Judges 20:44

44 Eighteen thousand of the best Benjaminite soldiers were killed.

Judges 20:44 Meaning and Commentary

Judges 20:44

And there fell of Benjamin eighteen thousand men
Just the number they had slain of Israel in the second battle. This is the number of them that were slain when Israel turned upon them, and by that time they got to the east of Gibeah; afterwards 5000 more were slain on the highways, and 2000 near Gidom, as after related:

all these were men of valour;
as appears by three times facing and engaging with the army of Israel, so vastly superior to them, and twice beating them.

Judges 20:44 In-Context

42 They retreated from the Israelites and ran toward the open country, but they could not escape. They were caught between the main army and the men who were now coming out of the city, and they were destroyed.

43 The Israelites had the enemy trapped, and without stopping they pursued them as far as a point east of Gibeah, killing them as they went.

44 Eighteen thousand of the best Benjaminite soldiers were killed.

45 The others turned and ran toward the open country to Rimmon Rock. Five thousand of them were killed on the roads. The Israelites continued to pursue the rest to Gidom, killing two thousand.

46 In all, twenty-five thousand Benjaminites were killed that day - all of them brave soldiers.