Judges Chapter 20
The events of chapter 19 continue as the people discover the great atrocity of the Levite’s concubine having been cut up and sent out to the 12 tribes in pieces. A civil war would break out between tribe of Benjamin where the city of Gibeah was, and the rest of the other tribes of Israel. As the Levite told his story to the 400,000 men gathered at Mizpah, he did not tell it quite the way it happened. Nevertheless, the rape and murder of the concubine was a horrible ugly sin committed by fellow Israelite brothers, and it needed to be purged.
A plan was made, and the people were united in purpose to take out the men of Gibeah who were guilty of this crime. They gave the leadership of the tribe of Benjamin the option of giving up the guilty men to be executed, but they didn’t agree to the terms. Instead, the tribe of Benjamin gathered their fighting men to fight against all the rest of Israel.
Let's Reflect
1. The number of men that came out to fight from the tribe of Benjamin was about 20,700. How many men from the other tribes were gathered against them?
2. The men of Israel (from the other 11 tribes) did inquire of the Lord before going to battle which tribe of the 11 should lead the charge. The answer did come back from God. Which tribe led the charge and how many men of Israel died in the first attack?
3. The people of Israel went before the Lord and cried out to Him if they should attack Benjamin again and God answered yes. How many Israelite men died on the second attack?
4. At this point you would understand if the people would want to end the war after such heavy casualties. It seemed that God had not been on their side. But as the Israelites entreated God’s wisdom a third time you will notice a different attitude amongst them. What did the people of Israel do differently the third time when they approached the Lord? See verse 26.
5. In the previous two attacks God had not given them a promise. According to verse 28 what did God tell the people of Israel?
6. Perhaps with that promise He also instilled some wise battle tactics too. They used the same tactic that Joshua had used earlier. They set up an ambush all around the city of Gibeah. They drew the fighting men out by pretending to retreat. What did the rest of the Israelite army do while the people chased the other retreating Israelites?
7. The last verses of the chapter describe in detail the devastation that the tribe of Benjamin suffered at the hand of Israel. All this destruction caused by the evil sin of a small group of men in the town of Gibeah. So much hate and death could have been avoided. According to verse 48 what became of a great number of people of the tribe of Benjamin?
