📖 Judges — Chapter 20 (KJV)
Read the complete King James Version chapter below, then explore the passage sections, check what you remember, and keep your private study notes.
Scripture source: Project Gutenberg KJV, ebook 10.
Judges 20:1 RThen all the children of Israel went out, and the congregation was gathered together as one man, from Dan even to Beersheba, with the land of Gilead, unto the LORD in Mizpeh.
Judges 20:2 And the chief of all the people, even of all the tribes of Israel, presented themselves in the assembly of the people of God, four hundred thousand footmen that Rdrew sword.
Judges 20:3 (Now Rthe children of Benjamin heard that the children of Israel were gone up to Mizpeh.) Then said the children of Israel, Tell us, how was this wickedness?
Judges 20:4 And Tthe Levite, the husband of the woman that was slain, answered and said, RI came into Gibeah that belongeth to Benjamin, I and my concubine, to lodge.
Judges 20:5 RAnd the men of Gibeah rose against me, and beset the house round about upon me by night, and thought to have slain me: and my concubine have they Tforced, that she is dead.
Judges 20:6 And I took my concubine, and Rcut her in pieces, and sent her throughout all the country of the inheritance of Israel: for they have committed lewdness and folly in Israel.
Judges 20:7 Behold, Rye are all children of Israel; give here your advice and counsel.
Judges 20:8 And all the people arose Ras one man, saying, We will not any of us go to his tent, neither will we any of us turn into his house.
Judges 20:9 But now this shall be the thing which we will do to Gibeah; we will go up Rby lot against it;
Judges 20:10 And we will take ten men of an hundred throughout all the tribes of Israel, and an hundred of a thousand, and a thousand out of ten thousand, to fetch victual for the people, that they may do, when they come to Gibeah of Benjamin, according to all the folly that they have wrought in Israel.
Judges 20:11 So all the men of Israel were gathered against the city, Tknit together as one man.
Judges 20:12 And the tribes of Israel Rsent men through all the tribe of Benjamin, saying, What wickedness is this that is done among you?
Judges 20:13 Now therefore Rdeliver us the men, the children of Belial, which are in Gibeah, that we may put them to death, and put away evil from Israel. But the children of Benjamin would not hearken to the voice of their brethren the children of Israel.
Judges 20:14 But the children of Benjamin gathered themselves together out of the cities unto Gibeah, to go out to battle against the children of Israel.
Judges 20:15 And the children of Benjamin were numbered at that time out of the cities Rtwenty and six thousand men that drew sword, beside the inhabitants of Gibeah, which were numbered seven hundred chosen men.
Judges 20:16 Among all this people there were seven hundred chosen men lefthanded; every one could Rsling stones at an hair breadth, and not miss.
Judges 20:17 And the men of Israel, beside Benjamin, were numbered Rfour hundred thousand men that drew sword: all these were men of war.
Judges 20:18 And the children of Israel arose, and went up to the Rhouse of God, and asked counsel of God, and said, Which of us shall go up first to the battle against the children of Benjamin? And the LORD said, Judah shall go up first.
Judges 20:19 And the children of Israel Rrose up in the morning, and encamped against Gibeah.
Judges 20:20 And the men of Israel went out to battle against Benjamin; and the men of Israel put themselves in array to fight against them at Gibeah.
Judges 20:21 And Rthe children of Benjamin came forth out of Gibeah, and destroyed down to the ground of the Israelites that day twenty and two thousand men.
Judges 20:22 And the people the men of Israel Rencouraged themselves, and set their battle again in array in the place where they put themselves in array the first day.
Judges 20:23 (And the children of Israel went up and Rwept before the LORD until even, and asked counsel of the LORD, saying, Shall I go up again to battle against the children of Benjamin my brother? And the LORD said, Go up against him.)
Judges 20:24 And the children of Israel came near against the children of Benjamin the second day.
Judges 20:25 And Benjamin went forth against them out of Gibeah the second day, and Rdestroyed down to the ground of the children of Israel again eighteen thousand men; all these drew the sword.
Judges 20:26 Then Rall the children of Israel, and all the people, went up, and came unto the house of God, and wept, and sat there before the LORD, and fasted that day until even, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the LORD.
Judges 20:27 And the children of Israel Renquired of the LORD, (for the ark of the covenant of God was there in those days,
Judges 20:28 And RPhinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, stood before it in those days,) saying, Shall I yet again go out to battle against the children of Benjamin my brother, or shall I cease? And the LORD said, Go up; for to morrow I will deliver them into thine hand.
Judges 20:29 And Israel set Rliers in wait round about Gibeah.
Judges 20:30 And the children of Israel went up against the children of Benjamin on the third day, and put themselves in array against Gibeah, as at other times.
Judges 20:31 And the children of Benjamin went out against the people, and were Rdrawn away from the city; and they began Tto smite of the people, and kill, as at other times, in the highways, of which one goeth up to Tthe house of God, and the other to Gibeah in the field, about thirty men of Israel.
Judges 20:32 And the children of Benjamin said, They are smitten down before us, as at the first. But the children of Israel said, RLet us flee, and draw them from the city unto the highways.
Judges 20:33 And all the men of Israel Rrose up out of their place, and put themselves in array at Baaltamar: and the liers in wait of Israel came forth out of their places, even out of the meadows of Gibeah.
Judges 20:34 And there came against Gibeah ten thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and the battle was sore: but they Rknew not that evil was near them.
Judges 20:35 And the LORD smote Benjamin before Israel: and the children of Israel destroyed of the Benjamites that day Rtwenty and five thousand and an hundred men: all these drew the sword.
Judges 20:36 So the children of Benjamin saw that they were smitten: for the men of Israel gave place to the Benjamites, because they trusted unto the liers in wait which they had set beside Gibeah.
Judges 20:37 And Rthe liers in wait hasted, and rushed upon Gibeah; and the liers in wait Tdrew themselves along, and smote all the city with the edge of the sword.
Judges 20:38 Now there was an appointed RTsign between the men of Israel Tand the liers in wait, that they should make a great Tflame with smoke rise up out of the city.
Judges 20:39 And when the men of Israel retired in the battle, Benjamin began Tto smite and kill of the men of Israel about thirty persons: for they said, Surely they are smitten down before us, as in the first battle.
Judges 20:40 But when the flame began to arise up out of the city with Ra pillar of smoke, the Benjamites looked behind them, and, behold, Tthe flame of the city ascended up to heaven.
Judges 20:41 And when the men of Israel turned again, the men of Benjamin Rwere amazed: for they saw that evil Twas come upon them.
Judges 20:42 Therefore they turned their backs before the men of Israel unto the way of the wilderness; but Rthe battle overtook them; and them which came out of the cities they destroyed in the midst of them.
Judges 20:43 Thus they Rinclosed the Benjamites round about, and chased them, and trode them down Twith ease Tover against Gibeah toward the sunrising.
Judges 20:44 And there fell of Benjamin eighteen thousand men; all these were men of valour.
Judges 20:45 And they turned and fled toward the wilderness unto the rock of RRimmon: and they gleaned of them in the highways five thousand men; and pursued hard after them unto Gidom, and slew two thousand men of them.
Judges 20:46 So that all which fell that day of Benjamin were Rtwenty and five thousand men that drew the sword; all these were men of valour.
Judges 20:47 But Rsix hundred men turned and fled to the wilderness unto the rock Rimmon, and abode in the rock Rimmon four months.
Judges 20:48 And the men of Israel turned again upon the children of Benjamin, and Rsmote them with the edge of the sword, as well the men of every city, as the beast, and all that Tcame to hand: also they set on fire all the cities that Tthey came to.
📚 Study This Chapter
📖 What We’re Reading
Judges 20:1–17 — Israel gathers and Benjamin refuses
🌱 What These Verses Teach Us
Israel assembles at Mizpeh and hears the Levite's account, which omits his own action in sending the woman out. The tribes demand the guilty men, but Benjamin refuses and mobilizes. The atrocity at Gibeah grows into a conflict between tribes.
Key Truth: Justice requires honest testimony and must not be blocked by loyalty to wrongdoers.
Check What You Remember
1. Where did the tribes assemble? (Judges 20:1)
Find it in Judges 20:1 (KJV).
2. Which tribe refused to surrender the guilty men? (Judges 20:13)
Find it in Judges 20:13 (KJV).
3. How many chosen left-handed men are mentioned? (Judges 20:16)
Find it in Judges 20:16 (KJV).
📖 What We’re Reading
Judges 20:18–28 — Two defeats and renewed inquiry
🌱 What These Verses Teach Us
The tribes ask the LORD who should lead and are told Judah. They suffer two defeats, then weep, fast, and offer sacrifices. Phinehas ministers before the ark; the LORD's next answer includes a specific promise of deliverance on the following day.
Key Truth: The narrative includes grievous losses before the promised outcome; it is not a formula guaranteeing immediate success.
Check What You Remember
1. Which tribe was told to go first? (Judges 20:18)
Find it in Judges 20:18 (KJV).
2. How many Israelites fell in the first battle? (Judges 20:21)
Find it in Judges 20:21 (KJV).
3. Which priest stood before the ark? (Judges 20:28)
Find it in Judges 20:28 (KJV).
📖 What We’re Reading
Judges 20:29–48 — Gibeah falls and Benjamin is devastated
🌱 What These Verses Teach Us
An ambush draws Benjamin away while Gibeah is burned. The LORD smites Benjamin, and six hundred men escape to Rimmon. Israel's further destruction of towns and living things leaves the tribe near extinction, creating the crisis of the next chapter.
Key Truth: The account of judgment also forces readers to face the devastating extent of Israel's civil war.
Check What You Remember
1. On which day did Israel use the successful ambush? (Judges 20:30)
Find it in Judges 20:30 (KJV).
2. What signal rose from the city? (Judges 20:38)
Find it in Judges 20:38 (KJV).
3. How many men escaped to the rock Rimmon? (Judges 20:47)
Find it in Judges 20:47 (KJV).
Related Scripture (KJV)
Judges 19:25 — The preceding account includes the Levite's role omitted from his testimony here.
This related passage is selected for its connection with this chapter. It is separate from the chapter text.
Reflect and Apply
Compare the Levite's testimony with the previous chapter. Why does a careful reader need the whole account before drawing conclusions?
Advanced Questions and Answers
Study this chapter’s wording, patterns, contrasts, and meaning in greater depth.
1. How does the assembly’s repeated description emphasize its resolve?
2. What request to Benjamin precedes the civil conflict?
3. How does the inquiry before the third battle differ in its answer?
4. How does the feigned retreat serve Israel’s strategy?
5. How does the smoke function in the battle plan?
Notes
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