Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version At once the Benjamites mobilized twenty-six thousand swordsmen from their towns, in addition to seven hundred able young men from those living in Gibeah. New Living Translation In all, 26,000 of their warriors armed with swords arrived in Gibeah to join the 700 elite troops who lived there. English Standard Version And the people of Benjamin mustered out of their cities on that day 26,000 men who drew the sword, besides the inhabitants of Gibeah, who mustered 700 chosen men. Berean Standard Bible On that day the Benjamites mobilized 26,000 swordsmen from their cities, in addition to the 700 select men of Gibeah. Berean Literal Bible And the sons of Benjamin numbered at that time from their cities twenty-six thousand men who drew the sword, besides those dwelling in Gibeah, who numbered seven hundred select men. King James Bible And the children of Benjamin were numbered at that time out of the cities twenty and six thousand men that drew sword, beside the inhabitants of Gibeah, which were numbered seven hundred chosen men. New King James Version And from their cities at that time the children of Benjamin numbered twenty-six thousand men who drew the sword, besides the inhabitants of Gibeah, who numbered seven hundred select men. New American Standard Bible From the cities on that day the sons of Benjamin were counted, twenty-six thousand men who drew the sword, besides the inhabitants of Gibeah who were counted, seven hundred choice men. NASB 1995 From the cities on that day the sons of Benjamin were numbered, 26,000 men who draw the sword, besides the inhabitants of Gibeah who were numbered, 700 choice men. NASB 1977 And from the cities on that day the sons of Benjamin were numbered, 26,000 men who draw the sword, besides the inhabitants of Gibeah who were numbered, 700 choice men. Legacy Standard Bible And from the cities on that day the sons of Benjamin were numbered, 26,000 men who draw the sword, besides the inhabitants of Gibeah who were numbered, 700 choice men. Amplified Bible And the Benjamites assembled out of their cities at that time twenty-six thousand men who drew the sword, besides the inhabitants of Gibeah, who assembled seven hundred chosen men. Berean Annotated Bible On that day the Benjamites (son of the right hand) mobilized 26,000 swordsmen from their cities, in addition to the 700 select men of Gibeah (hill). Christian Standard Bible On that day the Benjaminites mobilized twenty-six thousand armed men from their cities, besides seven hundred fit young men rallied by the inhabitants of Gibeah. Holman Christian Standard Bible On that day the Benjaminites rallied 26,000 armed men from their cities, besides 700 choice men rallied by the inhabitants of Gibeah. American Standard Version And the children of Benjamin were numbered on that day out of the cities twenty and six thousand men that drew sword, besides the inhabitants of Gibeah, who were numbered seven hundred chosen men. Contemporary English Version The Benjamin tribe had 26,000 soldiers, not counting the 700 who were Gibeah's best warriors. English Revised Version And the children of Benjamin were numbered on that day out of the cities twenty and six thousand men that drew sword, besides the inhabitants of Gibeah, which were numbered seven hundred chosen men. GOD'S WORD® Translation That day 26,000 men armed with swords came from Benjamin's cities and organized for battle along with 700 of Gibeah's best men. International Standard Version The day of the battle, the army from the descendants of Benjamin numbered 26,000 expert swordsmen from their cities, not including the inhabitants of Gibeah, who numbered 700 special forces soldiers. NET Bible That day the Benjaminites mustered from their cities twenty-six thousand sword-wielding soldiers, besides seven hundred well-trained soldiers from Gibeah. New Heart English Bible The people of Benjamin were numbered on that day out of the cities twenty-six thousand men who drew the sword, besides the inhabitants of Gibeah, who were numbered seven hundred chosen men. Webster's Bible Translation And the children of Benjamin were numbered at that time out of the cities twenty and six thousand men that drew sword, besides the inhabitants of Gibeah, who were numbered seven hundred chosen men. Majority Text Translations Majority Standard BibleOn that day the Benjamites mobilized 26,000 swordsmen from their cities, in addition to the 700 select men of Gibeah. World English Bible The children of Benjamin were counted on that day out of the cities twenty-six thousand men who drew the sword, in addition to the inhabitants of Gibeah, who were counted seven hundred chosen men. Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionAnd the sons of Benjamin number themselves on that day; out of the cities [are] twenty-six thousand men drawing sword, apart from the inhabitants of Gibeah, [who] numbered themselves, seven hundred chosen men; Berean Literal Bible And the sons of Benjamin numbered at that time from their cities twenty-six thousand men who drew the sword, besides those dwelling in Gibeah, who numbered seven hundred select men. Young's Literal Translation And the sons of Benjamin number themselves on that day; out of the cities are twenty and six thousand men drawing sword, apart from the inhabitants of Gibeah, who numbered themselves, seven hundred chosen men; Smith's Literal Translation And the sons of Benjamin will be reviewed in that day from the cities, twenty and six thousand men drawing the sword, besides from the inhabitants of Gibeah they were reviewed, seven hundred chosen men. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleAnd there were found of Benjamin five and twenty thousand men that drew the sword, besides the inhabitants of Gabaa, Catholic Public Domain Version And there were found from Benjamin twenty-five thousand who drew the sword, aside from the inhabitants of Gibeah, New American Bible On that day the Benjaminites mustered from their cities twenty-six thousand swordsmen, in addition to the inhabitants of Gibeah, who mustered seven hundred picked men New Revised Standard Version On that day the Benjaminites mustered twenty-six thousand armed men from their towns, besides the inhabitants of Gibeah. Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleAnd the Benjamites were numbered in that day out of the cities twenty-six thousand men that drew sword, besides the inhabitants of Gibeah, who were numbered seven hundred chosen men. Peshitta Holy Bible Translated And the sons of Benjamin in that day from the cities were numbered twenty and six thousand men drawing a sword, apart from the dwellers of Gebah who were numbered seven hundred men OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917And the children of Benjamin numbered on that day out of the cities twenty and six thousand men that drew sword, besides the inhabitants of Gibeah, who numbered seven hundred chosen men. Brenton Septuagint Translation And the children of Benjamin from their cities were numbered in that day, twenty-three thousand, every man drawing a sword, besides the inhabitants of Gabaa, who were numbered seven hundred chosen men of all the people, able to use both hands alike; Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context The Decree of the Assembly…14And from their cities they came together at Gibeah to go out and fight against the Israelites. 15On that day the Benjamites mobilized 26,000 swordsmen from their cities, in addition to the 700 select men of Gibeah. 16Among all these soldiers there were 700 select left-handers, each of whom could sling a stone at a hair without missing.… Cross References On that day 1 Samuel 14:23 So the LORD saved Israel that day, and the battle moved on beyond Beth-aven. Esther 9:1 On the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar, the king’s command and edict were to be executed. On this day the enemies of the Jews had hoped to overpower them, but their plan was overturned and the Jews overpowered those who hated them. Esther 8:13 A copy of the text of the edict was to be issued in every province and published to all the people, so that the Jews would be ready on that day to avenge themselves on their enemies. the Benjamites mobilized 1 Kings 12:21 And when Rehoboam arrived in Jerusalem, he mobilized the whole house of Judah and the tribe of Benjamin—180,000 chosen warriors—to fight against the house of Israel and restore the kingdom to Rehoboam son of Solomon. 2 Chronicles 11:1 When Rehoboam arrived in Jerusalem, he mobilized the house of Judah and Benjamin—180,000 chosen warriors—to fight against Israel and restore the kingdom to Rehoboam. 2 Chronicles 25:5 Then Amaziah gathered the people of Judah and assigned them according to their families to commanders of thousands and of hundreds. And he numbered those twenty years of age or older throughout Judah and Benjamin and found 300,000 chosen men able to serve in the army, bearing the spear and shield. 26,000 swordsmen from their cities, 2 Chronicles 14:8 Asa had an army of 300,000 men from Judah bearing large shields and spears, and 280,000 men from Benjamin bearing small shields and drawing the bow. All these were mighty men of valor. 2 Chronicles 17:17 From Benjamin: Eliada, a mighty man of valor, and with him 200,000 armed with bows and shields; Joshua 18:21-28 These were the cities of the clans of the tribe of Benjamin: Jericho, Beth-hoglah, Emek-keziz, / Beth-arabah, Zemaraim, Bethel, / Avvim, Parah, Ophrah, … in addition to the 700 select men of Gibeah. 1 Samuel 13:2 He chose for himself three thousand men of Israel: Two thousand were with Saul at Michmash and in the hill country of Bethel, and a thousand were with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin. And the rest of the troops he sent away, each to his own home. 1 Samuel 14:2 Meanwhile, Saul was staying under the pomegranate tree in Migron on the outskirts of Gibeah. And the troops who were with him numbered about six hundred men, 1 Samuel 10:26 Saul also went to his home in Gibeah, and the men of valor whose hearts God had touched went with him. Joshua 18:11-28 The first lot came up for the clans of the tribe of Benjamin. Their allotted territory lay between the tribes of Judah and Joseph: / On the north side their border began at the Jordan, went up past the northern slope of Jericho, headed west through the hill country, and came out at the wilderness of Beth-aven. / From there the border crossed over to the southern slope of Luz (that is, Bethel) and went down to Ataroth-addar on the hill south of Lower Beth-horon. … 1 Samuel 11:8 And when Saul numbered them at Bezek, there were 300,000 Israelites and 30,000 men of Judah. 1 Samuel 15:4 So Saul summoned the troops and numbered them at Telaim—200,000 foot soldiers and 10,000 men of Judah. 2 Samuel 24:9 And Joab reported to the king the total number of the troops. In Israel there were 800,000 men of valor who drew the sword, and in Judah there were 500,000. Treasury of Scripture And the children of Benjamin were numbered at that time out of the cities twenty and six thousand men that drew sword, beside the inhabitants of Gibeah, which were numbered seven hundred chosen men. twenty Judges 20:25,35,46,47 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… Numbers 26:41 These are the sons of Benjamin after their families: and they that were numbered of them were forty and five thousand and six hundred. Jump to Previous Armed Benjamin Benjaminites Benjamites Besides Best Children Choice Chosen Cities Draw Drew Hundred Inhabitants Mobilized Mustered Numbered Numbering Once Picked Seven Six Sword Swords Swordsmen Themselves Thousand Time Towns Twenty Twenty-SixJump to Next Armed Benjamin Benjaminites Benjamites Besides Best Children Choice Chosen Cities Draw Drew Hundred Inhabitants Mobilized Mustered Numbered Numbering Once Picked Seven Six Sword Swords Swordsmen Themselves Thousand Time Towns Twenty Twenty-SixJudges 20 1. The Levite in a general assembly declared his wrong8. The decree of the assembly 12. The Benjamites, being cited, make head against the Israelites 18. The Israelites in two battles lose forty thousand 26. They destroy by a plan all the Benjamites, except six hundred. On that day This phrase indicates a specific time during the events described in the Book of Judges, a period characterized by moral and social chaos in Israel. The phrase "on that day" often marks a significant moment in biblical narratives, emphasizing the immediacy and urgency of the situation. the Benjamites mobilized 26,000 swordsmen from their cities in addition to the 700 select men of Gibeah Persons / Places / Events 1. BenjamitesThe tribe of Benjamin, one of the twelve tribes of Israel, known for their skill in battle and their fierce loyalty to their own. 2. Gibeah A city within the territory of Benjamin, infamous for the grievous sin committed there, which led to the conflict described in Judges 20. 3. Swordsmen The armed men of Benjamin, totaling 26,000, who were prepared for battle against the other tribes of Israel. 4. 700 Choice Men A select group of warriors from Gibeah, noted for their exceptional skill, particularly in slinging stones with precision. 5. Mobilization The act of gathering and preparing for battle, indicating the seriousness of the conflict and the readiness of the Benjamites to defend their cause. Teaching Points The Consequences of SinThe events leading to the mobilization of the Benjamites serve as a stark reminder of how unchecked sin can lead to devastating consequences, not just for individuals but for entire communities. Tribal Loyalty vs. Righteousness The Benjamites' decision to defend their own, despite the grievous sin committed, challenges us to consider when loyalty to our group should be secondary to upholding righteousness and justice. Preparedness for Spiritual Battle Just as the Benjamites prepared for physical battle, Christians are called to be spiritually prepared, putting on the full armor of God as described in Ephesians 6. The Role of Leadership The mobilization of the Benjamites underscores the importance of leadership in times of crisis. Leaders must guide their people with wisdom and integrity, especially when facing moral dilemmas. Bible Study Questions and Answers 1. What is the meaning of Judges 20:15?2. How does Judges 20:15 demonstrate the consequences of sin within a community? 3. What can we learn about unity from the Benjamites' response in Judges 20:15? 4. How does Judges 20:15 connect to God's justice throughout the Old Testament? 5. How should Christians respond to internal conflict, as seen in Judges 20:15? 6. What steps can we take to prevent division, inspired by Judges 20:15? 7. Why did the Benjamites muster 26,000 swordsmen in Judges 20:15? 8. How does Judges 20:15 reflect on tribal loyalty versus moral righteousness? 9. What archaeological evidence supports the events described in Judges 20:15? 10. What are the top 10 Lessons from Judges 20? 11. Judges 20:15 - How could only 26,000 men from Benjamin withstand the combined forces of Israel for so long, given the massive numerical imbalance? 12. Judges 20:35-46 - Is the near-total annihilation of an entire tribe by fellow Israelites consistent with the broader biblical message of unity among God's people? 13. Why does the text promote the abduction of women as a solution for the tribe of Benjamin (Judges 21:20-23)? 14. How could an all-knowing God condone vows leading to violence against families and communities (Judges 21:1-11)? What Does Judges 20:15 Mean On that day“On that day” (Judges 20:15) roots the event in a specific historical moment. The author ties the troop count directly to the immediate crisis that followed the tribe’s refusal to surrender the guilty men of Gibeah (Judges 20:12–14). This solemn time stamp shows: • The urgency of judgment, echoing the swift mustering in Numbers 1:1–3 when Israel prepared for battle. • God’s unfolding plan even in grim circumstances, reminding us of Esther 4:14, where timing is never accidental in His providence. the Benjamites The focus shifts to an entire tribe—Benjamin. Earlier, Genesis 49:27 pictured Benjamin as a “ravenous wolf,” a prophetic glimpse of courage mixed with ferocity. Here that nature surfaces. By standing together—right or wrong—they fulfill Moses’ warning in Deuteronomy 33:12 that Benjamin would dwell “between His shoulders,” safe yet accountable to the Lord who carried them. mobilized 26,000 swordsmen from their cities The figure is precise, underscoring Scripture’s historical reliability. Key observations: • “Mobilized” signals collective readiness, paralleling Judges 7:1 where Gideon assembled troops. • “26,000” reveals Benjamin’s significant but limited force compared with the 400,000 Israelite soldiers in Judges 20:2. David later numbered 1.3 million (2 Samuel 24:9), showing how God often pits few against many to display His sovereignty. • “From their cities” highlights unity across multiple settlements, unlike Judges 5:16–17, where some tribes hesitated. Their solidarity—though misguided—challenges believers today to examine the causes we rally behind. in addition to the 700 select men of Gibeah Gibeah’s elite fighters receive special mention. Verse 16 notes every one “could sling a stone at a hair and not miss.” This elite corps recalls: • The 600 Danite warriors in Judges 18:11 who also distinguished themselves. • David’s mighty men (2 Samuel 23:8–39) whose skill served God’s purposes, unlike Gibeah’s men who defended evil. • The principle of Luke 12:48—“to whom much is given, much will be required.” Exceptional ability is never morally neutral; it must align with righteousness. summary Judges 20:15 records a decisive mobilization: on one fateful day, the tribe of Benjamin mustered 26,000 swordsmen, supplemented by 700 elite slingers from Gibeah. The verse confirms Scripture’s historical precision, showcases tribal solidarity, and warns that skill and strength divorced from obedience lead to tragedy. God’s Word invites us to align our unity, numbers, and talents with His righteous standard, not merely with tribal loyalty or human pride. (15) Out of the cities.--They could only live in cities, because the Jebusites still held Jerusalem, and the Canaanites around them were very incompletely subdued.Twenty and six thousand.--This seems to be the correct number, and is found in the Chaldee, Syriac, and Arabic. Josephus, however (Antt. v. 2, ? 10), has 25,000, as also has Codex A of theLXX., and Codex B has 23,000 (see Note on Judges 20:46). We see generally that the Benjamites, like the rest of the Israelites, in spite of their exceptional increase in the wilderness, had been now diminished by about a third since the last census (Numbers 26:41). (See Note on Judges 20:2.) Seven hundred chosen men.--There seems to be some uncertainty or confusion in the text here. It is difficult to imagine that, as the text stands, the single city of Gibeah furnished to the Benjamites their one choice contingent of seven hundred slingers, and it would be a curious coincidence that the force of Gibeah and the slingers should each be exactly seven hundred. Verse 15. - Twenty and six thousand. The numbers of Benjamin in the wilderness were at the first numbering 35,400, and at the second 45,600 (Numbers 1:36; Numbers 2:23; Numbers 26:41). It is impossible to account with certainty for the falling off in the numbers by so many as near 20,000; but perhaps many were slain in the wars of Canaan, and the unsettled times were unfavourable to early marriages. For the whole of Israel there was, as appeared by ver. 2, note, a falling off of nearly 200,000 men, or, to speak exactly (601,730-400,000 +26,700), of 175,030. Which were numbered. There is some obscurity in this latter clause; but, in spite of the accents being opposed to it, the A.V. seems certainly right. The rendering acording to the accents, "they (the Benjamites) were numbered, besides the inhabitants of Gibeah, seven hundred chosen men," makes no sense, and does not explain who the 700 were. The population of Gibeah would be about 5 × 700, i.e. 3500, according to this statement.Parallel Commentaries ... Hebrew On thatהַהוּא֙ (ha·hū) Article | Pronoun - third person masculine singular Strong's 1931: He, self, the same, this, that, as, are day בַּיּ֤וֹם (bay·yō·wm) Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular Strong's 3117: A day the Benjamites בְנֵ֨י (ḇə·nê) Noun - masculine plural construct Strong's 1121: A son mobilized וַיִּתְפָּֽקְדוּ֩ (way·yiṯ·pā·qə·ḏū) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hitpael - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural Strong's 6485: To visit, to oversee, muster, charge, care for, miss, deposit 26,000 עֶשְׂרִ֨ים (‘eś·rîm) Number - common plural Strong's 6242: Twenty, twentieth swordsmen חָ֑רֶב (ḥā·reḇ) Noun - feminine singular Strong's 2719: Drought, a cutting instrument, as a, knife, sword from their cities, מֵהֶ֣עָרִ֔ים (mê·he·‘ā·rîm) Preposition-m, Article | Noun - feminine plural Strong's 5892: Excitement in addition to לְ֠בַד (lə·ḇaḏ) Preposition | Noun - masculine singular construct Strong's 905: Separation, a part of the body, branch of a, tree, bar for, carrying, chief of the 700 שְׁבַ֥ע (šə·ḇa‘) Number - feminine singular construct Strong's 7651: Seven, seven times, a week, an indefinite number select בָּחֽוּר׃ (bā·ḥūr) Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine singular Strong's 970: Selected, a youth men אִ֥ישׁ (’îš) Noun - masculine singular Strong's 376: A man as an individual, a male person of Gibeah. הַגִּבְעָה֙ (hag·giḇ·‘āh) Article | Noun - proper - feminine singular Strong's 1390: Gibeah -- 'hill', three cities in Palestine Links Judges 20:15 NIVJudges 20:15 NLT Judges 20:15 ESV Judges 20:15 NASB Judges 20:15 KJV Judges 20:15 BibleApps.com Judges 20:15 Biblia Paralela Judges 20:15 Chinese Bible Judges 20:15 French Bible Judges 20:15 Catholic Bible OT History: Judges 20:15 The children of Benjamin were numbered (Jd Judg. 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