CONGREGATION] This word is only used in the later books of the OT. after Israel had ceased at the exile to be a nation: see intro. Judges 19). DAN] see on Judges 18:29. BEER-SHEBA] the southernmost point of Palestine, 28 m. SW. of Hebron. See Genesis 21:26; 1 Samuel 8:2; Amos 5:5.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE SLAUGHTER OF THE BENJAMITES The Levite recounts his wrongs to a full assemblage of the tribes, who decree punishment upon Benjamin. Their first two attacks are unsuccessful, but the third results in the almost total extermination of the Benjamites. 1-11. The Israelites assemble at Gibeah.... [ Continue Reading ]
FOUR HUNDRED THOUSAND] contrast Judges 5:8.... [ Continue Reading ]
MIZPEH] not the place in Gilead mentioned in Judges 11:11, but on a hill about two hours' journey NW. from Jerusalem. 12-29. The defeats of the Israelites. 12. The responsibility for the outrage is regarded as resting on the whole tribe.... [ Continue Reading ]
IN Judges 20:44 only 25,600 men are accounted for. LXX here reads 25,000, and neglects the 700 men of Judges 20:16. 16. See on Judges 3:16.... [ Continue Reading ]
Cp. 12. Bethel (RV) would be some four hours' distance to the N. After this journey the whole army marches back to Gibeah.... [ Continue Reading ]
This v., placed in brackets, should really precede Judges 20:22, on which Judges 20:24 properly follows. 25. In these two battles the Israelites thus lose a tenth of their whole number.... [ Continue Reading ]
HOUSE OF GOD] RV 'Bethel.' BURNT OFFERINGS.. PEACE OFFERINGS] Sacrifices in which the whole was consumed on the altar, and sacrifices in which part was eaten by the worshippers at a common meal. 27, 28. This parenthesis is added to explain why Bethel was visited, and not Shiloh, as might have been... [ Continue Reading ]
BAALTAMAR] unknown.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE LORD] Israel's success is really Jehovah's. This v. anticipates the end of the story. In the whole narrative there is a good deal of misplacement (e.g. Judges 20:37; Judges 20:39) and redundancy (e.g. Judges 20:31). Judges 20:36 commences what is really a second account of the battle, with a ver... [ Continue Reading ]
DREW _themselves_ ALONG] 'moved forward.'... [ Continue Reading ]
THE WILDERNESS] i.e. to the more desolate region lying to the E.... [ Continue Reading ]
WITH EASE] RV 'at their resting place,' or, as RM, 'at Menuhah.' THE SUNRISING] i.e. the E.... [ Continue Reading ]
RIMMON] 3 m. E. of Bethel. GIDOM is unknown.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE MEN OF _every_ CITY] RV 'the entire city,' or, as RM, 'the inhabited city.'... [ Continue Reading ]