Judges 20 48

Judges 20:48 kjv

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.

Judges 20:48 nkjv

And the men of Israel turned back against the children of Benjamin, and struck them down with the edge of the sword?from every city, men and beasts, all who were found. They also set fire to all the cities they came to.

Judges 20:48 niv

The men of Israel went back to Benjamin and put all the towns to the sword, including the animals and everything else they found. All the towns they came across they set on fire.

Judges 20:48 esv

And the men of Israel turned back against the people of Benjamin and struck them with the edge of the sword, the city, men and beasts and all that they found. And all the towns that they found they set on fire.

Judges 20:48 nlt

And the Israelites returned and slaughtered every living thing in all the towns ? the people, the livestock, and everything they found. They also burned down all the towns they came to.

Judges 20 verses

Judges 20 48 Meaning

Judges 20:48 describes the final act of total destruction carried out by the Israelite army against the remaining Benjaminite towns, people, and animals, following their victory in the civil war. It marks the utter annihilation of nearly an entire tribe due to their persistent sin and refusal to surrender the men of Gibeah. This act signifies the severe judgment that fell upon Benjamin and a tragic climax to a period of grave moral decline in Israel.

Judges 20 48 Context

Judges 20:48 concludes the harrowing account of the inter-tribal war against Benjamin, initiated by the horrific incident involving the Levite's concubine in Gibeah. After two devastating defeats for the coalition of Israelite tribes, the third day of battle saw the LORD deliver Benjamin into their hands. The preceding verses (Jdg 20:44-47) describe the relentless pursuit and slaughter of the 25,100 Benjamite warriors. This verse, Jdg 20:48, depicts the ultimate consequence of their obstinate sin—the complete desolation of Benjamin's cities and the destruction of every living thing found within them. This was a form of "holy war" or herem applied internally, demonstrating the severity with which unpunished sin and flagrant moral transgression were treated within the covenant community. It serves as a stark reminder of Israel's descent into moral depravity during the period when "there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes" (Jdg 21:25), highlighting the dire consequences of forsaking divine law.

Judges 20 48 Word analysis

• Then (וַיָּשֻׁ֨בוּ - vayashuvu): From the root שׁוּב (shuv), meaning "to turn back," "return." This signifies the Israelite forces had initially bypassed these areas in their direct military campaign, and now they "returned" or "turned their attention" to these locations to complete the judgment. It implies a systematic mopping-up operation after the primary battle was won.
• the men of Israel (אִֽישׁ־יִשְׂרָאֵ֜ל - 'ish Yisra'el): Refers to the collective army of the other tribes of Israel, acting in a unified capacity against Benjamin. This emphasizes that it was an act sanctioned by the larger covenant community, however tragic.
• turned back (וַיָּשֻׁ֨בוּ - vayashuvu): Repeats the idea of returning or reversing course, emphasizing their decisive action to cover the remaining territory.
• against the cities (אֶל־עָרֵ֣י - 'el-'arei): Refers to the fortified towns and settlements of Benjamin that were not directly involved in the main battle or were spared initially. The plural indicates widespread destruction. An "iyr" (עִיר) was often a hub of communal life, implying that the very fabric of Benjamite society was erased.
• of the Benjamites (בִּנְיָמִ֔ן - Binyamin): Clearly identifies the target of this destructive sweep—the remaining strongholds of the tribe of Benjamin. This underscores the grim reality of brother against brother, demonstrating the full cost of national sin.
• and put to the sword (וַיַּכּ֣וּ - vayakkú): From נָכָה (nakah), "to strike," "to smite." Here, "put to the sword" is a common Hebrew idiom for slaying or executing with a weapon, emphasizing violent death.
• all that they found (כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֣ר מָצָ֔א - kol-asher matsa): This phrase highlights the thoroughness of the destruction. It suggests a methodical and comprehensive cleansing, leaving no stone unturned, indicating a complete devastation, typical of herem or devoted destruction.
• man and beast (גַּם־בְּהֵמָ֛ה - gam-behemah): Literally "also beast." This indicates that not only human inhabitants but also their livestock were destroyed. This is a common feature in contexts of holy war (herem), where the sin of the people necessitated the eradication of all life associated with them to prevent contamination or future rebellion.
• in every city (בְּכָל־עִ֣יר - b'khol-'iyr): Reinforces the comprehensiveness, that no single Benjamite city within their reach was spared this fate.
• and all the cities they found (וְכָל־הֶעָרִ֗ים אֲשֶׁר֙ מָֽצְא֤וּ - vekhol-he'arim asher mats'u): Again, the repetition emphasizes the completeness of their action. They methodically searched out and destroyed every last settlement.
• they burned with fire (שָׂרְפוּ֙ בָּאֵֽשׁ - sar'fu ba'esh): The verb שָׂרַף (saraf), "to burn," with "by fire" (ba'esh), reiterates the destructive method. Fire was a common method of rendering a city uninhabitable and was a sign of complete annihilation and desolation in ancient Near Eastern warfare, often symbolizing divine judgment and purity from corruption.

Judges 20 48 Bonus section

The complete eradication described in Jdg 20:48 stands in stark contrast to the initial ideal of tribal unity under the covenant. While God sometimes commanded the cherem against pagan nations as a judgment and to preserve Israel's purity, its application in an intra-Israelite conflict demonstrates the severity of Benjamin's sin, particularly their protection of the men of Gibeah and refusal to hand over the perpetrators of grave evil (homosexuality and gang rape). This level of destruction for an Israelite tribe prefigures the later prophecies of national judgment and exile that would befall Judah and Israel when they consistently broke God's covenant, showing God's uncompromising nature regarding sin within His own people. The collective decision by the Israelite tribes to pursue this judgment, even through such extreme measures, suggests a sense of righteous indignation at the outrage and Benjamin's insolence against justice, highlighting their corporate responsibility.

Judges 20 48 Commentary

Judges 20:48 paints a somber picture of utter devastation, marking the tragic climax of the war against Benjamin. After inflicting a decisive defeat on the Benjaminite army, the Israelites engaged in a complete sweep of the remaining territory, meticulously destroying cities and everything within them. This was not merely an act of military victory but an act of corporate judgment. The extensive nature of the destruction, targeting both human and animal life and razing entire towns by fire, echoes the severe commands of herem (devotion to destruction) found in the Pentateuch, typically reserved for utterly corrupt Canaanite cities (e.g., Deut 7:2; Josh 6:21). The application of such measures against a fellow Israelite tribe underscores the profound depravity that had gripped Benjamin, and by extension, all of Israel, signaling a time when even inter-tribal sin provoked the most extreme divine retribution. This brutal ending reflects the period's chaotic reality: without godly leadership and each person doing "what was right in their own eyes," the consequences of sin brought Israel to the brink of tribal extinction, shattering the covenant community and illustrating the destructive power of unrepentant sin within God's people.