Why did Israel go to war against the tribe of Benjamin?

Israel went to war against Benjamin because of a terrible crime done in Gibeah, a city in Benjamin’s territory. Wicked men there abused the Levite’s concubine so badly that she died. When Israel heard about this, they gathered as one and asked Benjamin to hand over the guilty men, called “children of Belial,” so they could be punished and the evil put away from Israel. Benjamin refused to listen and chose to protect these men. That stubborn refusal turned a call for justice into a civil war among God’s people.

What was the Levite’s role in this story and why did he speak to Israel?

The Levite was the husband of the woman who was killed in Gibeah. He came before the whole assembly of Israel at Mizpeh and told them what had happened: how the men of Gibeah surrounded the house, attacked, and abused his concubine until she died. He then explained why he had cut her body and sent the pieces through Israel, saying it was because of the lewdness and folly done in Israel. His testimony stirred the people to see how serious the sin was and to seek counsel together about how to respond.

Why did Benjamin refuse to hand over the men of Gibeah?

The passage does not give a long explanation of Benjamin’s motives, but it shows what they chose to do. When Israel asked them to deliver the wicked men of Gibeah to be put to death and remove evil from Israel, Benjamin “would not hearken” to their brothers. Instead, they gathered their own men for battle. This shows a wrong kind of loyalty, where they stood with their tribe rather than with what was right. Their refusal to deal with the sin in their midst brought judgment on the whole tribe.

Why did Israel lose the first two battles even after asking God?

Israel did seek God before the battles, asking who should go first and then whether they should go up again against Benjamin. God said they should go, yet they lost many men on the first and second days. The passage shows that only after the second defeat did all Israel come, weep, sit before the LORD, fast, and offer burnt and peace offerings. Then they asked again whether to keep fighting or stop, and God promised to deliver Benjamin into their hand. The early losses underline how serious the situation was and pushed Israel to deeper humility and dependence on God.

What does this passage teach about dealing with sin in a community?

This chapter shows that sin is not just a private matter. A crime in one city affected the whole nation. Israel gathered “as one man” to face it and asked Benjamin to hand over the guilty so that evil could be put away from Israel. When Benjamin chose to protect the wrongdoers, the whole tribe suffered. The story warns that ignoring or covering sin can harm many people. It also shows that God’s people should seek Him carefully, grieve over sin, and be willing to act together so that holiness is kept in their midst.

Who is Phinehas in this passage and why is he mentioned?

Phinehas is named as the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, who stood before the ark of the covenant at that time. He was serving as priest when Israel came to the house of God to ask the LORD what to do. His mention reminds us that this was not just a political meeting or human war. Israel was coming before God’s presence, where the ark was, and seeking guidance through the priest God had given them. It underlines that the questions about fighting Benjamin were spiritual and moral, not only military.

What does it mean that Israel wanted to “put away evil from Israel”?

When Israel asked Benjamin to deliver the wicked men so they could be put to death and “put away evil from Israel,” they were talking about removing open, shocking sin from among God’s people. The crime in Gibeah was not a small failure, but a public and violent act that shamed Israel. To leave it unpunished would make the whole nation guilty. By dealing with the offenders, they aimed to clear the community and show that such behavior would not be accepted. It was about protecting holiness and honoring God’s name.

How did Israel finally defeat Benjamin in the third battle?

In the third battle, Israel used both prayer and strategy. After seeking God with weeping, fasting, and offerings, they were told that Benjamin would be delivered into their hand. They then set men in ambush around Gibeah. The main force pretended to flee, drawing the Benjamites away from the city, just as in the earlier battles. While Benjamin chased and thought they were winning again, the men in hiding rushed into Gibeah, struck the city, and sent up a great pillar of smoke. When Benjamin saw the city burning and Israel turning back on them, they realized disaster had come and were surrounded and struck down.

What does this chapter show about God’s holiness and judgment among His people?

This chapter shows that God cares deeply about holiness among His own people. The evil done in Gibeah could not simply be ignored. God allowed Israel to suffer losses, which humbled them and drove them to tears, fasting, and offerings before Him. In the end, He gave them victory, but the cost was very heavy for Benjamin. The near destruction of a whole tribe shows how serious it is when a community chooses to protect evil instead of turning from it. God’s holiness means sin has real consequences, even inside His own people.

Judg.20.1

Judges 20:1

KJV

Then all the children of Israel went out, and the congregation was gathered together as one man, from Dan even to Beer-sheba, with the land of Gilead, unto the Lord in Mizpeh.

The Decree of the Assembly

1 Then all the children of Israel went out, and the congregation was gathered together as one man, from Dan even to Beer-sheba, with the land of Gilead, unto the Lord in Mizpeh.

2 And the chief of all the people, even of all the tribes of Israel, presented themselves in the assembly of the people of God, four hundred thousand footmen that drew sword.

3 (Now the children of Benjamin heard that the children of Israel were gone up to Mizpeh.) Then said the children of Israel, Tell us, how was this wickedness?

4 And the Levite, the husband of the woman that was slain, answered and said, I came into Gibeah that belongeth to Benjamin, I and my concubine, to lodge.

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: and my concubine have they forced, that she is dead.

6 And I took my concubine, and cut her in pieces, and sent her throughout all the country of the inheritance of Israel: for they have committed lewdness and folly in Israel.

7 Behold, ye are all children of Israel; give here your advice and counsel.

8 ¶ And all the people arose as one man, saying, We will not any of us go to his tent, neither will we any of us turn into his house.

9 But now this shall be the thing which we will do to Gibeah; we will go up by lot against it;

10 And we will take ten men of an hundred throughout all the tribes of Israel, and an hundred of a thousand, and a thousand out of ten thousand, to fetch victual for the people, that they may do, when they come to Gibeah of Benjamin, according to all the folly that they have wrought in Israel.

11 So all the men of Israel were gathered against the city, knit together as one man.

12 ¶ And the tribes of Israel sent men through all the tribe of Benjamin, saying, What wickedness is this that is done among you?

13 Now therefore 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. But the children of Benjamin would not hearken to the voice of their brethren the children of Israel:

14 But the children of Benjamin gathered themselves together out of the cities unto Gibeah, to go out to battle against the children of Israel.

15 And the children of Benjamin were numbered at that time out of the cities twenty and six thousand men that drew sword, beside the inhabitants of Gibeah, which were numbered seven hundred chosen men.

16 Among all this people there were seven hundred chosen men lefthanded; every one could sling stones at an hair breadth, and not miss.

17 And the men of Israel, beside Benjamin, were numbered four hundred thousand men that drew sword: all these were men of war.

Civil War against Benjamin

18 ¶ And the children of Israel arose, and went up to the house of God, and asked counsel of God, and said, Which of us shall go up first to the battle against the children of Benjamin? And the Lord said, Judah shall go up first.

19 And the children of Israel rose up in the morning, and encamped against Gibeah.

20 And the men of Israel went out to battle against Benjamin; and the men of Israel put themselves in array to fight against them at Gibeah.

21 And the children of Benjamin came forth out of Gibeah, and destroyed down to the ground of the Israelites that day twenty and two thousand men.

22 And the people the men of Israel encouraged themselves, and set their battle again in array in the place where they put themselves in array the first day.

23 (And the children of Israel went up and wept before the Lord until even, and asked counsel of the Lord, saying, Shall I go up again to battle against the children of Benjamin my brother? And the Lord said, Go up against him.)

24 And the children of Israel came near against the children of Benjamin the second day.

25 And Benjamin went forth against them out of Gibeah the second day, and destroyed down to the ground of the children of Israel again eighteen thousand men; all these drew the sword.

26 ¶ Then all the children of Israel, and all the people, went up, and came unto the house of God, and wept, and sat there before the Lord, and fasted that day until even, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the Lord.

27 And the children of Israel enquired of the Lord, (for the ark of the covenant of God was there in those days,

28 And Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, stood before it in those days,) saying, Shall I yet again go out to battle against the children of Benjamin my brother, or shall I cease? And the Lord said, Go up; for to morrow I will deliver them into thine hand.

29 And Israel set liers in wait round about Gibeah.

30 And the children of Israel went up against the children of Benjamin on the third day, and put themselves in array against Gibeah, as at other times.

31 And the children of Benjamin went out against the people, and were drawn away from the city; and they began to smite of the people, and kill, as at other times, in the highways, of which one goeth up to the house of God, and the other to Gibeah in the field, about thirty men of Israel.

32 And the children of Benjamin said, They are smitten down before us, as at the first. But the children of Israel said, Let us flee, and draw them from the city unto the highways.

33 And all the men of Israel rose up out of their place, and put themselves in array at Baal-tamar: and the liers in wait of Israel came forth out of their places, even out of the meadows of Gibeah.

34 And there came against Gibeah ten thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and the battle was sore: but they knew not that evil was near them.

35 And the Lord smote Benjamin before Israel: and the children of Israel destroyed of the Benjamites that day twenty and five thousand and an hundred men: all these drew the sword.

36 So the children of Benjamin saw that they were smitten: for the men of Israel gave place to the Benjamites, because they trusted unto the liers in wait which they had set beside Gibeah.

37 And the liers in wait hasted, and rushed upon Gibeah; and the liers in wait drew themselves along, and smote all the city with the edge of the sword.

38 Now there was an appointed sign between the men of Israel and the liers in wait, that they should make a great flame with smoke rise up out of the city.

39 And when the men of Israel retired in the battle, Benjamin began to smite and kill of the men of Israel about thirty persons: for they said, Surely they are smitten down before us, as in the first battle.

40 But when the flame began to arise up out of the city with a pillar of smoke, the Benjamites looked behind them, and, behold, the flame of the city ascended up to heaven.

41 And when the men of Israel turned again, the men of Benjamin were amazed: for they saw that evil was come upon them.

42 Therefore they turned their backs before the men of Israel unto the way of the wilderness; but the battle overtook them; and them which came out of the cities they destroyed in the midst of them.

43 Thus they inclosed the Benjamites round about, and chased them, and trode them down with ease over against Gibeah toward the sunrising.

44 And there fell of Benjamin eighteen thousand men; all these were men of valour.

45 And they turned and fled toward the wilderness unto the rock of Rimmon: and they gleaned of them in the highways five thousand men; and pursued hard after them unto Gidom, and slew two thousand men of them.

46 So that all which fell that day of Benjamin were twenty and five thousand men that drew the sword; all these were men of valour.

47 But six hundred men turned and fled to the wilderness unto the rock Rimmon, and abode in the rock Rimmon four months.

48 And the men of Israel turned again upon the children of Benjamin, and smote them with the edge of the sword, as well the men of every city, as the beast, and all that came to hand: also they set on fire all the cities that they came to.

Cross References

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