Judges 20:12
in Judges 20And the tribes of Israel sent men throughout the tribe of Benjamin, saying, “What is this wickedness that has occurred among you?
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And the tribes of Israel sent men through all the tribe of Benjamin, saying, What wickedness is this that is come to pass among you?
KJV
And the tribes of Israel sent men through all the tribe of Benjamin, saying, What wickedness is this that is done among you?
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This verse in Judges 20
Commentary
7 notes on this verseAnd the tribes of Israel sent men through all the tribes of Benjamin,.... Meaning the families of Benjamin; for as sometimes a tribe is called a family, Jos 7:17 so a family is called a tribe; and there were ten families in the tribe of Benjamin, according to the number of his sons, the fathers of these families.
This site's exposition
And the tribes of Israel sent men
on Judges 20:12-13
The demand to “purge Israel of this evil” is worded out of the law at Deuteronomy 22:22, and Deuteronomy 13:13 speaks of wicked men who lead a city after other gods. That chapter lays sword and fire on such a city, as verse 48 carries out. Benjamin “refused to heed the voice of their fellow Israelites”, and so takes the crime of Gibeah as its own.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
A proud retort was made, and plans for peace were changed to war.
When he realized that she was dead, he lifted her onto the mule and brought her home; then, dividing her limbs into twelve parts, he sent one to each of the tribes of Israel. In great distress over this, all the people met at Mizpah, and there, learning of the abominable deed from the Levite, desired to go to war, deciding that it was unlawful for anyone to go to his tent until vengeance was taken on the authors of this deed.
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
All methods of accommodation must be used before we go to war or go to law. The demand was like that of Joab's to Abel, 2 Sam. xx. "Only deliver up the traitor, and we will lay down our arms." On these terms, and no other, God will be at peace with us, that we part with our sins, that we mortify and crucify our lusts, and then all shall be well; his anger will be turned away.
The Israelites were zealous against the wickedness that was committed, yet they were discreet in their zeal, and did not think it would justify them in falling upon the whole tribe of Benjamin unless they, by refusing to give up the criminals, and protecting them against justice, should make themselves guilty, ex post facto -- as accessaries after the fact.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
all the people arose as one man--The extraordinary unanimity that prevailed shows, that notwithstanding great disorders had broken out in many parts, the people were sound at the core; and remembering their national covenant with God, they now felt the necessity of wiping out so foul a stain on their character as a people.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
To all the tribes of Binyomin. Their ten clans were considered ten families, so that twelve tribes would emanate from Rochel. 2 The ten clans and the tribes of Menashe and Efraim.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 5 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
14 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַֽיִּשְׁלְח֞וּ | vaiyishlechu | and they sent | H7971 → | 845 times |
| שִׁבְטֵ֤י | shivtei | [the] tribes of | H7626 → | 190 times |
| יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ | yisrael | Israel | H3478 → | 2507 times |
| אֲנָשִׁ֔ים | ʾanashim | men | H582 → | 566 times |
| בְּכָל־ | bekhol | in all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| שִׁבְטֵ֥י | shivtei | [the] tribes of | H7626 → | 190 times |
| בִנְיָמִ֖ן | vinyamin | Benjamin | H1144 → | 166 times |
| לֵאמֹ֑ר | lemor | <to> saying | H559 → | 5305 times |
| מָ֚ה | mah | what? | H4100 → | 752 times |
| הָרָעָ֣ה | haraah | [is] the evil | H7451 → | 662 times |
| הַזֹּ֔את | hazot | <the> this | H2063 → | 603 times |
| אֲשֶׁ֥ר | ʾasher | which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| נִהְיְתָ֖ה | nihyetah | it has happened | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| בָּכֶֽם׃ | bakhem | among <the> you |
וַֽיִּשְׁלְח֞וּand they sent
vaiyishlechuH7971 →845 times
שִׁבְטֵ֤י[the] tribes of
shivteiH7626 →190 times
יִשְׂרָאֵל֙Israel
yisraelH3478 →2507 times
אֲנָשִׁ֔יםmen
ʾanashimH582 →566 times
בְּכָל־in all
bekholH3605 →5413 times
שִׁבְטֵ֥י[the] tribes of
shivteiH7626 →190 times
בִנְיָמִ֖ןBenjamin
vinyaminH1144 →166 times
לֵאמֹ֑ר<to> saying
lemorH559 →5305 times
מָ֚הwhat?
mahH4100 →752 times
הָרָעָ֣ה[is] the evil
haraahH7451 →662 times
הַזֹּ֔את<the> this
hazotH2063 →603 times
אֲשֶׁ֥רwhich
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
נִהְיְתָ֖הit has happened
nihyetahH1961 →3559 times
בָּכֶֽם׃among <the> you
bakhem
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Romans 12:18If it is possible on your part, live at peace with everyone.
it leads to
- Hebrews 12:14
Pursue peace with everyone, as well as holiness, without which no one will see the Lord.
- Matthew 5:9
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.
- Romans 14:19
So then, let us pursue what leads to peace and to mutual edification.
- 2 Corinthians 13:11
Finally, brothers, rejoice! Aim for perfect harmony, encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you.
- James 3:16–18
For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every evil practice.
- Hebrews 12:14
Through
Deuteronomy 13:14then you must inquire, investigate, and interrogate thoroughly. And if it is established with certainty that this abomination has been committed among you,
it leads to
- Deuteronomy 17:4
and if it is reported and you hear about it, you must investigate it thoroughly. If the report is true and such an abomination has happened in Israel,
- 1 Timothy 5:19
Do not entertain an accusation against an elder, except on the testimony of two or three witnesses.
- Deuteronomy 17:4
Through
Deuteronomy 20:10When you approach a city to fight against it, you are to make an offer of peace.
it leads to
- Luke 10:5–6
Whatever house you enter, begin by saying, ‘Peace to this house.’
- Luke 10:5–6
About Judges
This page draws on Ambrose of Milan, LETTER 33; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament: Joshua, Judges, Ruth and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.