Becker Bible Teacher Resources

Judges 20:17-23

Israel defeated in two battles

17 And the men of Israel, beside Benjamin, were numbered four hundred thousand men that drew sword: all these [were] men of war.

 18 ¶ And the children of Israel arose, and went up to the house 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. 19 And the children of Israel rose up in the morning, and encamped against Gibeah. 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. 21 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. 22 And the people the men of Israel encouraged themselves, and set their battle again in array in the place where they put themselves in array the first day. 23 (And the children of Israel went up and wept 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.)

17      וְאִ֨ישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵ֜ל הִתְפָּֽקְד֗וּ לְבַד֙ מִבִּנְיָמִ֔ן אַרְבַּ֨ע מֵא֥וֹת אֶ֛לֶף אִ֖ישׁ שֹׁ֣לֵֽף חָ֑רֶב כָּל־זֶ֖ה אִ֥ישׁ מִלְחָמָֽה׃
18      וַיָּקֻ֜מוּ וַיַּעֲל֣וּ בֵֽית־אֵל֮ וַיִּשְׁאֲל֣וּ בֵאלֹהִים֒ וַיֹּֽאמְרוּ֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל מִ֚י יַעֲלֶה־לָּ֣נוּ בַתְּחִלָּ֔ה לַמִּלְחָמָ֖ה עִם־בְּנֵ֣י בִנְיָמִ֑ן וַיֹּ֥אמֶר יְהוָ֖ה יְהוּדָ֥ה בַתְּחִלָּֽה׃
19      וַיָּק֥וּמוּ בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל בַּבֹּ֑קֶר וַיַּֽחֲנ֖וּ עַל־הַגִּבְעָֽה׃ פ
20      וַיֵּצֵא֙ אִ֣ישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל לַמִּלְחָמָ֖ה עִם־בִּנְיָמִ֑ן וַיַּעַרְכ֨וּ אִתָּ֧ם אִֽישׁ־יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל מִלְחָמָ֖ה אֶל־הַגִּבְעָֽה׃
21      וַיֵּצְא֥וּ בְנֵֽי־בִנְיָמִ֖ן מִן־הַגִּבְעָ֑ה וַיַּשְׁחִ֨יתוּ בְיִשְׂרָאֵ֜ל בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֗וּא שְׁנַ֨יִם וְעֶשְׂרִ֥ים אֶ֛לֶף אִ֖ישׁ אָֽרְצָה׃
22      וַיִּתְחַזֵּ֥ק הָעָ֖ם אִ֣ישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַיֹּסִ֙פוּ֙ לַעֲרֹ֣ךְ מִלְחָמָ֔ה בַּמָּק֕וֹם אֲשֶׁר־עָ֥רְכוּ שָׁ֖ם בַּיּ֥וֹם הָרִאשֽׁוֹן׃
23      וַיַּעֲל֣וּ בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל וַיִּבְכּ֣וּ לִפְנֵֽי־יְהוָה֮ עַד־הָעֶרֶב֒ וַיִּשְׁאֲל֤וּ בַֽיהוָה֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר הַאוֹסִ֗יף לָגֶ֙שֶׁת֙ לַמִּלְחָמָ֔ה עִם־בְּנֵ֥י בִנְיָמִ֖ן אָחִ֑י וַיֹּ֥אמֶר יְהוָ֖ה עֲל֥וּ אֵלָֽיו׃ פ

The Lexham Hebrew Bible (Logos Bible Software, 2012).