Chapter 20
In response to all the body parts, there is a great gathering of all Israel at Mizpah. The gathering includes 400,000 soldiers. The people of Benjamin, in Gibeah, hear of the gathering. The Levite tells his story - somewhat embellished to make himself look better. And he asks the assembly what should be done.
6 So I took hold of my concubine and cut her in pieces and sent her throughout all the country of the inheritance of Israel, for they have committed abomination and outrage in Israel. [Jdg 20:6 ESV]!
It was the Benjamites that had committed abomination! Nothing done in the face of that kind of aggressive evil is unjustified! But that cannot be right! We know this Levite is really messed up...but so was the old man who offered them his daughter! But it is the men of the town who are singled out for vengeance.
2026 - Look at vs 6!
10% of the assembled are to go to Gibeah and take care of the problem. They go to all the cities of Benjamin and ask that the men who committed the crime be turned over to them so they "rid Israel" of this evil. Benjamin protects the homosexuals. They won't turn them over. Instead, they send soldiers to Gibeah to protect it. So the 400,000 inquire of God what they should do.
2021 - 13 Now therefore give up the men, the worthless fellows in Gibeah, that we may put them to death and purge evil from Israel." But the Benjaminites would not listen to the voice of their brothers, the people of Israel. [Jdg 20:13 ESV]
So there is an attempt at justice here. All Israel doesn't start off threatening the whole tribe of Benjamin. They ask only that the perpetrators of this horror be turned over so that justice can be done. But a whole "state" decides instead to back the criminals. They had to know these were criminals. They knew a great wrong had been committed, yet they support them because they are "like them". Oh my. Here is an unexpected lesson. Tribe doesn't matter. Country doesn't matter. Color doesn't matter. Justice, as spelled out by God's word, is what matters. Purging evil from among us is what matters. We should not prejudice judgement according to any of these criteria.
God says Judah should attack first. They do, and the Benjamites win the battle. 22,000 of Judah are killed. The next day, 18,000 more are killed, though they had sought God's counsel and God told them to attack Gibeah again. Why are so many of the avengers dying? 2021 - Because truly all Israel was in a sorry state. They had to know Gibeah existed, and know what kind of place it was. Was that why the old man was there in the first place? Was he seeking homosexual asylum in the city of Gibeah? Did all Benjamin come out to fight because so many had relatives living in Gibeah, the homosexual haven? Oh my...It fits. It really fits. If the rest of Israel was in the right, why would God let 40,000 die? That's 10% of those assembled.
They go back to the Tabernacle, where the ark is kept, and where Phinehas, grandson of Aaron himself, is still high priest, and inquire yet again. (Things have gotten this confused in only two generations from Aaron and Moses. God says to go up one more time, for they will win this time.
This time, Israel employs some strategy and puts men in ambush positions, and as the battle starts, they run away and the Benjamites chase them. Israel wins, and kills 25,100 Benjamites. Still...a lot less than the 40,000 Israel lost. All dead fighting against themselves.
Israel continues to kill Benjamites wherever they find them, and to burn their cities for quite some time after this.
So the murder of the concubine ultimately results in the deaths of 65,000 soldiers. More of the avengers die than those of the tribe that committed the crime, and we have no clear indication that the actual perpetrators are brought to justice at all. We have a tribe protecting it's members against a whole nation, despite the heinous act that has been committed. They don't try to prosecute the crime themselves, they just protect.
Everything has gotten very depraved and confused and we see that when man's ways prevail - when men do as seems best to themselves - justice is a casualty.