Israel’s State Corrected by God: The Benjamite War
Judges 20
Judges 20
Judges 20. In this chapter, Israel united to judge the terrible evil committed at Gibeah, but they acted first in human indignation rather than dependence on Jehovah. They never acknowledged Gibeah’s sin as the sin and shame of Israel; in type, they did not “eat the sin-offering” and bear the iniquity of the congregation (Lev. 10:17). They therefore needed to be humbled before they were fit to deal with their brother. After two severe defeats, Israel finally submitted their own will to Jehovah, and God gave them victory; yet, although they were humbled, they never reached full repentance, and Benjamin was nearly destroyed. The Epistles to the Corinthians show that if an assembly acts merely as a judge, the real purpose of discipline is missed (1 Cor. 5; 2 Cor. 2:5-11; 7:8-12). When one must be disciplined, all should feel the common shame, recognize their own part in allowing the condition to develop, and seek the offender’s repentance and restoration.
Israel Gathers against the Wickedness in Gibeah (20:1-11)
CHAPTER 20
1 And all the children of Israel went forth, and the assembly gathered together as one man, from Dan to Beer-sheba, and the land of Gilead, unto Jehovah at Mizpah. 2 And the heads of all the people, of all the tribes of Israel, presented themselves in the congregation of the people of God, four hundred thousand footmen that drew sword. 3 And the children of Benjamin heard that the children of Israel had gone up to Mizpah. And the children of Israel said, Tell us, how was this wickedness? 4 Then the Levite, the husband of the woman that was murdered, answered and said, I came to Gibeah that belongs to Benjamin, I and my concubine, to lodge. 5 And the citizens of Gibeah rose against me, and surrounded the house because of me, by night; they thought to slay me, and my concubine have they humbled so that she died. 6 Then I took my concubine, and cut her in pieces, and sent her throughout the country of the inheritance of Israel; for they have committed lewdness and villany in Israel. 7 Behold, all ye, children of Israel, deliberate and give here your counsel. DARBY
vv.1-7 Israel Assembles and Hears the Levite’s Testimony. The tribes from all over Israel responded to the call of Levite whose concubine had been murdered. They were “gathered together as one man, from Dan to Beer-sheba, and the land of Gilead” showing that no part of the land was excluded. The tribes assembled in Mizpeh, a city of Benjamin. There they asked the Levite to tell his account, which he did. Then the Levite called on the children of Israel to “deliberate and give here your counsel”. This all seemed good. Israel was giving a good show of unity, as well as zeal against evil. They even gathered “unto Jehovah.” Yet beneath this fair appearance there was a serious deficiency: Jehovah had not been given the first place. They were asking one another what should be done (deliberate, etc.) before asking Jehovah.
8 And all the people rose up as one man, saying, We will not any one go to his tent, neither will we any one turn into his house. 9 But now this is the thing which we will do to Gibeah: we go by lot against it; 10 and we will take ten men of a hundred throughout all the tribes of Israel, and a hundred of a thousand, and a thousand of ten thousand, to fetch victuals for the people, that they may do, when they come to Gibeah of Benjamin, according to all the villany that they have wrought in Israel. 11 And all the men of Israel were gathered against the city, knit together as one man. DARBY
vv.8-11 Israel Determines to Punish Gibeah: No Inquiring of the Lord. This fundamental weakness in Israel’s path was asking one another what should be done before asking Jehovah. The deliberated first, then inquired. Their indignation at the horrible treatment of the woman was certainly justified, but indignation was fueling their actions rather than dependence on the Lord. This is independence: “this is the thing which we will do to Gibeah”. Zeal does not replace dependence. They were especially conscious of the disgrace brought upon Israel: “they have committed lewdness and villany in Israel.” The dishonor done to Jehovah does not appear to have occupied them in the same way. This is a danger whenever evil must be dealt with among the people of God. We may become more concerned with the reputation of the testimony, or fueled by our own indignation, rather than with what is due to the Lord Himself. The people of Israel were outwardly united in their pledge to punish Benjamin. Inwardly God had a work to accomplish in them before He could use them to judge the evil in Benjamin.
Benjamin Defends the Guilty: A Battle Set (20:12-17)
12 And the tribes of Israel sent men to all the families of Benjamin, saying, What wickedness is this that has been done among you? 13 And now give up the men, the sons of Belial, who are in Gibeah, that we may put them to death, and put away evil from Israel. But the children of Benjamin would not hearken to the voice of their brethren the children of Israel. DARBY
vv.12-13 Benjamin Refuses to Surrender the Guilty Men. Israel now appealed to Benjamin to acknowledge the wickedness at Gibeah and surrender the guilty men: “give up the men, the sons of Belial, who are in Gibeah, that we may put them to death, and put away evil from Israel.” The demand itself was righteous. Evil could not simply be tolerated among the people of God. Yet Israel’s words, “What wickedness is this that has been done among you?” show something of their spiritual condition. They viewed the sin as Benjamin’s problem rather than feeling the shame of it as belonging to Israel collectively. Benjamin’s response, however, was far more serious. Rather than judging the wicked men of Gibeah, they “would not hearken to the voice of their brethren.” By refusing to separate themselves from known evil, the whole tribe became identified with it. This illustrates an important principle of corporate responsibility. In 2 Samuel 20:16-22, a whole city was endangered because it sheltered one guilty man, Sheba, until the inhabitants judged the evil by delivering up the offender. Here Benjamin did the opposite. By protecting the guilty men of Gibeah, they made their cause their own, leading to disaster. This is a solemn consequence of refusing to judge known evil. Benjamin tolerated the men of Gibeah; which led to defending them. It could have stopped at the level of once city, but now embroiled an entire tribe.
14 And the children of Benjamin gathered themselves together out of the cities of Gibeah, to go out to battle against the children of Israel. 15 And the children of Benjamin were numbered at that time out of the cities, twenty-six thousand men that drew sword, besides the inhabitants of Gibeah, who were numbered seven hundred chosen men. 16 Among all this people there were seven hundred chosen men left-handed; all these slang stones at a hair breadth, and missed not. 17 And the men of Israel, besides Benjamin, were numbered four hundred thousand men that drew sword: all these were men of war. DARBY
vv.14-17 A Battle Set. Rather than surrender the guilty men, Benjamin gathered for war against Israel. Their refusal to judge the evil at Gibeah had now brought them into open conflict with their brethren. More seriously, they incorporated the men of Gibeah into their forces, including its seven hundred chosen warriors. Thus Benjamin had progressed from allowing evil to actively defending it. Benjamin possessed an impressive force of twenty-six thousand men besides the seven hundred of Gibeah. Among them were seven hundred chosen left-handed men who “slang stones at a hair breadth, and missed not.” Their skill would soon be used in a terrible cause. It is a picture of how gift, “the gifts and calling of God without repentance”, can be used for a wrong cause. The left hand had once been a weakness that God used for deliverance through Ehud (Judg. 3:15); here exceptional ability was employed against the people of God. Israel numbered four hundred thousand experienced warriors. Israel possessed overwhelming superiority. Yet the outcome would demonstrate that numbers, skill, and energy are no substitute for a right state before God.
Israel Defeated (Twice) and Humbled before Jehovah (20:18-25)
18 And the children of Israel arose and went up to Bethel, and inquired of God, and said, Which of us shall go up first to the battle against the children of Benjamin? And Jehovah said, Judah first. 19 And the children of Israel rose up in the morning and encamped against Gibeah. 20 And the men of Israel went out to battle against Benjamin; and the men of Israel put themselves in array to fight against them at Gibeah. 21 And the children of Benjamin went forth out of Gibeah, and destroyed to the ground of the Israelites that day twenty-two thousand men. DARBY
vv.18-21 Israel’s First Defeat Before Benjamin. Only after all the preparations for battle had been made did Israel inquire of God. Even then their question was not whether they should fight Benjamin, but “Which of us shall go up first?” Jehovah answered, “Judah first,” but this was not a promise of victory. The result was a stunning defeat: Benjamin destroyed twenty-two thousand men of Israel. Jehovah was using the very conflict with Benjamin to discipline Israel. They were morally right in seeking the judgment of evil, but they were not yet in the spiritual condition to carry it out. Before God could use them to discipline their brother, He must first discipline them. This has an important application to assembly discipline. The responsibility to judge evil is there, but the assembly who carries it out must themselves be before God in self-judgment and dependence. “Brethren, if even a man be taken in some fault, ye who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of meekness, considering thyself lest thou also be tempted” (Gal. 6:1). Jehovah would begin to produce the humility that was lacking.
22 And the people, the men of Israel, took courage, and set the battle again in array in the place where they put themselves in array the first day. 23 And the children of Israel went up and wept before Jehovah until even, and inquired of Jehovah, saying, Shall I go up again to battle against the children of Benjamin my brother? And Jehovah said, Go up against him. 24 And the children of Israel came near against the children of Benjamin the second day. 25 And Benjamin went forth against them out of Gibeah the second day, and again destroyed to the ground of the children of Israel eighteen thousand men: all these drew the sword. DARBY
vv.22-25 Israel’s Second Defeat. The first defeat began to produce its intended effect. Israel again sought Jehovah, but now “wept before Jehovah until even.” Their indignation was giving way to sorrow before God. Their question also changed. Instead of asking who should go first, they asked, “Shall I go up again to battle against the children of Benjamin my brother?” For the first time, Benjamin’s relationship to them (my brother) enters their thoughts. Jehovah answered, “Go up against him.” God saw that more discipline was needed. Israel suffered another severe defeat, losing eighteen thousand men. They needed to reach complete humiliation and dependence upon God.
Benjamin Defeated (20:26-48)
26 Then all the children of Israel, and all the people, went up and came to Bethel, and wept, and abode there before Jehovah, and fasted that day until even, and offered up burnt-offerings and peace-offerings before Jehovah. 27 And the children of Israel inquired of Jehovah (and the ark of the covenant of God was there in those days, 28 and Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, stood before it in those days), saying, Shall I yet again go out to battle against the children of Benjamin my brother, or shall I cease? And Jehovah said, Go up; for to-morrow I will give them into thy hand. DARBY
vv.26-28 Israel Humbles Itself and Inquires of Jehovah. This time “all the children of Israel, and all the people” went up to Bethel. They not only wept, but “abode there before Jehovah, and fasted that day until even.” Fasting expressed humiliation and self-judgment. They also offered burnt-offerings and peace-offerings, bringing before them the value of sacrifice and the ground of communion with God. However, glaringly absent was a sin offering. Humbled as they were, they did not acknowledge the sin of Gibeah as the sin of the nation (c.p. Daniel 9:3-19; Ezra 9:5-15; Nehemiah 1:4-11; 9:5-38). They did not say, “we have sinned”. Their question now shows that their own will was finally broken: “Shall I yet again go out to battle against the children of Benjamin my brother, or shall I cease?” They were willing to stop altogether if Jehovah so directed. They were finally cast wholly upon Him. At this point the Spirit of God mentions that the ark was there and that Phinehas, the grandson of Aaron, stood before it. Phinehas’ presence also establishes that these events occurred early in the period of the Judges, although placed near the end of the book. Jehovah could now give something He had not given before: a promise of victory, “Go up; for to-morrow I will give them into thy hand.”
29 And Israel set liers in wait against Gibeah, round about. 30 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 the other times. 31 And the children of Benjamin went out against the people, and were drawn away from the city, and began to smite of the people, slaying as at the former times, in the highways, of which one leads to Bethel and the other to Gibeah in the field, about thirty men of Israel. 32 And the children of Benjamin said, They are smitten down before us, as at the first. And the children of Israel said, Let us flee, that we may draw them from the city to the highways. 33 And all the men of Israel rose up out of their place, and put themselves in array at Baal-Tamar; and the ambush of Israel rushed forth out of their place, out of the meadows of Geba. 34 And there came from opposite Gibeah ten thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and the battle was severe; but they knew not that disaster was coming upon them. 35 And Jehovah smote Benjamin before Israel; and the children of Israel destroyed of the Benjaminites that day twenty-five thousand one hundred men: all these drew the sword. 36 And the children of Benjamin saw that they were smitten. — And the men of Israel gave place to Benjamin, because they trusted to the ambush that they had set against Gibeah. DARBY
vv.29-36 Benjamin Defeated through Israel’s Ambush. Israel now set an ambush around Gibeah. This would not have been too long after the battle of Ai, and perhaps the memory of that battle was in their minds. When they withdrew before Benjamin, the Benjaminites assumed that the previous victories were being repeated: “They are smitten down before us, as at the first.” But this apparent weakness was part of the means God used to overthrow them. Drawn away from the city, Benjamin was caught between Israel’s main force and the ambush. There is a moral significance in this ambush. Humbled before Jehovah, they could now take the low place in the very battle itself. This is the spirit required in dealing with a fallen brother (Gal. 6:1). In the end, the Lord accomplished it: “Jehovah smote Benjamin before Israel.”
37 And the ambush hasted, and fell upon Gibeah; and the ambush drew along, and smote the whole city with the edge of the sword. 38 Now there was an appointed sign between the men of Israel and the ambush, that they should make a thick column of smoke rise up out of the city. 39 And when the men of Israel turned back in the battle, Benjamin began to smite, slaying of the men of Israel about thirty men; for they said, Surely they are quite routed before us as in the first battle. 40 And when the burning began to rise up out of the city as a pillar of smoke, Benjamin looked behind, and behold, the whole city ascended in smoke to the heavens. 41 Then the men of Israel turned back, and the men of Benjamin were amazed, for they saw that disaster was come upon them. DARBY
vv.37-41 Gibeah Burned and Benjamin Trapped. The ambush fell upon Gibeah and smote the city. A great column of smoke was the appointed signal for Israel’s main force to turn against Benjamin. Until that moment the Benjaminites had false-confidence, “Surely they are quite routed before us as in the first battle.” They suddenly realized that they were trapped. The city whose wickedness they had refused to judge was now destroyed. Benjamin might have separated itself from the evil at Gibeah, instead they chose to identify with it, and now Gibeah’s judgment necessarily involved Benjamin.
42 And they turned before the men of Israel to the way of the wilderness; but the battle overtook them; and those who came out of the cities destroyed them in their midst. 43 They encompassed the Benjaminites, chased them, trode them down at the resting-place over against Gibeah toward the sun-rising. 44 And there fell of Benjamin eighteen thousand men: all these, men of valour. 45 And they turned and fled towards the wilderness to the cliff of Rimmon, and they gleaned of them in the highways five thousand men; and pursued hard after them to Gidom, and slew two thousand men of them. 46 So that all who fell that day of Benjamin were twenty-five thousand men that drew the sword: all these, men of valour. DARBY
vv.42-46 The Tribe of Benjamin Nearly Destroyed. Benjamin fled toward the wilderness, but there was now no escape. Eighteen thousand fell in the first pursuit, another five thousand in the highways, and two thousand more near Gidom. In all, twenty-five thousand men of Benjamin who drew the sword fell that day. A tribe that had begun with twenty-six thousand warriors was reduced to a tiny fraction. The repeated description of these men as “men of valour” is striking. Their courage and ability could not preserve them while they defended a wrong cause. Yet Israel’s rashness in nearly exterminating Benjamin also showed that they had not reached full repentance themselves. Although humbled before Jehovah, they remained overzealous in discipline and failed to seek their brother’s recovery. Paul presented a different spirit concerning the disciplined man at Corinth: “Sufficient to such a one is this rebuke which has been inflicted by the many; so that on the contrary ye should rather shew grace and encourage, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with excessive grief” (2 Cor. 2:6-7). Discipline must be sufficient to produce repentance, but it must never lose sight of restoration.
47 And six hundred men turned and fled to the wilderness to the cliff of Rimmon, and abode at the cliff of Rimmon four months. 48 And the men of Israel turned again upon the children of Benjamin, and smote them with the edge of the sword, as well the men of every city as the cattle, and all that was found; even all the cities that were found did they set on fire. DARBY
vv.47-48 Six Hundred Survivors at the Rock of Rimmon. Only six hundred men of Benjamin escaped to the rock of Rimmon, where they remained for four months. Israel then turned against the remaining cities of Benjamin, smiting the inhabitants, cattle, and all that was found, and burning the cities. The judgment was devastating; an entire tribe was reduced to six hundred surviving men. Yet there was a small remnant. In the next chapter, Israel awakens to the magnitude of what had happened: “There is one tribe cut off from Israel this day” (Jud. 21:3).