Judges 20:46

17:7-13 Micah thought it was a sign of God's favour to him and his images, that a Levite should come to his door. Thus those who please themselves with their own delusions, if Providence unexpectedly bring any thing to their hands that further them in their evil way, are apt from thence to think that God is pleased with them.

So that all which fell that day of Benjamin were twenty and thousand men,.... It is before said 25,100 Judges 20:35 here the one hundred are omitted, and the round number of thousands given, which is no unusual way of speaking and writing; the whole army of Benjamin consisted of 26,700 of which 18,000 were slain in the field of battle, 5000 in the highways, and 2000 at Gidom, in all 25,000; and we may suppose one hundred as they were straggling in the road, or found in by places, or are not mentioned with either of the thousands for the sake of a round number, and six hundred fled to the rock Rimmon; as for the other 1000, it is highly probable, they fell in the two first battles, as Ben Gersom and Abarbinel rightly suppose; for it is not credible, that though they got such amazing victories, it was without the loss of men, and these are as few as well can be imagined. Jarchi thinks these thousand fled to the cities of Benjamin, and were slain when the Israelites entered them, as after related, Judges 20:48 which is much more probable than a tradition they have, that they went into the land of Romania, and dwelt there. Now all those that were slain were men that drew the sword; soldiers, not husbandmen, artificers, &c. but armed men: all these were men of valour; even those that fled, who chose rather to lose their lives than ask for quarter.

In Judges 20:35 the number given is 25,100. Judges 20:44-46 give the details of the loss on that day: 18,000, 5,000, and 2,000; in all 25,000. But as the Benjamites numbered 26,700 men Judges 20:15 , and 600 escaped to the rock of Rimmon, it is clear that 1,100 are unaccounted for, partly from no account being taken of those who fell in the battles of the two first days, partly from the use of round numbers, or from some other cause. The numbers given both here and in Judges 20:35 are expressly restricted to those who fell on "that" (the third) "day."

46 . For the total here cf. on Jdg 20:35 . This and the preceding verse appear to be, not fragments from the B narrative, but editorial additions: the first part of Jdg 20:45 is borrowed from Jdg 20:47 , the figures in Jdg 20:46 are obtained by adding up those in Jdg 20:44 (from A) and 45; contrast B’s total in Jdg 20:35 . Judges 20:46

Twenty and five thousand, besides the odd hundred expressed Judges 20:35 ; but here only the great number is expressed, the less being omitted, as inconsiderable; which way of numbering is frequent in Scripture, as Judges 11:26 2 Samuel 5:5 , and in other authors, and in vulgar use; as when they are called the seventy interpreters, who in truth and exactness were seventy-two. Here are also a thousand more omitted, because here he speaks only of them who fell in that third day of battle. See Poole "Judges 20:15" .

46. all which fell that day of Benjamin were twenty and five thousand men—On comparing this with Jud 20:35, it will be seen that the loss is stated here in round numbers and is confined only to that of the third day. We must conclude that a thousand had fallen during the two previous engagements, in order to make the aggregate amount given (Jud 20:15).

(46) Twenty and five thousand men. —Eighteen thousand killed in battle, ┼ 5,000 on the paved roads ( mesilloth ) , ┼ 2,000 near Rimmon, ┼ 600 survivors, makes 25,600. But as the Benjamites were 26,700 (see Judges 20:15 ), either the total in Judges 20:15 is wrong, or we must make the much more natural supposition that 1,000 Benjamites, as against 40,000 Israelites (which would only be 1 to 36), had fallen in the two first battles.

On the total number of the slain, see the remarks on Judges 20:15 . - In Judges 20:47 the statement already made in Judges 20:45 with regard to the flight is resumed; and it is still further related, that 500 men reached the rock Rimmon, and dwelt there four months, i.e., till the occurrence described in Judges 21:13 .

All but Benjamin, who must in all reason be supposed to be excepted here, because he is said to be born elsewhere, above, Genesis 35:16 . But it is a usual synecdoche, whereby that is ascribed to all in gross which belongs to the greatest part. See Genesis 15:13 46:15 Exodus 12:40 Judges 20:46 John 20:24 1 Corinthians 15:5 .

[Bible] 46:11 And concerning the judges, every one by name, whose heart went not a whoring, nor departed from the Lord, let their memory be blessed. 46:12 Let their bones flourish out of their place, and let the name of them that were honoured be continued upon their children. 46:13 Samuel, the prophet of the Lord, beloved of his Lord, established a kingdom, and anointed princes over his people. 46:14 By the law of the Lord he judged the congregation, and the Lord had respect unto Jacob. 46:15 By his faithfulness he was found a true prophet, and by his word he was known to be faithful in vision. 46:16 He called upon the mighty Lord, when his enemies pressed upon him on every side, when he offered the sucking lamb. 46:17 And the Lord thundered from heaven, and with a great noise made his voice to be heard. 46:18 And he destroyed the rulers of the Tyrians, and all the princes cf the Philistines. 46:19 And before his long sleep he made protestations in the sight of the Lord and his anointed, I have not taken any man’s goods, so much as a shoe: and no man did accuse him. 46:20 And after his death he prophesied, and shewed the king his end, and lifted up his voice from the earth in prophecy, to blot out the wickedness of the people. 47:1 And after him rose up Nathan to prophesy in the time of David. 47:2 As is the fat taken away from the peace offering, so was David chosen out of the children of Israel. 47:3 He played with lions as with kids, and with bears as with lambs. 47:4 Slew he not a giant, when he was yet but young? and did he not take away reproach from the people, when he lifted up his hand with the stone in the sling, and beat down the boasting of Goliath? 47:5 For he called upon the most high Lord; and he gave him strength in his right hand to slay that mighty warrior, and set up the horn of his people. 47:6 So the people honoured him with ten thousands, and praised him in the blessings of the Lord, in that he gave him a crown of glory.