Judges 20:35 Meaning and Explanation
“And the LORD smote Benjamin before Israel: and the children of Israel destroyed of the Benjamites that day twenty and five thousand and an hundred men: all these drew the sword.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →The LORD strikes Benjamin before Israel, and twenty-five thousand one hundred of their swordsmen fall that day.
What Does Judges 20:35 Mean?
The decisive verse names the true victor: 'the LORD smote Benjamin before Israel.' Though Israel wielded the swords, the narrator gives God the credit for the outcome. Twenty-five thousand one hundred Benjamite warriors fall in a single day. After two days of bitter defeat, the third day brings the promised deliverance, accomplished by the hand of the LORD as he had foretold.
The careful wording matters. The victory is not attributed to Israel's superior numbers or clever tactics, but to God who struck the blow. This is the lesson the whole chapter has been moving toward: humbled by defeat, brought to weeping and fasting, Israel finally prevailed only when God acted. The verse turns our eyes from human strength to divine power, reminding us that every true deliverance is finally God's work. What he had promised, he himself brought to pass.
Judges 20:35 in the Original Language
nakah (נָכָה), 'smote' -- to strike or defeat decisively, here the LORD's own action in bringing down Benjamin.
Frequently Asked Questions About Judges 20:35
What does Judges 20:35 mean?
The LORD strikes Benjamin before Israel, and twenty-five thousand one hundred of their swordsmen fall that day.