Judges 20:45

45 Some men of Benjamin turned back. They ran toward the desert to the rock of Rimmon. As they did, the men of Israel struck down 5,000 of them along the roads. They kept chasing the men of Benjamin all the way to Gidom. Along the way they struck down 2,000 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 surrounded them. They chased them and easily caught up with them. That happened east of Gibeah.

44 So 18,000 men of Benjamin fell in battle. All of them were brave fighters.

45 Some men of Benjamin turned back. They ran toward the desert to the rock of Rimmon. As they did, the men of Israel struck down 5,000 of them along the roads. They kept chasing the men of Benjamin all the way to Gidom. Along the way they struck down 2,000 more.

46 On that day 25,000 men of Benjamin fell in battle. They had been carrying swords. All of them were brave fighters.

47 But 600 men turned back. They ran into the desert to the rock of Rimmon. They stayed there for four months.