Judges 20:18-28 NIV

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Judges 20:18-25

We have here the defeat of the men of Israel in their first and second battle with the Benjamites. I. Before their first engagement they asked counsel of God concerning the order of their battle and were directed, and yet they were sorely beaten. They did not think it was proper to ask of God whether they should go up at all against Benjamin (the case was plain enough, the men of Gibeah must be punished for their wickedness, and Israel must inflict the punishment or it will not be done), but... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Judges 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. I. How the victory was obtained. Two things they had trusted too much to in the former engagements?the goodness of their cause and the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 20:18

And the children of Israel arose ,.... From Mizpeh, where they were assembled, having heard that the Benjaminites were gathered together to defend the men of Gibeah: and went up to the house of God ; to the tabernacle which was in Shiloh, Judges 18:31 , see Joshua 18:1 though the Targum takes Bethel for the name of a place so called; and so do Ben Gersom and Josephus F16 Ut supra. (Antiqu. l. 5. c. 2. sect. 10.) , which was near Shiloh, for Shiloh is said to be on the north... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 20:19

And the children of Israel rose up in the morning ,.... After they had had counsel at Shiloh, and which perhaps was by a deputation sent thither: and encamped against Gibeah : formed a camp near Gibeah of 360,000 men, enough to have stormed and taken that city at once, one would think. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 20:20

And the men of Israel went out to battle against Benjamin ,.... From the place where they were encamped: and the men of Israel put themselves in array to fight against them at Gibeah ; not only against the inhabitants of Gibeah, but the children of Benjamin, that came to the defence of them; they formed, themselves in a line of battle, and prepared for an action. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 20:21

And the children of Benjamin came forth out of Gibeah ,.... Which was their place of rendezvous, and which they came to defend; and in and about which they had stationed their whole army of 26,000 men: and destroyed down to the ground : killed dead upon the spot: of the Israelites that day twenty and two thousand men ; wanting but 4000 of their whole number, excepting the men of Gibeah, which was such a rebuff the Israelites did not expect, being engaged in so just a cause, and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 20:22

And the people, the men of Israel, encouraged themselves ,.... That though they had lost a great number of men, yet still their forces were large and greatly superior to those of Benjamin, and above all their cause was good: and set their battle again in array formed a line of battle again facing their enemy, inviting to another battle, and bidding defiance: and in the place where they put themselves in array the first day ; by which it seems they kept the field of battle; though... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 20:23

And the children of Israel went up and wept before the Lord until even ,.... The evening of the day in which the battle was fought; not that the whole army went up to Shiloh to the house of God there, but a deputation of them, who lamented their defeat, and the loss of so many lives, but not their sins and transgressions, and particularly the idolatry they had been guilty of: and asked counsel of the Lord, saying, shall we go up again to battle against the children of Benjamin my brother ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 20:24

And the children of Israel came near ,.... To the city of Gibeah, drew nigh to battle: against the children of Benjamin the second day ; for the two battles were fought two days successively. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 20:25

And Benjamin went forth against them out of Gibeah the second day ,.... Flushed with the victory they had obtained the day before: and destroyed down to the ground of the children of Israel again eighteen thousand men, all these drew the sword , were armed men; this, with the 22,000 slain the day preceding, made 40,000; the same number singled out from among them by lot to provide food for them, and is thought by some to be the case Deborah refers to, Judges 5:8 and is what is... read more

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Judges 20:18-25

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Judges 20:26-48

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 20:18

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 20:19

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 20:20

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 20:21

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 20:22

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 20:23

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 20:24

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 20:25

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