1 Then all the children H1121 of Israel H3478 went out, H3318 and the congregation H5712 was gathered together H6950 as one H259 man, H376 from Dan H1835 even to Beersheba, H884 with the land H776 of Gilead, H1568 unto the LORD H3068 in Mizpeh. H4709
Then Jephthah H3316 went H3212 with the elders H2205 of Gilead, H1568 and the people H5971 made H7760 him head H7218 and captain H7101 over them: and Jephthah H3316 uttered H1696 all his words H1697 before H6440 the LORD H3068 in Mizpeh. H4709
And all Israel H3478 from Dan H1835 even to Beersheba H884 knew H3045 that Samuel H8050 was established H539 to be a prophet H5030 of the LORD. H3068
And the children H1121 of Israel H3478 said, H559 Who is there among all the tribes H7626 of Israel H3478 that H834 came H5927 not up with the congregation H6951 unto the LORD? H3068 For they had made a great H1419 oath H7621 concerning him that came not up H5927 to the LORD H3068 to Mizpeh, H4709 saying, H559 He shall surely H4191 be put to death. H4191
And all the people H5971 gathered themselves together H622 as one H259 man H376 into the street H7339 that was before H6440 the water H4325 gate; H8179 and they spake H559 unto Ezra H5830 the scribe H5608 to bring H935 the book H5612 of the law H8451 of Moses, H4872 which the LORD H3068 had commanded H6680 to Israel. H3478
For the king H4428 said H559 to Joab H3097 the captain H8269 of the host, H2428 which was with him, Go now through H7751 all the tribes H7626 of Israel, H3478 from Dan H1835 even to Beersheba, H884 and number H6485 ye the people, H5971 that I may know H3045 the number H4557 of the people. H5971
And he took H3947 a yoke H6776 of oxen, H1241 and hewed them in pieces, H5408 and sent H7971 them throughout all the coasts H1366 of Israel H3478 by the hands H3027 of messengers, H4397 saying, H559 Whosoever cometh not forth H3318 after H310 Saul H7586 and after H310 Samuel, H8050 so shall it be done H6213 unto his oxen. H1241 And the fear H6343 of the LORD H3068 fell H5307 on the people, H5971 and they came out H3318 with one H259 consent. H376 And when he numbered H6485 them in Bezek, H966 the children H1121 of Israel H3478 were three H7969 hundred H3967 thousand, H505 and the men H376 of Judah H3063 thirty H7970 thousand. H505
And when the seventh H7637 month H2320 was come, H5060 and the children H1121 of Israel H3478 were in the cities, H5892 the people H5971 gathered themselves together H622 as one H259 man H376 to Jerusalem. H3389
So they established H5975 a decree H1697 to make proclamation H5674 H6963 throughout all Israel, H3478 from Beersheba H884 even to Dan, H1835 that they should come H935 to keep H6213 the passover H6453 unto the LORD H3068 God H430 of Israel H3478 at Jerusalem: H3389 for they had not done H6213 it of a long H7230 time in such sort as it was written. H3789
And when all the captains H8269 of the armies, H2428 they and their men, H582 heard H8085 that the king H4428 of Babylon H894 had made Gedaliah H1436 governor, H6485 there came H935 to Gedaliah H1436 to Mizpah, H4709 even Ishmael H3458 the son H1121 of Nethaniah, H5418 and Johanan H3110 the son H1121 of Careah, H7143 and Seraiah H8304 the son H1121 of Tanhumeth H8576 the Netophathite, H5200 and Jaazaniah H2970 the son H1121 of a Maachathite, H4602 they and their men. H582
Now the children H1121 of Reuben H7205 and the children H1121 of Gad H1410 had a very H3966 great H6099 multitude H7227 of cattle: H4735 and when they saw H7200 the land H776 of Jazer, H3270 and the land H776 of Gilead, H1568 that, behold, the place H4725 was a place H4725 for cattle; H4735
And Samuel H8050 said, H559 Gather H6908 all Israel H3478 to Mizpeh, H4708 and I will pray H6419 for you unto the LORD. H3068 And they gathered together H6908 to Mizpeh, H4709 and drew H7579 water, H4325 and poured it out H8210 before H6440 the LORD, H3068 and fasted H6684 on that day, H3117 and said H559 there, We have sinned H2398 against the LORD. H3068 And Samuel H8050 judged H8199 the children H1121 of Israel H3478 in Mizpeh. H4708
Then all the children H1121 of Israel, H3478 and all the people, H5971 went up, H5927 and came H935 unto the house H1004 of God, H430 H1008 and wept, H1058 and sat H3427 there before H6440 the LORD, H3068 and fasted H6684 that day H3117 until even, H6153 and offered H5927 burnt offerings H5930 and peace offerings H8002 before H6440 the LORD. H3068
And the children H1121 of Israel H3478 arose, H6965 and went up H5927 to the house H1004 of God, H430 H1008 and asked H7592 counsel of God, H430 and said, H559 Which H4310 of us shall go up H5927 first H8462 to the battle H4421 against the children H1121 of Benjamin? H1144 And the LORD H3068 said, H559 Judah H3063 shall go up first. H8462
And the chief H6438 of all the people, H5971 even of all the tribes H7626 of Israel, H3478 presented H3320 themselves in the assembly H6951 of the people H5971 of God, H430 four H702 hundred H3967 thousand H505 footmen H376 H7273 that drew H8025 sword. H2719
There was also a lot H1486 for the tribe H4294 of Manasseh; H4519 for he was the firstborn H1060 of Joseph; H3130 to wit, for Machir H4353 the firstborn H1060 of Manasseh, H4519 the father H1 of Gilead: H1568 because he was a man H376 of war, H4421 therefore he had Gilead H1568 and Bashan. H1316
If thou shalt hear H8085 say in one H259 of thy cities, H5892 which the LORD H3068 thy God H430 hath given H5414 thee to dwell H3427 there, saying, H559 Certain men, H582 the children H1121 of Belial, H1100 are gone out H3318 from among H7130 you, and have withdrawn H5080 the inhabitants H3427 of their city, H5892 saying, H559 Let us go H3212 and serve H5647 other H312 gods, H430 which ye have not known; H3045 Then shalt thou enquire, H1875 and make search, H2713 and ask H7592 diligently; H3190 and, behold, if it be truth, H571 and the thing H1697 certain, H3559 that such H2063 abomination H8441 is wrought H6213 among H7130 you; Thou shalt surely H5221 smite H5221 the inhabitants H3427 of that city H5892 with the edge H6310 of the sword, H2719 destroying it utterly, H2763 and all that is therein, and the cattle H929 thereof, with the edge H6310 of the sword. H2719 And thou shalt gather H6908 all the spoil H7998 of it into the midst H8432 of the street H7339 thereof, and shalt burn H8313 with fire H784 the city, H5892 and all the spoil H7998 thereof every whit, H3632 for the LORD H3068 thy God: H430 and it shall be an heap H8510 for ever; H5769 it shall not be built again. H1129 And there shall cleave H1692 nought H3972 of the cursed thing H2764 to thine hand: H3027 that the LORD H3068 may turn H7725 from the fierceness H2740 of his anger, H639 and shew H5414 thee mercy, H7356 and have compassion H7355 upon thee, and multiply H7235 thee, as he hath sworn H7650 unto thy fathers; H1 When thou shalt hearken H8085 to the voice H6963 of the LORD H3068 thy God, H430 to keep H8104 all his commandments H4687 which I command H6680 thee this day, H3117 to do H6213 that which is right H3477 in the eyes H5869 of the LORD H3068 thy God. H430
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.