Judges 20 11

Judges 20:11 kjv

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

Judges 20:11 nkjv

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

Judges 20:11 niv

So all the Israelites got together and united as one against the city.

Judges 20:11 esv

So all the men of Israel gathered against the city, united as one man.

Judges 20:11 nlt

So all the Israelites were completely united, and they gathered together to attack the town.

Judges 20 verses

Judges 20 11 Meaning

Judges 20:11 describes the collective resolve and military readiness of the Israelite tribes (excluding Benjamin) who assembled against the city of Gibeah, which belonged to the tribe of Benjamin. The verse highlights their unified purpose and complete commitment, acting "as one man," indicating a singular, resolute will to confront the atrocity committed there and demand justice.

Judges 20 11 Context

Judges 20:11 occurs amidst one of the darkest narratives in the Book of Judges, chronicling a devastating civil war within Israel. The preceding chapters (Judges 19) describe a horrific crime: the rape and murder of a Levite's concubine by wicked men of Gibeah in the territory of Benjamin. The Levite's shocking act of dismembering his concubine's body and sending a piece to each of the twelve tribes served as an urgent, horrifying call to action. In response, the tribes of Israel, horrified by such an outrage that challenged the moral and social fabric of their nation and violated divine law (specifically hospitality and the sanctity of life), gathered at Mizpah. Their initial meeting sought understanding and called for justice against the perpetrators from Benjamin. This verse specifically states their unanimous determination to move from deliberation to decisive military action against Gibeah, showcasing their unity of purpose in the face of widespread corruption and sin within their own borders. This unified resolve underscored the tribal expectation for communal responsibility and enforcement of divine law, reflecting an underlying, albeit often fractured, tribal covenant.

Judges 20 11 Word analysis

• So (וַיֵּאָסְפ֣וּ - wa-yē'āsep̄ū): Introduces the result or consequence of the preceding events (the general call to assemble). It implies a direct progression from the indignation and resolve described earlier to the physical gathering.
• all (כָּל־ - kol-): Emphasizes the universality of the response from the non-Benjaminite tribes. This wasn't a partial effort but a full national consensus, reflecting the gravity of the crime.
• the men of Israel (אִ֤ישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ - 'īš yiśrā'ēl): "Men" here ('ish) can be singular, referring to "each man" or "every man of Israel," further underscoring individual participation within the collective, reinforcing the concept of widespread personal commitment. This is the Israelite nation, comprising the ten tribes, plus the portion of Levi who aligned with them.
• were gathered (וַיֵּאָסְפ֣וּ - wa-yē'āsep̄ū): From the root אסף ('asaf), "to gather, collect." This Hipha‘el form denotes that they were assembled or caused to gather themselves, highlighting their active and deliberate coming together. This implies a deliberate and purposeful collection of forces for a specific mission.
• against the city (אֶל־הָעִ֖יר - 'el hā-'îr): Specifies Gibeah, the focus of their punitive action. It denotes movement "toward" or "against" it, signifying the impending confrontation and their determined advance.
• united as one man (כְּאִ֥ישׁ אֶחָֽד - ke'īš 'eḥāḏ):
  • united (כְּ - ke-): The preposition "as" or "like" comparing their collective state to a singular entity.
  • one man (אִ֥ישׁ אֶחָֽד - 'īš 'eḥāḏ): A powerful idiom in Hebrew scripture, signifying complete solidarity, singular purpose, and unified action. It highlights a rare level of accord among the typically fragmented tribes of Israel, indicating a crisis severe enough to compel such unprecedented unity. It means they acted with one mind, one purpose, and no division in their resolve. This unity points to the gravity of the offense (Jdg 19) and the moral consensus among the tribes.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• So all the men of Israel were gathered: This phrase sets the stage for military confrontation. It demonstrates the national-level response to the Gibeah atrocity. The widespread participation underscores the perceived gravity of the crime committed within Israel. The language indicates a unified, national mobilization, unprecedented in its scope for such an internal dispute, yet necessitated by the abhorrent nature of the transgression.
• against the city, united as one man: This specific clause emphasizes both the target and the collective mindset. The target, Gibeah, represented the center of the egregious sin. "United as one man" conveys perfect alignment of will, a rare state of total consensus in decision and action. This expression illustrates that despite the typical tribal divisions and decentralization during the period of the Judges, this particular crime evoked a complete and singular commitment to justice, functioning as a single, coordinated military force. Their unanimity reflected not only anger but also a clear recognition of the threat this sin posed to their covenant community and its moral fabric.

Judges 20 11 Bonus section

The concept of "united as one man" serves as a benchmark for collective action, appearing elsewhere in Scripture to describe both righteous endeavors (such as rebuilding efforts or coming before the Lord) and even unholy ones (like the building of the Tower of Babel, Gen 11:6). In Judges 20, it underscores the moral conviction of the Israelite tribes, illustrating a shared sense of outrage and communal responsibility that momentarily transcended their internal divisions. This intense unity contrasts sharply with the individualistic "everyone did what was right in his own eyes" theme of Judges (Jdg 17:6, 21:25), yet ironically leads to further bloodshed, revealing the complex and often tragic consequences even when seeking to uphold righteous principles in a fallen world. This episode raises profound questions about justice, mercy, communal accountability, and the breakdown of order within the nascent Israelite nation before the monarchy. The unity itself, while impressive, ultimately escalated into one of the most destructive conflicts in Israel's early history, decimating one of its own tribes.

Judges 20 11 Commentary

Judges 20:11 encapsulates the formidable unity of the Israelite tribes in their demand for justice against the depravity of Gibeah. The phrase "united as one man" is crucial, signifying a complete convergence of purpose among the normally autonomous tribes, reflecting the profound shock and moral outrage the incident ignited throughout Israel. This level of unity, almost unprecedented, was driven by a commitment to purity and righteousness within their nation, recognizing that allowing such evil to persist unpunished would corrupt the entire community. It highlights a critical, if fleeting, moment of shared identity and covenantal obligation among God's people, even during a period marked by moral decline and political fragmentation, yet tragically leading to a brutal civil conflict rather than a peaceful resolution through law. The intense nature of their unity also forebodes the severity of the coming battle, indicating the depth of their commitment to cleanse the land of evil, however bloody the cost.