Civil War Judges 20

Judges 20:2 "And the chief of all the people, even of all the tribes of Israel, presented themselves in the assembly of the people of God, four hundred thousand footmen that drew sword."

Angry over the doings of Gibeah and the house of Benjamin, the rest of Israel goes to clean up the mess. They know that without God their land is lost. Joshua told them as much in his last address to them.

They asked the Levite what happened and he tells the story of how the men of Gibreah compassed the house where he was and did harm to him and his concubine.

v11 "So all the men of Israel were gathered against the city, knit together as one man."

But the men of Benjamin came out to fight against Israel. A great battle followed and the tribe of Benjamin was destroyed except about 600 men.

v35 "And the LORD smote Benjamin before Israel and the children of Israel destroyed of the Benjaminites that day twenty and five thousand and an hundred men: all these dew the sword."

They also set the city on fire. Those who remained hid themselves.

In all this sadness, we can learn a lesson. The sin that these men of Gibeah did was not just their business. It cost the people their dwelling place. It cost the lives of many men. It caused Israel to fight amongst themselves. The actions of one can hurt all those around him or her. Sin is not a private matter and will be answered for before God.

Psalms 123:3 "Have mercy upon us, O LORD, have mercy upon us: for we are exceedingly filled with contempt."

keywords: Bible Study, Old Testament, Judges, Israel, Gibeah, Benjamin, Milton Southerland