Judges 20

Judges 20:1

ALL the children] That is, the tribe of Benjamin onely excepted.

as one man] That is, with unanimous consent. So v. 8, 11. 1 Samuel 11:7. Ezra 3:1.

from Dan] Called before Baish, Chap. 18. 7. and Leshem, Joshua 19:47. which was the utmost border of Canaan upon the north, 1 Kings 4:25.

Beer-sheba] Which was the utmost border upon the south, in the tribe of Judah, towards the Philistines, Genesis 21:33-34.

of Gilead] In the east beyond Jordan, the countrey where the two tribes and an half lived.

unto the Lord] That is, to worship, pray and ask counsell of the LORD at Shiloh, which was neer Mizpeh on the east.

in Mizpeh] A place in the borders of Benjamin, Joshua 18:26. and therefore fit for their present occasion; which was also often used for such generall assemblies, as lying in the heart of the land, and so commodious for such meetings, 1 Samuel 7:5. and 1 Samuel 10:17. Some think that there was here some synagogue, of place of publike worship.

Judges 20:2

And the chief] That is, gathered out of all corners of the land, as the Hebrew hath it, which calleth the chief princes, corners (as some think) because they are like corner-stones or pillars, the main strength of the fabrick of the commonwealth.

that drew sword] See Chap. 8. 10.

Judges 20:3

Then said] That is, unto the Levite.

Judges 20:4

the Levite] Hebr, the man the Lovite.

the husband] See Chap. 19. 2.

Judges 20:5

slain me] That is, either by abusing me, as they did my concubine; or if I would not yeeld to prostitute my body to their abominable lusts; before which, I should have much preferred death it self.

forced] Hebr. Humbled.

Judges 20:6

lewdnesse] That is, horrible wickednesse, which ought not to go unpunished.

folly] See Chap. 19. 23.

Judges 20:7

ye are all children] Whom this horrible fact concerns as well as me, being the people of God, who are bound by Gods command to punish such outragious wickednesse, and so to put away evil from Israel, v. 13.

Judges 20:8

We will not] That is, before we have seen this abominable fact severely punished.

Judges 20:9

by lo] Which shall determine who shall perform this service; that is, who shall make provision for the camp, and who shall go to fight.

Judges 20:10

and a thousand] That is, in the whole, fourty thousand out of four hundred thousand.

for the people] That is, to victuall the camp.

Judges 20:11

knit together] Hebr. fellows; To wit, both heart and hand.

Judges 20:12

sen men] To wit, as ambassadours of peace, if they would punish the offenders; or heraulds to proclaim war, if they refused.

Judges 20:13

the children of Belial] See Chap. 19. 22.

would not hearken] And so made themselves accessaries, abeters, and guilty of that horrible fact.

Judges 20:16

left-handed] Chap. 3. 15.

at an hair eadh] An hyperbolicall expression, whereby is signified, That they were so skilfull in singing stones, that they would commonly hit a small mark.

Judges 20:18

house of God.] At Shiloh, neer Mizpeh, and not farre from Gibeah, Chap. 21. 12. and 19. 18.

and asked counsell] See Chap. 1. 1.

go up first] Being full of confidence, in respect of the justnesse of their cause, and also their great number and strength, they strive for precedency, and who should have the honour of the day, and so seek to God onely for the determining of this difference between them.

Judges 20:21

twenty and two thousand men] To punish their selfconfidence, and their idolatry, and other sins for which they were not duely humbled in their seeking unto God.

Judges 20:22

enwaged themselves] Still trusting more in their own strength then in Gods assistance.

Judges 20:23

went up and wept] As bewailing their great defeat and losse, but not thorowly humbling themselves in the ight and sense of their sins by asting and prayer, as vers. 26.

Beniamin my brother?] Doubting (as it seemeth) of their successe, because they raised war against thou brother, that is, a tribe of their own people.

go up] But doth not promise victory, as v. 28.

Judges 20:25

drew sword] That is, were valiant men, and able to manage their weapons.

Judges 20:26

sate there] That is, according to the posture of mourners, Lamentations 1:1. Psalms 137:1. or, as others, abode there, 2 Samuel 7:18. Psalms 23:6.

and fasted] That is, they did perform the duty of humiliation and repentance, not overtly, slightly and formally, as they had done before, but in a serious manner.

burnt-offerings] To wit, for the expiation of their sins.

and peace-offerings] To wit, to testifie their faith and assurance of victory, having sought God in a right manner.

Judges 20:27

enquired] To wit, by the high priest, after the judgement of Urim, Numbers 27. 21.

Judges 20:28

Phinehas] See Chap. 17. 1.

stood before it] To wit, to perform the office of an high priest in the tabernacle. So Deuteronomy 10:8. and Deuteronomy 18:5.

Judges 20:29

liers in wait] Joshua 8:4.

Judges 20:31

the people] To wit, of Israel.

high-ways] Or crosse ways leading to divers places.

Gibeah in the field] So called (as it seemeth) to distinguish it from the other Gibeah on the hill. See Chap. 10. 13. and Joshua 18:24; Joshua 18:28. both which cities lay neer together in the tribe of Benjamin.

Judges 20:33

Baal-tamar] lying on the west of Gibeah.

Judges 20:34

against Gibeah] To wit, to put themselves between the city and the army, that there might be no place of retreat.

ten thousand chosen men] To wit, who had lien in ambush.

Judges 20:35

twenty five thousand and an hundred] This was the whole number of all that were slain, which afterwards are more particularly specified.

Judges 20:36

for the men] In these and words following he describeth the manner of the Benjamites defeat, and the Israelites victory.

gave place] That is, feignedly fled.

Judges 20:37

drew themselves along] Or, made a long sound with the trumpets; to wit, out of the places where they had lin in ambush.

all the city] That is, all that they found in the city.

signe] Or, time; to wit, when the Israelites which did seemingly flee should, stay and return upon the Benjamites.

and] Hebr. with.

flame] Hebr. elevation.

Judges 20:39

to smite and kill] Hebr. to smite the wounded.

Judges 20:40

the flame] Hebr. the whole consumption.

Judges 20:41

that evil was come] That is, that they were utterly lost, without any hope of escaping.

upon them] Hebr. touched them.

Judges 20:42

in the midst of them] That is, having enclosed them on all sides, they slew them.

Judges 20:43

with ease] Or, from Memchah, &c.

over against] Hebr. unto over against.

Judges 20:44

And there fell] To wit, in the battell.

Judges 20:45

the rock of Rimmon] A city lying upon a rock, between Bethel and Gibeah on the south-west of Benjamin.

they gleaned] That is, they slew here and there as they could meet with them, cutting them clean off, as the ears of corn are gleaned after the harvest, or the grapes after the vintage.

Judges 20:46

were twenty and five thousand] He expresseth here onely the round or grand number, leaving out the hundred mentioned v. 25. as it is usuall in the scripture; and also the remainder of the twenty six thousand and seven hundred mentioned v. 15. which it seemeth were all slain in the two other battels, these six hundred excepted.

Judges 20:47

rock Rimmon] Chap. 21. 13.

Judges 20:48

children of Benjamin] To wit, those that remained in the cities, both men and women.

that came to hand] Hebr. was found; Namely, in the heat and sury of the war.

they came to] Hebr. were found.