Today I read Judges 20, in which Israelites fought the Benjamites because the men of Gibeah killed the Levite’s concubine. The Israelites lost the first two battles but won the war. Today I considered that war was necessary to stop the spread of evil and wondered if fasting and crying out to God earlier ends the war quicker.
Israel Punishes Benjamin
The Israelites won the war against the tribe of Benjamin to punish them, but lost men in the battles (Judges 20:1-48). After all the children of Israel received the message that came with a part of the Levite concubine’s body, 400,000 swordmen gathered in Mizpah. The Levite explained that the tribe of Benjamin controlled Gibeah where the men threatened his life and raped his concubine to death. The Levite sent his concubine’s twelve parts to the tribes because this happened in Israel. All of the men present said they would not go home and fight the tribe of Benjamin. They sent ten percent of their troops to gather supplies for the warriors as they went toward Gibeah to fight. The Israelites sent messengers to the tribe of Benjamin to send out the ones that committed the crime against the Levite’s concubine. The Benjamites refused and gathered to 26,000 swordsmen with 700 elite soldiers and 700 men in Gibeah fight. The Israelites asked who was to go first against Benjamin and the Lord said Judah. Benjamites killed 22,000 the first day. The Israelites asked God about fighting the second day and the Lord said go. Benjamites killed 18,000 the next day. The Israelites cried, fasted, and sacrificed before God asking if they should fight again. The Lord said to fight and they would win. Benjamites thought they were winning again by killing 30 men but were drawn away from the town. Israelites went into the town to kill the people and set a fire as a signal of success. God delivered the Benjamites into the hand of the Israelites and they killed 25,100 Benjamite swordsmen but 600 fled and hid in the wilderness for four months. Israelites then killed everyone in other Benjamite towns and set the towns on fire.
Questions and Thoughts for Today
We should not protect those doing evil but allow them to face the consequences of their actions. According to God’s law the men of Gibeah who raped the concubine should have been handed over to the Israelites because of their sin. Handing over even a hundred men would have saved over 65,000 lives. God agreed to the war so it was necessary to stop the spread of the belief they could do anything and to stop the evil among the Israelite tribes.
What do you believe should have been done?
God heeds us when we cry out in distress. After the Israelites lost the second battle to the Benjamites, the Israelites cried out to God, fasted, and offered burnt sacrifices. God gave them the victory the next day. Sometimes I wonder if God is waiting to fix the situation after we make a heartfelt plea to God.
Do you believe their prayers and actions the night before the last battle mattered?