Judges 20:15 Meaning and Explanation
“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.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Benjamin musters twenty-six thousand swordsmen from its cities, besides seven hundred chosen men from Gibeah.
What Does Judges 20:15 Mean?
The narrator counts Benjamin's forces: twenty-six thousand swordsmen from the cities, plus seven hundred 'chosen men' of Gibeah itself. The numbers are sobering. Against Israel's four hundred thousand, Benjamin is vastly outnumbered, yet they march out anyway. The tally also makes clear that Gibeah, the source of the crime, stands at the heart of the army defending it.
Scripture often pauses to number armies before battle, and the imbalance here heightens the tragedy: a small tribe pitted against the overwhelming weight of the rest. There is no triumph to celebrate in such arithmetic, only the cost of a fight that need never have happened. The verse quietly underscores how stubbornness in the wrong leads even the brave and capable into ruin. Strength of arms cannot save a cause that has set itself against justice.
Frequently Asked Questions About Judges 20:15
What does Judges 20:15 mean?
Benjamin musters twenty-six thousand swordsmen from its cities, besides seven hundred chosen men from Gibeah.