17 And the men of Israel, beside Benjamin, were numbered four hundred thousand men that drew sword: all these were men of war.
17 Israel, apart from Benjamin, mustered four hundred thousand swordsmen, all of them fit for battle.
17 And the men of Israel, apart from Benjamin, mustered 400,000 men who drew the sword; all these were men of war.
17 The men of Israel, excluding Benjamin, mobilized 400 divisions of sword-wielding fighting men.
17 Now besides Benjamin, the men of Israel numbered four hundred thousand men who drew the sword; all of these were men of war.
17 Israel had 400,000 experienced soldiers armed with swords, not counting Benjamin's warriors.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Judges 20:17
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.