Judges 20:21

19 The next morning the Israelites set out and camped near Gibeah.

20 And the men of Israel went out to fight against Benjamin and took up their battle positions at Gibeah.

And the Benjamites came out of Gibeah and cut down 22,000 Israelites on the battlefield that day.

22 But the Israelite army took courage and again took their battle positions in the same place where they had arrayed themselves on the first day.

23 They went up and wept before the LORD until evening, inquiring of Him, “Should we again draw near for battle against our brothers the Benjamites?” And the LORD answered, “Go up against them.”

Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB
And the Benjamites came out of Gibeah and cut down 22,000 Israelites on the battlefield that day.
KJV
And the children of Benjamin came forth out of Gibeah, and destroyed down to the ground of the Israelites that day twenty and two thousand men.
WEB
The children of Benjamin came out of Gibeah, and on that day destroyed twenty-two thousand of the Israelite men down to the ground.
ASV
And the children of Benjamin came forth out of Gibeah, and destroyed down to the ground of the Israelites on that day twenty and two thousand men.
DARBY
And the children of Benjamin went forth out of Gibeah, and destroyed to the ground of the Israelites that day twenty-two thousand men.
BLB
And the sons of Benjamin came out from Gibeah and they destroyed in Israel on that day two and twenty thousand men to the ground.
ÅB
Da dro Benjamins barn ut av Gibea og slo den dag to og tyve tusen mann av Israel til jorden.
OTB
Benjaminittene kom ut fra Gibea og slo ned tjue-to tusen israelitter på slagmarken den dagen.
B1930
Da drog Benjamins barn ut av Gibea og slo den dag to og tyve tusen mann av Israel til jorden.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

  • Hosea 10:9

    Since the days of Gibeah you have sinned, O Israel, and there you have remained. Did not the battle in Gibeah overtake the sons of iniquity?

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  • Jeremiah 12:1

    Righteous are You, O LORD, when I plead before You. Yet about Your judgments I wish to contend with You: Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why do all the faithless live at ease?

    Read in context
  • Judges 20:25

    That same day the Benjamites came out against them from Gibeah and cut down another 18,000 Israelites, all of them armed with swords.

    Read in context
  • Psalms 77:19

    Your path led through the sea, Your way through the mighty waters, but Your footprints were not to be found.

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  • Psalms 73:18–19

    Surely You set them on slick ground; You cast them down into ruin.

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  • Ecclesiastes 9:1–3

    So I took all this to heart and concluded that the righteous and the wise, as well as their deeds, are in God’s hands. Man does not know what lies ahead, whether love or hate.

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  • 2 Chronicles 28:10

    And now you intend to reduce to slavery the men and women of Judah and Jerusalem. But are you not also guilty before the LORD your God?

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  • Psalms 33:16

    No king is saved by his vast army; no warrior is delivered by his great strength.

    Read in context