Bible Strands
Judges 20:3
(Meanwhile the Benjamites heard that the Israelites had gone up to Mizpah.) And the Israelites asked, “Tell us, how did this wicked thing happen?”
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The Benjamites learn that the Israelite tribes have gathered at Mizpah with 400,000 armed men. The Israelite assembly then questions the Benjamites to determine how the recent atrocity occurred.
The words — וַֽיִּשְׁמְעוּ (va/i.yish.me.'U) literally means "and they heard," recording the initial awareness of the mobilized army. עָלוּ ('a.Lu) translates as "they had gone up," describing the Israelites' movement to the designated gathering site.
The thread — The Benjamites' sudden awareness of danger mirrors the warning in Proverbs 22:3 that the prudent see peril and take cover. The Israelites' demand for an account before proceeding reflects the principle of addressing conflict directly, as noted in Luke 12:58.
Why it lands — The text requires a reader to recognize that communal power must be directed toward uncovering hidden guilt before action is taken. It forces the acknowledgment that truth must be elicited through direct inquiry prior to any judgment.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
(Now the children of Benjamin heard that the children of Israel were gone up to Mizpeh.) Then said the children of Israel, Tell us, how was this wickedness?
Cross-references
- Judges 19:22 While they were enjoying themselves, suddenly the wicked men of the city surrounded the house. Pounding on the door, they said to the old man who owned the house, “Bring out the man who came to your house, so we can have relations with him!”
- Luke 12:58 Make every effort to reconcile with your adversary while you are on your way to the magistrate. Otherwise, he may drag you off to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and the officer may throw you into prison.
- Proverbs 22:3 The prudent see danger and take cover, but the simple keep going and suffer the consequences.
- Matthew 5:25 Reconcile quickly with your adversary, while you are still on the way to court. Otherwise, he may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison.
- Luke 14:31 Or what king on his way to war with another king will not first sit down and consider whether he can engage with ten thousand men the one coming against him with twenty thousand?