Judges 20:12 kjv
And the tribes of Israel sent men through all the tribe of Benjamin, saying, What wickedness is this that is done among you?
Judges 20:12 nkjv
Then the tribes of Israel sent men through all the tribe of Benjamin, saying, "What is this wickedness that has occurred among you?
Judges 20:12 niv
The tribes of Israel sent messengers throughout the tribe of Benjamin, saying, "What about this awful crime that was committed among you?
Judges 20:12 esv
And the tribes of Israel sent men through all the tribe of Benjamin, saying, "What evil is this that has taken place among you?
Judges 20:12 nlt
The Israelites sent messengers to the tribe of Benjamin, saying, "What a terrible thing has been done among you!
Judges 20 12 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Deut 13:13-14 | "...men of Belial have gone out from among you and have drawn away the inhabitants" | Israel's duty to inquire about wickedness within towns. |
| Josh 22:10-34 | "...children of Reuben and Gad built an altar... children of Israel heard of it" | Inter-tribal inquiry to avoid conflict over perceived sin. |
| Deut 19:10-13 | "You shall not allow innocent blood to be shed in your land..." | Demand for justice in cases of serious violence/murder. |
| Hos 9:9 | "They have deeply corrupted themselves, as in the days of Gibeah..." | Prophet referencing Gibeah's profound moral evil. |
| Jdg 17:6 | "In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes." | Highlights the era's moral decay and lack of authority. |
| Gen 19:4-9 | "Before they lay down, the men of the city... surrounded the house, both young..." | Parallel to Sodom's egregious sexual violence. |
| Deut 21:1-9 | "If in the land that the Lord your God is giving you... a slain person is found" | Corporate responsibility for unpunished evil/bloodshed. |
| Josh 7:10-12 | "Israel has sinned; they have transgressed my covenant..." | Corporate consequences for unaddressed national sin. |
| Num 35:33-34 | "You shall not pollute the land in which you live, for blood pollutes the land" | Land defilement by unpunished bloodshed and injustice. |
| 1 Ki 1:29 | "And the king answered and said, 'Who is it that has done this thing?'" | Kings inquiring about wicked deeds. |
| 2 Chr 19:5-7 | "...appointed judges... 'Consider what you do, for you judge not for man but for..." | Emphasis on righteous judgment and justice by leaders. |
| Prov 24:6 | "For by wise counsel you can wage your war..." | Strategic planning, including inquiry, before conflict. |
| Gen 6:11-13 | "Now the earth was corrupt in God's sight, and the earth was filled with violence." | Echoes of widespread wickedness leading to divine judgment. |
| Ps 7:9 | "Oh, let the evil of the wicked come to an end..." | Plea for God's justice against evil. |
| Rom 1:29-32 | "...filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice." | Descriptions of widespread human depravity. |
| Jer 22:3-5 | "Thus says the Lord: Do justice and righteousness... lest my wrath break out..." | Prophetic call for justice to avert divine judgment. |
| Matt 18:15-17 | "If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him." | Principle of initial confrontation before escalating matters. |
| Gal 6:1 | "Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual..." | A call for spiritual maturity in dealing with sin within community. |
| Isa 1:28 | "But transgressors and sinners shall be broken together..." | Consequences of unrepentant sin and rebellion. |
| Ps 133:1 | "Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity!" | Contrasts the unity sought versus the division caused by sin. |
| Mic 6:8 | "He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you?" | God requires justice, kindness, and humility from His people. |
Judges 20 verses
Judges 20 12 Meaning
Judges 20:12 describes the initial, crucial action taken by the other eleven tribes of Israel following the horrific incident in Gibeah of Benjamin. After gathering as a unified assembly, they dispatched messengers to every clan within the tribe of Benjamin. The purpose of this delegation was to confront Benjamin directly, demanding an explanation for the heinous "wickedness" that occurred within their borders and, implicitly, to seek accountability and justice for the perpetrators. This diplomatic overture was a formal inquiry before any military action, emphasizing a desire to resolve the severe moral and social transgression according to Israelite law and covenant responsibility.
Judges 20 12 Context
Judges chapter 20 takes place during a deeply chaotic period in Israel's history, immediately after the appalling account of the Levite's concubine in Judges 19. This era, explicitly stated as "there was no king in Israel" (Jdg 17:6; 21:25), highlights the moral and spiritual collapse of the nation. The specific "wickedness" refers to the brutal gang rape, abuse, and murder of the Levite's concubine by wicked men of Gibeah, a city in Benjaminite territory, and the subsequent dismemberment of her body by the Levite to rouse Israel. Prior to verse 12, all the tribes of Israel, from Dan to Beersheba, assembled at Mizpah, outraged by the atrocity and seeking to respond collectively. This verse marks their initial, unified response to inquire of Benjamin, an attempt at non-violent resolution and a demand for accountability from the tribe responsible for sheltering the offenders, before contemplating any punitive action. It signifies the community's adherence, at least initially, to the protocols of inquiry regarding national sin, demonstrating a faint glimmer of covenant consciousness amidst the prevailing moral anarchy.
Judges 20 12 Word analysis
- And the tribes of Israel: The Hebrew phrase shivtei Yisrael (שִׁבְטֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל) emphasizes the collective and unified front of the nation. It highlights that the responsibility for addressing grave moral transgression was perceived to be communal, not just localized, signifying a degree of national cohesion and adherence to covenant responsibility despite the era's general disarray.
- sent men: The verb vayyishlechu (וַיִּשְׁלְחוּ), derived from shalach meaning "to send," denotes a deliberate and official delegation. This was not a rash mob action, but a formal diplomatic and judicial inquiry, indicating an attempt to follow proper legal or inter-tribal procedure before resorting to force.
- through all the tribe of Benjamin: Hebrew bechol-shivtei Binyamin (בְכָל־שִׁבְטֵי בִנְיָמִן) indicates a thorough, pervasive, and widespread communication across the entire territory and clans of Benjamin. The inquiry was directed at the entire tribe, holding them corporately responsible for addressing the severe misconduct of those within their borders, specifically the failure to deliver the perpetrators.
- saying: This indicates a direct verbal confrontation and a formal communication of their query and concern. It sets up the immediate response that is expected from the Benjaminites.
- What wickedness: Hebrew mah hara'ah hazot (מָה הָרָעָה הַזֹּאת) is a strong rhetorical question expressing profound condemnation and outrage. Ra'ah (רָעָה) signifies deep moral evil, calamity, or misfortune. Here, it is specifically applied to the abhorrent acts committed in Gibeah, implying that the deeds were so depraved they were universally recognized as unacceptable and against divine law. This question implicitly demands not just an answer, but also action.
- is this that has happened among you?: Hebrew nihy'tah vachem (נִהְיְתָה בָכֶם) points to the location and implied responsibility of the "wickedness." "Among you" directly places the onus on the Benjaminite community, challenging their failure to maintain justice and holiness within their own boundaries. The phrasing carries an expectation that Benjamin would acknowledge the severity of the sin, disassociate from the offenders, and turn them over for justice.
Judges 20 12 Bonus section
The inquiry by the tribes of Israel reflects a vital aspect of Old Testament law regarding corporate responsibility for sin within the community. When a serious offense occurred, especially one defiling the land or the people, there was a clear expectation for the immediate community, in this case, the tribe of Benjamin, to address it decisively. Failure to purge the evil was tantamount to complicity, thus incurring shared guilt. This diplomatic approach by the tribes also serves a narrative purpose, legitimizing their subsequent military action against Benjamin; they did not attack impulsively but first sought a just resolution. The Benjaminite refusal would later reveal a hardened tribal heart that prioritized protection of their wicked over the nation's covenant with YHWH, leading to an almost irreversible fracture.
Judges 20 12 Commentary
Judges 20:12 captures a critical pre-conflict moment for Israel. Faced with an act of unspeakable evil in Gibeah, the assembled tribes sought, in an orderly fashion, to engage the tribe of Benjamin. This dispatch of messengers to inquire about the "wickedness" was not just a question; it was a profound moral challenge and a demand for Benjamin to take accountability. It demonstrated the remaining vestiges of covenant awareness within Israel, wherein the entire community was responsible for upholding divine law and justice. Benjamin's refusal to surrender the wicked men would represent a fundamental betrayal of shared national and divine principles, inevitably leading to civil war and illustrating the dire consequences of corporate sin left unaddressed. This event starkly highlights the desperate need for moral authority and righteous leadership in a nation facing profound spiritual decay.