Bible Commentary

And the people the men of Israel encouraged themselves, and set their battle again in array in the place where they put themselves in array the first day. 22. To make sense this and Jdg 20:23 should change places. After the men of Israel the Vulgate adds trusting to their prowess and numbers, i.e. it … Continue reading “Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Judges 20:22”

And the children of Benjamin came forth out of Gibeah, and destroyed down to the ground of the Israelites that day twenty and two thousand men. 21. The numbers here and in Jdg 20:25 are again prodigious: the Benjamites, without losing a man themselves (as is implied in Jdg 20:35 ; Jdg 20:44-47), kill 40,000 … Continue reading “Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Judges 20:21”

And the men of Israel went out to battle against Benjamin; and the men of Israel put themselves in array to fight against them at Gibeah. 20 . From B; repeating the substance of Jdg 20:19 (from A). The words went out set the battle in array against them occur in Gen 14:8, a document … Continue reading “Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Judges 20:20”

And the children of Israel rose up in the morning, and encamped against Gibeah. And the children of Israel rose up in the morning,…. After they had had counsel at Shiloh, and which perhaps was by a deputation sent thither: and encamped against Gibeah: formed a camp near Gibeah of 360,000 men, enough to have … Continue reading “Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Judges 20:19”

And the children of Israel arose, and went up to the house of God, and asked counsel of God, and said, Which of us shall go up first to the battle against the children of Benjamin? And the LORD said, Judah [shall go up] first. 18. The Israelite host is mustered ( Jdg 20:17), and … Continue reading “Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Judges 20:18”

And the men of Israel, beside Benjamin, were numbered four hundred thousand men that drew sword: all these [were] men of war. The men of Israel, to wit, such as were here present, Jdg 20:2, for otherwise it is most probable they had a far greater number of men, being 600,000 before their entrance into … Continue reading “Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Judges 20:17”

Among all this people [there were] seven hundred chosen men left-handed; every one could sling stones at a hair [breadth], and not miss. 16. Then, keeping the text of this v. as it stands, we are told that the Benjamite host included a company of 700 left-handed and exceptionally skilful warriors, just as David’s army … Continue reading “Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Judges 20:16”

And the children of Benjamin were numbered at that time out of the cities twenty and six thousand men that drew sword, beside the inhabitants of Gibeah, which were numbered seven hundred chosen men. 15. The figures in this account are inconsistent. The entire muster of Benjamites is reckoned here at 26,700; while Jdg 20:35 … Continue reading “Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Judges 20:15”

But the children of Benjamin gathered themselves together out of the cities unto Gibeah, to go out to battle against the children of Israel. 14-17. the children of Benjamingathered themselves together out of the cities unto GibeahAllowingtheir valor to be ever so great, nothing but blind passion andunbending obstinacy could have impelled them to take … Continue reading “Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Judges 20:14”

Now therefore deliver [us] the men, the children of Belial, which [are] in Gibeah, that we may put them to death, and put away evil from Israel. But the children of Benjamin would not hearken to the voice of their brethren the children of Israel: 13. deliver up the men that we may put them … Continue reading “Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Judges 20:13”