Bible Commentaries

Then all

2,8,11, 21:5, Deuteronomy 13:12-18, Joshua 22:12

as one man

1 Samuel 11:7,8, 2 Samuel 19:14, Ezra 3:1, Nehemiah 8:1

from Dan

18:29, 1 Samuel 3:20, 2 Samuel 3:10, 24:2, 1 Chronicles 21:2, 2 Chronicles 30:5

with the

Numbers 32:1,40, Joshua 17:1, 2 Samuel 2:9

unto the

18,26, 11:11

in Mizpeh

10:17, 11:11, Joshua 15:38, 18:26, 1 Samuel 7:5,610:17, 2 Kings 25:23; It does not appear that the Israelites on this occasion, were summoned by the authority of any one common head, but they came together by the consent and agreement, as it were, of one common heart, fired with a holy zeal for the honour of God and Israel. The place of their meeting was Mizpeh; they gathered together unto the Lord there; for Mizpeh was so very near to Shiloh, that their encampment might very well be supposed to reach from Mizpeh to Shiloh. Shiloh was a small town, and therefore, when there was a general meeting of the people to present themselves before God, they chose Mizpeh for their head quarters, which was the next adjoining city of note; perhaps, because they were not willing to give that trouble to Shiloh, which so great an assembly would occasion; it being the residence of the priests that attended the tabernacle.

drew sword

15,17, 8:10, 2 Samuel 24:9, 2 Kings 3:26

the children of Benjamin

Proverbs 22:3, Matthew 5:25, Luke 12:58,59, 14:31,32

how was

19:22-27

the Levite

Heb. the man the Levite. I came.

19:15-28

And the men

19:22

beset

Genesis 19:4-8

and my concubine

19:25,26

forced

Heb. humbled.

Deuteronomy 22:24, Ezekiel 22:10,11

cut her

19:29

folly in Israel

10, 19:23, Genesis 34:7, Joshua 7:15, 2 Samuel 13:12,13

ye are all

Exodus 19:5,6, Deuteronomy 4:6, 14:1,2, 1 Corinthians 5:1,6,10-12

give here

19:30, Joshua 9:14, Proverbs 20:18, 24:6, James 1:5

as one man

1,11

We will not

21:1,5, Proverbs 21:3, Ecclesiastes 9:10

by lot against it

Joshua 14:2, 1 Samuel 14:41,42, 1 Chronicles 24:5, Nehemiah 11:1, Proverbs 16:33, Jonah 1:7, Acts 1:26

ten thousand: or, myriad, Genesis 24:60

sent men

Deuteronomy 13:14, 20:10, Joshua 22:13-16, Matthew 18:15-18, Romans 12:18

deliver

2 Samuel 20:21,22

children of Belial

19:22, Deuteronomy 13:13, 1 Samuel 30:22, 2 Samuel 20:1, 23:6, 1 Kings 21:13, 2 Chronicles 13:7

put away

Deuteronomy 17:7,12, 19:19, 21:21, 22:21,24, 24:7, Ecclesiastes 11:10

would not

1 Samuel 2:25, 2 Chronicles 25:16,20, Proverbs 29:1, Hosea 9:9, 10:9, Romans 1:32, Revelation 18:4,5; The conduct of the Israelites was very equitable in this demand; but perhaps the rulers or elders of Gibeah ought previously to have been applied to, to deliver up the criminals to justice. However, the refusal of the Benjamites, and their protection of those who had committed this horrible wickedness, because they were of their own tribe, prove them to have been deeply corrupted, and (all their advantages considered) as ripe for divine vengeance as the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah had been. Confiding in their own valour and military skill, they seen to have first prepared for battle in this unequal contest with such superior numbers.

Numbers 20:20, 21:23, 2 Chronicles 13:13, Job 15:25,26

twenty

25,35,46,47, Numbers 26:41

left-handed

Itter yad yemeeno, "obstructed in his right hand;" so the Chaldee Targum, gemid beedaih deyammeena, contracted or impeded in his right hand." Le Clerc observes, that the 700 men left-handed seem therefore to have been made slingers, because they could not use the right hand, which is employed in managing heavier arms; and they could discharge the stones from the sling in a direction against which their opponents were not upon their guard, and thus do the greater execution.

3:15, 1 Chronicles 12:2

sling stones

The sling was a very ancient warlike instrument; and, in the hands of those who were skilled in the use of it, produced astonishing effects. The inhabitants of the islands of Baleares, now Majorca and Minorca, were the most celebrated slingers of antiquity. They did not permit their children to break their fast, till they had struck down the bread they had to eat from the top of a pole, or some distant eminence. Vegetius tells us, that slingers could in general hit the mark at 600 feet distance.

1 Samuel 17:40,49,50, 25:29, 2 Chronicles 26:14

four hundred

2, Numbers 1:46, 26:51, 1 Samuel 11:8, 15:4, 1 Chronicles 21:5, 2 Chronicles 17:14-18

house of

18:31, 19:18, Joshua 18:1, Joel 1:14

asked

7,23,26,27, 1:1, Numbers 27:5,21, Joshua 9:14

Judah

1:1,2, Genesis 49:8-10

rose up

Joshua 3:1, 6:12, 7:16

the children

Genesis 49:27, Hosea 10:9

destroyed

Deuteronomy 23:9, 2 Chronicles 28:10, Psalms 33:16, 73:18,19, 77:19, Ecclesiastes 9:1-3, Jeremiah 12:1

encouraged

15,17, 1 Samuel 30:6, 2 Samuel 11:25, Psalms 64:5

wept

26,27, Psalms 78:34-36, Hosea 5:15

And the

It seems most evident that the Israelites did not seek the protection of God. When they "went to the house of God," (ver. 18,) it was not to enquire concerning the expediency of the war, nor of its success, but which of the tribes should begin the attack: and here the question is, "Shall I go up again to battle against the children of Benjamin my brother?" Having so much right on their side, they had no doubt of the justice of their cause, and the propriety of their conduct; and having such a superiority of numbers, they had no doubt of success. But God humbled them, and delivered them into the hands of their enemies; and shewed them that the race was not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong.

destroyed

21, Genesis 18:25, Job 9:12,13, Psalms 97:2, Romans 2:5, 3:5, 11:33

all the children

18,23

wept

1 Samuel 7:6, 2 Chronicles 20:3, Ezra 8:21, 9:4,5, Joel 1:14, 2:12-18, Jonah 3:5-10

enquired

18,23, Numbers 27:21

the ark

Joshua 18:1, 1 Samuel 4:3,4, Psalms 78:60,61, Jeremiah 7:12; The loss of two battles at length brought this stiff-necked people to enquire of the Lord; for all the company at this time met at Shiloh, and kept a day of fasting and prayer with great earnestness and solemnity. "Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear."; Isaiah 59:1

Phinehas

It is evident, from this mention of Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, that these transactions must have taken place not long after the death of Joshua.

Numbers 25:7-13, Joshua 22:13,30-32, 24:33

stood

Deuteronomy 10:8, 18:5

Shall I yet

Joshua 7:7, 1 Samuel 14:37, 23:4-12, 30:8, 2 Samuel 5:19-24, 6:3,7-12, Proverbs 3:5,6, Jeremiah 10:23

Go up

1:2, 7:9, 2 Chronicles 20:17

Israel

Though God had promised them success, they knew they could expect it only by the use of proper means. Hence they used all prudent precaution, and employed all their military skill.

liers

34, Joshua 8:4, 2 Samuel 5:23

drawn

Joshua 8:14-16

smite of the people, and kill, as at

Heb. smite of the people wounded as at, etc. the house of God. or, Beth-el. Gibeah.

19:13,14, Isaiah 10:29

thirty

Joshua 7:5

Let us flee

This was done, not only because they had placed an ambuscade behind Gibeah, which was to enter and burn the city as soon as the Benjamites left it; but it would seem, that the slingers, by being within the city and its fortifications, had great advantage over the Israelites by their slings, when they could not come among them with their swords, unless they got them in the plain country.

Joshua 8:15,16

rose up

Joshua 8:18-22

put themselves

There appear to have been three divisions of the Israelitish army: one at Baal-tamar, (which was situated, says Eusebius, near Gibeah;) a second behind the city in ambush; and a third, who skirmished with the Benjamites before Gibeah.

ten thousand

knew not

Joshua 8:14, Job 21:13, Proverbs 4:19, 29:6, Ecclesiastes 8:11,12, 9:12, Isaiah 3:10,11, Isaiah 47:11, Matthew 24:44, Luke 21:34, 21:34, 1 Thessalonians 5:3

twenty

15,44-46, Job 20:5; Though the numbers of the Israelites were immensely superior to those of Benjamin, though the stratagem was well laid and ingeniously executed, and the battle bravely fought, yet the inspired historian ascribes the victory to the hand of the Lord, as entirely as if he had smitten the Benjamites by a miracle.

for the man

Joshua 8:15-29

the liers in wait hasted

Joshua 8:19

drew themselves along

or, made a long sound with the trumpets.

Exodus 19:13, Joshua 6:5

Now there

From this verse to the end of the chapter, we have the details of the same operations which are mentioned, in a general way, in the preceding verses of this chapter.

sign

or, time.

Genesis 17:21, 2 Kings 4:16; *marg:

and

Heb. with. flame. Heb. elevation.

And when

smite and kill

Heb. smite the wounded.

a pillar

Genesis 19:28, Song of Solomon 3:6, Joel 2:30, Revelation 19:3

looked

Joshua 8:20

flame

Heb. whole consumption.

were amazed

Exodus 15:9,10, Isaiah 13:8,9, 33:14, Luke 17:27,28, 21:26, 1 Thessalonians 5:3, 2 Peter 2:12, Revelation 6:15-17, 18:8-10

was come upon them

Heb. touched them.

the battle

Lamentations 1:3, Hosea 9:9, 10:9

inclosed

Joshua 8:20-22

with ease

or, from Menuchah, etc. over against. Heb. unto over against.

Rimmon

Joshua 15:32, 1 Chronicles 6:77, Zechariah 14:10

twenty

15,35

six hundred

21:13, Psalms 103:9,10, Isaiah 1:9, Jeremiah 14:7, Lamentations 3:32, Habakkuk 3:2

rock of Rimmon

The rock Rimmon was doubtless a strong place; but it is uncertain where situated. It is probable however, that it was near, and took its name from, the village of Remmon, mentioned by Eusebius, fifteen miles north from Jerusalem. It appears that rocks are still resorted to in the East, as places of security; and some of them are even capable of sustaining a siege. De La Roque says, that "The Grand Seignior, wishing to seize the person of the emir (Fakr-eddin, prince of the Druses,) gave orders to the pacha to take him prisoner: he accordingly came in search of him, with a new army, in the district of Chouf, which is part of mount Lebanon, wherein is the village of Gesin, and close to it, the rock which served for a retreat to the emir. It is named in Arabic, Magara Gesin, i.e., the cavern of Gessin, by which name it is famous. The pacha pressed the emir so closely, that this unfortunate prince was obliged to shut himself up in the cleft of a great rock, with a small number of his officers. The pacha besieged him there several months; and was going to blow up the rock by a mine, when the emir capitulated."

smote them

Deuteronomy 13:15-17, 2 Chronicles 25:13, 28:6-9, Proverbs 18:19

came to hand

Heb. was found. they came to. Heb. were found.