Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Judges 20:10
And we will take ten men of a hundred throughout all the tribes of Israel, and a hundred of a thousand, and a thousand out of ten thousand, to fetch victual for the people, that they may do, when they come to Gibeah of Benjamin, according to all the folly that they have wrought in Israel.
10. ten men ten thousand) All this merely amounts to ‘one man in ten’; 40,000 are to forage for the 360,000. We are reminded of the circumstantial diffuseness of P, e.g. Num 1:2; Num 1:20; Num 1:22 etc.; see Driver, Introd, p. 130. The style of the verse is remarkably poor; e.g. the single prep. lamedh = to is used nine times in a variety of senses; and the text is corrupt. The rendering that they may do when they come smooths over the awkwardness of the Hebr. The LXX. cod. A suggests a slight change and transposes the words, reading for the people that come to do to G. etc. The trouble lies in the expression for when they come (or that come); Moore and Budde would omit it as a gloss on the people; indeed there is no other way of obtaining a satisfactory sentence. The connexion is much improved by transposing the two halves of the v. and connecting with Jdg 20:9: we will go up against it by lot, to do to G. of B. according to in Israel; and we will take ten men to fetch victual for the people (Moore). Geba (see marg.) is a mistake for Gibeah, cf. Jdg 20:33.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
In order to make it possible for the force of Israel to keep the field, and do to the men of Gibeah what their wickedness deserved, every tenth man (40,000 in all) was appointed to find provisions for the whole army.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 10. Ten men of a hundred] Expecting that they might have a long contest, they provide suttlers for the camp; and it is probable that they chose these tenths by lot.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
That they may do according to all the folly that they have wrought; that we may punish them as such a wickedness deserves.
In Israel: this is added as an aggravation, that they should do that in Israel, or among Gods peculiar people, which was esteemed abominable even among the heathen.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
And we will take ten men of an hundred, throughout all the tribes of Israel,…. Excepting that of Benjamin which was not with them, not any of them:
and a hundred out of a thousand, and a thousand out of ten thousand; in all 40,000, out of the 400,000:
to fetch victual for the people; ten men were to provide food for ninety, and one hundred men for nine hundred, and 1000 men for 9000, in all 40,000, for 360,000; these were either to go to their own tribes and habitations, or to the towns and cities adjacent, to procure food for this large army; for they came from their homes without any provision, not knowing that the affair would keep them long; but perceiving that it would require time before it could be determined, they judged it the wisest method for some to be appointed to take care of provision for the army, that it might not be scattered about on that account, but pursue the war with vigour till satisfaction was obtained:
that they might do, when they came to Gibeah of Benjamin, according to all the folly that they have wrought in Israel; punish with death the delinquents, and chastise the inhabitants, and especially the magistrates, for their connivance at such wicked persons among them, and negligence of doing their duty.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(10) Ten men of an hundred.A tenth of the nation, chosen probably by lot, is to be responsible for the commissariat. They do not anticipate any other difficulty.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
Jdg 20:10 And we will take ten men of an hundred throughout all the tribes of Israel, and an hundred of a thousand, and a thousand out of ten thousand, to fetch victual for the people, that they may do, when they come to Gibeah of Benjamin, according to all the folly that they have wrought in Israel.
Ver. 10. To fetch victual for the people. ] For, Animantis cuiusque vita in fuga est, saith the philosopher: Were it not for the repair of nutrition, the natural life would soon be extinguished.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
ten thousand: or, myriad, Gen 24:60
Reciprocal: Deu 22:21 – she hath wrought Jdg 20:6 – folly in Israel Jdg 21:1 – had sworn Neh 11:1 – one of ten Jon 1:7 – and let
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
20:10 And we will take ten men of an hundred throughout all the tribes of Israel, and an hundred of a thousand, and a thousand out of ten thousand, to fetch {g} victual for the people, that they may do, when they come to Gibeah of Benjamin, according to all the folly that they have wrought in Israel.
(g) Only these would be charged to provide food for the rest.