King James Version

What Does Judges 20:25 Mean?

Judges 20:25 in the King James Version says “And Benjamin went forth against them out of Gibeah the second day, and destroyed down to the ground of the children of I...” — study this verse from Judges chapter 20 with commentary, cross-references, and original Hebrew word analysis.

“And Benjamin went forth against them out of Gibeah the second day, and destroyed down to the ground of the children of Israel again eighteen thousand men; all these drew the sword.”

Judges 20:25 · KJV

Context

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.)

24

And the children of Israel came near against the children of Benjamin the second day.

25

And Benjamin went forth against them out of Gibeah the second day, and destroyed down to the ground of the children of Israel again eighteen thousand men; all these drew the sword.

26

Then all the children of Israel, and all the people, went up, and came unto the house of God , and wept, and sat there before the LORD, and fasted that day until even, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the LORD.

27

And the children of Israel enquired of the LORD, (for the ark of the covenant of God was there in those days,

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Commentary

KJV Study Commentary
Benjamin went forth against them out of Gibeah the second day, and destroyed down to the ground of the children of Israel again eighteen thousand men; all these drew the sword (כֻּלָּם שֹׁלְפֵי חָרֶב, kullam sholefei charev, 'all of them drawers of sword')—another devastating defeat! Israel loses 18,000 more warriors, bringing total casualties to 40,000 from their 400,000-man force. Benjamin remains dominant despite 15-to-1 numerical disadvantage.

The second defeat is even more shocking than the first because it follows specific consultation where Israel wept before the LORD and received permission to 'go up.' This demonstrates that God sometimes allows repeated failure to break stubborn self-will and drive us to complete surrender. Israel's two defeats cost 40,000 lives—more casualties than Benjamin's entire army (26,700). This catastrophic loss finally drives them to proper seeking in verses 26-28: fasting, burnt offerings, peace offerings, direct inquiry through the high priest, and explicit question about victory. God's pedagogy uses painful consequences to teach that religious activity without heart humility accomplishes nothing. When shallow seeking persists despite initial failure, God may intensify discipline until we learn to seek Him properly.

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Historical & Cultural Context

The combined loss of 40,000 warriors represented 10% of Israel's force—devastating but not army-destroying. Such casualties would typically cause ancient armies to withdraw and negotiate. That Israel persisted shows extraordinary commitment to covenant justice, yet also reveals dangerous pride that wouldn't accept that their approach needed fundamental revision. Benjamin's continued success emboldened their defiance, making eventual reconciliation harder.

Reflection Questions

  1. When does God intensify discipline through repeated defeats to break your stubborn self-will?
  2. How many painful lessons must you endure before you move from shallow seeking to complete surrender?
  3. What does it take for you to recognize that your fundamental approach, not just your effort, needs correction?

Original Language Analysis

Hebrew · 20 words
וַיֵּצֵא֩1 of 20

“went forth”

H3318

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

בִנְיָמִ֨ן׀2 of 20

“And Benjamin”

H1144

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

לִקְרָאתָ֥ם׀3 of 20

“against”

H7125

an encountering, accidental, friendly or hostile (also adverbially, opposite)

מִֽן4 of 20
H4480

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

הַגִּבְעָה֮5 of 20

“them out of Gibeah”

H1390

gibah; the name of three places in palestine

בַּיּ֣וֹם6 of 20

“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

הַשֵּׁנִי֒7 of 20

“the second”

H8145

properly, double, i.e., second; also adverbially, again

וַיַּשְׁחִיתוּ֩8 of 20

“and destroyed down”

H7843

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

בִבְנֵ֨י9 of 20

“of 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

יִשְׂרָאֵ֜ל10 of 20

“of Israel”

H3478

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

ע֗וֹד11 of 20
H5750

properly, iteration or continuance; used only adverbially (with or without preposition), again, repeatedly, still, more

שְׁמֹנַ֨ת12 of 20

“again eighteen”

H8083

a cardinal number, eight (as if a surplus above the 'perfect' seven); also (as ordinal) eighth

עָשָׂ֥ר13 of 20
H6240

ten (only in combination), i.e., -teen; also (ordinal) -teenth

אֶ֛לֶף14 of 20

“thousand”

H505

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

אִ֖ישׁ15 of 20

“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)

אָ֑רְצָה16 of 20

“to the ground”

H776

the earth (at large, or partitively a land)

כָּל17 of 20
H3605

properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)

אֵ֖לֶּה18 of 20
H428

these or those

שֹׁ֥לְפֵי19 of 20

“all these drew”

H8025

to pull out, up or off

חָֽרֶב׃20 of 20

“the sword”

H2719

drought; also a cutting instrument (from its destructive effect), as a knife, sword, or other sharp implement

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 20:25 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 20:25 from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Judges 20:21Romans 3:5Psalms 97:2Romans 2:5Romans 11:33Job 9:12-13

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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