Annotations Upon the Historical Books Part 2, Judges · Chapter 20
CHAP. XX.
Verſ. 1. THen all the children of Iſrael went out, and the congregation was gathered together, &c.] All the children of Iſrael, that is, the chief of all the people, as it follows in the next verſe, all the elders and officers, captains, and men of warre, except onelyonly they of the tribe of Benjamin went out from their own habitations ſeverally, and were gathered together as one man, that is, unanimouſly, as readily, as if one man onelyonly had been appointed to come to any place: and thus was there an aſſembly of all the land, to wit, thoſe within Jordan from Dan to Beerſheba, and together with them alſo of the land of Gilead, that is, thoſe without Jordan, and that in Mizpeh; Mizpeh was a place where the Iſraelites did uſually hold their publick aſſemblies, 1. Sam 7.5. And Samuel ſaid, Gather all the children of Iſrael to Mizpeh; and ſo alſo, chap. 10.17. and Jer. 40.7, 8. It is very probable, that it ſtood in the confines of Judah and Benjamin, and is therefore reckoned amongſt the cities of both tribes, ſee Joſh. 15.38. & 18.26. neither could there be therefore, for the buſineſſe they met about, a fitter place choſen: now here they are ſaid to be gathered together unto the Lord, not becauſe the Tabernacle was there, as we ſhall after ſee, verſ. 27. but either becauſe they were aſſembled in Gods name, and to heare what God would give them in charge; or becauſe in all judiciall aſſemblies, the Lord is in a ſpeciall manner preſent; Pſal. 82.1. God ſtandeth in the congregation of the mighty, he judgeth among the gods; or elſe, becauſe they met in a ſynagogue, a houſe ſet apart for publick prayer, and teaching the people, which ſeems the more likely, even becauſe of that which we reade in one of our Apocryphal books, 1. Macc. 3.46. Wherefore the Iſraelites aſſembled themſelves together, and came to Maſpha, over againſt Jeruſalem: for Maſpha was the place where they prayed aforetime in Iſrael. Some conceive I know, that the Ark was at preſent removed to Mizpeh; but of that ſee verſ. 27.
Verſ. 2. Foure hundred thouſand footmen that drew ſword.] The number of theſe men of warre is expreſſed, both to ſhew their zeal in ſeeking to puniſh this abominable fact of the men of Gibeah and alſo to ſhew how evidently the hand of God was againſt theſe Iſraelites, when they were twice beaten by the Benjamites; and yet were ſo many more in number then they.
Verſ. 3. (Now the children of Benjamin heard that the children of Iſrael were gone to Mizpeh)] This is added to implie, how reſolved the Benjamites were to ſtand out in defence againſt the reſt of the Iſraelites, who hearing of the Iſraelites aſſembling themſelves about this buſineſſe, neither went to the aſſembly themſelves, nor ſent any meſſenger to them.
Verſ. 5. And the men of Gibeah roſe againſt me, and beſet the houſe round about upon me by night, and thought to have ſlain me.] To wit, by their unnaturall luſt, as they had ſlain his wife; or at leaſt he means, that they thought to have done that to him, which rather then he would have endured, he would have loſt his life.
Verſ. 7. Behold, ye are all children of Iſrael, &c.] And therefore ought to take to heart, that ſo foul an abomination ſhould be committed in Iſrael; it concerns you all, and therefore look to it.
Verſ. 8. We will not any of us go to his tent, neither will we any of us turn in to his houſe.] This is added, to ſhew how zealous they were in ſeeking to puniſh this horrible ſinne, they vowed that they would not ſo much as go home to their houſes, till they had executed judgement upon thoſe that were guiltie of it; yea not onelyonly ſo, but alſo at the ſame place and time; at leaſt when the report was brought them, that the Benjamites would not deliver the malefactours into their hands, but were reſolved rather to defend them; they vowed alſo, that having ſlain the Benjamites, they would not give any of their daughters in marriage to any that were left alive, chap. 21. verſ. 1. Now the men of Iſrael had ſworn in Mizpeh, ſaying, There ſhall not any of us give his daughter to Benjamin to wife: and that they would likewiſe deſtroy every town throughout the whole land of Iſrael, that had not ſent ſome of their people to this aſſemblie, to help them in this warre, chap. 21.5. They had made a great oath concerning him that came not up to the Lord, to Mizpeh, ſaying, He ſhall ſurely be put to death.
Verſ. 9. We will go up by lot againſt it.] That is, we will by lot determine it, who ſhall go up to fight againſt Gibeah, and who ſhall go forth to fetch in victuals, and other proviſions for the people: one in ten had need to be ſet apart for this ſervice, and who they ſhall be, the lot ſhall decide.
Verſ. 12. And the tribes of Iſrael ſent men through all the tribe of Benjamin, &c.] Though the Benjamites abſenting themſelves from the aſſembly of all Iſrael at Mizpeh, was a juſt ground of ſuſpition, that they meant not to yield up the malefactours to be puniſhed; yet would not the Iſraelites thereupon make warre preſently againſt them, but firſt they ſent meſſengers to all the families of the tribe of Benjamin, to deſire the deliverie of thoſe ſonnes of Belial to deſerved puniſhment, that ſo if it were poſſible, bloud-ſhed and civill war might be prevented.
Verſ. 13. Deliver us the men, the children of Belial, which are in Gibeah, that we may put them to death, and put away evil from Iſrael.] That is, make others affraid to commit ſuch horrible ſinnes, and do what we can to divert the evil of puniſhment, which God may elſe juſtly lay upon us, even by cutting them off which have committed this crying villany.
But the children of Benjamin would not hearken to the voice of their brethren the children of Iſrael, &c.] That is, though the Iſraelites were their brethren, whoſe advice therefore they might well think, tended equally to the good of them all, and againſt whom to fight in the defence of ſuch wretches, muſt needs be counted a moſt unnaturall and ungodly courſe; yet becauſe they thought it a diſhonour to them, that the other tribes ſhould intermeddle with puniſhing any within their territories, and were ſo proud of their ſtrength, and highly conceited of their abilities for martiall affairs, that they thought themſelves able enough to make good their part againſt all the tribes of Iſrael beſide, they would not hearken to their brethren but prepared to fight it out.
Verſ. 15. And the children of Benjamin were numbred at that time out of the cities, twenty and ſix thouſand, &c.] This is added, to imply what it was that made them deſpiſe the counſell of their brethren, to wit, their confidence in their own ſtrength; of this ſix and twenty thouſand and ſeven hundred, there were ſlain by the Iſraelites twenty five thouſand and an hundred, verſ. 35. and there were onelyonly ſix hundred of them that ſaved themſelves in the rock Rimmon, verſ. 47. It ſeems therefore, that the other thouſand were ſlain in the two firſt battels wherein the Benjamites overcame the Iſraelites; for it is not likely they ſhould vanquiſh the Iſraelites in two ſet battells, and kill ſo many thouſand of them without any loſſe in their own army.
Verſ. 18. And the children of Iſrael aroſe, and went up to the houſe of God. &c.] The houſe of God was at this time in Shiloh, ſee verſ. 27. & thither therefore they went to ask counſell of God, ſaying Which of us ſhall go up first to the battell, &c. It may ſeem ſtrange that the people of God, undertaking ſo juſt a warre as this was againſt the Benjamites, out of a zeal to puniſh thoſe that had committed ſo foul a ſinne & becauſe the Benjamites did undertake the defence of them that they might not be puniſhed, ſhould notwithſtanding be twice beaten and vanquiſhed by thoſe Benjamites, as we ſee afterwards they were, not without the loſſe of fourty thouſand of their men, eſpecially if we conſider this which is here ſaid, that before they went to fight with them, they were ſo carefull to go to the houſe of the Lord, that there they might ask counſell of God; but to remove this ſcruple, we muſt know that God is wont in great wiſdome, and without any ſtain either to his juſtice or mercy towards his people, to ſuffer a while, thoſe that have a juſt cauſe to go by the worſt: as firſt, to prevent the aſcribing of their victory to their own proweſſe or ſtrength, by letting them ſee how little good their great armies could do, if the Lord ſhould withhold his help from them: ſecondly, to beat them off from that confidence in their great ſtrength and in the juſtneſſe of their cauſe, which beforehand he perceives in them: till men have learnt to go out of themſelves, and to rely onelyonly upon God, they are not fit for his aid: thirdly, to puniſh them for ſome ſinnes, wherein he perceives them to runne on without fear; that ſo by their loſſe, they may be brought to ſee, bewail, and forſake thoſe ſinnes. And for theſe reaſons doubtleſſe God did ſuffer theſe Iſraelites to be ſo ſhamefully beaten by the Benjamites; for both idolatry and many other ſinnes were rife amongſt them, as we ſee, chap. 17.6. and particularly in the idolatry of Micah and the Danites: 2. truſting in the juſtneſſe of their cauſe, and the multitude of their men, in regard of whom the Benjamites were but a handfull: their ſpirits were too much puffed up with aſſurance of victory, and hence it was that they never asked God whether they ſhould go againſt the Benjamites, or whether they ſhould prevail; they never prayed to God for his help, they never ſought by faſting & humiliation, by repenting of their own ſinnes, and by offering up ſacrifices of atonement, to make their peace with God; but onelyonly as men aſſured of victory, to prevent variance amongſt themſelves, they deſired to know which of the tribes ſhould go up firſt againſt Benjamin; they concluded, that having eleven tribes againſt one, four hundred thouſand againſt ſix and twenty thouſand, they muſt needs prevail.
Verſ. 21. And deſtroyed down to the ground, of the Iſraelites that day, twenty and two thouſand men.] See the note before on verſ. 18.
Verſ. 23. (And the children of Iſrael went up, and wept before the Lord untill even, &c.] But they did not faſt and afflict their ſouls, and offer up ſacrifices to make an atonement with God, as afterwards they did, verſ. 26. It ſeems their weeping now was more for their loſſe in the former battell, then for their ſinnes, or at leaſt that they were not ſo throughly humbled, and ſo truly penitent as was fitting; and therefore again after this their enemies prevailed. Indeed now they began to ſee that their multitude and ſtrength was vain without Gods help, and therefore enquired whether they ſhould go forth to battell againſt the Benjamites or no; but withall they pitched upon a wrong cauſe of their ill ſucceſſe, ſuppoſing it was onelyonly becauſe God was not pleaſed with their making warre againſt their brethren, never thinking of their ſinnes; and therefore God anſwers them accordingly, Go up againſt him: which was no more in effect then this, though he be your brother you may fight againſt him.
Verſ. 26. All the people came up, and came unto the houſe of God and wept, and ſat there before the Lord and faſted, &c.] Now they not onelyonly wept as they did before, verſ. 23. (which might onelyonly be for the loſſe they ſuſtained) but alſo faſted and offered burnt-offerings, and peace-offerings before the Lord: which ſhews that now they perceived that though God liked the cauſe they had undertaken, yet he was diſpleaſed with their perſons, and that therefore they faſted and affliſted their ſouls in a moſt ſolemne manner, repenting them of their ſinnes, and turning to the Lord, and offered burnt-offerings and peace-offerings, to make an atonement for their ſinnes, and to obtain Gods favour, that he would now proſper them in this their warre againſt Benjamin.
Verſ. 27. (For the ark of the covenant of God was there in thoſe dayes.] That is, in thoſe parts about Gibeah, to wit, in Shiloh, which was not farre from Gibeah, chap. 21.12. And they found among the inhabitants of Jabeſh-Gilead, four hundred young virgins that had known no man by lying with any male, and they brought them to the camp at Shiloh; or rather the ark was there, that is, in the houſe of God, whether in the former verſe it is ſaid they went up; though in after times the Ark was a long while out of the Tabernacle, yet in thoſe dayes it was there, in the houſe of God in Shiloh.
Verſ. 28. And Phinehas the ſonne of Eleazar, the ſonne of Aaron, ſtood before it in thoſe dayes.] That is, miniſtred before the Lord in the prieſts office: Deut. 10.8. The Lord ſeparated the tribe of Levi, to bear the Ark of the covenant of the Lord, to ſtand before the Lord, and to miniſter unto him, and enquired of the Lord by Urim and Thummim, before the Ark in the behalf of the people. And hereby it appears, that this ſtory of Iſraels warre with Benjamin, did not fall out after Samſons death, according as it is here ſet down in order of the Hiſtorie, but long before: for had Phinehas lived after Samſon, he had been well nigh foure hundred years old, whereas in this time, it was a rare thing to live till foureſcore years; Pſal. 90.10. The dayes of our years are threeſcore years and ten, and if by reaſon of ſtrength they be foureſcore years; yet is their strength labour and ſorrow: for it is ſoon cut off, and we flie away.
Verſ. 29. And Iſrael ſet liers in wait round about Gibeah, &c.] Though the laſt time the Iſraelites enquired of the Lord what they ſhould do, God had aſſured them that they ſhould prevail againſt the Benjamites: Go up, for to morrow I will deliver them into thy hand; yet were they never a whit leſſe carefull, to trie if by policie they could get any advantage againſt them: and as may be gathered by ſeverall paſſages in the following part of the chapter, though the relation be ſomewhat intricate, the courſe which they took ſeems to be this; they divided their army into three parts; one part was laid in ambuſh in the meadows of Gibeah, verſ. 33. the other part was ſent againſt Gibeah, who were preſently to flie before the Benjamites, that they might draw them farre off from the citie, verſ. 30, 31. and the third was to ſtay in Baaltamar, and to renew the battel, when the Benjamites came thither, purſuing the Iſraelites that fled before them.
Verſ. 30. And the children of Iſrael went up againſt the children of Benjamin, &c.] That is, that part of their army that was to make an aſſault upon the Benjamites, and then preſently to give back and flie. See the foregoing note.
Verſ. 31. In the high wayes, in which one goeth up to the houſe of God, and the other in Gibeah, in the field.] This ſurely was another Gibeah, called Gibeah in the field, to diſtinguiſh it from that Gibeah againſt which the Iſraelites now warred, which ſtood on a hill; happely it is the ſame which is called Gaba, Joſh. 18.24.
Verſ. 33. And all the men of Iſrael roſe up out of their place, and put themſelves in array at Baal-tamar.] That is, the main body of the army which ſtayed in that place to receive the Benjamites, when they ſhould follow on in the purſuit of the flying Iſraelites. See the note, verſ. 19.
Verſ. 34. And there came againſt Gibeah ten thouſand choſen men out of all Iſrael, &c.] Theſe ten thouſand were I conceive, the liers in wait mentioned, verſ. 33. but yet that which follows, and the battel was ſore, but they knew not that evil was near them, muſt be meant of the battel betwixt the Iſraelites, that ſet themſelves in array in Baal-tamar, verſ. 33. and the Benjamites that were fallen upon them, as they came purſuing the Iſraelites, who did purpoſely flie before them; for theſe Benjamites they were that knew not that evil was near them, but fought courageouſly till afterward they ſaw the ſmoke of the citie ariſe; and then they fled before the Iſraelites, as it is afterward more particularly deſcribed, verſ. 38, &c.
Verſ. 35. And the Lord ſmote Benjamin before Iſrael.] Though they uſed now a ſtratagem which they uſed not before, yet it was not thence that they prevailed, but becauſe the Lord was at peace with them, and gave them the victorie.
And the children of Iſrael deſtroyed of the Benjamites that day twenty and five thouſand, and an hundred men.] To wit, eighteen thouſand in the fight, verſ. 44. And there fell of Benjamin eighteen thouſand men; and five thouſand which they gleaned in the high-wayes, as they found them in the purſuit, ſcattered here and there, verſ. 45. and two thouſand which they ſlew at Gidom, verſ. 45. and the odde hundred, which is not expreſſed in the particulars, was ſlain it ſeems, ſome in one place, and ſome in another.
Verſ. 41. And when the men of Iſrael turned again, the men of Benjamin were amazed.] This is added to clear that which was ſaid, verſ. 40. to wit, how the Benjamites came to look back, and ſee the flame of the citie; the reaſon was, that they were amazed to ſee the flying Iſraelites on a ſudden turn head, and renew the battel with ſuch courage and violence, and thereupon looking behind them, ſaw their citie was taken, and ſet on fire.
Verſ. 46. So that all which fell that day of Benjamin, were twenty and five thouſand, &c.] There fell that day twenty five thouſand one hundred. See verſ. 35. And the children of Iſrael deſtroyed of the Benjamites that day, twenty and five thouſand, and an hundred men; but here the great number is onelyonly expreſſed.
Verſ. 48. And the men of Iſrael turned again upon the children of Benjamin, &c.] That is, having ſlain all the Benjamites that were in arms for the defence of Gibeah, together with all the inhabitants of the citie; they then addreſſed themſelves to take vengeance on the reſt of the tribe of Benjamin, becauſe they alſo had a hand in the ſending out men for the defence of Gibeah; and herein proceeded with ſuch fury and rage, that they utterly deſtroyed both in town and citie where ever they came, all that came to hand, both man and beaſt; that is, they ſpared neither women nor children, nor any living thing that came in their way; and this they did, either as judging that they were bound to deal with them, as with thoſe that were anathematized, or devoted to deſtruction; according to the direction which was given by the Lord, concerning any citie that ſhould ſet up idolatrie amongſt them; Deut. 13.15, 16. Then thou ſhalt enquire and make ſearch, and ask diligently; and behold, if it be true, and the thing certain, that ſuch abomination is wrought among you, thou ſhalt ſurely ſmite the inhabitants of that city with the edge of the ſword, destroy it utterly, and all that is therein, and the cattel thereof with the edge of the ſword; or rather onelyonly out of the fury and rage wherewith they were tranſported; partly, becauſe it was ſuch a horribe villanie which the Benjamites had undertaken to defend; and partly, becauſe ſo many thouſands of their own tribes had periſhed in this warre againſt the Benjamites: concerning which ſee what is further noted in the following chapter, verſ. 1.