Judges 20:34

Translations

Modern

Then 10,000 select men from all Israel made a frontal assault against Gibeah, and the battle was fierce. But the Benjamites did not realize that disaster was upon them.

Traditional

And there came against Gibeah ten thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and the battle was sore: but they knew not that evil was near them.

Literal

And came over against Gibeah ten thousand select men from all Israel, and the battle was fierce. And they did not know that evil was upon them.

Latin

…et ab occidentali urbis parte procedere. Sed et alia decem millia virorum de universo Israël, habitatores urbis ad certamina provocabant. Ingravatumque est bellum contra filios Benjamin: et non intellexerunt quod ex omni parte illis instaret interitus.

Original

Hebrew

English

Then 10,000 select men from all Israel made a frontal assault against Gibeah, and the battle was fierce. But the Benjamites did not realize that disaster was upon them.

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

Related verses

Isaiah 47:11
But disaster will come upon you; you will not know how to charm it away. A calamity will befall you that you will be unable to ward off. Devastation will happen to you suddenly and unexpectedly.
Joshua 8:14
When the king of Ai saw the Israelites, he hurried out early in the morning with the men of the city to engage them in battle at an appointed place overlooking the Arabah. But he did not know that an ambush had been set up against him behind the city.
Job 21:13
They spend their days in prosperity and go down to Sheol in peace.
1 Thessalonians 5:3
While people are saying, “Peace and security,” destruction will come upon them suddenly, like labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.
Ecclesiastes 9:12
For surely no man knows his time: Like fish caught in a cruel net or birds trapped in a snare, so men are ensnared in an evil time that suddenly falls upon them.
Proverbs 29:6
An evil man is caught by his own sin, but a righteous one sings and rejoices.
Matthew 24:44
For this reason, you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour you do not expect.
Ecclesiastes 8:11–12
When the sentence for a crime is not speedily executed, the hearts of men become fully set on doing evil.
Luke 21:34
But watch yourselves, or your hearts will be weighed down by dissipation, drunkenness, and the worries of life—and that day will spring upon you suddenly like a snare.
Proverbs 4:19
But the way of the wicked is like the darkest gloom; they do not know what makes them stumble.
Isaiah 3:10–11
Tell the righteous it will be well with them, for they will enjoy the fruit of their labor.

People

Israel: Patriarch, son of Isaac, father of twelve tribes

Places

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 Strategy in War The Jews: Obliged to Unite Against Enemies Tribe of Benjamin: Almost Annihilated for Protecting the Men of Gibeah

Judges 20:34

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