Judges 20:9
in Judges 20Now this is what we will do to Gibeah: We will go against it as the lot dictates.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
But now this is the thing which we will do to Gibeah: we will go up against it by lot;
KJV
But now this shall be the thing which we will do to Gibeah; we will go up by lot against it;
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This verse in Judges 20
Commentary
6 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
By lot - To determine who should go up first Jdg 20:18. The shape of the ground probably made it impossible for the whole force to operate at once; and the question of spoil would have something to do with the arrangement. (Compare 1Sa 30:22-25.)
This site's exposition
all the people stood as one man
on Judges 20:8-11
The assembly binds itself before it asks God anything, vowing “Not one of us will return to his tent or to his house”. Verse 9 assigns the assault by lot, as Numbers 26:55 and Joshua 15:1 divided the land, and verse 10 sets aside ten men in a hundred for provisions, the only supply arrangement in Judges. A second oath sworn at Mizpah stands at 21:1.
This site's exposition
go against it as the lot dictates
Barnes ties the lot to verse 18. There God is asked which tribe goes up first, and Barnes adds that the ground at Gibeah could hold only part of the army. Gill reads the plan as a demand for justice, backed by force if Gibeah refused.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
But now this shall be the thing which we will do to Gibeah,.... Where the fact was done; what follows was proposed by some, and unanimously agreed to by all: we will go up by lot against it; cast lots who shall go up to it and demand satisfaction for the offence committed; and if denied, to act in an hostile manner against it.
This was to prevent their scattering to forage for themselves, for, if they had done this, it would have been hard to get them all together again, especially all in so good a mind. Note, When there appears in people a pious zeal for any good work it is best to strike while the iron is hot, for such zeal is apt to cool quickly if the prosecution of the work be delayed.
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
On the verses either side of this one
When taking action in their engagement in this engagement with Givas Binyomin, as befits their entirely loathsome, etc.
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
8 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְעַתָּ֕ה | veatah | and now | H6258 → | 433 times |
| זֶ֣ה | zeh | this | H2088 → | 1180 times |
| הַדָּבָ֔ר | hadavar | [is] the thing | H1697 → | 1440 times |
| אֲשֶׁ֥ר | ʾasher | which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| נַעֲשֶׂ֖ה | naaseh | we will do | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| לַגִּבְעָ֑ה | lagivah | to <the> Gibeah | H1390 → | 45 times |
| עָלֶ֖יהָ | ʾaleiha | on it | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| בְּגוֹרָֽל׃ | begoral | by lot | H1486 → | 78 times |
וְעַתָּ֕הand now
veatahH6258 →433 times
זֶ֣הthis
zehH2088 →1180 times
הַדָּבָ֔ר[is] the thing
hadavarH1697 →1440 times
אֲשֶׁ֥רwhich
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
נַעֲשֶׂ֖הwe will do
naasehH6213 →2628 times
לַגִּבְעָ֑הto <the> Gibeah
lagivahH1390 →45 times
עָלֶ֖יהָon it
ʾaleihaH5921 →5755 times
בְּגוֹרָֽל׃by lot
begoralH1486 →78 times
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
Proverbs 16:33The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD.
it leads to
- Proverbs 18:18
Casting the lot ends quarrels and separates strong opponents.
- 1 Samuel 14:41–42
So Saul said to the LORD, the God of Israel, “Why have You not answered Your servant this day? If the fault is with me or my son Jonathan, respond with Urim; but if…
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Acts 1:26
Then they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias; so he was added to the eleven apostles.
- Jonah 1:7
“Come!” said the sailors to one another. “Let us cast lots to find out who is responsible for this calamity that is upon us.” So they cast lots, and the lot fell on Jonah.
- Proverbs 29:26
Many seek the ruler’s favor, but a man receives justice from the LORD.
- Proverbs 18:18
Through
Jonah 1:7“Come!” said the sailors to one another. “Let us cast lots to find out who is responsible for this calamity that is upon us.” So they cast lots, and the lot fell on Jonah.
it leads to
- Proverbs 16:33
The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD.
- Joshua 7:13–18
Get up and consecrate the people, saying, ‘Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow, for this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: Among you, O Israel, there are things devoted to destruction. You cannot…
- Proverbs 16:33
Through
Nehemiah 11:1Now the leaders of the people settled in Jerusalem, and the rest of the people cast lots to bring one out of ten to live in the holy city of Jerusalem, while the remaining…
it leads to
- Isaiah 48:2
who indeed call yourselves after the holy city and lean on the God of Israel; the LORD of Hosts is His name.
- Isaiah 48:2
About Judges
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament: Joshua, Judges, Ruth and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.