Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 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.
30. on the third day ] The account of the battle becomes exceedingly confused. It seems to be rounded off at Jdg 20:35 in the usual way, with a statement of the result and numbers slain; but in Jdg 20:36 ff. we find the battle still in progress, and we go through the various incidents again. This repetition is due partly to the combination of the narratives A and B, and partly, it would seem, to the insertion of editorial expansions or glosses. In the main Jdg 20:30-36 a come from the later source B; and in the main 36b 47 may be assigned to the earlier source A. Details which appear to lie outside these two versions, or merely repeat phrases from them, may be regarded, provisionally, as later additions; see on Jdg 20:31 ; Jdg 20:37 b, Jdg 20:43, Jdg 20:44 b Jdg 20:46.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
The children of Israel, i.e. a considerable part of them, who were ordered to give the first onset, and then to counterfeit flight, to draw the Benjamites forth of their strong hold. See Jdg 20:32.
On the third day, to wit, after the second battle; for the first day after it they spent in perplexing thoughts, and going up to the house of the Lord; the second, in fasting and prayer there; and this third, in the fight. Or this is so called with respect unto the two several foregoing days of battle, and so this was the third day of battle.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
And the children of Israel went up against the children of Benjamin on the third day,…. Not the day following the second battle, since it would take more time to go to Shiloh, and fast and offer sacrifices there, but on the third day from the second battle:
and put themselves in array against Gibeah, as at other times; as they had done on the first and second days of battle.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
‘ And the children of Israel went up against the children of Benjamin on the third day, and set themselves in array against Gibeah, as at other times.’
This was the third day of battle not the third day in succession. (Alternatively it might be seen as the third day following the previous battle). There were three memorable days of battle. This was the third of them. The number three is the number of completeness and this indicated to them that God’s perfect plan was coming to completion.
“And set themselves in array against Gibeah, as at other times.” They appeared to be following the same plan as previously. But this time with their full force (Jdg 20:26). The children of Benjamin no doubt thought that their luck was in. These foolish children of Israel would never learn. While the numbers of their opponents had considerably increased (although they may not have been aware of this. Not all the units were openly deployed. See Jdg 20:33), they could not all advance together, and they were probably confident that their slingers would again cause havoc.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Jdg 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.
Ver. 30. And the children of Israel went up. ] Though they had a promise, yet they neglected not to use the best means. God, they knew, was to be trusted, but not tempted; and this is the very difference between true faith and vain presumption.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
no such deed done. “The days of Giheah”became proverbial. Compare Hos 9:9; Hos 10:9.