Albert Barnes Commentary Judges 20
Albert Barnes Commentary
Judges 20
Albert Barnes Commentary
Judges 20
"Then all the children of Israel went out, and the congregation was assembled as one man, from Dan even to Beer-sheba, with the land of Gilead, unto Jehovah at Mizpah." — Judges 20:1 (ASV)
The “congregation” is the technical term for the whole community of the Israelite people. Its occurrence here is an indication of the early date of these transactions.
From Dan to Beer-sheba - We cannot safely infer from this expression that the settlement of Dan, recorded in Judges 18:0, had taken place at this time. It only proves that in the writer’s time, from Dan to Beer-sheba was a proverbial expression for all Israel (compare the marginal reference).
With the land of Gilead - This phrase refers to all the trans-Jordanic tribes. These tribes are mentioned particularly both to show that the whole congregation of the children of Israel, in its widest meaning, took part in the council, and also because of Jabesh-Gilead (Judges 21:8, Judges 21:10).
Unto the Lord in Mizpeh - The phrase “unto the Lord” implies the presence of the tabernacle (Judges 11:11 note).
Mizpeh in Benjamin (Joshua 18:26), from its connection with Bethel and Ramah, is probably the one meant here. It is the same Mizpeh that appears as a place of national assembly in 1 Samuel 7:5, 1 Samuel 10:17, and 2 Kings 25:23–25.
This Mizpeh must have been near Shiloh and Gibeah, and in the north of Benjamin. The Benjamites were duly summoned with the other tribes, so their absence was stubbornly disobedient (Judges 20:3).
"And the chiefs 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 drew sword." — Judges 20:2 (ASV)
The chief - literally, “the corner stones.” (Compare 1 Samuel 14:38.)
"And all the people arose as one man, saying, We will not any of us go to his tent, neither will we any of us turn unto his house." — Judges 20:8 (ASV)
They bound themselves not to break up and disperse until they had punished the wickedness of Gibeah.
"But now this is the thing which we will do to Gibeah: [we will go up] against it by lot;" — Judges 20:9 (ASV)
By lot - To determine who should go up first (Judges 20:18). The shape of the ground probably made it impossible for the whole force to operate at once; and the question of spoil would have something to do with the arrangement. (Compare to 1 Samuel 30:22–25.)
"and we will take ten men of a hundred throughout all the tribes of Israel, and a hundred of a thousand, and a thousand out of ten thousand, to fetch victuals 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 20:10 (ASV)
In order to make it possible for the Israelite army to remain in the field, and do to the men of Gibeah what their wickedness deserved, every tenth man (40,000 in all) was appointed to find provisions for the whole army.
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