Judges 20:48 Meaning and Explanation
“And the men of Israel turned again upon the children of Benjamin, and smote them with the edge of the sword, as well the men of every city, as the beast, and all that came to hand: also they set on fire all the cities that they came to.”
King James Version (KJV)
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Read Full Chapter →Israel turns back through Benjamin's territory, striking the cities, people, and livestock, and burning the towns.
What Does Judges 20:48 Mean?
The chapter closes grimly. Israel turns back through Benjamin's land, striking its cities, putting people and livestock to the sword, and burning the towns. The fury that began as a quest for justice has become sweeping destruction across the whole tribe. What started with a demand to surrender a few guilty men ends with the devastation of Benjamin's territory.
The ending leaves the reader sobered rather than triumphant. Justice against the crime of Gibeah was right, yet the scale of the destruction here, and the crisis it creates in the next chapter, shows how easily righteous zeal can run beyond measure. The book of Judges repeatedly portrays a people without a king, where everyone did what was right in their own eyes. This verse is part of that warning, a call to long for the day when justice and mercy meet perfectly, as they do in Christ alone.
Frequently Asked Questions About Judges 20:48
What does Judges 20:48 mean?
Israel turns back through Benjamin's territory, striking the cities, people, and livestock, and burning the towns.