Judges 20:34

34. ten thousand chosen men] Apparently the men who had formed the ambush: they now moved from their place of concealment, and posted themselves between the city and the Benjamites, who were chasing the men of Israel, so as to cut off the possibility of retreat.

evil was close upon them] lit. was about to touch them; cf. Jdg_20:41 evil had touched them. Cf. Jos_8:14. The recurrence of the words in Jdg_20:41 has led to the suggestion (made by Torrey) that Jdg_20:35-36 a once stood after Jdg_20:41, and that a scribe, glancing from the similar endings of Jdg_20:41; Jdg_20:34, accidentally transposed Jdg_20:35-36 a to their present position, where they destroy the natural order of events. The composition of this chapter is so entangled that we may readily assume a disturbance of the text here as in other places (e.g. Jdg_20:22 f.).

An alternative reconstruction is proposed by Budde, who assigns the passage to A: ‘And Israel set liers in wait against Gibeah round about (Jdg_20:29), while all the men of Israel rose up out of their place, and set themselves in array at Baal-tamar (Jdg_20:33 a). And there came over against Gibeah 10,000 chosen men out of all Israel, and the battle was sore (Jdg_20:34 a). Thereupon the liers in wait of Israel brake forth out of their place west of Geba (Jdg_20:33 b); but they knew not that evil was close upon them’ (Jdg_20:34 b); then follow Jdg_20:36 b–38. This gives a fairly lucid order; but it is based upon a rather different treatment of the chapter from that which is being followed.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Jdg 20:34 And there came against Gibeah ten thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and the battle was sore: but they knew not that evil [was] near them.

Ver. 34. They knew not that evil, &c.] See Jdg 20:31. As they say of the metal they make glass of, it is nearest melting when it shineth brightest, so are the wicked nearest destruction when at their greatest lustre.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Jdg 20:34. Ten thousand chosen men — These seem to have been a detachment from the main body, which was at Baal-tamar, and marched to attack Gibeah on one side, while the liers in wait assaulted it on the other, and while the great body of the army laboured to intercept the Benjamites, who, having pursued the Israelites that pretended to flee, now endeavoured to retreat to Gibeah. The battle was sore; but they knew not, &c. — The Benjamites fought stoutly; but were not sensible of the danger they were in to be destroyed.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

They knew not that God’s judgment was at hand to destroy them.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

there came against Gibeah ten thousand chosen men--This was a third division, different both from the ambuscade and the army, who were fighting at Baal-tamar. The general account stated in Jdg 20:35 is followed by a detailed narrative of the battle, which is continued to the end of the chapter.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

(34) Ten thousand chosen men.—Though the verse is obscurely expressed, the meaning probably is that this was the number of the ambuscade of picked warriors. If it means that this was the Israelite force left after the slaughter of 40,000, we are not told the number of the ambush.

The battle was sore.—It would be a battle in which the Benjamites were now attacked both in front and rear.

But.—Rather, and.

They knew not that evil was near them—i.e., as we should say, “that the hour of their ruin had come,” or, as the Vulg. has it, quod ex omni parte illis instaret interitus, “that destruction was threatening them on every side.” (Comp. Isa_47:10.)

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And the Lord smote Benjamin before Israel,.... Gave Israel the victory over them at Baaltamar; for notwithstanding all the art and stratagem they used, their numbers and their valour, victory was of the Lord, and to him it is ascribed; for until now Benjamin, though fewer in number, had been always victorious; and the children of Israel destroyed of the Benjaminites that day 25,100; which is the total sum of all that were slain of them that day, the particulars of which are afterwards given:

all these drew the sword; were armed men.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

West side. Hebrew mare, "a cavern," (Calmet) "a plain," (Chaldean) "the thickets." (Vat.[Vatable?] &c.) But the Septuagint have read marbe, "the west," with the Vulgate. (Calmet) --- The Vatican copy leave Maraagabe. (Menochius) --- Gabaa was situated on a hill, and the ambuscade might be concealed in a cavern, some of which in Palestine are very spacious. (Calmet)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

Chosen men out of all Israel; selected out of the main body, which was at Baal-tamar; and these were to march directly to Gibeah on the one side, whilst the liers in wait stormed it on the other side, and whilst the great body of the army laboured to intercept these Benjamites, who, having pursued the Israelites that pretended to flee, now endeavoured to retreat to Gibeah.

They knew not that evil was near them; they were so puffed up with their former successes, that they were insensible of their danger.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

34. Ten thousand chosen men out of all Israel — These may have been identical with the “liers in wait,” (Jdg_20:29; Jdg_20:33,) but were more probably a detachment from the main army that marched from Baal-tamar, sent to assist the men of the ambush in capturing and smiting Gibeah, while the rest marched on to smite the Benjamite forces outside of the city.

They knew not — That is, the Benjamites knew not the evil that was about to befall them.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Against Gibeah, i.e. against the army of Gibeah. The sense seems to be that the 10, 000 Israelites who had been fleeing before Benjamin, and drawing them away from the city, now faced them, and commenced a resolute attack upon them, which at first the Benjamites, not knowing of the ambushment in their rear met with equal resolution, so that "the battle was sore." But the result, the details of which are given at length in vers. 36-46, was that 25, 100 Benjamites fell that day (see ver. 46).

"They knew not that evil was near them.

How descriptive this of all men I Our misfortunes often overtake us unawares. There is no earthly security. The sinner especially should not encourage himself in fancied immunity. The Son of man cometh as a thief in the night, for judgment and for reward.

I THE UNCERTAIN NATURE OF THE FUTURE.

II THE IGNORANCE AND HEEDLESSNESS OF SINNERS RESPECTING GOD"S JUDGMENTS.

III How TO BE DELIVERED FROM FEAR AND THE REAL EVILS OF THIS IGNORANCE. A righteous life the great safeguard. But how attained? Christ"s the only authoritative "Fear not." External evils will through him minister to our eternal welfare and well-being. This trust in him should he implicit, and an active force in every life. M.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Chosen men - Selected out of the main body, which was at Baal-tamar; and these were to march directly to Gibeah on the one side, whilst the liers in wait stormed it on the other side, and whilst the great body of the army laboured to intercept the Benjamites, who having pursued the Israelites that pretended to flee, now endeavoured to retreat to Gibeah.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

ten thousand

"10,000" (See: Numbers)

chosen men

This is an idiom that means these were particularly good soldiers. AT: "well-trained soldier" (See: Idiom)

disaster was close to them

Here immanent disaster is spoken of as if it was standing very close by them. AT: "they would soon be completely defeated" (See: Metaphor)

25,100 men

"twenty-five thousand one hundred men" (See: Numbers)

translationWords

Gibeah

Israel

Benjamin

Yahweh

sword

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.