33 And all the men H376 of Israel H3478 rose up H6965 out of their place, H4725 and put themselves in array H6186 at Baaltamar: H1193 and the liers in wait H693 of Israel H3478 came forth H1518 out of their places, H4725 even out of the meadows H4629 of Gibeah. H1387
34 And there came H935 against H5048 Gibeah H1390 ten H6235 thousand H505 chosen H977 men H376 out of all Israel, H3478 and the battle H4421 was sore: H3513 but they knew H3045 not that evil H7451 was near H5060 them.
35 And the LORD H3068 smote H5062 Benjamin H1144 before H6440 Israel: H3478 and the children H1121 of Israel H3478 destroyed H7843 of the Benjamites H1145 that day H3117 twenty H6242 and five H2568 thousand H505 and an hundred H3967 men: H376 all these drew H8025 the sword. H2719
36 So the children H1121 of Benjamin H1144 saw H7200 that they were smitten: H5062 for the men H376 of Israel H3478 gave H5414 place H4725 to the Benjamites, H1145 because they trusted H982 unto the liers in wait H693 which they had set H7760 beside Gibeah. H1390
37 And the liers in wait H693 hasted, H2363 and rushed H6584 upon Gibeah; H1390 and the liers in wait H693 drew themselves along, H4900 and smote H5221 all the city H5892 with the edge H6310 of the sword. H2719
38 Now there was an appointed sign H4150 between the men H376 of Israel H3478 and H5973 the liers in wait, H693 that they should make a great H7235 flame H4864 with smoke H6227 rise up H5927 out of the city. H5892
39 And when the men H376 of Israel H3478 retired H2015 in the battle, H4421 Benjamin H1144 began H2490 to smite H5221 and kill H2491 of the men H376 of Israel H3478 about thirty H7970 persons: H376 for they said, H559 Surely H5062 they are smitten down H5062 before H6440 us, as in the first H7223 battle. H4421
40 But when the flame H4864 began H2490 to arise up H5927 out of the city H5892 with a pillar H5982 of smoke, H6227 the Benjamites H1145 looked H6437 behind H310 them, and, behold, the flame H3632 of the city H5892 ascended up H5927 to heaven. H8064
41 And when the men H376 of Israel H3478 turned again, H2015 the men H376 of Benjamin H1144 were amazed: H926 for they saw H7200 that evil H7451 was come H5060 upon them.
42 Therefore they turned H6437 their backs before H6440 the men H376 of Israel H3478 unto the way H1870 of the wilderness; H4057 but the battle H4421 overtook H1692 them; and them which came out of the cities H5892 they destroyed H7843 in the midst H8432 of them.
43 Thus they inclosed H3803 the Benjamites H1145 round about, H3803 and chased H7291 them, and trode them down H1869 with ease H4496 over against H5227 Gibeah H1390 toward the sunrising. H4217 H8121
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Judges 20
Commentary on Judges 20 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 20
Into the book of the wars of the Lord the story of this chapter must be brought, but it looks as sad and uncomfortable as any article in all that history; for there is nothing in it that looks in the least bright or pleasant but the pious zeal of Israel against the wickedness of the men of Gibeah, which made it on their side a just and holy war; but otherwise the obstinacy of the Benjamites in protecting their criminals, which was the foundation of the war, the vast loss which the Israelites sustained in carrying on the war, and (though the righteous cause was victorious at last) the issuing of the war in the almost utter extirpation of the tribe of Benjamin, make it, from first to last, melancholy. And yet this happened soon after the glorious settlement of Israel in the land of promise, upon which one would have expected every thing to be prosperous and serene. In this chapter we have,
Jdg 20:1-11
Here is,
Jdg 20:12-17
Here is,
Jdg 20:18-25
We have here the defeat of the men of Israel in their first and second battle with the Benjamites.
Jdg 20:26-48
We have here a full account of the complete victory which the Israelites obtained over the Benjamites in the third engagement: the righteous cause was victorious at last, when the managers of it amended what had been amiss; for, when a good cause suffers, it is for want of good management. Observe then how the victory was obtained, and how it was pursued.