Judges 20 15

Judges 20:15 kjv

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.

Judges 20:15 nkjv

And from their cities at that time the children of Benjamin numbered twenty-six thousand men who drew the sword, besides the inhabitants of Gibeah, who numbered seven hundred select men.

Judges 20:15 niv

At once the Benjamites mobilized twenty-six thousand swordsmen from their towns, in addition to seven hundred able young men from those living in Gibeah.

Judges 20:15 esv

And the people of Benjamin mustered out of their cities on that day 26,000 men who drew the sword, besides the inhabitants of Gibeah, who mustered 700 chosen men.

Judges 20:15 nlt

In all, 26,000 of their warriors armed with swords arrived in Gibeah to join the 700 elite troops who lived there.

Judges 20 verses

Judges 20 15 Meaning

Judges 20:15 precisely details the total fighting strength of the tribe of Benjamin mustered for civil war against the other tribes of Israel. It states that twenty-six thousand armed men from various Benjamite cities assembled, in addition to a specific force of seven hundred elite warriors from the city of Gibeah. This verse establishes the numerical magnitude of the opposing force that confronted the collective tribes of Israel, highlighting Benjamin's considerable martial capacity and defiant posture in defending the perpetrators of a grave atrocity.

Judges 20 15 Context

Judges 20:15 is situated at the climax of the book of Judges, depicting the horrifying civil war between the tribe of Benjamin and the unified remaining tribes of Israel. This conflict directly stems from the abominable sexual violence and murder committed by men of Gibeah (Judges 19) and Benjamin's subsequent refusal to hand over the perpetrators for justice (Judges 20:12-14). This refusal escalates the regional outrage into a full-scale inter-tribal war. The verse provides a stark snapshot of Benjamin's defiance and their considerable military might as they prepare to defend the unrighteous actions of their kinsmen against the collective might of Israel. This conflict illustrates the deep moral and spiritual decay that plagued Israel during a period when "there was no king in Israel, and everyone did what was right in his own eyes" (Judg 21:25), leading to unprecedented bloodshed among God's people.

Judges 20 15 Word analysis

• And the children of Benjamin (וּבְנֵי בִנְיָמִן, u'v’nei Binyamin):
  • b'nei: "sons of," commonly used to denote descendants or members of a tribal group.
  • Binyamin: "son of the right hand," Jacob's youngest son, a tribe known for its martial prowess and tenacity (Gen 49:27). Their identity here reinforces tribal allegiance overriding moral righteousness.
• were numbered (הִתְפַּקְדוּ, hitpaq'du):
  • From the root פָּקַד (paqad), meaning "to visit," "muster," "count," or "appoint."
  • In the Hithpael stem, it signifies "they had themselves counted/mustered." This is a military term, indicating an organized census or roll-call for warfare, reflecting a deliberate preparation for battle, not a spontaneous mob.
• out of the cities (מֵהֶעָרִים, meha'arim):
  • Indicates that the fighting men were drawn from Benjaminite towns and settlements, demonstrating a widespread tribal mobilization, not just localized defense.
• at that time:
  • Highlights the immediate temporal context, underscoring the swiftness and urgency of the mobilization in response to the looming conflict.
• twenty and six thousand (עֶשְׂרִים וְשֵׁשׁ אֶלֶף, esrim v'shesh elef):
  • A significant numerical force for a single tribe, even a large one, especially given that earlier censuses show a lower military count (Num 26:41 lists 45,600 total males, suggesting 26,000 chosen warriors is a large portion of eligible men). It sets the scale of the impending fratricidal war.
• men that drew sword (אִישׁ שֹׁלֵף חֶרֶב, ish sholef herev):
  • ish: "man."
  • sholef herev: "one who draws a sword." This is a standard military idiom in the Hebrew Bible for an armed, battle-ready warrior. It specifically refers to combatants equipped for close quarters engagement.
• beside the inhabitants of Gibeah (מִלְבַד יֹשְׁבֵי הַגִּבְעָה, mil'vad yoshvei hagiv'ah):
  • mil'vad: "besides," "apart from," "in addition to." This distinguishes the force from Gibeah as a separate contingent.
  • yoshvei haGiv'ah: "inhabitants of Gibeah," the specific city where the atrocity occurred. Their inclusion signifies Benjamin's unyielding stance in protecting the specific locus of the evil deed.
• which were numbered seven hundred (אֲשֶׁר הִתְפַּקְדוּ שְׁבַע מֵאוֹת, asher hitpaqdu shəva me'ot):
  • Reiterates the military census/muster, applied specifically to the Gibean contingent.
• chosen men (אִישׁ בָּחוּר, ish bachur):
  • bachur: "chosen," "select." This indicates these 700 men were elite, distinguished by skill, strength, or specific military capability. Judges 20:16 explicitly reveals their exceptional skill as left-handed slingers of incredible accuracy, highlighting them as a uniquely formidable fighting unit. Their deliberate inclusion demonstrates Benjamin's commitment to defending their indefensible actions with their most skilled warriors.

Judges 20 15 Bonus section

• The emphasis on the "chosen men" from Gibeah foreshadows the exceptional and unique fighting ability mentioned in the very next verse (Judg 20:16), where these 700 men are described as left-handed slingers capable of hitting a hair with precision. This detail intensifies the narrative by demonstrating the sheer skill of Benjamin's resistance, making their eventual defeat a clear act of divine judgment.
• The military strength of Benjamin (26,700 total fighting men) was surprisingly potent, given their standing as one of the smaller tribes of Israel (compared to, for example, Judah or Ephraim). This relative strength, coupled with their stubbornness, contributed to the prolonged and devastating nature of the civil war.
• The numbering here, reminiscent of righteous censuses for Holy War, perversely details a muster for an unrighteous cause. It highlights the extent to which Israel had deviated from divine order, where organized warfare was waged not against external enemies of God but internally among His covenant people, defending grievous sin.

Judges 20 15 Commentary

Judges 20:15 succinctly details the substantial military assembly of the tribe of Benjamin, providing a stark preview of the monumental conflict that would engulf Israel. The numbering of twenty-six thousand sword-wielding men, augmented by seven hundred elite warriors from Gibeah, underscores Benjamin's defiant resolve. This mobilization reveals the depth of their commitment to shielding the men of Gibeah, illustrating how tribal solidarity and stubborn pride had superseded any moral imperative or commitment to justice rooted in the Law of Moses. The magnitude of Benjamin's force was considerable, especially for a single tribe, setting the stage for one of the most destructive and morally repugnant episodes in Israelite history—a self-inflicted wound born of anarchy, perversion, and tribal loyalty that challenged divine justice. The subsequent outcome of this massive conflict would underscore that even formidable military strength cannot stand against the judgment of God when a people persists in flagrant wickedness.