29 So Israel set men in ambush around Gibeah . 30 The sons of Israel went up against the sons of Benjamin on the third day and arrayed themselves against Gibeah as at other times . 31 The sons of Benjamin went out against the people and were drawn away from the city , and they began to strike and kill some of the people as at other times , on the highways , one of which goes up to Bethel and the other to Gibeah , and in the field , about thirty men of Israel . 32 The sons of Benjamin said , "They are struck down before us, as at the first ." But the sons of Israel said , "Let us flee that we may draw them away from the city to the highways ." 33 Then all the men of Israel arose from their place and arrayed themselves at Baal-tamar ; and the men of Israel in ambush broke out of their place , even out of Maareh-geba e . 34 When ten thousand choice men from all Israel came against Gibeah , the battle became fierce ; but Benjamin did not know that disaster was close to them. 35 And the Lord struck Benjamin before Israel , so that the sons of Israel destroyed 25,100 e e e men of Benjamin that day , all who draw the sword . 36 So the sons of Benjamin saw that they were defeated . When the men of Israel gave ground to Benjamin because they relied on the men in ambush whom they had set against Gibeah , 37 the men in ambush hurried and rushed against Gibeah ; the men in ambush also deployed and struck all the city with the edge of the sword . 38 Now the appointed sign between the men of Israel and the men in ambush was that they would make a great cloud of smoke rise from the city . 39 Then the men of Israel turned in the battle , and Benjamin began to strike and kill e about thirty men of Israel , for they said , "Surely e they are defeated before us, as in the first battle ." 40 But when the cloud began to rise from the city in a column of smoke , Benjamin looked behind them; and behold , the whole city was going up in smoke to heaven . 41 Then the men of Israel turned , and the men of Benjamin were terrified ; for they saw that disaster was close to them. 42 Therefore, they turned their backs before the men of Israel toward the direction of the wilderness , but the battle overtook them while those who came out of the cities destroyed them in the midst of them. 43 They surrounded Benjamin , pursued them without rest and trod them down opposite Gibeah toward the east e . 44 Thus 18,000 e e men of Benjamin fell ; all these were valiant warriors . 45 The rest turned and fled toward the wilderness to the rock of Rimmon , but they caught 5,000 e of them on the highways and overtook them at Gidom and killed 2,000 of them. 46 So all of Benjamin who fell that day were 25,000 e e men who draw the sword ; all these were valiant warriors . 47 But 600 e men turned and fled toward the wilderness to the rock of Rimmon , and they remained at the rock of Rimmon four months . 48 The men of Israel then turned back against the sons of Benjamin and struck them with the edge of the sword , both the entire city with the cattle and all that they found ; they also set on fire all the cities which they found .
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Judges 20:29-48
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.