeah.

44 Eighteen thousand Benjaminites fell, all of whom were strong warriors.

45 When they turned back and fled toward the desert to the rock of Rimmon, the Israelites picked off another five thousand men on the main roads. And when they caught up with them at Gidom, they struck down two thousand more.

46 All in all, the total number of Benjaminites who fell that day was twenty-five thousand men, all of whom were armed with swords and were strong warriors.

47 Six hundred men turned back and fled toward the desert to the rock of Rimmon. They stayed at the rock of Rimmon for four months.