Sad State of Existence Judges 20-21

Intro: Recap

Last Saturday there was a gubernatorial campaign event in Portland

A Black Lives Matter group showed up and started throwing fireworks

Police were called but it took 20 minutes to respond even though it was nearby the police headquarters

Last Friday in New Orleans there was a gang shooting that injured 6 people

The shocking thing was that it took 30 minutes for 911 to answer the phone call

Crime is in increasing in every major city which has prompted a major surge in gun purchases

Riots and government stimulus money was the perfect combo and people going out an buying their first gun

Now with the promised violence over the Supreme Court’s leaked document indicating they are going to overturn Roe v Wade it is going to be an interesting summer

Our country is in a sad state of existence

This had happened to every great nation, empire, or dynasty that has come before us

With the exception of a small amount of years, Israel constantly lived in a sad state of existence

At the end of judges we see that play out in the worst way

Read Judges 20:1-6

Israel Assembles at Mizpah vs. 1-7

A month ago we left off with the city of Gibeah demanding to sleep with the levite

The owner of the house pushed his daughter and the concubine out the door

They were sexually abused all night and the concubine died

The levite cut her up into 12 pieces and sent them to all the tribes

It caused the reaction that he had hoped for because people were shocked and then assembled at Mizpah

assembly in Mizpah.

This site in the tribal territory of Benjamin was a common assembly point in premonarchic Israel

The name means “to watch,” and the site may have been a military outpost or border fortress, and thus a likely spot for the type of encampment described in Judges.

All the tribes were present and the chiefs presented themselves

There were 400,000 soldiers

They held an assembly to determine what was going on

vs. 2 four hundred thousand soldiers with swords.

As in many of the other passages that mention the size of an army, it is difficult to ascertain whether the Hebrew word ought to be read as “thousands” or “divisions”

Whatever the case may be, this is a large turnout in response to the summons.

vs. 3-7 Some aspects of Israelite judicial procedure are followed in this episode.

The chiefs or elders of the tribes are assembled to hear testimony.

Once this has been given, a verdict is rendered

One major variation on this process is the fact that only the word of the Levite is given.

Ordinarily, two witnesses are required for a verdict to be given

Battle Preparations vs. 8-23

The casting of lots prior to battle forms an inclusio in the book of Judges.

At the beginning of the book, God responds to the Israelites’ question of “who will be the first to go up and fight?” with the name Judah (1:1–2).

And, again, in this final episode Judah is directed to “go first” in the battle against Gibeah and the Benjaminites

vs. 16 seven hundred left-handed slingers.

The number may reflect a special or elite contingent of ambidextrous warriors, who were such marksmen with their slings that they could turn the odds for an outnumbered army

III. War with Benjamin vs. 24-48

vs. 24-25 18,000 men killed

On the 2nd day of the war they assembled in a traditional battle front

Benjamin destroys 18,000 men and is sends Israel into a tailspin

vs. 26-28 Weeping & fasting

They don’t go out to battle on the third day but all the people went up to Bethel and wept

They sat before the Lord and fasted

Fasting is little attested in the ancient Near East outside of the Bible.

It generally occurs in the context of mourning.

In the Old Testament the religious use of fasting is often in connection with making a request before God.

The importance of the request causes an individual to be so concerned about their spiritual condition that physical necessities fade into the background.

In this sense the act of fasting is designed as a process leading to purification and humbling oneself before God

vs. 27- 28 ark at Bethel.

The people inquired of the Lord

Phineas was ministering before the ark

This is the only reference to the ark in the book of Judges, and therefore for most of the book it is unknown where the ark is being kept or how it is being used.

It is generally assumed that its location changed on a number of occasions during the period. In the beginning of 1 Samuel it is at Shiloh.

He inquires of the Lord for the people

He asks if they should go out once more?

The Lord tells them to go up for He will give them into their hands

vs. 29-36 ambush strategy.

Israel uses different tactics this time

Instead of the frontal assault on Gibeah they set an ambush

They sent troops as normal and played on Benjamin’s growing confidence

They draw them away from the city

Israel starts to retreat and go to Baal Tamar

vs. 33 Baal Tamar.

A site between Gibeah and Bethel which has not been conclusively identified.

The city serves as the site of a diversionary battle which allowed another army of Israelites to attack Gibeah and destroy it.

When they get to Baal Tamar the Israelites come out of hiding and catch Benjamin off guard

vs. 35 25,100 killed.

The original Benjaminite muster was 26 divisions plus 700 trained warriors (v. 15).

The number here in verse 35 is the total casualty count, which is broken down in the following verses.

Of the divisions, 25 were wiped out, including 18 on the battlefield (v. 44), 5 during flight (v. 45) and 2 more in the “mop up” operation (v. 45).

Of the 700 trained warriors, 100 were killed while 600 escaped and hid

vs. 36 Benjamin saw that it was defeated

vs. 37-42 Smoke goes up

The rest of the ambush went into the city and killed everyone with the sword

They sent up a smoke signal and Israel turned towards Gibeah

Benjamin was dismayed because disaster was upon them

They tried to run for the wilderness but the sheer numbers in the battle overtook them

vs. 43-45 Rock of Rimmon.

Isreal cleans up Benjamin and only 600 men escape to the Rock of Rimmon

The limestone cliffs around the site of Gibeah/Geba are pitted with small caves from which ambushing soldiers could spring or in which these six hundred survivors could hide (see comment on Judg 19:12–14).

This is the origin of the name “Pomegranate Rock,” which is most likely identified with the el-Jaia cave in the Wadi es-Swenit, approximately one mile east of Gibeah/Geba.

vs. 48 decimating cities (incl. animals).

Although the term is not used here, the action taken against the Benjaminite towns is precisely the same as a ḥerem a holy war in which all persons, animals and property are destroyed as a sacrifice to God

This would then account for the fact that only six hundred Benjaminites (hiding at the Rock of Rimmon) would have survived this devastation.

It is an extreme form of warfare, and one that occurs only infrequently since it does not provide the conquering force any loot or slaves.

IV. vs. 1-15

vs. 1 Stupid oath

Once again an unwise oath appears in the narrative

In their zeal to punish the Benjaminites, they had carried out a war of total devastation and had sealed the fate of their future existence by swearing not to intermarry with any survivors

This may have also been a security measure should there be future conflicts with the Benjaminites.

However, the destruction had been so complete that the six hundred survivors were left without wives or other women to marry.

Since the Israelites could not violate their oath without bringing God’s wrath upon them, an alternative source of brides for the Benjaminites had to be sought.

vs. 2-3 Sad state

Lifted voices and wept bitterly all day

“Why has this happened in Israel?”

Grievous sin had caused a civil war and now people are mourning the outcome

Sin, undealt with for a long time, has major consequences

The country has wiped out one of their tribes

Was the punishment justified? I’d say yes

vs. 4-7 Great compassion

Start off by offering burnt sacrifices

This sets God first

Next, they look for a solution

Which tribe didn’t come up

There had been an oath given not to give daughters in marriage

They couldn’t go back on this, but those who didn’t show up didn’t make an oath

vs. 8 Jabesh-Gilead didn’t come to battle

they send 12,000 of the bravest men to deal with them

They found 400 virgins and brought them to Shiloh

There still wasn’t enough

V. Snatch a Bride vs. 16-25

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