Judges 20:24 - Printer Friendly

ESV: So the people of Israel came near against the people of Benjamin the second day.

NIV: Then the Israelites drew near to Benjamin the second day.

NASB: So the sons of Israel came against the sons of Benjamin on the second day.

CSB: On the second day the Israelites advanced against the Benjaminites.

NLT: So the next day they went out again to fight against the men of Benjamin,

KJV: And the children of Israel came near against the children of Benjamin the second day.

NKJV: So the children of Israel approached the children of Benjamin on the second day.

Day two dawns in a battle between eleven of Israel's twelve tribes and the remaining tribe of Benjamin (Judges 20:12–17). The first day had been a complete disaster, with about one in twenty of Israel's soldiers being killed in the initial attack (Judges 20:18–21). The people wept and returned to Bethel to ask the Lord if He really wanted them to attack the tribe of Benjamin, their own Israelite brothers. God has responded that they should continue their efforts (Judges 20:22–23).

With their battle lines already formed, the Israelites now initiate their second attack. Once more, Benjamin's defenses surrounding the city of Gibeah will be too much to overcome (Judges 20:25).

Judges 20:18–34 describes three battles between eleven tribes of Israel and the twelfth, Benjamin. Benjamin's forces are outnumbered about fifteen-to-one as they defend the city of Gibeah (Judges 19:14, 22; 20:13). The first two attacks fail, with almost a tenth of the Israelite fighters killed. After a day of fasting and sacrifices, God promises Israel victory. Israel's army uses a new strategy and succeeds. The following section begins with a summary of their eventual victory (Judges 20:35).

A massive army collected from eleven of the twelve tribes of Israel gather near the town of Gibeah. Their goal is to purge evil from the land (Judges 19:22–28). The tribe of Benjamin refuses to cooperate. Instead, they assemble an army about one-fifteenth the size of Israel's army. After two failed attempts and a promise of victory from the Lord, Israel uses a false retreat and ambush strategy to destroy Gibeah. This results in the loss of Benjamin's entire army. Israel's wrath spills over onto the territory, itself. All the people, animals, and towns in the tribe's territory are attacked, and it appears that only 600 Benjaminite men survive.

In the prior chapter, Benjaminite men of the town of Gibeah committed an act of heinous sin (Judges 19:22–25). In response, the murdered woman's husband rallies Israel with a gruesome message (Judges 19:29–30). Chapter 20 depicts how the tribe of Benjamin refuses to hand over the guilty men. Civil war ensues, resulting in near-total annihilation of their tribe. This creates a new crisis in Israel, as described in chapter 21; Israel doesn't want Benjamin to become extinct.

The Book of Judges describes Israel's history from the death of Joshua to shortly before Israel's first king, Saul. Israel fails to complete God's command to purge the wicked Canaanites from the land (Deuteronomy 7:1–5; 9:4). This results in a centuries-long cycle where Israel falls into sin and is oppressed by local enemies. After each oppression, God sends a civil-military leader, labeled using a Hebrew word loosely translated into English as "judge." These appointed rescuers would free Israel from enemy control and govern for a certain time. After each judge's death, the cycle of sin and oppression begins again. This continues until the people of Israel choose a king, during the ministry of the prophet-and-judge Samuel (1 Samuel 1—7).

Accessed 5/7/2024 10:48:21 AM