A Determined Outcome

The books of Joshua and Judges have consistently illustrated for us the truth contained in Isaiah 45:6b: “ ‘I am the Lord, and there is no other.’ ” We see this especially in the accounts of the battles in these books, where the authors frequently ascribe the outcomes to God, saying He “delivered” Israel’s enemies into its hands (Josh. 10:12; 11:8; 21:44; Judg. 1:4). The same truth is affirmed in today’s passage, which tells us that “The Lord defeated Benjamin.” Israel’s army fights, but it has fought for the previous two days and suffered defeat. Now God determines to give the united tribes success against the Benjamites.

The main body of the Israelite army has fallen back purposely before the Benjamites, luring them away from Gibeah so that the Israelites lying in ambush may attack. These men engage in a fierce battle (v. 34) when they come upon Gibeah; the Benjamites guarding the city fight hard in their desperation. But Providence has determined that this shall be Israel’s day, and the ambush men take the city, killing everyone within it (v. 37). Then, according to plan, they put the city to the torch. That is the signal for the men in the field to turn on their pursuers. They are to be the anvil upon which the ambush men, pouring out of the city, will hammer the Benjamites.

With incredible suddenness, fear and despair replace excitement and confidence within the Benjamites. Indeed, we are told that when they see the smoke of their city rising, they “panicked, for they saw that disaster had come upon them.” They begin fleeing toward the wilderness, but the Israelites “surrounded the Benjamites, chased them, and easily trampled them down.” The toll is frightful: Some eighteen thousand Benjamites die on the battlefield before Gibeah and another seven thousand are killed while fleeing. All told, some twenty-five thousand men of Benjamin perish in this engagement (vv. 35, 46). Only six hundred are able to escape to the Rock of Rimmon.

Returning from their pursuit, the Israelites then systematically carry out the harshest vengeance. In every Benjamite city, every person and every animal is killed, after which the cities are burned. “Disaster” (v. 34) has indeed come upon the tribe of Benjamin, but, though it may be hard for us to bear, we must remember that it was ordained by the One who “ ‘creates calamity’ ” (Isa. 45:7).