Judges 20:11 Meaning and Explanation
“So all the men of Israel were gathered against the city, knit together as one man.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Every man of Israel is gathered against Gibeah, bound together in a single united purpose.
What Does Judges 20:11 Mean?
The narrator pauses to mark the unity of the moment: all Israel is gathered against the city, 'knit together as one man.' The image is of threads woven into a single cloth, a people fused into one body for one purpose. Throughout Judges, Israel has been fractured by tribe and self-interest; here, at last, they stand wholly together.
Unity is a precious thing among God's people, and Scripture often holds it up as a sign of health. Yet this verse offers a sobering observation: it took an atrocity to unite them. They could not be knit together for worship or obedience, but they are knit together for war against their own. The verse invites us to ask what binds our communities, and to long for the deeper unity, gathered around the LORD himself, that needs no tragedy to be born.
Judges 20:11 in the Original Language
chaber (חָבֵר), 'knit together' -- joined and bound as companions, the picture of separate parts woven into one.
Frequently Asked Questions About Judges 20:11
What does Judges 20:11 mean?
Every man of Israel is gathered against Gibeah, bound together in a single united purpose.