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Judges 20:1 open_in_new
Congregation] This word is only used in the later books of the OT. after Israel had ceased at the exile to be a nation: see intro. Judges 19). Dan] see on Judges 18:29. Beer-sheba] the southernmost point of Palestine, 28 m. SW. of Hebron. See Genesis 21:26; 1 Samuel 8:2; Amos 5:5.
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Judges 20:1-48 open_in_new
The Slaughter of the Benjamites
The Levite recounts his wrongs to a full assemblage of the tribes, who decree punishment upon Benjamin. Their first two attacks are unsuccessful, but the third results in the almost total extermination of the Benjamites.
1-11. The Israelites assemble at Gibeah.
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Judges 20:2 open_in_new
Four hundred thousand] contrast Judges 5:8.
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Judges 20:3 open_in_new
Mizpeh] not the place in Gilead mentioned in Judges 11:11, but on a hill about two hours' journey NW. from Jerusalem.
12-29. The defeats of the Israelites.
12. The responsibility for the outrage is regarded as resting on the whole tribe.
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Judges 20:15 open_in_new
In Judges 20:44-47 only 25,600 men are accounted for. LXX here reads 25,000, and neglects the 700 men of Judges 20:16.
16. See on Judges 3:16.
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Judges 20:18 open_in_new
Cp. 12. Bethel (RV) would be some four hours' distance to the N. After this journey the whole army marches back to Gibeah.
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Judges 20:23 open_in_new
This v., placed in brackets, should really precede Judges 20:22, on which Judges 20:24 properly follows.
25. In these two battles the Israelites thus lose a tenth of their whole number.
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Judges 20:26 open_in_new
House of God] RV 'Bethel.' Burnt offerings.. peace offerings] Sacrifices in which the whole was consumed on the altar, and sacrifices in which part was eaten by the worshippers at a common meal.
27, 28. This parenthesis is added to explain why Bethel was visited, and not Shiloh, as might have been expected from the statements made in Joshua 18:10 and 1 Samuel 4:3. If the note about Phinehas is correct, these events must have taken place in the first generation after Joshua.
30-48. The destruction of Benjamin.
31. The same stratagem as that which had proved successful at Ai (Joshua 8:16). House of God] RV 'Bethel,' as in Judges 20:26.
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Judges 20:33 open_in_new
Baaltamar] unknown.
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Judges 20:35 open_in_new
The Lord] Israel's success is really Jehovah's. This v. anticipates the end of the story. In the whole narrative there is a good deal of misplacement (e.g. Judges 20:37; Judges 20:39) and redundancy (e.g. Judges 20:31-32). Judges 20:36 commences what is really a second account of the battle, with a very much fuller conclusion.
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Judges 20:37 open_in_new
Drew themselves along] 'moved forward.'
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Judges 20:42 open_in_new
The wilderness] i.e. to the more desolate region lying to the E.
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Judges 20:43 open_in_new
With ease] RV 'at their resting place,' or, as RM, 'at Menuhah.' The sunrising] i.e. the E.
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Judges 20:45 open_in_new
Rimmon] 3 m. E. of Bethel. Gidom is unknown.
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Judges 20:48 open_in_new
The men of every city] RV 'the entire city,' or, as RM, 'the inhabited city.'