Keraia
Judges 20

Judges 20:31

Civil War against Benjamin · Judges 20:18–48
Read Judges 20

Translations

Modern
The Benjamites came out against them and were drawn away from the city. They began to attack the people as before, killing about thirty men of Israel in the fields and on the roads, one of which led up to Bethel and the other to Gibeah.
Traditional
And the children of Benjamin went out against the people, and were drawn away from the city; and they began to smite of the people, and kill, as at other times, in the highways, of which one goeth up to the house of God, and the other to Gibeah in the field, about thirty men of Israel.
Literal
And the sons of Benjamin went out against the people, and they were drawn away from the city. And they began to strike down some of the people and kill some, as time upon time, in the highways, of which one goes up to Bethel and one to Gibeah, and in the field, about thirty men of Israel.
Latin
Sed et filii Benjamin audacter eruperunt de civitate, et fugientes adversarios longius persecuti sunt, ita ut vulnerarent ex eis sicut primo die et secundo, et cæderent per duas semitas vertentes terga, quarum una ferebatur in Bethel et altera in Gabaa, atque prosternerent triginta circiter viros:

Original

Hebrew
English
The Benjamites came out against them and were drawn away from the city. They began to attack the people as before, killing about thirty men of Israel in the fields and on the roads, one of which led up to Bethel and the other to Gibeah.

Notes

Judges 20:29–44

On the third day, they used similar tricks and surprise attacks as when they took over Ai (Joshua 8:1–29).

Judges 19:1–21:25

  • This second epilogue (see study note on Judges 17:1–21:25) shifts the focus from individuals to entire tribes. It begins with the outrage in the Benjamite town of Gibeah (Judges 19), which led to a civil war (Judges 20) and the near destruction of Benjamin. It then moves to the attempt to save the tribe from disappearing (Judges 21). The book ends with the familiar refrain: In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes. This was what they did in the days of Gibea, perhaps the lowest point in Israel's history that Hosea, 400 years later, would compare to the depths Ephraim had reached (Hosea 9:9; 10:9).

  • The path was cleared for a shift from charismatic leadership to "covenant-charismatic kingship." This kingship combined living under the Lord’s covenant with the anointing of the spirit for ruling, as seen with Saul and David.

Judges 17:1–21:25

These two epilogues (Judges 17–18 and 19–21) show that inspired but unstructured leadership cannot last. As society moved toward chaos and civil war, the phrase, In those days there was no king in Israel appears four times. The phrase, everyone did what was right in his own eyes is added twice (Judges 17:6; 18:1; 19:1; 21:25). The era of inspired leadership declined and ended in disorder. Something important was missing.

Theme notes and profiles

Human Sexuality Social Chaos in Judges

People

Benjamin: Youngest son of Jacob and Rachel Israel: Patriarch, son of Isaac, father of twelve tribes

Places

Bethel: Important city in Israel, associated with Abraham and Jacob Gibeah: A city of Benjamin, associated with Saul and atrocities

Glossary

Benjamin, Tribe of Concubinage, Concubines Gibeah Jabesh, Jabesh-Gilead (Place) Judges, Book of

Topics

Ambush: At Gibeah Armies: March in Ranks: Ambushes at Gibeah Armies: March in Ranks: Decoy Beth-El: A City North of Jerusalem: Tabernacle At, and Called House of God Gibeah: Gibeah in the Field Roads: To the House of God Strategy in War The Jews: Obliged to Unite Against Enemies Tribe of Benjamin: Almost Annihilated for Protecting the Men of Gibeah