Focused Passage

Judges 20:22-25

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

22But the Israelite army took courage and again took their battle positions in the same place where they had arrayed themselves on the first day.

23They went up and wept before the LORD until evening, inquiring of Him, “Should we again draw near for battle against our brothers the Benjamites?” And the LORD answered, “Go up against them.”

24On the second day the Israelites advanced against the Benjamites.

25That same day the Benjamites came out against them from Gibeah and cut down another 18,000 Israelites, all of them armed with swords.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 22

Original words

But the Israeliteאִ֣ישׁH376Noun - masculine singular construct. . .יִשְׂרָאֵ֑לH3478Noun - proper - masculine singulararmyהָעָ֖םH5971Article | Noun - masculine singulartook courageוַיִּתְחַזֵּ֥קH2388Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hitpael - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularand againוַיֹּסִ֙פוּ֙H3254Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluraltook their battleמִלְחָמָ֔הH4421Noun - feminine singularpositionsלַעֲרֹ֣ךְH6186Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructin the same placeבַּמָּק֕וֹםH4725Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singularwhereאֲשֶׁר־H834Pronoun - relativethey had arrayed themselvesעָ֥רְכוּH6186Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural. . .שָׁ֖םH8033Adverbon the firstהָרִאשֽׁוֹן׃H7223Article | Adjective - masculine singulardayבַּיּ֥וֹםH3117Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular

Verse 23

Cross-references

1 Samuel 30:8Classic cross-references Judges 20:26Classic cross-references Judges 20:18Classic cross-references Exodus 28:30Classic cross-references Hosea 5:15Classic cross-references

Original words

Theyבְנֵֽי־H1121Noun - masculine plural construct. . .יִשְׂרָאֵ֗לH3478Noun - proper - masculine singularwent upוַיַּעֲל֣וּH5927Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluraland weptוַיִּבְכּ֣וּH1058Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralbeforeלִפְנֵֽי־H6440Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural constructthe LORDיְהוָה֮H3068Noun - proper - masculine singularuntilעַד־H5704Prepositioneveningהָעֶרֶב֒H6153Article | Noun - masculine singularinquiringוַיִּשְׁאֲל֤וּH7592Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralof Himבַֽיהוָה֙H3068Preposition-b | Noun - proper - masculine singular-לֵאמֹ֔רH559Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructShould we againהַאוֹסִ֗יףH3254Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - first person common singulardraw nearלָגֶ֙שֶׁת֙H5066Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructfor battleלַמִּלְחָמָ֔הH4421Preposition-l, Article | Noun - feminine singularagainstעִם־H5973Prepositionour brothersאָחִ֑יH251Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singularthe Benjamitesבְּנֵ֥יH1121Noun - masculine plural construct. . .בִנְיָמִ֖ןH1144Noun - proper - masculine singularAnd the LORDיְהוָ֖הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularansweredוַיֹּ֥אמֶרH559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularGo upעֲל֥וּH5927Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine pluralagainst themאֵלָֽיו׃פH413Preposition | third person masculine singular

Verse 24

Original words

On the secondהַשֵּׁנִֽי׃H8145Article | Number - ordinal masculine singulardayבַּיּ֥וֹםH3117Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singularthe Israelitesבְנֵֽי־H1121Noun - masculine plural construct. . .יִשְׂרָאֵ֛לH3478Noun - proper - masculine singularadvancedוַיִּקְרְב֧וּH7126Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralagainstאֶל־H413Prepositionthe Benjamitesבְּנֵ֥יH1121Noun - masculine plural construct. . .בִנְיָמִ֖ןH1144Noun - proper - masculine singular

Verse 25

Cross-references

Genesis 49:27Classic cross-references Judges 20:21Classic cross-references Judges 8:10Classic cross-references Romans 11:33Classic cross-references

Original words

That same dayבַּיּ֣וֹםH3117Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular. . .הַשֵּׁנִי֒H8145Article | Number - ordinal masculine singularthe Benjamitesבִנְיָמִ֨ן׀H1144Noun - proper - masculine singularcame outוַיֵּצֵא֩H3318Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularagainst themלִקְרָאתָ֥ם׀H7122Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | third person masculine pluralfromמִֽן־H4480PrepositionGibeahהַגִּבְעָה֮H1390Article | Noun - proper - feminine singularand cut downוַיַּשְׁחִיתוּ֩H7843Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralanotherע֗וֹדH5750Adverb18,000 {}שְׁמֹנַ֨תH8083Number - masculine singular construct. . .עָשָׂ֥רH6240Number - masculine singular. . .אֶ֛לֶףH505Number - masculine singular construct. . .אִ֖ישׁH376Noun - masculine singularIsraelitesבִבְנֵ֨יH1121Preposition-b | Noun - masculine plural construct. . .יִשְׂרָאֵ֜לH3478Noun - proper - masculine singular-אָ֑רְצָהH776Noun - feminine singular | third person feminine singularallכָּל־H3605Noun - masculine singular constructof themאֵ֖לֶּהH428Pronoun - common pluralarmedשֹׁ֥לְפֵיH8025Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural constructwith swordsחָֽרֶב׃H2719Noun - feminine singular

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