Judges 20:30 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And the people of Israel went up against the people of Benjamin on the third day and set themselves in array against Gibeah, as at other times.

NIV: They went up against the Benjamites on the third day and took up positions against Gibeah as they had done before.

NASB: And the sons of Israel went up against the sons of Benjamin on the third day and lined up against Gibeah as at other times.

CSB: On the third day the Israelites fought against the Benjaminites and took their battle positions against Gibeah as before.

NLT: They went out on the third day and took their positions at the same place as before.

KJV: And the children of Israel went up against the children of Benjamin on the third day, and put themselves in array against Gibeah, as at other times.

NKJV: And the children of Israel went up against the children of Benjamin on the third day, and put themselves in battle array against Gibeah as at the other times.

The pace of this passage has slowed down in recent verses, focusing on the military strategy used by the armies of Israel against the army of the tribe of Benjamin. The Israelites have positioned parts of their army around the city, out of sight, to ambush Benjaminite fighters when they leave the city. At the same time, the remainder of the army takes up the same battle lines used in the previous two attacks (Judges 12:19–25).

For those inside the city, it would appear the third attack would follow the pattern of the first two. That is not the case. With men set in ambush (Judges 20:26–29), Israel's forces will draw their enemy out from the city and sweep in when the defenses are down (Judges 20:31–36).

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 5/6/2024 11:53:46 AM