Judges chapter 20
Once again we see a gathering of Israelites to war in Mizpah. No doubt this area was not only at hand for the battle ahead of them, but a good gathering point for armies. We hear of this place when Gideon is about to go to war. You wouldn't have a war that wasn't near the parties involved, but here must have been advantageous if not convenient. All the tribes except for Benjamin and the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead are coming to war.
The Levite from the previous chapter repeats his story and the Israelites decide what they are going to do. They ask for the men who committed this crime, but the inhabitants of Gibeah and the Benjamites as a whole reject the matter. I would only assume they do this out of pride and not out of defense or deference to the heinous crimes that were committed. I hope they denied turning over the men because they felt they were not going to be bullied. I suppose the reasoning doesn't matter in the end, because Israel is going to have civil war over the matter and thousands upon thousand are going to die.
When the two armies are arrayed, there turns out to be only roughly twenty seven thousand men in total for Benjamin compared to four hundred thousand that were united with the other tribes of Israel. I am not sure what the relevance is in the end, but we are told that the men fighting on both sides were great men of war. These were not just unskilled farm hands brought out of the fields and given a spear and told to fight. These are experienced, conditioned fighting men. To me this just makes the story all the more tragic that God's people are using their best warriors to fight each other instead of cleaning up their borders and territories. This would be a far better use of God's chosen people.
The Israelites seek God's council to fight. Notice that God does not tell them that they will win the battle, he just commands, or gives them permission to go. Remember, that these men that started this whole affair are evil, but the remaining dwellers in the land of Canaan are not without guilt or blame. Israel is doing what is 'right in their own eyes'. None of this was God's will for his people. God doesn't want mankind to war against itself, but he will deliver one or the other. God sent his son not to condemn the world, but to save it.
The Benjamites give the rest of Israel a bitter defeat. Considering the the numbers it is hard to imagine, but Israel didn't send their entire force at first. Israel asks council of God again, and they get the same answer, and the same result on the battlefield. No doubt this is discouraging to the tribes, but God has his plans. They go to inquire again, and this time the Lord not only tells them to go, but says that he will deliver the Benjamites into their hand.
This time, they use their defeats as a ploy to get the defenders of Gibeah to run out after them and then after feinting defeat, they turn to fight their foes. More men come from lying in wait and even more men come from hiding to burn the city and totally put the Benjamites to ruin. All are killed of the Benjamites but a remnant.
These last chapters of Judges are not always pleasant to read, but I believe there are lessons in them for God's people. I like how Israel used their defeats to setup a plan to overcome their enemy. We would do well to learn from our mistakes, defeats, and chastening of our Lord to make ourselves better Christians.
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