Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Judges 20:23
(And the children of Israel went up and wept before the LORD until even, and asked counsel of the LORD, saying, Shall I go up again to battle against the children of Benjamin my brother? And the LORD said, Go up against him.)
23. wept before the Lord ] Cf. Jdg 20:26, Jdg 2:4, Jdg 21:2. After went up we should supply to Beth-el, as in Jdg 20:26.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 23. Go up against him.] It appears most evident that the Israelites did not seek the protection of God. They trusted in the goodness of their cause and in the multitude of their army. God humbled them, and delivered them into the hands of their enemies, and showed them that the race was not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Went up and wept; not so much for their sins as for their defeat and loss, as appears by the sequel.
Against the children of Benjamin my brother; they impute their ill success not to their own sins, as they had great reason to do, but to their taking up arms against their brethren, the lawfulness whereof they now begin to doubt of. But still they persist in their former neglect of seeking Gods assistance in the way which he had appointed, as they themselves acknowledge presently, by doing those very things which now they sinfully neglected, Jdg 20:26, and therefore are again justly punished.
Go up against him: God answers to their question; but as they did not desire his assistance and success, so he doth not promise it.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
And the children of Israel went up and wept before the Lord until even,…. The evening of the day in which the battle was fought; not that the whole army went up to Shiloh to the house of God there, but a deputation of them, who lamented their defeat, and the loss of so many lives, but not their sins and transgressions, and particularly the idolatry they had been guilty of:
and asked counsel of the Lord, saying, shall we go up again to battle against the children of Benjamin my brother? they seemed to have some doubt, by the loss they sustained, whether they were right in going to war with Benjamin, especially as he was their brother; and therefore the question now is, not who should go up first, which was already determined, but whether they should go at all; and still they do not ask any help of God in battle, nor success, but were depending on their numbers, and the justness of their cause, and therefore neither is promised to them, only they have an answer to their question:
and the Lord said, go up against him; for Benjamin was certainly in the wrong, and therefore the Israelites are directed to go against him, and they also were not sufficiently chastised, nor thoroughly humbled.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
But before renewing the conflict they went up to Bethel, wept there before Jehovah, i.e., before the sanctuary of the ark, where Jehovah was present in the midst of His people, enthroned between the cherubim, until the evening, and then inquired of the Lord (again through the high priest) “ Shall I again draw near to war with the children of Benjamin my brother ” (i.e., renew the war with him)? The answer ran thus: “ Advance against him. ”
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
(23) And the children of Israel.This verse is parenthetical and retrospective. The whole narrative is arranged in a very simple manner, and shows an unformed archaic style.
Against the children of Benjamin my brother.The words my brother show a sort of compunction, an uneasy sense that possibly, in spite of the first answer by Urim, God did not approve of a fratricidal war.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
23. Went up and wept Though they had sought to speak lightly of their losses, and to assure themselves of victory, there was a secret sadness and a gloomy sense of loss. Though their loss had not thoroughly subdued them, it had manifestly humbled them, and now they weep as well as ask of God; and their question is not, Who shall go up first? but, Shall I go up again to battle against the children of Benjamin my brother? There is a noticeable humility behind this question, as compared with that of Jdg 20:18, but it lacks the depth and penitence that appear in Jdg 20:26-28. It is noticeable, too, that in Jdg 20:18 they ask of God, while here and afterwards they inquire of Jehovah, the covenant God of Israel, as if in the former instance they had failed to recognise Jehovah in his proper character as their covenant God.
Go up against him Jehovah does not espouse the cause of Benjamin, though he grants him signal victories. His purpose is first to humble the mightier forces of Israel, who have been glowing too much in their own strength.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Jdg 20:23 a
‘And the children of Israel went up and wept before Yahweh until even, and asked counsel of Yahweh, saying, “shall I again draw near to battle against the children of Benjamin my brother?” ’
Their confidence had been dented, so as well as bringing up reinforcements they again sought God. ‘Went up’ suggests that some of their number went again to the central sanctuary at Bethel on their behalf. Or it may be that the Priest was there wearing the ephod and they gathered to the Priest. ‘They wept before Yahweh until evening’. This was partly because of their disastrous defeat, and in mourning for their fallen comrades, but no doubt with great heart searching as to the reasons. Maybe there was also a great searching of their hearts for sins that may have been responsible, including their lack of brotherhood towards Benjamin.
But then they again sought His counsel by Urim and Thummim or by lot (both used a similar method) and their question was whether they should again go up against Benjamin, their ‘brother’. The singular pronouns (compare ‘man of Israel’ with a singular verb in Jdg 20:20, hidden in translation) demonstrate that they saw themselves as one corporate unit, as ‘Israel’, and Benjamin as one unit as well, as their brother. He was a part of them. They, as it were, carried themselves back to their original ancestors, emphasising the family responsibility.
Jdg 20:23 b
‘And Yahweh said, “Go up against him.”
The lot fell for a further attack on Benjamin. This confirmed for them that Benjamin now shared in the guilt of Gibeah, as well as also being seen as traitors against the covenant and the tribal confederacy. They were thus guilty of sodomy, fornication, murder, and breach of the sacred covenant. Indeed the feeling was so strong that when defeated they would be put to The Ban (Jdg 20:48; Jdg 21:16), with every man, woman and child being destroyed, as well as cattle. Breach of the covenant was a very serious affair.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Jdg 21:23 a
‘And the children of Benjamin did so, and took wives for themselves according to their number, of those who danced, whom they carried off.’
The plan was carried out and worked successfully. The girls were legally kidnapped, each man choosing a wife for himself out of those available. Then they escaped into the territory of the tribe of Benjamin.
Jdg 21:23 b
‘And they went and returned to their inheritance, and rebuilt the cities and dwelt in them.’
Benjamin was still their inheritance so that these men had much land to choose between them. They would now be wealthy and leaders of their people.
But some have cavilled at the idea of a strong tribe of Benjamin arising so speedily from so few. However, that is to misunderstand the situation. Refugees who had fled would return in droves, families in which someone had married a Benjaminite women in the past and who lived elsewhere would come to claim their wives’, or mothers’, or grandmothers’ family inheritance, and become Benjaminite in return. Others would see the large tracts of land still available and they too would be willing to be adopted into Benjamin, or claim descent, in return for grants of land, for many records had been destroyed in the destruction that had taken place, and if the men were suitable not too many questions would be asked. Good fighting men would be welcomed and would soon be absorbed into Benjamin. Every man of ambition who had little wealth would see it as a great opportunity. So until the lands and cities were reoccupied people would flood in. And their families would all soon proudly claim their descent from Benjamin.
From the beginning the tribes had always been fluid, especially since the absorption of the mixed multitude under Moses (Exo 12:38). That process would now go on. Their problem would not be finding sufficient applicants, but deciding between them. An almost ‘empty’ land was a huge attraction.
The weakness of Benjamin for a time might explain why they continually could not expel the Jebusites from Jerusalem, and such a civil war might explain the weakness of Israel in the face of the enemies described in the first part of the book. It may also partially explain why Benjaminites ceased to be so predominantly left-handed (Jdg 3:15; Jdg 20:16 contrast 1Ch 12:2).
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Jdg 20:23 (And the children of Israel went up and wept before the LORD until even, and asked counsel of the LORD, saying, Shall I go up again to battle against the children of Benjamin my brother? And the LORD said, Go up against him.)
Ver. 23. Wept before the Lord until even. ] Yet more for their losses than for their offences: at least, they were not yet so thoroughly humbled, their repentance was not so deep and downright, so soaking and souring with the greatness of godly sorrow, as was fitting. David’s heart was leavened. Psa 73:21 “Peter wept bitterly,” Mat 26:75 and that for sin as it is sin, offensivum Dei, et aversivum a Deo, an offence against God, and an aversion from God.
Go up against him.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
And. Note the Figure of speech Parenthesis. App-6.
before the LORD. At Shiloh (Jdg 18:31).
asked counsel. By Phinehas, with Urim and Thummim. Compare Jdg 20:28, and see notes on Exo 28:30. Num 26:55.
offered = offered up. See App-43.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
wept: Jdg 20:26, Jdg 20:27, Psa 78:34-36, Hos 5:15
And the: It seems most evident that the Israelites did not seek the protection of God. When they “went to the house of God,” – Jdg 20:18, it was not to enquire concerning the expediency of the war, nor of its success, but which of the tribes should begin the attack, and here the question is, “Shall I go up again to battle against the children of Benjamin my brother?” Having so much right on their side, they had no doubt of the justice of their cause, and the propriety of their conduct; and having such a superiority of numbers, they had no doubt of success. But God humbled them, and delivered them into the hands of their enemies; and shewed them that the race was not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong.
Reciprocal: Gen 33:9 – my brother Exo 28:30 – General Num 27:21 – he shall Jos 7:6 – until the eventide Jdg 21:2 – the house Jdg 21:6 – repented them Jdg 21:12 – virgins 1Sa 10:22 – inquired 1Sa 14:18 – Bring hither 1Sa 30:8 – inquired 1Ki 22:5 – Inquire 2Ki 3:11 – that we may Pro 20:18 – and