Juízes 20
Warren Wiersbe · Citado em PreceptAustin
Juízes 20
Wiersbe - With the Word) God’s people today need to deal with sin in their lives (2Co 7:1+) and in the church family (1Co 5:1-13+). Unconfessed sin is like uncontrolled disease which spreads and it kills. Or to use a modern example (2020-21) it is like a COVID infection which will make you as sick as you have ever felt and can kill you! Central Location of Mizpah N of Jerusalem, S of Bethel (Click to enlarge) It does not appear that the Israelites on this occasion, were summoned by the authority of any one common head, but they came together by the consent and agreement, as it were, of one common heart, fired with a holy zeal for the honour of God and Israel. The place of their meeting was Mizpah which was near to Shiloh, the residence of the priests that attended the tabernacle. G Campbell
Juízes 20
Wiersbe adds that "When God’s people refuse to obey God’s Word, the results are always tragic. The spiritual life of a church is crippled and eventually destroyed when the congregation shuts its eyes to sin and will not discipline offenders. There can never be unity among the people of God as long as some of them cover up sin and allow it to infect the body. (See context The Wiersbe Bible Commentary) But the sons of Benjamin would not listen to the voice of their brothers, the sons of Israel - This is a sad "but" as giving over the guilty parties would spare many other lives (as we see from the number of "body bags" in the following account. The sons of Benjamin were harboring the sons of Belial and were guilty by association, in a sense accomplices to one of the most violent crimes in Israel's history. Like many today (even in the church), the Benjaminites were unable to accept reproof and had a false sense of loyalty in protecting men who were guilty of a heinous crime. The only solution would be that they would have to learn the hard way. (cf Pr 29:1, Pr 6:15). When sin isn’t exposed, confessed, and punished, it pollutes society and defiles the land. -- Warren Wiersbe Wiersbe - Some people may have interpreted the stubbornness of Benjamin as an act of patriotism (ED: OR "LOYALTY") They were only trying to protect their own citizens. But their refusal to cooperate was definitely an act of rebellion against the Lord. By coming to the aid of Gibeah rather than joining in the punishment of that city the tribe identified with the wicked men and merited their punishment. When sin isn’t exposed, confessed, and punished, it pollutes society and defiles the land (ED: WOE TO AMERICA WHERE CRIMINALS ARE LET OUT OF JAIL ESPECIALLY IN STATES LIKE CALIFORNIA!!! THE LAW OF SOWING AND REAPING IS IMMUTABLE!). The wicked men of Gibeah were like a cancerous tumor in the body that had to be cut out. (1Co 5:6+, 1Co 15:33+) (See context in The Wiersbe Bible Commentary) Block has an interesting thought on why the Benjaminites refused to hand over the guilty men - “The extent to which people will stand up to defend evil and evildoers is a measure of how deeply rooted is the Canaanizing rot in a culture.” (Borrow Judges, Ruth. Vol. 6: New American Commentary) Worthless (wicked, Belial)(01100) beliyyaal from belî + yaʿal: "not, without" and "to be of use, worth, or profit.") A worthless person, good for nothing to himself or others, and capable of nothing but mischief.The LXX renders it according to the context by the terms paranomos, anomia, and aphrōn, i.e. "lawless, lawlessness, witless." By the NT time, Belial had become synonymous with Satan (cf. 2 Cor. 6:15). Remove (purge as in the 8 uses below) (01197) ba'ar is a verb used more often figuratively than literally and is normally translated "to burn," "to be kindled" or "to consume." PURGE THE EVIL FROM YOUR MIDST The sons of Benjamin had either forgotten or choose to ignore God's repeated warning about purging evil for their midst. This principle was given by God so that the evil would not spread like leaven, that power would not be dissipated or as in the present case an entire tribe might not disappear! Below are the 9 passages and it is no accident that they are all in Deuteronomy, Israel's "instruction manual" (so to speak) on how to live and prosper in the Promised Land... Deuteronomy 13:5 “But that prophet or that dreamer of dreams shall be put to death, because he has counseled rebellion against the LORD your God who brought you from the land of Egypt and redeemed you from the house of slavery, to seduce you from the way in which the LORD your God commanded you to walk. So you shall purge the evil from among you. Deuteronomy 17:7 “The hand of the witnesses shall be first against him to put him to death, and afterward the hand of all the people. So you shall purge the evil from your midst. Deuteronomy 17:12 “The man who acts presumptuously by not listening to the priest who stands there to serve the LORD your God, nor to the judge, that man shall die; thus you shall purge the evil from Israel. Deuteronomy 19:19 then you shall do to him just as he had intended to do to his brother. Thus you shall purge the evil from among you. Deuteronomy 22:21 then they shall bring out the girl to the doorway of her father’s house, and the men of her city shall stone her to death because she has committed an act of folly in Israel by playing the harlot in her father’s house; thus you shall purge the evil from among you. Deuteronomy 22:22 “If a man is found lying with a married woman, then both of them shall die, the man who lay with the woman, and the woman; thus you shall purge the evil from Israel. Deuteronomy 22:24 * then you shall bring them both out to the gate of that city and you shall stone them to death; the girl, because she did not cry out in the city, and the man, because he has violated his neighbor’s wife. Thus you shall purge the evil from among you. Deuteronomy 24:7 “If a man is caught kidnapping any of his countrymen of the sons of Israel, and he deals with him violently or sells him, then that thief shall die; so you shall purge the evil from among you. THOUGHT - What is your church's stand on Biblical church discipline? God is serious about purging evil from His people and this surely applies to His Church. Not being willing to purge the evil from the tribe of Benjamin cost them dearly! Believers today need to deal with sin in their lives personally (2Co 7:1+) and corporately (1Cor 5:1-13+) “Sin is the mother and nurse of all evil, the egg of all mischief, the fountain of all bitterness, the root of misery.” -- C H Spurgeon QUESTION - What does the Bible say about church discipline? ANSWER - Church discipline is the process of correcting sinful behavior among members of a local church body for the purpose of protecting the church, restoring the sinner to a right walk with God, and renewing fellowship among the church members. In some cases, church discipline can proceed all the way to excommunication, which is the formal removal of an individual from church membership and the informal separation from that individual. Matthew 18:15–20 gives the procedure and authority for a church to practice church discipline. Jesus instructs us that one individual (usually the offended party) is to go to the offending individual privately. If the offender refuses to acknowledge his sin and repent, then two or three others go to confirm the details of the situation. If there is still no repentance—the offender remains firmly attached to his sin, despite two chances to repent—the matter is taken before the church. The offender then has a third chance to repent and forsake his sinful behavior. If at any point in the process of church discipline, the sinner heeds the call to repent, then “you have gained your brother” (verse 15, ESV). However, if the discipline continues all the way through the third step without a positive response from the offender, then, Jesus said, “let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector” (verse 17, ESV). The process of church discipline is never pleasant just as a father never delights in having to discipline his children. Sometimes, though, church discipline is necessary. The purpose of church discipline is not to be mean-spirited or to display a holier-than-thou attitude. Rather, the goal of church discipline is the restoration of the individual to full fellowship with both God and other believers. The discipline is to start privately and gradually become more public. It is to be done in love toward the individual, in obedience to God, and in godly fear for the sake of others in the church. The Bible’s instructions concerning church discipline imply the necessity of church membership. The church and its pastor are responsible for the spiritual well-being of a certain group of people (members of the local church), not of everyone in the city. In the context of church discipline, Paul asks, “What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside?” (1 Corinthians 5:12). The candidate for church discipline has to be “inside” the church and accountable to the church. He professes faith in Christ yet continues in undeniable sin. The Bible gives an example of church discipline in a local church—the church of Corinth (1 Corinthians 5:1–13). In this case, the discipline led to excommunication, and the apostle Paul gives some reasons for the discipline. One is that sin is like yeast; if allowed to exist, it spreads to those nearby in the same way that “a little yeast works through the whole batch of dough” (1 Corinthians 5:6–7). Also, Paul explains that Jesus saved us so that we might be set apart from sin, that we might be “unleavened” or free from that which causes spiritual decay (1 Corinthians 5:7–8). Christ’s desire for His bride, the church, is that she might be pure and undefiled (Ephesians 5:25–27). The testimony of Christ Jesus (and His church) before unbelievers is important, too. When David sinned with Bathsheba, one of the consequences of his sin was that the name of the one true God was blasphemed by God’s enemies (2 Samuel 12:14). Hopefully, any disciplinary action a church takes against a member is successful in bringing about godly sorrow and true repentance. When repentance occurs, the individual can be restored to fellowship. The man involved in the 1 Corinthians 5 passage repented, and Paul later encouraged the church to restore him to full fellowship with the church (2 Corinthians 2:5–8). Unfortunately, disciplinary action, even when done correctly and in love, is not always successful in bringing about restoration. Even when church discipline fails to bring about repentance, it is still needed to accomplish other good purposes such as maintaining a good testimony in the world. We have all likely witnessed the behavior of a youngster who is always allowed to do as he pleases with no consistent discipline. It is not a pretty sight. Nor is the overly permissive parent loving, for a lack of guidance dooms the child to a dismal future. Undisciplined, out-of-control behavior will keep the child from forming meaningful relationships and performing well in any kind of setting. Similarly, discipline in the church, while never enjoyable or easy, is necessary at times. In fact, it is loving. And it is commanded by God. GotQuestions.org And put away evil from Israel. The earnestness and promptness with which Israel dealt with and put away this evil thing were very commendable. They had gathered from all the land, even from Gilead beyond the Jordan. They were knit together in a perfect unity of feeling and action. They resolved to subordinate all things beside to the excision of this evil. So must it be in the Church. The Lord Himself took Ananias and Sapphira out of the infant Church, and the Apostle very earnestly besought and commanded the Corinthians to put away from among them the wicked person, who had committed a sin that would not be named among the Gentiles. “Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us; therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth” (1Co 5:7,8). At the close of this age God will send forth his angels, to sever the wicked from among the just, and to cast them into the furnace of fire. In our own life it is impossible altogether to avoid contact with such people. Indeed, to do so, as the Apostle says truly, we must go out of the world. But we can abstain from their friendship and company. It is an altogether different thing to have dealings with a worldly man in business, and to admit him into bosom fellowship and comradeship in our leisure hours. The first is permissible, but not the second; else our companions will seduce us from our loyalty to God. Beware of taking on the color of the ground on which you lie. “I pray not that Thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that Thou shouldest keep them from the evil.” Judges 20:14 And the sons of Benjamin gathered from the cities to Gibeah, to go out to battle against the sons of Israel. Nu 20:20 21:23 2Ch 13:13 Job 15:25,26 BENJAMINITES PREPARE TO PAY THE PIPER! Pay the piper is an idiom that means to face, accept, or suffer repercussions for one's actions or words, especially those that would be expected to incur punishment. And the sons of Benjamin gathered from the cities to Gibeah, to go out to battle against the sons of Israel - Not only did the tribe of Benjamin refuse to give up the guilty men, but they in effect declare war on the other 11 tribes! So even though this event was likely early in the 300+ year period of Judges, it demonstrates that their logic and sense of "right and wrong" was already dysfunctional! What had begun as a punitive operation against one city now turned into full-scale civil war. Later the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh were to engage in bitter fighting (Jdg 12:4-6), but here it was not a regional but a national conflict of 11 tribes against 1! The men of Benjamin had a good reputation as excellent soldiers, as had been predicted by Jacob in Ge 49:27. Their ability with the bow and the sling shot were well known (Jdg 20:16), and even in the time of Saul some Benjamites could use the sling with either hand (1Chr 8:40; 1Chr 12:2). Perhaps pride muddled their thinking and they thought that their superior skill could offset the great numerical disadvantage. Pride and self-confidence would prove costly, and sadly for both sides! The foolish, sinful action of the tribe of Benjamin reminds me of the "right in your own eyes" mindset that has in effect stolen righteousness from this nation as deceived men and women now call evil good and good evil (Isaiah 5:20+). We are "cruising for a bruising" in this country. Send revival Lord and if you don't, send your Son to jettison us out of this mucky moral mess! Please! Paul spoke of this general acceptance of evil as the final stage in rejecting the knowledge of God in Romans 1 writing "and although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them." (WOE! - THAT'S MY ADDITION NOT PAUL'S!) (Romans 1:32+). A society that refuses to accept guilt, in the sense of distinguishing right from wrong and punishing the offender, will soon prove impossible to govern! -- David Jackman David Jackman has some superb observations and powerful, pithy applications - "There is not the slightest doubt as to the action the leaders of the tribe of Benjamin should have taken when they were confronted with the moral responsibility of the crime they allowed the citizens of Gibeah to perpetrate. Either they should have punished the offenders themselves or handed them over to the nation’s representatives, as demanded in verse 13. But they refused to do this, although the guilt of the men of Gibeah was proved beyond question. Instead, they chose to regard the accusation as a personal attack on the tribe and began to mobilize an army of twenty-six thousand men to defend the guilty. By way of application, we need to remember that there is no clearer indication of moral sickness than when wrongdoing is condoned or even defended on the grounds of family or national solidarity and loyalty… In our society… Sins are laundered verbally to make them acceptable, or at least tolerated, to an increasingly undisciplined populace. Adultery is redefined as “wife swapping” or “having an affair.” Homosexuality becomes “a gay lifestyle.” Theft at work is acceptable if it is “the perks of the job.” Lies are always “white,” the truth always “selective.” Greed is sanitized as “upward social mobility.” The examples are endless. The purpose is always the same—to remove my sense of moral guilt, and so to pretend that if something sounds OK and people feel comfortable with it, that’s all that matters. Whether it is in the TV ads or in the newspapers, the circumstances are glamorized and visual images of social acceptability, fun, wealth, and vitality are all used to anaesthetize the conscience, to pretend that “anything goes.” This was the situation in Israel; but the lesson, then and now, is that a society that refuses to accept guilt, in the sense of distinguishing right from wrong and punishing the offender (ED: AS IS OCCURRING IN CALIFORNIA), will soon prove impossible to govern. Everyone will do what is right in his or her own eyes, and there will be no ultimate restraints. Might becomes right (ED: WITNESS THE GANGS TAKING TO STREETS LOOTING STORES UNDER THE GUISE OF SOCIAL JUSTICE!), and civilization ceases… The tragedy of Israel was that these symptoms were not dealt with when they first appeared, because there was no king. Those of us who are entrusted with authority within the biblical structures of home, church, or nation, have a heavy responsibility before God to use it responsibly in love to Him and to our neighbor." (See context in Jackman, D., & Ogilvie, L. J. Vol. 7: The Preacher's Commentary Series, Judges, Ruth. Page 285) Judges 20:15 And from the cities on that day the sons of Benjamin were numbered, 26,000 men who draw the sword, besides the inhabitants of Gibeah who were numbered, 700 choice men. Jdg 20:25,35,46,47 Nu 26:41 Judges 20 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries BENJAMITES PUT THEIR TROOPS WHERE THEIR MOUTH IS Put your money where you mouth is means to do, live up to, or follow through on something one talks about, threatens, or promises, especially (but not always) when it involves spending money. The Benjaminites said they would defend the parties guilty of the gruesome murder of the concubine. So ready, set, go! Action, camera! The show is about to begin and what a tragic drama is about to play out! And from the cities on that day the sons of Benjamin were numbered, 26,000 men who draw the sword, besides the inhabitants of Gibeah who were numbered, 700 choice men - They will clearly be outnumbered but not necessarily outgunned (so to speak). Remember they have these 700 crack "black ops" troops who will help neutralize their numbers disadvantage! Dale Ralph Davis notes that the "crack Seven Hundred Unit (v. 16) will have to be reckoned with. This number formed an elite corps of left-handed super-slingers, renowned for their deadly accuracy. They may have been the reason Benjamin had initial success against the other tribes. Most soldiers were probably right-handed and carried their shields on their left arms. That would provide normal defense against right-handed slingers, but lefty slingers would be hurling at a different angle toward the unguarded side,11 and, if these left-handers could hit a hair (v. 16), they could surely smash a right ear." (Judges: Such Great Salvation) Judges 20:16 Out of all these people 700 choice men were left-handed; each one could sling a stone at a hair and not miss. NOT 007 BUT 700 JAMES BOND LIKE MEN! Out of all these people 700 choice men were left-handed - These guys were the cream of the crop, the best of the best. And they were did not even need runners to bring in artillery shells, for if you have ever been to Israel, you know there is no rock shortage for these straight shooting soldiers! The word left-handed (Itter yad yemeeno) is literally "obstructed in his right hand;" so the Chaldee Targum, {gemid beedaih deyammeena,} contracted or impeded in his right hand." Lev Clerc observes, that the 700 men left-handed seem therefore to have been made slingers, because they could not use the right hand, which is employed in managing heavier arms; and they could discharge the stones from the sling in a direction against which their opponents were not on their guard, and thus do even greater damage. Ehud was another hand picked (pun) left-handed jabber! (Jdg 3:15+) The king to be, David had some crack troops in the men who joined his "Robin Hood" band as describe in 1Ch 12:1-2 Now these are the ones who came to David at Ziklag, while he was still restricted because of Saul the son of Kish; and they were among the mighty men who helped him in war. 2 They were equipped with bows, using both the right hand and the left to sling stones and to shoot arrows from the bow; (THIS IS AN INCREDIBLE FEAT - I PLAYED FAIRLY GOOD BASKETBALL AND NEVER COULD SHOOT AS WELL WITH MY LEFT HAND AS WITH MY RIGHT! THESE GUYS ARE "NBA" MATERIAL FOR SURE!) they were Saul’s kinsmen from Benjamin. Each one could sling a stone at a hair and not miss. (KJV ~ "at an hair breadth") - They formed an important component in the armies of Jehoram (2Ki 3:25) and Uzziah (2Chr 26:14) several centuries later. Slingstones, weighing one pound or more, could be propelled at speeds up to 90-100mph (THAT'S PRETTY FAST AND DOES NOT GIVE MUCH TIME TO DUCK OUT OF THE WAY. A BULLET TRAVELS AT ABOUT 1772.727 MPH AND THERE IS VIRTUALLY CHANCE TO DUCK), and thus were extremely effective weapons in the hands of a skilled slinger like David proved in his victory over Goliath. Arthur Cundall adds that "“The sling, which was employed with a left-handed motion, must not be confused with the modern schoolboy’s catapult; it was a formidable weapon of war used in the Assyrian, Egyptian, and Babylonian armies as well as in Israel. David’s encounter with the Philistine, Goliath, is a telling example of the power and accuracy of this weapon (I Sa. 17:49). It has been estimated that stones weighing up to one pound could be projected with uncanny accuracy at speeds up to 90 m.p.h.!" (Borrow Judges & Ruth: Tyndale Old Testament Commentary) The phrase miss is the Hebrew verb chata' which is the common word for sin, sin being the missing of the mark of God's law. If we "miss God's mark" even by a millimeter (so to speak), it is still a miss and therefore is just as much a sin before God as if we have missed by a mile! HISTORICAL NOTE - Sling stones - The sling was a very ancient warlike instrument; and, in the hands of those who were skilled in the use of it, produced astonishing effects. The inhabitants of the islands of Baleares, now Majorca and Minorca, were the most celebrated slingers of antiquity. They did not permit their children to break their fast, till they had struck down the bread they had to eat from the top of a pole, or some distant eminence. Vegetius tells us, that slingers could in general hit the mark at 600 feet distance (THINK ABOUT THAT AS YOU PONDER THAT THE NORMAL FOOTBALL FIELD IS 360 FEET! I AM 76 AND CAN'T EVEN SEE THINGS 600 FT FROM ME, MUCH LESS HIT THEM WITH A ROCK FROM A SLING!) . 1Sa 17:40,49,50 25:29 2Ch 26:14 Miss (02398) chata' means to miss the way, to fail; to err, to swerve from truth, to go wrong, to sin. The literal use describes an accurate shot by slingshot Jdg 20:16 - they could "not miss (chata')." Pr 19:2 conveys a related meaning of chata' in those versions that translate it as "miss the way." (Pr 19:2NIV) As Vine says "From this basic meaning comes the word’s chief usage to indicate moral failure toward both God and men, and certain results of such wrongs." When man sins he has missed the mark, the goal, or the way that God has set as standard. In an ironic use, the intensive (Piel) stem can mean "purified" or "to de-sin" and to to cleanse (Ex 29:36, David's request of God to purify him - Ps 51:7, Lxx = rhantizo = to sprinkle, figuratively = inward cleansing = "hearts sprinkled" - Heb 10:22; cf purify in Nu 8:21; 19:12,13, 20; 31:19, 20, 23). Judges 20:17 Then the men of Israel besides Benjamin were numbered, 400,000 men who draw the sword; all these were men of war. four hundred - Jdg 20:2 Nu 1:46 26:51 1Sa 11:8 15:4 1Ch 21:5 2Ch 17:14-18 Judges 20 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries TALK ABOUT A NUMBERS ADVANTAGE! Then the men of Israel besides Benjamin were numbered, 400,000 men who draw the sword; all these were men of war - This is almost a 20 to one advantage. Surely there is no way they could lose! Right? Wrong! The forces of Israel comprised a powerful army, but remember the immutable principle (even though it is found in a proverb) that "The horse is prepared for the day of battle, But victory belongs to the LORD." (Proverbs 21:31, cf Ps 144:10NIV) And here's a fact for your next Christian party where you play Bible Trivia! This was the largest army the nation of Israel had ever assembled up to this point! Keil and Delitzsch Commentary…The forces of the other tribes amounted when numbered to 400,000 men. These numbers (26,000 Benjaminites and 400,000 Israelites) will not appear too great if we consider that the whole of the congregation of Israel took part in the war, with the simple exception of Jabesh in Gilead (Jdg. 21:8), and that in the time of Moses the twelve tribes numbered more than 600,000 men of twenty years old and upwards (Num. 26), so that not much more than two-thirds of the whole of the fighting men went out to the war. (Judges 20 Commentary) Judges 20:18 Now the sons of Israel arose, went up to Bethel, and inquired of God, and said, "Who shall go up first for us to battle against the sons of Benjamin?" Then the LORD said, "Judah shall go up first." Bethel - Jdg 18:31 19:18 Jos 18:1 Joe 1:14 inquired of God- Jdg 20:7,23,26,27 1:1 Nu 27:5,21 Jos 9:14 Judah - Jdg 1:1,2 Ge 49:8-10 Judges 20 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries SEEKING THE GUIDANCE OF GOD IS IT BETTER LATE THAN NEVER? Better late than never describes the delayed occurrence or achievement of something that one desires and which is better than it not happening at all. I suppose one could argue that it is still better to inquire of God later rather than never, but he subsequent opening events in this civil war would seem to argue against that premise in this particular case. Now the sons of Israel arose, went up to Bethel (house of God)(map of bethel), and inquired of God, and said - This is interesting. In Judges 20:1-10 Israel seems to rely on their human wisdom to guide them as to how best handle the guilty "sons of Belial" protected by the Benjaminites. Do we see any prayers to Yahweh in the first ten verses? You are correct! None (unless there were some silent ones the Spirit failed to record). Now they come to the House of God and say "Here's our plan God. Give us Your guidance and blessing." TECHNICAL NOTE - The mention of Bethel poses a problem, since the tabernacle was located at Shiloh (cf. Jdg 18:31). Some have suggested that the Israelites inquired of "the house of God" at Shiloh, but normally this is expressed by bet 'elohim and not bet 'el. Besides, the city Bethel is clearly intended in [Jdg 20:31, 21:19]. Bethel had been a revered location ever since the Lord revealed himself to Jacob at that site (Ge 28:11-19); so, like Mizpah (Jdg 20:1), Bethel could have been one of several suitable holy places (at least "right in their own eyes"). The ark of the covenant appears to have been moved from Shiloh to Bethel (cf. Jdg 20:26, 27). The ark frequently accompanied Israel into battle (cf. Nu 10:35). Since Phinehas the high priest stayed with the ark, it was possible to inquire of the Lord wherever Phinehas happened to be. In 2Ch 1:3-4 it is plain that at the start of Solomon's reign the tabernacle was at Gibeon while the ark was in Jerusalem. Most of the space in [Jdg 20:18-48] is devoted to a description of the fighting, with the fluctuating fortunes of the opposing sides. But the three enquiries (by the Israelites) and responses (by the Lord) in [Jdg 20:18, 23, 28] let us see what was going on at a deeper level. They show us what was happening in the minds of the Israelites and between them and the Lord as the war proceeded through its various phases. The Israelites were confident about the rightness and eventual outcome of their cause (Jdg 20:18). They were already committed to the war, and the Lord’s approval was assumed. They therefore raised a purely procedural matter: how was the campaign to be conducted? The Lord commanded Judah to go first, appropriately so possibly since the ravished concubine was from Judah (Jdg 19:1). But there was no promise of victory and none materialized; quite the reverse (Jdg 20:19, 20, 21). The second enquiry (Jdg 20:23) shows the drastic loss of confidence the enquirers had suffered as a result of their disastrous defeat. They were doubtful about the wisdom of continuing the war, and struck a conciliatory note by referring to the Benjamites as their ‘brothers’. But the Lord sent them into battle again—to another resounding defeat (Jdg 20:23, 24, 25). The Benjamites undoubtedly deserved to be punished. But the moral and spiritual state of the nation as a whole was such that holy war almost destroyed it instead of preserving it. The Lord appears to be as angry with the rest of Israel as He is with the Benjamites, and He shows it by distributing defeat and victory in such a way that the whole of Israel is judged. He is both the Judge and preserver of His wayward people. THOUGHT - They had made their plans and now were asking God to bless them! Don't we all do this for time to time? The memory of God’s past guidance in the days of Joshua sends them to the shrine at Bethel, not to ask God what they should do, or seek His help, but to go through the religious motions of receiving the divine guidance and blessing. We already know that their motivation is revenge so they could not possibly expect God’s approval. And said "Who shall go up first for us to battle against the sons of Benjamin?" Then the LORD said, "Judah shall go up first"- how different the circumstances from the similar question of Jdg 1:1+ "Who shall go up first for us against the Canaanites, to fight against them?”! IN the opening verse of this book it was a united Israel waging a war of occupation to dispossess the Canaanites and possess the land promised by God. Here the inquiry is from a divided Israel, about to engage in a bloody civil war in which brother is pitted against brother (Jdg 20:28). The victory in answer to the first prayer was given at once (Jdg 1:4). Here the victory is withheld until Israel is thoroughly broken and demoralized (Jdg 20:26-28). Indeed, the ‘holy’ war of this chapter scarcely rates as such. It was decided on at a solemn assembly (sans supplication) instigated by a Levite, a man of bad character, and concluded in a bloodbath that reeked more of vengeful excess than dispensation of justice. Guzik on Israel being defeated even though they heard from the LORD - In the first battle, Israel sought the LORD—yet they were defeated. We can speculate that though they inquired of God, they still trusted in the might of their army and in the goodness of their cause, but not in the LORD. Keil and Delitzsch Commentary…They went to Bethel, not to Shiloh, where the tabernacle was standing, because that place was too far from the seat of war. The ark of the covenant was therefore brought to Bethel, and Phinehas the high priest inquired of the Lord before it (POSSIBLY) through the Urim and Thummim (vv. 27, 28). Bethel was on the northern boundary of the tribe of Benjamin, and was consecrated to this purpose before any other place by the revelations of God which had been made to the patriarch Jacob there (Gen. 28 and 35). (Judges 20 Commentary) Bethel [EBD] house of God. (1.) A place in Central Palestine, about 10 miles north of Jerusalem, at the head of the pass of Michmash and Ai. It was originally the royal Canaanite city of Luz (Gen. 28:19). The name Bethel was at first apparently given to the sanctuary in the neighbourhood of Luz, and was not given to the city itself till after its conquest by the tribe of Ephraim. When Abram entered Canaan he formed his second encampment between Bethel and Hai (Gen. 12:8); and on his return from Egypt he came back to it, and again "called upon the name of the Lord" (Ge 13:4). Here Jacob, on his way from Beersheba to Haran, had a vision of the angels of God ascending and descending on the ladder whose top reached unto heaven (Ge 28:10, 19); and on his return he again visited this place, "where God talked with him" (Ge 35:1-15), and there he "built an altar, and called the place El-beth-el" (q.v.). To this second occasion of God's speaking with Jacob at Bethel, Hosea (Ge 12:4,5) makes reference. In troublous times the people went to Bethel to ask counsel of God (Judg. 20:18, 31; 21:2). Here the ark of the covenant was kept for a long time under the care of Phinehas, the grandson of Aaron (Jdg 20:26-28). Here also Samuel held in rotation his court of justice (1 Sam. 7:16). It was included in Israel after the kingdom was divided, and it became one of the seats of the worship of the golden calf (1 Kings 12:28-33; 13:1). Hence the prophet Hosea (Hos. 4:15; 5:8; 10:5, 8) calls it in contempt Beth-aven, i.e., "house of idols." Bethel remained an abode of priests even after the kingdom of Israel was desolated by the king of Assyria (2 Kings 17:28, 29). At length all traces of the idolatries were extirpated by Josiah, king of Judah (2 Kings 23:15-18); and the place was still in existence after the Captivity (Ezra 2:28; Neh. 7:32). It has been identified with the ruins of Beitin, a small village amid extensive ruins some 9 miles south of Shiloh. BETHEL [SMITH] (the house of God) well known city and holy place of central Palestine, about 12 miles north of Jerusalem. If we are to accept the precise definition of (Genesis 12:8) the name of Bethel would appear to have existed at this spot even before the arrival of Abram in Canaan. (Genesis 12:8; 13:3,4) Bethel was the scene of Jacob?s vision. (Genesis 28:11-19; 31:13) Jacob lived there. (Genesis 35:1-8) The original name was Luz. (Judges 1:22,23) After the conquest Bethel is frequently heard of. In the troubled times when there was no king in Israel, it was to Bethel that the people went up in their distress to ask counsel of God. (Judges 20:18,26,31; 21:2) Authorized Version, "house of God." Here was the ark of the covenant. (Judges 20:26-28; 21:4) Later it is named as one of the holy cities to which Samuel went on circuit. (1 Samuel 7:16) Here Jeroboab placed one of the two calves of gold. Toward the end of Jeroboam?s life Bethel fell into the hands of Judah. (2 Chronicles 13:19) Elijah visited Bethel, and we hear of "sons of the prophets" as resident there. (2 Kings 2:2,3) But after the destruction of Baal worship by Jehu Bethel comes once more into view. (2 Kings 10:29) After the desolation of the northern kingdom by the king of Assyria, Bethel still remained an abode of priests. (2 Kings 17:27,28) In later times Bethel is named only once under the scarcely-altered name of Beitin . Its ruins still lie on the right hand side of the road from Jerusalem to Nablus. BETHEL [ISBE] - beth'-el (beth-'el; Baithel and oikos theou, literally, "house of God"): (1) A town near the place where Abraham halted and offered sacrifice on his way south from Shechem. 1. Identification and Description: It lay West of Ai (Gen 12:8). It is named as on the northern border of Benjamin (the southern of Ephraim, Josh 16:2), at the top of the ascent from the Jordan valley by way of Ai (Josh 18:13). It lay South of Shiloh (Jdg 21:19). Eusebius, Onomasticon places it 12 Roman miles from Jerusalem, on the road to Neapolis. It is represented by the modern Beitin, a village of some 400 inhabitants, which stands on a knoll East of the road to Nablus. There are four springs which yield supplies of good water. In ancient times these were supplemented by a reservoir hewn in the rock South of the town. The surrounding country is bleak and barren, the hills being marked by a succession of stony terraces, which may have suggested the form of the ladder in Jacob's famous dream. 2. The Sanctuary: The town was originally called Luz (Gen 28:19, etc.). When Jacob came hither on his way to Paddan-aram we are told that he lighted upon "the place" (Gen 28:11. Hebrew). The Hebrew maqom, like the cognate Arabic maqam, denotes a sacred place or sanctuary. The maqom was doubtless that at which Abraham had sacrificed, East of the town. In the morning Jacob set up "for a pillar" the stone which had served as his pillow (Gen 28:18; see PILLAR, matstsebhah), poured oil upon it and called the name of the place Bethel, "house of God"; that is, of God whose epiphany was for him associated with the pillar. This spot became a center of great interest, lending growing importance to the town. In process of time the name Luz disappeared, giving place to that of the adjoining sanctuary, town and sanctuary being identified. Jacob revisited the place on his return from Paddan-aram; here Deborah, Rebekah's nurse, died and was buried under "the oak" (Gen 35:6 f). Probably on rising ground East of Bethel Abraham and Lot stood to view the uninviting highlands and the rich lands of the Jordan valley (Gen 13:9 ff). 3. History: Bethel was a royal city of the Canaanites (Josh 12:16). It appears to have been captured by Joshua (8:7), and it was allotted to Benjamin (Josh 18:22). In Jdg 1:22 ff it is represented as held by Canaanites, from whom the house of Joseph took it by treachery (compare 1 Ch 7:28). Hither the ark was brought from Gilgal (Jdg 2:1, Septuagint). Israel came to Bethel to consult the Divine oracle (Jdg 20:18), and it became an important center of worship (1 Sam 10:3). The home of the prophetess Deborah was not far off (Jdg 4:5). Samuel visited Bethel on circuit, judging Israel (1 Sam 7:16). With the disruption of the kingdom came Bethel's greatest period of splendor and significance. To counteract the influence of Jerusalem as the national religious center Jeroboam embarked on the policy which won for him the unenviable reputation of having "made Israel to sin." Here he erected a temple, set up an image, the golden calf, and established an imposing ritual. It became the royal sanctuary and the religious center of his kingdom (1 Ki 12:29 ff; Am 7:13). He placed in Bethel the priests of the high places which he had made (1 Ki 12:32). To Bethel came the man of God from Judah who pronounced doom against Jeroboam (1Ki 13:1-34), and who, having been seduced from duty by an aged prophet in Bethel, was slain by a lion. According to the prophets Amos and Hosea the splendid idolatries of Bethel were accompanied by terrible moral and religious degradation. Against the place they launched the most scathing denunciations, declaring the vengeance such things must entail (Am 3:14; 4:4; 5:11; 9:1; Hos 4:15; 5:8; 10:5,8,23). With the latter the name Bethel gives place in mockery to Beth-aven. Bethel shared in the downfall of Samaria wrought by the Assyrians; and according to an old tradition, Shalmaneser possessed himself of the golden calf (compare Jer 48:13). The priest, sent by the Assyrians to teach the people whom they had settled in the land how to serve Yahweh, dwelt in Bethel (2 Ki 17:28). King Josiah completed the demolition of the sanctuary at Bethel, destroying all the instruments of idolatry, and harrying the tombs of the idolaters. The monument of the man of God from Judah he allowed to stand (2 Ki 23:4,25). The men of Bethel were among those who returned from Babylon with Zerubbabel (Ezr 2:28; Neh 7:32), and it is mentioned as reoccupied by the Benjamites (Neh 11:31). Zechariah (7:2) records the sending of certain men from Jerusalem in the 4th year of King Darius to inquire regarding particular religious practices. Bethel was one of the towns fortified by Bacchides in the time of the Maccabees (1 Macc 9:50;Josephus Antiquities XIII, i, 3). It is named again as a small town which, along with Ephraim, was taken by Vespasian as he approached Jerusalem (BJ, IV, ix, 9). Judges 20:19 So the sons of Israel arose in the morning and camped against Gibeah. arose - Jos 3:1 6:12 7:16 Judges 20 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries So the sons of Israel arose in the morning and camped against Gibeah. Confident of victory, the Israelites moved their forces and equipment near Gibeah and lined up for battle. After all they had heard from the LORD (Jdg 20:18). Lindsey - The location and topography of Gibeah made it easy to defend. (See context in The Bible Knowledge Commentary) Judges 20:20 And the men of Israel went out to battle against Benjamin, and the men of Israel arrayed for battle against them at Gibeah. Judges 20 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries And the men of Israel went out to battle against Benjamin, and the men of Israel arrayed for battle against them at Gibeah - Gibeah of course is the site of the abominable crime against the concubine. Judges 20:21 Then the sons of Benjamin came out of Gibeah and felled to the ground on that day 22,000 men of Israel. sons of Benjamin - Ge 49:27 Ho 10:9 felled to the ground- De 23:9 2Ch 28:10 Ps 33:16 73:18,19 77:19 Ec 9:1-3 Jer 12:1 Judges 20 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries BENJAMITES ONE ISRAEL ZERO Then the sons of Benjamin came out of Gibeah and felled to the ground on that day 22,000 men of Israel - This is a veritable slaughter. There is no mention of the losses of Benjamin but they must have been few. Judges 20:22 But the people, the men of Israel, encouraged themselves and arrayed for battle again in the place where they had arrayed themselves the first day. encouraged - Jdg 20:15,17 1Sa 30:6 2Sa 11:25 Ps 64:5 Judges 20 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries ENCOURAGING SELF NOT ENQUIRING OF SAVIOR But the people, the men of Israel, encouraged (NET - "took heart") themselves and arrayed for battle again in the place where they had arrayed themselves the first day - In the same place where the former battle was fought, with the hope of retrieving their credit upon the same spot of ground where they had lost it, which they would not superstitiously change, as if there were any thing unlucky in the place. The startling defeat brought Israel to its knees. On other occasions such slaughter had followed blatant national sin - Witness the tragic stories in Nu 25:1-9+ and Joshua 7:1-26+, the latter because of what? Because there was sin in the camp! And in our present situation, there also appears to still be sin "in the camp" of Israel. What was it? What about the main "witness," the Levite? Was he not in blatant sin in not revealing the actual events that led to his concubine's gang rape? Mark it down, when we go out to war with "sin in the camp," the results will almost always be defeat and/or disaster. The sons of Israel and the sons of Benjamin both needed to purge the evil in their midst before they could deal with the "speck that was in their brother's eye." Strengthened (02388)(chazaq) conveys the basic meaning of to be or become strong, to make strong or strengthen, in the Hiphil to take hold of or seize ("retain His anger" - Mic 7:18+), in the Hithpael to strengthen oneself (to take courage 1 Sa 30:6). To be courageous. To overpower. Judges 20:23 And the sons of Israel went up and wept before the LORD until evening, and inquired of the LORD, saying, "Shall we again draw near for battle against the sons of my brother Benjamin?" And the LORD said, "Go up against him." Judges 20 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries WEEPING BEFORE THE LORD And the sons of Israel went up and wept before the LORD until evening, and inquired of the LORD, saying, "Shall we again draw near for battle against the sons of my brother Benjamin?" And the LORD said, "Go up against him: The phrase my brother Benjamin suggests that Israel may have wondered whether the defeat was punishment for attacking a "brother" tribe. Matthew