Focused Passage

Judges 20:29-36

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

29So Israel set up an ambush around Gibeah.

30On the third day the Israelites went up against the Benjamites and arrayed themselves against Gibeah as they had done before.

31The Benjamites came out against them and were drawn away from the city. They began to attack the people as before, killing about thirty men of Israel in the fields and on the roads, one of which led up to Bethel and the other to Gibeah.

32“We are defeating them as before,” said the Benjamites. But the Israelites said, “Let us retreat and draw them away from the city onto the roads.”

33So all the men of Israel got up from their places and arrayed themselves at Baal-tamar, and the Israelites in ambush charged from their positions west of Gibeah.

34Then 10,000 select men from all Israel made a frontal assault against Gibeah, and the battle was fierce. But the Benjamites did not realize that disaster was upon them.

35The LORD defeated Benjamin in the presence of Israel, and on that day the Israelites slaughtered 25,100 Benjamites, all armed with swords.

36Then the Benjamites realized they had been defeated. Now the men of Israel had retreated before Benjamin because they were relying on the ambush they had set against Gibeah.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 29

Original words

So Israelיִשְׂרָאֵל֙H3478Noun - proper - masculine singularset upוַיָּ֤שֶׂםH7760Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularan ambushאֹֽרְבִ֔יםH693Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural. . .אֶל־H413Prepositionaroundסָבִֽיב׃פH5439AdverbGibeahהַגִּבְעָ֖הH1390Article | Noun - proper - feminine singular
Verse 30

Original words

On the thirdהַשְּׁלִישִׁ֑יH7992Article | Number - ordinal masculine singulardayבַּיּ֣וֹםH3117Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singularthe Israelitesבְנֵֽי־H1121Noun - masculine plural construct. . .יִשְׂרָאֵ֛לH3478Noun - proper - masculine singularwent upוַיַּעֲל֧וּH5927Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralagainstאֶל־H413Prepositionthe Benjamitesבְּנֵ֥יH1121Noun - masculine plural construct. . .בִנְיָמִ֖ןH1144Noun - proper - masculine singularand arrayed themselvesוַיַּעַרְכ֥וּH6186Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralagainstאֶל־H413PrepositionGibeahהַגִּבְעָ֖הH1390Article | Noun - proper - feminine singularas they had done beforeכְּפַ֥עַםH6471Preposition-k | Noun - feminine singular. . .בְּפָֽעַם׃H6471Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular
Verse 31

Original words

The Benjamitesבְנֵֽי־H1121Noun - masculine plural construct. . .בִנְיָמִן֙H1144Noun - proper - masculine singularcame outוַיֵּצְא֤וּH3318Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralagainstלִקְרַ֣אתH7122Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct[them]הָעָ֔םH5971Article | Noun - masculine singularand were drawn awayהָנְתְּק֖וּH5423Verb - Hofal - Perfect - third person common pluralfromמִן־H4480Prepositionthe cityהָעִ֑ירH5892Article | Noun - feminine singularThey beganוַיָּחֵ֡לּוּH2490Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralto attackלְהַכּוֹת֩H5221Preposition-l | Verb - Hifil - Infinitive constructthe peopleמֵהָעָ֨םH5971Preposition-m, Article | Noun - masculine singularas beforeכְּפַ֣עַם׀H6471Preposition-k | Noun - feminine singular. . .בְּפַ֗עַםH6471Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singularkillingחֲלָלִ֜יםH2491Noun - masculine pluralabout thirtyכִּשְׁלֹשִׁ֥יםH7970Preposition-k | Number - common pluralmenאִ֖ישׁH376Noun - masculine singularof Israelבְּיִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃H3478Preposition-b | Noun - proper - masculine singularin the fieldsבַּשָּׂדֶ֔הH7704Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singularand on the roadsבַּֽמְסִלּוֹת֙H4546Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine pluraloneאַחַ֜תH259Number - feminine singularof whichאֲשֶׁ֨רH834Pronoun - relativeled upעֹלָ֣הH5927Verb - Qal - Participle - feminine singulartoבֵֽית־H1008PrepositionBethelאֵ֗לH1008Noun - proper - feminine singularand the otherוְאַחַ֤תH259Conjunctive waw | Number - feminine singularto Gibeahגִּבְעָ֙תָה֙H1390Noun - proper - feminine singular | third person feminine singular
Verse 32

Original words

We are defeating themנִגָּפִ֥יםH5062Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine pluralas beforeהֵ֛םH1992Pronoun - third person masculine plural. . .לְפָנֵ֖ינוּH6440Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common plural. . .כְּבָרִאשֹׁנָ֑הH7223Preposition-k, Preposition-b, Article | Adjective - feminine singularsaidוַיֹּֽאמְרוּ֙H559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralthe Benjamitesבְּנֵ֣יH1121Noun - masculine plural construct. . .בִנְיָמִ֔ןH1144Noun - proper - masculine singularBut the Israelitesוּבְנֵ֧יH1121Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural construct. . .יִשְׂרָאֵ֣לH3478Noun - proper - masculine singularsaidאָמְר֗וּH559Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluralLet us retreatנָנ֙וּסָה֙H5127Verb - Qal - Imperfect Cohortative - first person common pluraland draw them awayוּֽנְתַקְּנֻ֔הוּH5423Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - first person common plural | third person masculine singularfromמִן־H4480Prepositionthe cityהָעִ֖ירH5892Article | Noun - feminine singularontoאֶל־H413Prepositionthe roadsהַֽמְסִלּֽוֹת׃H4546Article | Noun - feminine plural
Verse 33

Original words

So allוְכֹ֣ל׀H3605Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular constructthe menאִ֣ישׁH376Noun - masculine singular constructof Israelיִשְׂרָאֵ֗לH3478Noun - proper - masculine singulargot upקָ֚מוּH6965Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluralfrom their placesמִמְּקוֹמ֔וֹH4725Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singularand arrayed themselvesוַיַּעַרְכ֖וּH6186Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralvvvבְּבַ֣עַלH1193Prepositionat Baal-tamarתָּמָ֑רH1193Preposition | Noun - proper - feminine singularand the Israelitesיִשְׂרָאֵ֛לH3478Noun - proper - masculine singularin ambushוְאֹרֵ֧בH693Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular constructchargedמֵגִ֥יחַH1518Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine singularfrom their positionsמִמְּקֹמ֖וֹH4725Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singularwestמִמַּֽעֲרֵה־H4629Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular constructof Gibeahגָֽבַע׃H1387Noun - proper - feminine singular

BSB notes

  • Some LXX manuscripts and Vulgate; Hebrew charged from their positions in Maareh-geba or charged from their positions into the open space of Geba
Verse 34

Original words

Then 10,000עֲשֶׂרֶת֩H6235Number - masculine singular construct. . .אֲלָפִ֨יםH505Number - masculine pluralselectבָּחוּר֙H977Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine singularmenאִ֤ישׁH376Noun - masculine singularfrom allמִכָּל־H3605Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular constructIsraelיִשְׂרָאֵ֔לH3478Noun - proper - masculine singularmade a frontalמִנֶּ֨גֶדH5048Preposition-massaultוַיָּבֹאוּ֩H935Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralagainst Gibeahלַגִּבְעָ֜הH1390Preposition-l, Article | Noun - proper - feminine singularand the battleוְהַמִּלְחָמָ֖הH4421Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - feminine singularwas fierceכָּבֵ֑דָהH3513Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singularBut the Benjamitesוְהֵם֙H1992Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - third person masculine pluraldid notלֹ֣אH3808Adverb - Negative particlerealizeיָדְע֔וּH3045Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluralthatכִּֽי־H3588Conjunctiondisaster [was]הָרָעָֽה׃פH7451Article | Adjective - feminine singularuponנֹגַ֥עַתH5060Verb - Qal - Participle - feminine singularthemעֲלֵיהֶ֖םH5921Preposition | third person masculine plural
Verse 35

Original words

The LORDיְהוָ֥ה׀H3068Noun - proper - masculine singular-אֶֽת־H853Direct object markerdefeatedוַיִּגֹּ֨ףH5062Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularBenjaminבִּנְיָמִן֮H1144Noun - proper - masculine singularin the presenceלִפְנֵ֣יH6440Preposition-l | Noun - common plural constructof Israelיִשְׂרָאֵל֒H3478Noun - proper - masculine singularand on thatהַה֔וּאH1931Article | Pronoun - third person masculine singulardayבַּיּ֣וֹםH3117Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singularthe Israelitesבְנֵ֨יH1121Noun - masculine plural construct. . .יִשְׂרָאֵ֤לH3478Noun - proper - masculine singularslaughteredוַיַּשְׁחִיתוּ֩H7843Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural25,100עֶשְׂרִ֨יםH6242Number - common plural. . .וַחֲמִשָּׁ֥הH2568Conjunctive waw | Number - masculine singular. . .אֶ֛לֶףH505Number - masculine singular. . .וּמֵאָ֖הH3967Conjunctive waw | Number - feminine singularvvvאִ֑ישׁH376Noun - masculine singularBenjamitesבְּבִנְיָמִן֙H1144Preposition-b | Noun - proper - masculine singularallכָּל־H3605Noun - masculine singular construct. . .אֵ֖לֶּהH428Pronoun - common pluralarmedשֹׁ֥לֵףH8025Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularwith swordsחָֽרֶב׃H2719Noun - feminine singular
Verse 36

Original words

Then the Benjamitesבְנֵֽי־H1121Noun - masculine plural construct. . .בִנְיָמִ֖ןH1144Noun - proper - masculine singularrealizedוַיִּרְא֥וּH7200Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural-כִּ֣יH3588Conjunctionthey had been defeatedנִגָּ֑פוּH5062Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person common pluralNow the menאִֽישׁ־H376Noun - masculine singular constructof Israelיִשְׂרָאֵ֤לH3478Noun - proper - masculine singularhad retreatedוַיִּתְּנ֨וּH5414Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural. . .מָקוֹם֙H4725Noun - masculine singularbefore Benjaminלְבִנְיָמִ֔ןH1144Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singularbecauseכִּ֤יH3588Conjunctionthey were relyingבָֽטְחוּ֙H982Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluralonאֶל־H413Prepositionthe ambushהָ֣אֹרֵ֔בH693Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular-אֲשֶׁרH834Pronoun - relativethey had setשָׂ֖מוּH7760Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluralagainstאֶל־H413PrepositionGibeahהַגִּבְעָֽה׃H1390Article | Noun - proper - feminine singular

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