Giudici 20:21

21 Allora i figliuoli di Beniamino s’avanzarono da Ghibea, e in quel giorno stesero morti al suolo ventiduemila uomini d’Israele.

Giudici 20:21 Meaning and Commentary

Judges 20:21

And the children of Benjamin came forth out of Gibeah
Which was their place of rendezvous, and which they came to defend; and in and about which they had stationed their whole army of 26,000 men:

and destroyed down to the ground:
killed dead upon the spot:

of the Israelites that day twenty and two thousand men;
wanting but 4000 of their whole number, excepting the men of Gibeah, which was such a rebuff the Israelites did not expect, being engaged in so just a cause, and having such a numerous army. Several Jewish, writers ^F17 think this was on account of their idolatry, that though they were very zealous to revenge corporeal adultery in the case of the Levite's concubine, and to remove such iniquity from Israel; yet were not zealous to revenge and put away spiritual adultery or idolatry in the case of the Danites, who had set up the image of Micah, and so had spread idolatry not only in their own tribe, but throughout Israel; and therefore God took this opportunity to avenge his own quarrel, and rebuke them for their sin; and now did Benjamin raven as a wolf, according to Jacob's prophecy, ( Genesis 49:27 ) .

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FOOTNOTES:

F17 T. Bab. Sanhedrin, fol. 103. 2. Pirke Eliezer, c. 28. Jarchi & Kimchi in loc.

Giudici 20:21 In-Context

19 E l’indomani mattina, i figliuoli d’Israele si misero in marcia e si accamparono presso Ghibea.

20 E gli uomini d’Israele uscirono per combattere contro Beniamino, e si disposero in ordine di battaglia contro di loro, presso Ghibea.

21 Allora i figliuoli di Beniamino s’avanzarono da Ghibea, e in quel giorno stesero morti al suolo ventiduemila uomini d’Israele.

22 Il popolo, gli uomini d’Israele, ripresero animo, si disposero di nuovo in ordine di battaglia, nel luogo ove s’eran disposti il primo giorno.

23 E i figliuoli d’Israele salirono e piansero davanti all’Eterno fino alla sera; e consultarono l’Eterno, dicendo: "Debbo io seguitare a combattere contro i figliuoli di Beniamino mio fratello?" L’Eterno rispose: "Salite contro di loro".