King James Version

What Does Judges 20:21 Mean?

Judges 20:21 in the King James Version says “And the children of Benjamin came forth out of Gibeah, and destroyed down to the ground of the Israelites that day twent...” — study this verse from Judges chapter 20 with commentary, cross-references, and original Hebrew word analysis.

“And the children of Benjamin came forth out of Gibeah, and destroyed down to the ground of the Israelites that day twenty and two thousand men.”

Judges 20:21 · King James Version

Context

19

And the children of Israel rose up in the morning, and encamped against Gibeah.

20

And the men of Israel went out to battle against Benjamin; and the men of Israel put themselves in array to fight against them at Gibeah.

21

And the children of Benjamin came forth out of Gibeah, and destroyed down to the ground of the Israelites that day twenty and two thousand men.

22

And the people the men of Israel encouraged themselves, and set their battle again in array in the place where they put themselves in array the first day.

23

(And the children of Israel went up and wept before the LORD until even, and asked counsel of the LORD, saying, Shall I go up again to battle against the children of Benjamin my brother? And the LORD said, Go up against him.)

Read Judges 20 full chapter

Commentaries4 scholars

KJV Study CommentaryPublic Domain
The children of Benjamin came forth out of Gibeah, and destroyed down to the ground of the children of Israel that day twenty and two thousand men (וַיַּשְׁחִיתוּ אַרְצָה, vayashchitu artzah)—'destroyed down to the ground' emphasizes total defeat. Despite Israel's 400,000 versus Benjamin's 26,000, Benjamin kills 22,000 Israelites in one day—devastating casualties.

This shocking defeat reveals that numerical superiority, proper procedure (consulting God about which tribe goes first), and righteous cause (punishing Gibeah's crime) cannot substitute for complete heart surrender to God. Israel's consultation was real but shallow—they asked God to bless their predetermined plan rather than truly seeking His will. God answers their limited question (v. 18) but allows them to suffer catastrophic defeat to humble their pride and teach deeper dependence. Sometimes God permits devastating losses to expose our self-sufficiency and drive us to genuine seeking.

KJV Study — Public Domain

Historical & Cultural Context

Ancient Near Eastern battles typically resulted in 10-30% casualties for the losing side. Israel's loss of 22,000 from 400,000 (5.5%) was substantial but not army-destroying. Benjamin's elite warriors and defensive position at Gibeah provided tactical advantages, but the defeat's primary cause was spiritual—God had not fully blessed Israel's approach.

Reflection Questions

  1. When has God allowed defeat despite your procedural correctness to humble your self-sufficient heart?
  2. How do you distinguish shallow consultation from genuine seeking of God's full counsel?
  3. What losses has God used to expose your pride and teach deeper dependence?

Compare 4 commentaries from different scholars and time periods for a richer understanding.

Original Language Analysis

Hebrew · 14 words
וַיֵּֽצְא֥וּ1 of 14

“came forth”

H3318

to go (causatively, bring) out, in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively, direct and proxim

בְנֵֽי2 of 14

“And the children”

H1121

a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or

בִנְיָמִ֖ן3 of 14

“of Benjamin”

H1144

binjamin, youngest son of jacob; also the tribe descended from him, and its territory

מִן4 of 14
H4480

properly, a part of; hence (prepositionally), from or out of in many senses

הַגִּבְעָ֑ה5 of 14

“out of Gibeah”

H1390

gibah; the name of three places in palestine

וַיַּשְׁחִ֨יתוּ6 of 14

“and destroyed down”

H7843

to decay, i.e., (causatively) ruin (literally or figuratively)

בְיִשְׂרָאֵ֜ל7 of 14

“of the Israelites”

H3478

he will rule as god; jisral, a symbolical name of jacob; also (typically) of his posterity

בַּיּ֣וֹם8 of 14

“that day”

H3117

a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an asso

הַה֗וּא9 of 14
H1931

he (she or it); only expressed when emphatic or without a verb; also (intensively) self, or (especially with the article) the same; sometimes (as demo

שְׁנַ֨יִם10 of 14

“and two”

H8147

two; also (as ordinal) twofold

וְעֶשְׂרִ֥ים11 of 14

“twenty”

H6242

twenty; also (ordinal) twentieth

אֶ֛לֶף12 of 14

“thousand”

H505

hence (the ox's head being the first letter of the alphabet, and this eventually used as a numeral) a thousand

אִ֖ישׁ13 of 14

“men”

H376

a man as an individual or a male person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term (and in such cases frequently not expressed in translation)

אָֽרְצָה׃14 of 14

“to the ground”

H776

the earth (at large, or partitively a land)

Study Guide

Historical Context

This verse is found in the book of Judges. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.

Theological Significance

Judges 20:21 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.

Cross-References

Verses related to Judges 20:21 from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Judges 20:25Psalms 77:19Genesis 49:27Ecclesiastes 9:1-3Psalms 33:162 Chronicles 28:10

Places in This Verse

Gibeah 1Settlement · Modern: Tel el Ful · 31.82°N, 35.23°E45 verses across 6 books
View all places in Judges 20 →

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