Judges 20:20-30

20 So the men of Israel went to war with the men of Benjamin. The Israelites formed their battle line facing Gibeah.

21 That day the men of Benjamin came out from Gibeah. They slaughtered 22,000 of Israel's men.

22 But Israel's troops got reinforcements. They formed their battle line where they had formed it on the first day.

23 The Israelites went and cried in the presence of the LORD until evening. They asked the LORD, "Should we continue to wage war against our close relatives, the men of Benjamin?" The LORD answered, "Go fight them!"

24 On the second day the Israelite troops advanced against Benjamin.

25 Benjamin went out from Gibeah to meet them. This time they slaughtered 18,000 men from Israel who were armed with swords.

26 Then all the men of Israel and all the troops went to Bethel. They sat there and cried in the presence of the LORD and fasted that day until evening. Then they sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings to the LORD.

27 In those days the ark of God's promise was at Bethel.

28 (Phinehas, son of Eleazar and grandson of Aaron, served in front of it.) So the people of Israel asked the LORD, "Should we continue to wage war against our close relatives, the men of Benjamin? Or should we stop?" The LORD answered, "Go! Tomorrow I will hand them over to you."

29 Then Israel placed troops in ambush around Gibeah.

30 On the third day the men of Israel went to fight the men of Benjamin. They formed their battle line facing Gibeah as they did before.

Judges 20:20-30 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.