Focused Passage

Judges 20:18-21

Israel's Civil War Against Benjamin: Justice, Judgment, and Near Tribal Ruin

Judges 20 moves from shocked national unity over Gibeah's outrage, through Benjamin's refusal to give up the guilty, through repeated defeat and intensified seeking of the LORD, into divinely granted victory that becomes catastrophic civil war and leaves Benjamin almost extinguished.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

18The Israelites set out, went up to Bethel, and inquired of God, “Who of us shall go up first to fight against the Benjamites?” “Judah will be first,” the LORD replied.

19The next morning the Israelites set out and camped near Gibeah.

20And the men of Israel went out to fight against Benjamin and took up their battle positions at Gibeah.

21And the Benjamites came out of Gibeah and cut down 22,000 Israelites on the battlefield that day.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 18

Cross-references

1 Samuel 30:8Classic cross-references Judges 1:1Classic cross-references Judges 20:23Classic cross-references Judges 20:26Classic cross-references Numbers 27:21Classic cross-references

Original words

The Israelitesבְּנֵ֣יH1121Noun - masculine plural construct. . .יִשְׂרָאֵ֔לH3478Noun - proper - masculine singularset outוַיָּקֻ֜מוּH6965Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralwent upוַיַּעֲל֣וּH5927Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralvvvבֵֽית־H1008Prepositionto Bethelאֵל֮H1008Noun - proper - feminine singularand inquiredוַיִּשְׁאֲל֣וּH7592Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralof Godבֵאלֹהִים֒H430Preposition-b | Noun - masculine plural-וַיֹּֽאמְרוּ֙H559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralWhoמִ֚יH4310Interrogativeof usלָּ֣נוּPreposition | first person common pluralshall go upיַעֲלֶה־H5927Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularfirstבַתְּחִלָּ֔הH8462Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine singularto fightלַמִּלְחָמָ֖הH4421Preposition-l, Article | Noun - feminine singularagainstעִם־H5973Prepositionthe Benjamitesבְּנֵ֣יH1121Noun - masculine plural construct. . .בִנְיָמִ֑ןH1144Noun - proper - masculine singularJudah will be firstיְהוּדָ֥הH3063Noun - proper - masculine singular. . .בַתְּחִלָּֽה׃H8462Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine singularthe LORDיְהוָ֖הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularrepliedוַיֹּ֥אמֶרH559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular

Verse 19

Original words

The next morningבַּבֹּ֑קֶרH1242Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singularthe Israelitesבְנֵֽי־H1121Noun - masculine plural construct. . .יִשְׂרָאֵ֖לH3478Noun - proper - masculine singularset outוַיָּק֥וּמוּH6965Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluraland campedוַיַּֽחֲנ֖וּH2583Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralnearעַל־H5921PrepositionGibeahהַגִּבְעָֽה׃פH1390Article | Noun - proper - feminine singular

Verse 20

Original words

And the menאִ֣ישׁH376Noun - masculine singular constructof Israelיִשְׂרָאֵ֔לH3478Noun - proper - masculine singularwent outוַיֵּצֵא֙H3318Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularto fightלַמִּלְחָמָ֖הH4421Preposition-l, Article | Noun - feminine singularagainstעִם־H5973PrepositionBenjaminבִּנְיָמִ֑ןH1144Noun - proper - masculine singular. . .אִֽישׁ־H376Noun - masculine singular construct. . .יִשְׂרָאֵ֛לH3478Noun - proper - masculine singularand took up their battleמִלְחָמָ֖הH4421Noun - feminine singular. . .אֶל־H413Prepositionpositionsוַיַּעַרְכ֨וּH6186Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural-אִתָּ֧םH854Direct object marker | third person masculine pluralat Gibeahהַגִּבְעָֽה׃H1390Article | Noun - proper - feminine singular

Verse 21

Cross-references

Genesis 49:27Classic cross-references Judges 20:25Classic cross-references Hosea 10:9Classic cross-references Jeremiah 12:1Classic cross-references

Original words

And the Benjamitesבְנֵֽי־H1121Noun - masculine plural construct. . .בִנְיָמִ֖ןH1144Noun - proper - masculine singularcame outוַיֵּצְא֥וּH3318Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralofמִן־H4480PrepositionGibeahהַגִּבְעָ֑הH1390Article | Noun - proper - feminine singularand cut downוַיַּשְׁחִ֨יתוּH7843Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural22,000 {}שְׁנַ֨יִםH8147Number - md. . .וְעֶשְׂרִ֥יםH6242Conjunctive waw | Number - common plural. . .אֶ֛לֶףH505Number - masculine singularvvvאִ֖ישׁH376Noun - masculine singularIsraelitesבְיִשְׂרָאֵ֜לH3478Preposition-b | Noun - proper - masculine singularon the battlefieldאָֽרְצָה׃H776Noun - feminine singular | third person feminine singularthatהַה֗וּאH1931Article | Pronoun - third person masculine singulardayבַּיּ֣וֹםH3117Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular

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