Judg. 20 The Israelites assemble at Mizpeh: the Levite declares his wrong, Judg. 20:1–7. Their decree, Judg. 20:8–11, They require the delinquents of the Benjamites to do justice on them; they are denied, Judg. 20:12–17.

All the children of Israel, i.e. a great number, and especially the rulers of all the tribes, except Benjamin, Judg. 20:3, Judg. 20:12. Went out, from their several habitations. As one man, i.e. with one consent.

The chief, Heb. the corners, i.e. the nobles and rulers, which are oft so called, because, like corner-stones, they both unite, and support, and adorn the whole building. Four hundred thousand, or, and four hundred thousand.

The children of Benjamin heard; like persons unconcerned and resolved, they neither went nor sent thither; partly, from their own pride, and stubbornness, and self-confidence; partly, because as they were loth to give up any of their brethren to justice, so they presumed the other tribes would…

The Levite; to whose relation the other two gave them consent.

Thought to have slain me; except I would either submit to their unnatural lust, which I was resolved to withstand even unto death; or deliver up my concubine to them, which I was forced to do.

i.e. A lewd folly; most ignominious and impudent wickedness.

Children of Israel; the sons of that holy man, who for one filthy action left all eternal brand upon one of his own sons; a people in covenant with the holy God, whose honour you are obliged to vindicate, and who hath expressly commanded you to punish all such notorious enormities.

We will not any of us go to his tent, i.e. his habitation, to wit, until we have revenged this injury.

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 God’s peculiar people, which was esteemed abominable even among the heathen.

The tribe, Heb. tribes; either the plural number for the singular; or rather tribe is put for family, as was noted before, as families are elsewhere put for tribes.

Put away evil; both the guilt and the punishment, wherein all Israel will be involved, if they do not punish it. The children of Benjamin would not hearken; partly, from the pride of their hearts, which made them scorn to submit it, their brethren, or to suffer them to meddle in their territory;…

Object. This agrees not with the following numbers; for all that were slain of Benjamin were 25, 100 men, Judg. 20:35, and there were only 600 that survived, Judg. 20:47, which make only 25, 700. Answ. The other thousand men were either left in some of their cities, where they were slain, Judg.

Left-handed, Heb. shut up on their right hand, i.e. using their left hand instead of their right. Every one could sling stones at an hair breadth, and not miss; an hyperbolical expression, signifying that they could do this with great exactness.

The men of Israel, to wit, such as were here present, Judg. 20:2, for otherwise it is most probable they had a far greater number of men, being 600, 000 before their entrance into Canaan, Num. 1:2.

The children of Israel, i.e. some sent in the name of all. To the house of God, to wit, to Shiloh, which was not far from Mizpeh, where they were. Which of us shall go up first to the battle? this they ask to prevent emulations and contentions; but they do not ask whether they should go against…

Quest. Why would God suffer them to have so great a loss in so good a cause? Answ. Because they had many and great sins reigning amongst themselves, and they should not have come to so great a work of God as this with polluted hands, but should have pulled the beam out of their own eye, before they…

Encouraged themselves, Heb. strengthened themselves; partly by supporting themselves with the conscience of the justice of their cause, and the hopes of success; and partly by putting themselves in better order for defending themselves, and annoying their enemies.

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…

Sat there before the Lord, and fasted; being now sensible of their former slightness, and now being truly humbled for their sins, which now they discover to be the true cause of their ill success. Offered burnt-offerings, to make atonement to God for their own sins.

Inquired of the Lord, to wit, by Urim and Thummim, Num. 27:21. Was there in Shiloh, where they were now assembled.

Phinehas the son of Eleazar: this is added to give us some light about the time of this history, and to show it was not done in the order in which it is here placed, after Samson’s death, but long before. Stood, i.e. ministered, as the word stand oft signifies, as Deut. 10:8, Deut. 18:7, Prov.

Though they were assured of the success by a particular and absolute promise, yet they do not neglect the use of means; as well knowing that the certainty of God’s purposes or promises doth not excuse, but rather require man’s diligent use of all fit means for the accomplishment of them.

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 Judg. 20:32.

Drawn away from the city, by the dissembled flight of the Israelites. As at other times; with the same kind, though not with the same degree of success.

Out of their place; where they had disposed themselves, that they might fall upon the Benjamites, when they were drawn forth to a sufficient distance from their city, and when they were pursuing that party, mentioned Judg. 20:30.

Chosen men out of all Israel; selected out of the main body, which was at Baal-tamar; and these were to march directly to Gibeah on the one side, whilst the liers in wait stormed it on the other side, and whilst the great body of the army laboured to intercept these Benjamites, who, having pursued…

This is the total sum, whereof the particulars are related Judg. 20:11, Judg. 20:45; and for the odd hundred not there mentioned, they were killed in other places not there expressed.

Drew themselves along, or, extended themselves, i.e. whereas before they lay close and contracted into a narrow compass, now they spread themselves, and marched in rank and file, as armies do. Or, marched or went, Heb. drew their feet. So this verb is oft, used, as Gen. 37:28, Ex. 12:21, Judg.

The men of Benjamin were amazed, because of their great disappointment, and the present danger wherewith they were surrounded on every side.

The battle, i.e. the men of battle or war; the abstract for the concrete, as poverty, 2 Kings 24:14, pride, Ps. 36:11, deceit, Prov. 12:5, dreams, Jer. 27:9, election, Rom. 11:7, are put for persons that are poor, proud, deceitful, dreamers, elect.

With ease; without great difficulty. Now that God gave them his presence and assistance, they easily did that which before they found too hard for them. Or, unto Menuchah; or, as far as Menuchah; a place so called. See 1 Chron. 2:52, Jer. 51:59.

There fell, to wit, in the field, or battle.

They gleaned, i.e. they cut off the remainders in the pursuit, and spared none; a metaphor from those who gather grapes or corn so clearly and fitly, that they leave no relics for those who come after them.

Twenty and five thousand, besides the odd hundred expressed Judg. 20:35; but here only the great number is expressed, the less being omitted, as inconsiderable; which way of numbering is frequent in Scripture, as Judg. 11:26, 2 Sam.

In a cave within that rock, where they fortified themselves and fetched in provision as they had opportunity; which they could easily do, when the heat of the battle was over, and the Israelites were not solicitous to pursue them farther.

Having destroyed those that came to Gibeah, and into the field, now they follow them home to their several habitations. The men of every city; comprehensively taken, so as to include women and children.