Judges 20 Summary - 5 Minute Bible Study

Judges 20 Summary - A Quick Overview

WHEN:

• Most scholars place the period of the Judges between 1450 B.C. and 1000 B.C.

• The story recorded in Judges 20 happened within that period, but we aren’t given specific dates for the events.

CHARACTERS:

• Levite – A man from the tribe of Levi whose concubine was killed in Gibeah.

• Men of Gibeah – Wicked men who did immoral things to the Levite and his concubine.  

• Army of Israel – 400,000 Israelites assembled to fight against the men of Gibeah.

WHERE:

• This chapter centers around the city of Gibeah, which was in the tribe of Benjamin.

• The army of Israel gathered at Mizpah before marching on Gibeah.

• Judges 20:27 tells us the Ark of the Covenant was at Bethel in those days.  

OUTLINE:

• ISRAEL GATHERS TO PUNISH GIBEAH (20:1-17):

  • When word spread about the atrocities done by the men of Gibeah, all the fighting men of Israel met at Mizpah, 400,000 men.

  • After hearing the Levite’s account of his time in Gibeah, all the Israelites agreed the men of Gibeah needed to be punished.

  • The army of Israel marched against Gibeah, and 40,000 men were charged with gathering provisions for the army.

  • The Israelites sent messengers to Gibeah demanding they give up the “worthless fellows” who committed the evil act, but the Benjaminites refused. Instead, they prepared for war.

• ISRAEL MASSACRES THE PEOPLE OF BENJAMIN (20:18-48):

  • On the 1st day of fighting, the Benjaminites managed to kill 22,000 Israelites.

  • On the 2nd day of fighting, the Benjaminites managed to kill 18,000 Israelites.

  • At the end of the 2nd day, the whole army of Israel went to Bethel and wept before the Lord.

  • They asked Him if they should go up a 3rd time to fight.

  • God told them to fight a 3rd day and He would give them victory.

  • On the 3rd day of fighting, the Israelites faked a retreat to draw the Benjaminites out of their city, then an ambush pounced, they ran into Gibeah, took the city, and burned it.

  • When the city was taken, the Israelites in the city joined the battle outside the walls and surrounded their enemies.

  • That day, 25,100 men of Benjamin were killed.

APPLICATION:

• Don’t get caught defending something wrong or wicked just because your relative/friend is involved in it.

• It’s tempting to justify someone’s actions when you love them, but right is right and wrong is wrong, no matter how much you love someone.

• I’ve seen people flip-flop their doctrinal views because they don’t want to conflict with family members who believe differently.

• I’ve seen people justify immorality when their loved ones participate in it.

• The people of Benjamin should have given up the “worthless fellows” to be punished. Instead, they defended them, which resulted in a worse outcome.

• We need to be able to recognize, acknowledge, and deal with sin even when it hits close to home.