Judges 20

is, together with so many of the people (for there could not be so many chieftains), that came ready armed, to do as they should be directed. I have often observed, that the armies of the Jews were all infantry, there being no horses bred in their country. There are those, who, by the comers of the people, understand, not their chiefs, but all the tribes of Israel (making the next words the explication of these), who made up this great number of four hundred thousand; because, saith Cocceius, all the people, gathered together, is like a house that hath corners. But I shall not trouble the reader with various interpretations. In the highways, of which one goeth tip to the house of God.] That is, to Shiloh. And the other to Gibeah in the fields.] So called, to distinguish it from this Gibeah; which, as I said, stood upon a hill, as the other did in lower ground. About thirty men of Israel.’] Whom they killed in the rear of their army, as they retreated.

Judges 20:1

And all the children of Israel went out of their cities. The principal persons, who were appointed to re- ■present the rest. And the congregation was gathered together.] This congregation consisted of the captains of thousands and hundreds, &c. which had been established by Jethro’s advice, together with the principal citizens, as Corn. Bertram probably thinks, whom they called to this assembly. As one man.] Except the people of Jabesh-Gilead, (xxi. 5. 8.) and they of the tribe of Benjamin, who had no sense of this wickedness. For there was a general summons, no doubt, issued out by command of their rulers, to require every one to meet at a certain place, mentioned in the following words, or otherwise to forfeit their lives. From Dan even to Beer-sheba, with the land of Gilead.] That is, all Israel on this side Jordan, and on the other, were of the same mind in this matter.. Unto the Lord to Mizpeh.] There was a place of this name in the land of Gilead, as we read, xi. 11. but this Mizpeh here mentioned was in the confines of Judah and Benjamin, for which reason it is sometimes ascribed to the former, Josh. xv. 38. and sometimes to the latter, Josh. xviii. 26. being a place very conveniently situated for a general meeting of all the people, who often assembled there in future times, (1 Sam. vii. 5-^7. 16. x. 17.) And it was not far from Shiloh, which made it the more convenient; because from hence they might, upon any occasion, * immediately go to consult the Divine Majesty; which they intended to do now, when they had dispatched the business for which they met here, which was to examine the crime of which the Bcnjamites were accused; and if there were good proof made of it, to consider how to punish it as it deserved. Whence it is that Josephus saith, this congregation met in Shiloh, E?c rrjv HiXovv (rvXktylvrzg tccu 7rpb tJJc ffjojvijc a$/>o«r$£vr£c> as if it were the same with Mizpeh. r And, indeed, in this history, there is a little difference made, because they were so near one to another. (See vef. 26. xxi. 2.) But Mr. Medc thinks that here was a famous place of prayer, which is the house of God mentioned in those two verses. For so the author of the first book of Maccabees saith, (iii. 46.) That when the holy city and sanctuary lay desolate, by tho tyranny of Antiochus Epiphancs, the people assembled together at Maspah, to make their supplications unto God, “On tJttoc irpoatvxnG etc Ma<r£a to irportpov t$‘I<rpo^X, because at Maspah had been, in former times, a place of prayer, for Israel; and therefore some of the Jewish doctors say, the first synagogue was built here, and make this the original of all those which were so frequent in aftcrtimes: for here, say Kimchi and Abarbinel, all the remaining kings of Canaan assembled (after the battle at Gibcon) to fight with Israel, (Josh. xi. 3.) And here Joshua finished his victories over the Canaanites,(ver. 8.) and therefore here, it is probable, he built an altar unto, the Lord, in memory of so great a deliverance. But this conjecture is founded upon a plain mistake’; for the land of Mizpeh, where Joshua completed his victories, was far from this, in the most northern parts of Canaan, near Lebanon, beyond the fountains of Jordan. Mr. Mede, also, and Corn. Bertram think, that hither they brought the ark upon this great occasion, and so might properly be said to be gathered unto the Lord. But this seems to me improbable, that they should remove the ark hither, when it was so near them in Shiloh, to which they might as well go, as bring it to them. And as for that phrase, unto the Lord, it is no argument that cither the ark was here, or so much as a place of prayer; for where all the people of God were assembled in any place, thereGod was in a special manner present; as when they all assembled to make David their king, it is said he made a league with’ them in Hebron before the Lord, though there was no ark nor altar there, (2 Sam. v. 3.) I see no reason therefore to believe, that the Israelites were now gathered to Mizpeh as a place of prayer (for Shiloh was appointed for that purpose, which was very near it), but as a fitting place for such a great assembly Xo meet, and consult what was to be done in the present-ease. That was their business here; and when they had occasion to inquire of God, and to fast (and pray, no doubt), they went to Shiloh, to the house of God. (See ver. 20. and 28.)

Judges 20:2

And the chief of all the people, even of all the tribes of Israel, presented themselves in the assembly of the people of God. The word we translate chief, is in the Hebrew the corners, who were the strength and support of the people, as the corner-stones are of a building; viz. the heads of their tribes, rulers of thousands, and rulers of hundreds, fifties, and tens; who kept the people in some kind of order (now that they wanted a supreme governor, and the courts of justice were unsettled), and, it is likely, brought them along with them to this general assembly; which, in all probability, met in the open air, as they anciently did among the Romans, Athenians, and other people, as many learned men have observed. And Lycurgus, as Plutarch tells us, gave this reason for it, that noble rooms, adorned with pictures and statues, and such-like ornaments, did not contribute dg tvfiovXlav, to right counsels, but rather did hurt, by distracting their minds, and turning them from their business: but the true reason was, because vast multitudes met together, which no house would contain, and therefore they assembled in the field; as Livy tells us, when the cause of Appius Claudius was heard, the people were cited to come into the campus Mariius. (Lib. vi. cap. 20.) Four hundred thousand footmen that drew sword.] That

Judges 20:3

Now the children of Benjamin heard that the children of Israel tvere gone up to Mizpeh. They could not be ignorant of such an universal concourse. of the whole nation, except themselves, nor of the cause of their meeting; but when they were told of it, would take no notice of it, being stupidly insensible of the crime that had been committed among them, or foolishly confident of their own strength; or rather, imagining their brethren would attempt nothing by war against them. - Then said the children of Israel, Tell ns, how was this wickedness?] The Hebrew word dabru (tell) being in the plural number, denotes, that they spake to more than one; and therefore, in all probability, not only the Levitc, but the good old man (his host) and his servant were there, to give an account of the fact.

Judges 20:4

And the Levite, the husband of the woman that was slain, ansicered and said, I came into Gibeah that belongeth to Benjamin, I and my concubine, to lodge. Ho relates from the beginning how it was; and they confirmed It, by their testimony to the truth of it. He’ being called her husband, it proves she was his legal wife.

Judges 20:5

And the men of Gibeah rose tip against me. A great number of them, who were not restrained by the? rest; and therefore he imputes the crime to them all. f And beset the house round about me by night, and thought to have slain me.] For* he resolved to lose his life, as Ralbag here observes, rather than submit to their abominable desires. And my concubine have they forced, that she is dead.] But though he preserved himself, he could not deliver her from them; but they abused her to death. Ver. G. And I took my concubine, and cut her in pieces, and sent her throughout all the country of the inheritance of Israel: for they have committed lewdness and folly in Israel.] Such a very heinous crime, as he thought the whole nation was bound to censure.

Judges 20:7

Behold, ye are all children of Israel; give here your advice and counsel. They all detested, he presumed, such foul wickedness, and therefore desires them to consider and resolve how to punish it. This could not be dc T bated by all the multitude; therefore some of the principal persons, I suppose, were deputed to sit in council, and hear the cause, and then report their opinion to the several tribes.

Judges 20:8

And all the people arose as one man, saying, We will not any of us go to his tent, neither will we any of us turn into his house. The report being made from the great council, and their opinion declared, the people all agreed to keep in a body till they saw justice done, according to their resolution.

Judges 20:9

And noiv, this shall be the thing we will do to Gibeah; we will go up by lot against it. This seems to be a popular motion, who are in love with equality, and therefore desire, by their officers, that it may be determined by lots who shall go to war, and who shall stay at home to make provision for the army; for they did not know how long they should continue abroad, and it was n’ot easy to provide for such a multitude.

Judges 20:10

And we will take ten men of a hundred throughout all the tribes of Israel, and a hundred out of a thousand, and a thousand out often thousa7id, to fetch victuals for the people. So ono man took care that nine ofhis brethren wanted nothing; and ten took care of ninety, &c. In the whole, there were forty thousand of the four hundred thousand who went out to forage for the army. That they may do, when they come to Gibeah of Benjamin, according to all the folly that they have done in Israel.] That the rest might be wholly intent upon punishing the inhabitants of Gibeah according to their deserts.

Judges 20:11

So all the men of Israel were gathered together against the city, knit together as one man. Nothing could contribute more to their good success, than this unity and concord among the officers and soldiers, who all agreed to put this resolution in execution.

Judges 20:12

And the tribes of Israel sent men through all the tribe of Benjamin. But first it was thought prudent and just, by tho rulers of the people, to send an embassy to their brethren, to desire them to hearken unto reason; and therefore there was a select number chosen out of every tribe, who went to every city of Benjamin (it is probable), to offer such terms of peace as might prevent the ^yar upon Gibeah. Or, they sent this message to every family in Benjamin, which were originally ten, for Benjamin had so many sons; from whom sprang such a number of people, that it made R. Solomon say, From Rachel were descended twelve tribes: for there were two sons of Joseph which made two tribes, besides these ten families of Benjamin, who were so powerful and valiant, that it pulled them up with pride, and was the cause of their ruin. Saying, What wickedness is this that is done among you?] In tho first place, they were ordered to represent tho greatness of the crime that had been committed among them.

Judges 20:13

Now therefore deliver ns the men, the children of Belial, which are in Gibeah. This was agreeable to tho law of nations, by which the Philistines had thus demanded Samson of tho Israelites, who had done them mischief, (xv.10.) See Grotius, who gives a great many other examples of it out of Pausanias, Strabo, and other authors. (Lib. ii. de Jure Belli et Pacis, cap. 21. sect. 4.) That we may put them to death.] If the Benjamites themselves would not do justice upon them.. > And put aivay evil from Israel.] According to the direction Moses had given in his law, (Deut. xiii. 5.) For the sin is taken away when it is duly punished.- But the children of Benjamin ivouldnot hearken to the voice of their brethren the children of Israel.] They seem to have been as unanimous in the defence of this wickedness, as the rest of the tribes were in their endeavours to have it punished. For, quite contrary to all their brethren, who, upon the hearing of this crime, met together, examined into it, sent messengers to desire the malefactors might be delivered to be punished, before they would enter upon a Microsoft® 2E2 [chap. XX* Avar, they most perversely refused to come to their assembly, or deliver up the malefactors, or so much as excuse the fact, much less deny it, but prepare themselves to protect such lewd criminals with all their power. One can scarce think that there were no good men left among them, but they were so few, that they had no authority; and the generality were so depraved, that they took part with the evil-doers. Perhaps they took it ill that tlio other tribes should meddle with the concerns of theirs; but if they had had any goodness in them, they would have saved them this labour, by calling the offenders to an account themselves: which they not doing, made the whole tribe guilty of the crime of a few, and provoked God justly to give them up to pursue their own destruction.

Judges 20:14

But the children of Benjamin gathered themselves together out of the cities unto Gibeah, to go out to battle against the children of Israel. Instead of hearkening to their brethren, or giving any reason of their refusal to satisfy their desires, they prepare themselves to fight with them.

Judges 20:15

And the children of Benjamin were numbered at that tune, out of the cities, twenty and six thousand men that drew sword. So the Chaldee expressly mentions twenty-six thousand, but the Vulgar saith only twenty-five thousand, and the LXX. of the Roman edition twenty-three thousand; but other copies have twenty-five thousand, as Josephus also hath: who imagined,’ I suppose, that the number of twenty-six thousand would not agree with the account w r hich follows, of twenty-five thousand and one hundred slain in the last battle and in the pursuit of them, (ver. 35. 45.) and six hundred only escaped, (ver. 47.) which make the number of twenty-five thousand seven hundred. But they should have considered, that the two former battles could not be fought without loss on the Benjamites’ side, when so many fell of the Israelites, (ver. 21. 25.) And the other thousand men may well be supposed to have then perished, or some of them to have been left to defend their cities, where they were afterward slain, (ver. 48.) Beside the inltabitants of Gibeah, ivhich ivere numbered seven hundred chosen men.] Who were left, it is likely (or at least part of them), to defend that city, while the rest beforementioned went out to battle. Ver. 1G. Among all this people there were seven hundred chosen men left-handed.] AVho could use their left hand as well as their right in any exercise. (See iii. 13.) Every one could sling stones at a hairs breadth, and not miss.] Such excellent.marksmen there have been in other countries; particularly iu the islands called Baleares, where they were bred from children to hit a mark with a stone slung out of a sling, or else to lose their breakfast, as Strabo relates. (See Bochartus, in his Hierozoicon, par. i. lib. iii. cap. 10.) This extraordinary skill in their arms (for it is likely they handled other weapons with the like dexterity) and their natural courage emboldened them, with sueh a small number, to undertake a war against such a vast multitude of their brethren. Which warlike disposition of theirs was prophesied of by Jacob, when he saith, “Benjamin shall ravin as a wolf;” which is an undaunted fearless creature, (Gen. xlix. 27.)

Judges 20:17

And the men of Israel, beside Benjamin, were numbered fenr hundred thousand that dniv sword: all these ivere men of tear. This is mentioned again, to shew that they all persisted steadfast in theiresolution, (ver. 2. 8.) to see justice done upon the men of Belial before they would return to their own home.

Judges 20:18

And the children of Israel arose, and went up to the house of God. In Shiloh, which was not far from Mizpeh, and asked counsel of God, by nrim and iliummim, as they did, i. 1. The Targnm hath it, They asked counsel by the Word of the Lord. Some of their principal persons, that is, were sent to desire God to direct them, as he was wont to do in all great affairs concerning the safety of their commonwealth. For so God himself ordained, that the high-priest should appear before him with the breast-plate of judgment, to ask counsel of him for them in all their weighty concerns. (See Exod. xxviii. 30. Numb, xxvii. 21.) And said, Which of us shall go vp first against the children of Benjamin? And the Lord said, Judah shall go up first.] The same question and answer which we read in the beginning of this book; there being a pre-eminence, wo may observe all along, given to the tribe of Judah.

Judges 20:19

And the children of Israel rose up in the morning, and encamped against Gibeah. These words seem to tell us, that Judah was only to lead the van (as we now speak), and stand in the front of the battle, to make the first assault; but that all the rest went up with them.

Judges 20:20

And the men of Israel went out to battle against Benjamin. When the Benjamites heard that Israel were encamped against Gibeah, they came to the relief of it; and the Israelites marched out of their camp to engage them. And the men of Israel put themselves in array to fight tigainst them at Gibeah.] The battle was near that city. And Israel set Hers in wait round about Gibeah.J This seems to intimate, that, in the former onsets, they had relied too much upon their numbers: but now, though they* were encouraged by God himself, they grew more humble and less audacious in their enterprise, laying ambushes secretly in several places on several sides of the city.

Judges 20:21

And the children of Benjamin came forth out of Gibeah. Those forces which were left in Gibeah for its defence issued out upon the Israelites in their rear, as their brethren fought them in the front. And destroyed down to the ground of the Israelites’ that day twenty and two thousand.] Since God bade them go up, it may seem strange that they should receive such a’defeat. But it is to be observed, that he did not promise them success; of which the Jews give these reasons: some of theirt say, that they sought him imperfectly, and therefore he gave them an imperfect answer. So D. Kimchi— they did not ask him if he would favour their enterprise, as they did at the last, when they said, Shall we go up, or shall ive desist? That is, if we shall not succeed, we will cease the war. And then a clear and full answer is returned, Go up, for to-morrow I will deliver them into thy hand, (ver. 28.) But Abarbinel thinks they did not ask counsel in a due place, nor by the proper person; but by some other than Phinehas the high-priest, of whom there is no mention till the third time they went to consult the oracle, (ver. 28.) But a better reason is given in Pirke Eliezer, where they say, God was angry with the Israelites for their negleet of him, in suffering spiritual adultery among them, while they were very earnest to punish carnal. So they make God’s answer to have been, when they inquired of him the reasou of the miscarriage, Ye are zealous against the adultery of the tribe of Benjamin, but not against the idol ofMicah, (cap. 3S.) And, indeed, they fell early into idolatry after the death of Joshua, and the elders that survived him (as we read in the second chapter of this book), with which, though the Benjamites were defiled as well as others, yet he used them as Microsoft® chap; xx.] UPON JUDGES. scourges to punish the rest; intending, in due time, to take a terrible vengeance on them, both for that and all their other sins.

Judges 20:22

And the people, the men of Israel, encouraged themselves. Exhorted one another, not to be disheartened by their loss, but to renew the fight; for they knew they had a good cause, which made them the bolder to hope for victory. And set their battle again in array, in the place where they put’ themselves in array the first day,] They were not so superstitious as to imagine the place wherein they fought was unlucky, and that with the change of it they should change their fortune (as they now speak), but confidently resolved to encounter them in the same spot of ground where they were overthrown before. Though there are those that think the ground was not well chosen, and that they were the more easily defeated, because they fought so near Gibeah; whose name imports, that it was situated on high, which gave them greater advantages to annoy the Israelites.

Judges 20:23

And the children of Israel went up, and wept before the Lord until even. They seem to have been sensible that this was one cause of their loss, that they had not more solemnly sought the Lord, as they now do; but with greater grief for their loss than for their sin. And asked counsel of the Lord.] The Targum here uses again the same phrase; Asked counsel by the Word of tlie Lord, sayirig, Shall’I again go up to battle against the children of Benjamin my brother? They seem to imagine that God did not approve of their going to war among thenv* selves, who were all brethren. And the Lord said, Go up against him.] Here is a leave to go up, but without any promise of success; which they should have desired.

Judges 20:24

And the children of Israel came near against the children of Benjamin the second day. Near to Gibeah.

Judges 20:25

And Benjamin went forth against them out of Gibeah the second day, and destroyed down to the ground of the children of Israel eighteen thousand men; all tliesedrew sword. They had now destroyed forty thousand, which was a much greater number than the Bcnjamites had in their whole army. V$r. 2G. Then all the children of Israel, and all the people, went up.] JJot only all the warriors, but other people. And came unto the house of God, and wept, and sat there before the Lord.] Upon the baro ground, as they used to do in very great sorrow. > y And fasted that day before the Lord until even.] Afflicted their souls for their sins, which they had not done before; at least, not with such seriousness as now they did. And offered burnt-offerings.] This had not been done before. That is, they had not made such solemn supplications to God, as now they did by these offerings. (See upon Lev. i. 3.) And in particular, it is evident, that, in ancient time, burnt-offerings were offered as prayers for forgiveness of sins, that so they might obtain God s blessing, (Job i. 5.) And Balaam (who, no doubt, understood the ancient ritos of religion) offered these offerings to obtain power from God to help Balak, and destroy the Israelites, (Numb, xxiii. 3. 15, &c.) And peace-offerings before the Lord.] These were offered to acknowledge benefits received (which ought to accompany our prayers), and some of them also were a kind of prayer to God for the benefits they hoped still to receive (See upon Lev. vii. 1G.)

Judges 20:27

And the children of Israel inquired of the Lord. The same expression is again in the T&rgum; by the Word of the Lord. For the ark of the covenant of God was therein those days.] They had inquired of the Lord before, but not as they ought to have done; and therefore no mention is made till now of the presence of God continuing among them. For, confiding in the justice of their cause, and their vast forces/ they seem to have made but slight and perfunctory addresses to God before they undertook the war.

Judges 20:28

And Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, stood before it in those days. To stand before it, is as much as to minister unto God before the * ark, where he resided. (See upon Deut. x. 8. xviii. 7.) Some think this is here set down to direct us to the time when this war was made, which was not long after the death of Joshua, (as I. said before, xix. 1.) otherwise Phinehas must have been now (if this were after the time of the judges) above three hundred years old, which is far beyond the age to which men then lived; for it was above so many years since he did that noble fact mentioned in Numb. xxv. Saidus Batricides, therefore, more justly makes him to have been high-priest only, twenty-five years; and the Chron. Alexandr. mentions three other priests between him and Eli, as’Mr. Seldcn observes, lib. i. de Succession, in Pontif. cap. 2. • Saying, Shall I yet again go out. to battle against the children of Benjamin my brother, or shall I cease?] This is a plainer query than either of the former (as Pet. Martyr here observes); for at first they only asked what tribe should first go up, presuming the war was fit to be made, (ver. 18.) and the second time only, whether God would have them renew the fight, (ver. 23.) But now they ask, whether they should proceed in the war, or desist from any further attempt? that is, saith he, they leave it wholly to God’s pleasure; desiring to do no more, if he did not think good to accompany them with his blessing. And the Lord said, Go up; for to-morrow I will deliver them into thy hand.] Accordingly he condescended to give them a gracious answer, assuring them of a speedy victory.

Judges 20:30

And the children of Israel went up against the children of Benjamin on the third day, and put themselves in array against Gibeah, as at other times. I suppose they appeared in the same place mentioned ver. 22. as if they intended to renew tho fight there. And this was, perhaps, the third day after the last battle; one having been spent in going to Shiloh, and another in fasting and prayer there. Or, by the third day may be meant the third day of battle.

Judges 20:31

And the children of Benjamin went out against the people, and were drawn away from the city. The children of Israel pretending to avoid fighting, and to flee from them; as we read in the next verse they had agreed. And they began to smite of the people, and to kill, as at other times.] In tho two former battles.

Judges 20:32

And the children of Benjamin said, They are smitten down before us, as at the first. From this flight they presumed they should get a new victory over such cowards.’ But the children of Israel said, Let its flee, and draiv them from the city into the highways.] But this was only a stratagem of the Israelites, to draw them aAvay from Gibeah into a more advantageous place of setting upon them,;’

Judges 20:33

And all the men of Israel. All that were posted in a certain place, whither they designed to draw the Benjamites, ; Rose up out of their place, and put themselves in array at Baal-Tamar.] The sight of such a body of men appearing unexpectedly ready to encounter them, must needs be a great surprise to the Benjamites, who thought of nothing but pursuing those that run away from them. And the Hers in wait of Israel came forth out of their places.] At the same time, they that were placed in ambush behind them, rose up to assault the city. Even out of the meadows of Gibeah.] Whether it be translated the meadows, or the plaiits, or. the flat ground, that lay before the city, it is not material; for the sense is the same. (See Lud. de Dieu.) - * t

Judges 20:34

And there came against Gibeah ten thousand chosen men out of all Israel. Some look upon these as a detachment (as they now speak) from the main body at Baal-Tamar, who marched to assault the city on one side, while the liers in wait assaulted it on the other. * And the battle was sore; but they knew not that evil was near them.] The Benjamites fought stoutly; but were not sensible of the danger they were in to be destroyed. *- yer. 35. And the Lord smote Benjamin before Israel: and the children of Israel destroyed of the Benjamites that day twenty and five thousand and a hundred men; all these drew the sit-orrf] This is a general account of the. fight, and of the Benjamites’ loss; the particulars of both are related in the following verses.. Ver. 3G. So the children of Benjamin saw that they were smitten.] There was an apparent overthrow given them by the Israelites: the manner of which is described from the beginning of the action of this day, to the conclusion, in the folloAving part of this chapter. For the men of Israel gave. place to the Benjamites.] Seemed to flee before them; as was before related. Because they trusted to the Hers in wait, which they had set beside Gibeah.] Resolving not to fight till they saAV their ambush had executed Avhat was commanded against the city.

Judges 20:37

And the Iters in wait hasted, and rushed upon Gibeah. Which they did with all speed, as soon as they saw the Benjamites withdraAvn a good way from the city; and fell upon the inhabitants on a sudden. And the liers in wait drew themselves along, and smote all the city with the edge of the stvord.] Having entered the city, they spread themselves into the seA’eral parts of it, and killed all they found therein

Judges 20:38

Now there was an appointed sign between the men of Israel and the liers in wait, that they should make a great flame with smoke to rise up out of the city. They had agreed beforehand, that Avhen the city was taken by the liers in Avait, they should set it on fire; Avhcreby the Israelites might know Avhen it Avas time to face about, and fight Avith the Benjamites.

Judges 20:39

And when the men of Israel retired in the battle, Benjamin began to smite and kill of the men of Israel about thirty persons; for they said, Surely they are smitten down before us, as in the first battle.] Till that sign Avas given, they retreated as if they were beaten, and lost some men; Avhereby the Benjamites were deceived into secure hopes of aneAV victory.

Judges 20:40

But when the flame began to arise out of the city with a pillar of smoke, the Benjamites looked behind them,> and, behold, the flame of the city ascended up to heaven. It is likely the Israelites shouted when they turned about to fall upon the Benjamites; Avhich made them look back to see Avhat unexpected supplies they. had received.

Judges 20:41

And when the men of Israel turned again,- the men of Benjamin were amazed. At this sudden change from flight to fighting,. i For they saw that evil was come upon them.] They being beset by the Israelites both behind and before. -

Judges 20:42

Therefore they turned their backs before the men of Israel. ^Whom they had pursued; but noAV ran away from them,.. * Unto the way of the wilderness.] For they Avcre beset on all other sides. But the battle overtook’them.] That is, the men of war pursued them so closely that they could not escape. And them which came out of the cities they destroyed in the midst of them.] Or, they that came out of the cities, viz. of Israel, helped to cut them off. * • ■

Judges 20:43

Thus they inclosed the Benjamites round about, and chased them, and trode them down with ease. For they made no resistance, but only sought where they might flee for safety. Over ^against Gibeah towards the sun-rising,] There is another translation of the latter part of this verse, in the margin of our Bibles, AAith which I shall not trouble the reader, because it makes no alteration in the sense, which is to.sheAV Avhere the greatest slaughter of them Avas made.

Judges 20:44

And there fell of Benjamin eighteen thousand men. In the Avilderness, eastAAard of Gibeah* All these were men of valour.] Stout soldiers, as appears by the tAvo defeats they had given to the numerous army of the Israelites.

Judges 20:45

And they turned, and fled towards the wilderness, unto the rock of Rimmon. The remainder of the army of Benjamin endeavoured to save themselves, by flying to a strong inaccessible place Avhich was in that Avilderness. And they gleaned of them in the highways five thousand men.] They could not flee thither in a body, but scattered up and doAvn in the highAvay; Avhere they picked up five thousand more, and sIcav them. And pursued hard after them to Gidom, and slew two thousand of them.] And folloAving them very close, as far as to a place called Gidom, they killed tAvo thousand more.