201 Then all the People of Israel came out. The congregation met in the presence of God at Mizpah. They were all there, from Dan to Beersheba, as one person! 2 The leaders of all the people, representing all the tribes of Israel, took their places in the gathering of God's people. There were 400 divisions of sword-wielding infantry. 3 Meanwhile the Benjaminites got wind that the Israelites were meeting at Mizpah. The People of Israel said, "Now tell us. How did this outrageous evil happen?" 4 The Levite, the husband of the murdered woman, spoke: "My concubine and I came to spend the night at Gibeah, a Benjaminite town. 5 That night the men of Gibeah came after me. They surrounded the house, intending to kill me. They gang-raped my concubine and she died. 6 So I took my concubine, cut up her body, and sent her piece by piece - twelve pieces! - to every part of Israel's inheritance. This vile and outrageous crime was committed in Israel! 7 So, Israelites, make up your minds. Decide on some action!" 8 All the people were at once and as one person on their feet. "None of us will go home; not a single one of us will go to his own house. 9 Here's our plan for dealing with Gibeah: We'll march against it by drawing lots. 10 We'll take ten of every hundred men from all the tribes of Israel (a hundred of every thousand, and a thousand of every ten thousand) to carry food for the army. When the troops arrive at Gibeah they will settle accounts for this outrageous and vile evil that was done in Israel." 11 So all the men in Israel were gathered against the city, totally united.
12 The Israelite tribes sent messengers throughout the tribe of Benjamin saying, "What's the meaning of this outrage that took place among you? 13 Surrender the men right here and now, these hell-raisers of Gibeah. We'll put them to death and burn the evil out of Israel." 14 Instead they raised an army from all their cities and rallied at Gibeah to go to war against the People of Israel. 15 In no time at all they had recruited from their cities twenty-six divisions of sword-wielding infantry. From Gibeah they got 700 hand-picked fighters, the best. 16 There were another 700 super marksmen who were ambidextrous - they could sling a stone at a hair and not miss. 17 The men of Israel, excluding Benjamin, mobilized 400 divisions of sword-wielding fighting men.
18 They set out and went to Bethel to inquire of God. The People of Israel said, "Who of us shall be first to go into battle with the Benjaminites?" God said, "Judah goes first."
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Judges 20:1-18
Chapter Contents
The tribe of Benjamin nearly extirpated.
The Israelites' abhorrence of the crime committed at Gibeah, and their resolution to punish the criminals, were right; but they formed their resolves with too much haste and self-confidence. The eternal ruin of souls will be worse, and more fearful, than these desolations of a tribe.