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Commentary on Judges 20 verses 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 superiority of their numbers. It was true that they had both right and strength on their side, which were great advantages; but they depended too much upon them, to the neglect of those duties to which now, this third time, when they see their error, they apply themselves.
1.They were previously so confident of the goodness of their cause that they thought it needless to address themselves to God for his presence and blessing. They took it for granted that God would bless them, nay, perhaps they concluded that he owed them his favour, and could not in justice withhold it, since it was in defence of virtue that they appeared and took up arms. But God having shown them that he was under no obligation to prosper their enterprise, that he neither needed them nor was tied to them, that they were more indebted to him for the honour of being ministers of his justice than he to them for the service, now they became humble petitioners for success. Before they only consulted God's oracle, Who shall go up first? And, Shall we go up? But now they implored his favour, fasted and prayed, and offered burnt-offerings and peace-offerings (Jdg 20:26), to make an atonement for sin and an acknowledgment of their dependence upon God, and as an expression of their desire towards him. We cannot expect the presence of God with us, unless we thus seek it in the way he has appointed. And when they were in this frame, and thus sought the Lord, then he not only ordered them to go up against the Benjamites the third time, but gave them a promise of victory: Tomorrow I will deliver them into thy hand, Jdg 20:28.
2.They were previously so confident of the greatness of their strength that they thought it needless to use any art, to lay any ambush, or form a stratagem, not doubting but to conquer purely by a strong hand; but now they saw it was requisite to use some policy, as if they had an enemy to deal with them that had been superior in number; accordingly, they set liers in wait (Jdg 20:29), and gained their point, as their fathers did before Ai (Jos. 8), stratagems of that kind being most likely to take effect after a previous defeat, which has flushed the enemy, and made the pretended flight the less suspected. The management of this artifice is here very largely described. The assurance God had given them of success in this day's action, instead of making them remiss and presumptuous, set all heads and hands on work for the effecting of what God had promised.
(1.)Observe the method they took. The body of the army faced the city of Gibeah, as they had done before, advancing towards the gates, Jdg 20:30. The Benjamites, the body of whose army was now quartered at Gibeah, sallied out upon them, and charged them with great bravery. The besiegers gave back. retired with precipitation, as if their hearts failed them upon the sight of the Benjamites, which they were willing to believe, proudly imagining that by their former success they had made themselves very formidable. Some loss the Israelites sustained in this counterfeit flight, about thirty men being cut off in their rear, Jdg 20:31, Jdg 20:39. But, when the Benjamites were all drawn out of the city, the ambush seized the city (Jdg 20:37), gave a signal to the body of the army (Jdg 20:38, Jdg 20:40), which immediately turned upon them (Jdg 20:41), and, it should seem, another considerable party that was posted at Baal-tamar came upon them at the same time (Jdg 20:33); so that the Benjamites were quite surrounded, which put them into the greatest consternation that could be. A sense of guilt now disheartened them, and the higher their hopes had been raised the more grievous was this confusion. At first the battle was sore (Jdg 20:34), the Benjamites fought with fury; but, when they saw what a snare they were drawn into, they thought one pair of heels (as we say) was worth two pair of hands, and they made the best of their way towards the wilderness (Jdg 20:42); but in vain: the battle overtook them, and, to complete their distress, those who came out of the cities of Israel, that waited to see the event of the battle, joined with their pursuers, and helped to cut them off. Every man's hand was against them.
(2.)Observe in this story, [1.] That the Benjamites, in the beginning of the battle, were confident that the day was their own: They are smitten down before us, Jdg 20:32, Jdg 20:39. Sometimes God suffers wicked men to be lifted up in successes and hopes, that their fall may be the sorer. See how short their joy is, and their triumphing but for a moment. Let not him that girdeth on the harness boast, except he has reason to boast in God. [2.] Evil was near them and they did not know it, Jdg 20:34. But (Jdg 20:41) they saw, when it was too late to prevent it, that evil had come upon them. What evils may at any time be near us we cannot tell, but the less they are feared the heavier they fall. Sinners will not be persuaded to see evil near them, but how dreadful will it be when it comes and there is no escaping! Th1 5:3. [3.] Though the men of Israel played their parts so well in this engagement, yet the victory is ascribed to God (Jdg 20:35): The Lord smote Benjamin before Israel. The battle was his, and so was the success. [4.] They trode down the men of Benjamin with ease when God fought against them, Jdg 20:43. It is an easy thing to trample upon those who have made God their enemy. See Mal 4:3.
II. How the victory was prosecuted and improved in a military execution done upon these sinners against their own souls. 1. Gibeah itself, that nest of lewdness, was destroyed in the first place. The ambush that entered the city by surprise drew themselves along, that is, dispersed themselves into the several parts of it, which they might easily do, now that all the men of war had sallied out and very presumptuously left it defenceless; and they smote all they found, even women and children, with the sword (Jdg 20:37), and set fire to the city, Jdg 20:40. Sin brings ruin upon cities. 2. The army in the field was quite routed and cut off: 18,000 men of valour lay dead upon the spot, Jdg 20:44. 3. Those that escaped from the field were pursued, and cut off in their flight, to the number of 7000, Jdg 20:45. It is to no purpose to think of out-running divine vengeance. Evil pursues sinners, and it will overtake them. 4. Even those that tarried at home were involved in the ruin. They let their sword devour for ever, not considering that it would be bitterness in the latter end, as Abner pleads long after, when he was at the head of an army of Benjamites, probably with an eye to this very story, Sa2 2:25, Sa2 2:26. They put to the sword all that breathed, and set fire to all the cities, Jdg 20:48. So that of all the tribe of Benjamin, for aught that appears, there remained none alive but 600 men that took shelter in the rock Rimmon, and lay close there four months, Jdg 20:47. Now, (1.) It is difficult to justify this severity as it was Israel's act. The whole tribe of Benjamin was culpable; but must they therefore be treated as devoted Canaanites? That it was done in the heat of war, that this was the way of prosecuting victories which the sword of Israel had been accustomed to, that the Israelites were extremely exasperated against the Benjamites for the slaughter they had made among them in the two former engagements, will go but a little way to excuse the cruelty of this execution. It is true they had sworn that whosoever did not come up to Mizpeh should be put to death, Jdg 21:5. But that, if it was a justifiable oath, yet extended only to the men of war; the rest were not expected to come. Yet, (2.) It is easy to justify the hand of God in it. Benjamin had sinner against him, and God had threatened that, if they forgot him, they should perish as the nations that were before them perished (Deu 8:20), who were all in this manner cut off. (3.) It is easy likewise to improve it for warning against the beginnings of sin: they are like the letting forth of water, therefore leave it off before it be meddled with, for we know not what will be in the end thereof. The eternal ruin of souls will be worse, and more fearful, than all these desolations of a tribe. This affair of Gibeah is twice spoken of by the prophet Hosea as the beginning of the corruption of Israel and a pattern to all that followed (Hos 9:9): They have deeply corrupted themselves as in the days of Gibeah; and (Hos 10:9), Thou hast sinned from the days of Gibeah; and it is added that the battle in Gibeah against the children of iniquity did not (that is, did not at first) overtake them.
When this [what had happened to the concubine] became known, (to be brief) almost all the people of Israel broke out into war. The war remained doubtful with an uncertain issue, but in the third engagement the people of Benjamin were delivered to the people of Israel, and being condemned by the divine judgment [they] paid the penalty for their widely immoral behavior.…And when at first the people of Israel were defeated, yet unmoved by fear at the reverses of the war, they disregarded the sorrow the avenging of chastity cost them. They rushed into the battle ready to wash out with their own blood the stains of the crime that had been committed.
A proud retort was made, and plans for peace were changed to war. In the first and second encounters, when many were harmed by a few, the Israelites considered yielding, since the battles were so unfavorable. There were four hundred thousand men warring against twenty-five thousand of the tribe of Benjamin, and they strove with seven hundred Gabanites [Gibeonites] experienced in war. When two battles were unfavorable, Israel with eager spirit did not lose hope of victory nor of vengeance for the hope they had fostered.Superior in cause and number they yet fell back defeated in the battle’s outcome, and, feeling that God was offended, they tried with fasting and much weeping to gain a reconciliation of heaven’s favor. Begging the Lord’s peace, they returned more boldly to war, and they to whom prayer had given courage and who had entertained much hope were now able to do what they planned. On a pretext of withdrawing their front lines, setting ambushes at night in the rear of the city, where a segment of the enemy was located, they followed as some retired and thus were provided with an opportunity for invading the unprotected city. Fires were quickly set and flared up while raging flames and waves of heat revealed the sight of the taken city. Their spirits broken, they faced the enemy. The men of Benjamin who thought they were shut in and surrounded, even before they were invaded from the rear, began scattering and fleeing to the desert, while Israel pressed after with doubled force and pursued them as they wandered in rout.
About twenty-five thousand were slain, therefore, that is, almost all the men of Benjamin except six hundred who seized a fortification on a rough cliff and by virtue of its situation and with the help of nature and partly through fear were a terror to their victors. Success advises caution; in adversity, revenge is esteemed rather than victory. Not even a minority of the women stayed clear of that struggle, but all the women of the tribe of Benjamin, along with boys and girls of every age, were wiped out by sword or fire, and an oath was taken that no one would give his daughter to a man of that tribe in marriage, so that all chance of repairing the name was abolished.
After you found out what transpired in our court, you kept to yourself; therefore, I now summon, as it were, part of my own soul, for I have a friendly yet sorrowful complaint against you for the outrage done to chastity. Was it necessary for an unsurpassed, unheard-of case of virginity to be subjected to a sentence? Could it not have been dismissed? In other words, unless with injury to herself she had been handed over from honored modesty to an indecent surrender of her body, though she offered strong proof regarding herself, she would be exposed to ridicule and marked out as a wanton individual! You have tendered this privilege to virginity, honor of a sort, to which they are pleased to be summoned and invited who plan to recover this boon! Thus, they lose the liberty of a common reputation, nor do they protect themselves by the statutes of sacred or public law; they may not ask their accuser or oppose an informer but may only put on shamelessness and expose themselves to harm.Our ancestors did not think chastity so to be despised; rather, they showed it such reverence that they would wage war on violators of modesty. In fact, so great was their desire for revenge that all the tribe of Benjamin would have been destroyed unless the six hundred who remained out of the war had been protected by a natural hill. This is the expression found in the account of the sacred lesson whose meaning it is profitable to consider.
At Gibeah also, now a complete ruin, she stopped for a little while remembering its sin, and the cutting of the concubine into pieces, and how in spite of all this three hundred men of the tribe of Benjamin were saved that in after days Paul might be called a Benjamite.
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SUMMARY
Judges 20:41 dramatically captures the decisive turning point in the devastating civil war between the tribe of Benjamin and the other tribes of Israel. Following two days of unexpected defeats for Israel, this verse depicts the moment when the Benjamites, initially confident in their pursuit of Israel's feigned retreat, suddenly grasp with terrifying clarity that they have fallen into a meticulously executed ambush. Their "amazement" signifies a profound, overwhelming realization that the tide of battle has irrevocably turned against them, leading to their catastrophic defeat as a direct consequence of their unrepentant sin and defiance.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Judges 20:41 is rich in Dramatic Reversal, marking the sudden and complete shift in the Benjamites' fortunes from perceived victory to utter defeat. This reversal is heightened by Irony: Benjamin, confident from their previous successes, believes they are pursuing a defeated foe, only to find themselves ensnared in a meticulously planned trap. The phrase "evil was come upon them" serves as a form of Pathos, evoking a sense of the Benjamites' sudden, terrifying realization of their doom, even as it underscores the just consequences of their actions. The verse also employs Foreshadowing, as this moment of realization immediately precedes the near-annihilation of the tribe, setting the stage for the tragic conclusion of the civil war described in the subsequent verses.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
This verse powerfully illustrates the principle that unrepentant sin inevitably leads to catastrophic consequences, even for God's covenant people. The "evil" that came upon Benjamin was not random misfortune but a divinely ordained judgment for their stubborn protection of wickedness and their defiance of the collective call for justice from the other tribes of Israel. It serves as a stark reminder that God's justice, though sometimes delayed, will ultimately prevail. While Israel themselves were not without fault, their persistent seeking of God's will and their eventual obedience led to the execution of this judgment. This narrative underscores the seriousness with which God views sin and the importance of communal accountability within His people.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Judges 20:41 offers profound lessons for contemporary believers. The Benjamites' sudden "amazement" and realization of "evil" highlight the deceptive nature of sin and the unexpected ways its consequences can manifest. Often, we may feel confident in our own strength or even in our rebellion, only for circumstances to suddenly turn, revealing the true peril we are in. This verse calls us to a posture of humility and constant self-examination, urging us to address sin in our lives and communities before its "evil" comes upon us. It reminds us that true victory is not found in human strength or clever tactics, but in alignment with God's righteousness and justice. It also encourages us to trust in God's ultimate sovereignty, knowing that even amidst chaos and human failure, His purposes will be accomplished, and justice will ultimately prevail.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why did Israel suffer two defeats before finally defeating Benjamin?
Answer: Israel's initial defeats (Judges 20:21, Judges 20:25) before their eventual victory in Judges 20:41 are a crucial part of the narrative, highlighting several theological points. Firstly, despite fighting for a righteous cause (justice against the wickedness in Gibeah), Israel likely went into battle with an overreliance on their numerical superiority and perhaps a degree of self-righteousness, rather than full dependence on God. They asked "Who shall go up first for us to the battle against the children of Benjamin?" (Judges 20:18), but not necessarily with the right heart. Their repeated defeats humbled them, leading them to weep before the Lord and offer burnt offerings and peace offerings (Judges 20:26). This process of humbling and renewed seeking of God's face was necessary to purify their motives and demonstrate that the victory was ultimately God's, not merely a result of their military prowess. It underscores that even when our cause is just, our methods and heart posture must align with God's will.
What was the specific "evil" that the Benjamites saw coming upon them?
Answer: The "evil" (Hebrew: raʻ) that the Benjamites saw was the sudden, overwhelming realization that they had fallen into Israel's trap. Specifically, it referred to the successful execution of Israel's ambush strategy. As the main Israelite force, which had been feigning retreat, "turned again" (Judges 20:41), the Benjamites realized they were caught between the returning main force and the ambush force that had been lying in wait (Judges 20:36-40). The "evil" was the dawning comprehension of their imminent and utter military defeat, the destruction of their cities, and the near-annihilation of their tribe, all of which were direct consequences of their decision to protect the wicked men of Gibeah and defy the rest of Israel.
How does this verse relate to the broader theme of divine justice in Judges?
Answer: Judges 20:41 is a powerful demonstration of divine justice. Throughout Judges, Israel's cycles of sin, oppression, crying out to God, and deliverance illustrate God's consistent response to both rebellion and repentance. In this narrative, Benjamin's unrepentant sin and defiance against the other tribes (who were acting, albeit imperfectly, to uphold God's law) led to a severe judgment. The "evil" that came upon them was not arbitrary but a direct consequence of their actions and a fulfillment of God's righteous standard. While the outcome was devastating for Benjamin, it ultimately affirmed that God would not allow such egregious sin to go unpunished within His covenant people. It highlights that God's justice operates even through the messy, tragic realities of human conflict and moral decay, ultimately bringing consequences for unrighteousness.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Judges 20:41, with its depiction of a sudden, terrifying realization of impending "evil" and judgment, finds its ultimate fulfillment and reversal in the person and work of Jesus Christ. The Benjamites faced a calamitous "evil" of judgment for their unrepentant sin, a judgment executed through the hands of their brethren. Humanity, in a far more profound sense, faced an insurmountable "evil"—the pervasive power of sin and the just judgment of God, leading to eternal death (as articulated in Romans 6:23). However, in Christ, the "evil" was not brought upon us, but borne by Him. On the cross, Jesus, the Lamb of God, became sin for us, enduring the full wrath and "evil" of divine judgment that we deserved (as described in 2 Corinthians 5:21). His death marked the ultimate "turning again"—not of an army in battle, but of God's redemptive plan, turning judgment away from those who believe and towards the sinless Son. Through His resurrection, He triumphed over the "evil" of death and sin, offering a path to life and reconciliation, so that those who were once "amazed" by the prospect of judgment can now be amazed by the boundless grace and mercy of God in Christ Jesus (as celebrated in Ephesians 2:4-5).