Judges 20:2

2 The leaders of all Israel's tribes took their places in the congregation of God's people. There were 400,000 foot soldiers with swords.

Judges 20:2 Meaning and Commentary

Judges 20:2

And the chief of all the people
The princes of the tribes and heads of families, rulers of thousands, and hundreds, and fifties, and tens; or the "corners" ^F3, who were like the corner stones in a building, which are not only the most valuable and ornamental, but the strength of the building, which cement it, and support it, and hold it together; though Abarbinel thinks this intends the division and separation of each tribe, which encamped in a separate corner and side by itself: but the former sense seems best, and the meaning is, that the principal men of them,

even of all the tribes of Israel;
excepting the tribe of Benjamin:

presented themselves in the assembly of the people of God;
now gathered together: which assembly consisted, besides the heads of them, of

four hundred thousand footmen that drew sword;
or were armed men; there were 600,000 or more in Israel able to bear arms; but as now the wars in Canaan were pretty much at an end, the militia of the nation was not so regularly kept up, and many were employed in tilling the ground, and dressing the vines, and the like; and besides, as there were none of the tribe of Benjamin present, it need not be wondered at there should be no more, but rather that so many should be gathered together on such an occasion.

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FOOTNOTES:

F3 (twnp) "anguli", V. L. Pagninus, Montanus, Munster, Vatablus, Drusius, Tigurine version.

Judges 20:2 In-Context

1 All the people of Israel from Dan to Beersheba and from Gilead came to Mizpah. The congregation stood united in the presence of the LORD.

2 The leaders of all Israel's tribes took their places in the congregation of God's people. There were 400,000 foot soldiers with swords.

3 The people of Benjamin heard that Israel had come to Mizpah. The people of Israel said, "Tell us how such an evil thing could happen."

4 The Levite, the husband of the murdered woman, answered, "My concubine and I went to Gibeah in Benjamin to spend the night.

5 The citizens of Gibeah came to attack me. They surrounded the house [where I was staying] that night. They intended to kill me, but instead, they raped my concubine until she died.