Judges 20:12
New International Version
The tribes of Israel sent messengers throughout the tribe of Benjamin, saying, “What about this awful crime that was committed among you?

New Living Translation
The Israelites sent messengers to the tribe of Benjamin, saying, “What a terrible thing has been done among you!

English Standard Version
And the tribes of Israel sent men through all the tribe of Benjamin, saying, “What evil is this that has taken place among you?

Berean Standard Bible
And the tribes of Israel sent men throughout the tribe of Benjamin, saying, “What is this wickedness that has occurred among you?

King James Bible
And the tribes of Israel sent men through all the tribe of Benjamin, saying, What wickedness is this that is done among you?

New King James Version
Then the tribes of Israel sent men through all the tribe of Benjamin, saying, “What is this wickedness that has occurred among you?

New American Standard Bible
Then the tribes of Israel sent men through the entire tribe of Benjamin, saying, “What is this wickedness that has taken place among you?

NASB 1995
Then the tribes of Israel sent men through the entire tribe of Benjamin, saying, “What is this wickedness that has taken place among you?

NASB 1977
Then the tribes of Israel sent men through the entire tribe of Benjamin, saying, “What is this wickedness that has taken place among you?

Legacy Standard Bible
Then the tribes of Israel sent men through the entire tribe of Benjamin, saying, “What is this evil that has taken place among you?

Amplified Bible
Then the tribes of Israel sent men through the entire tribe of Benjamin, saying, “What is this evil thing that has been done among you?

Christian Standard Bible
Then the tribes of Israel sent men throughout the tribe of Benjamin, saying, “What is this evil act that has happened among you?

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Then the tribes of Israel sent men throughout the tribe of Benjamin, saying, “What is this outrage that has occurred among you?

American Standard Version
And the tribes of Israel sent men through all the tribe of Benjamin, saying, What wickedness is this that is come to pass among you?

Contemporary English Version
The tribes of Israel sent messengers to every town and village in Benjamin. And wherever the messengers went, they said, "How could those worthless men in Gibeah do such a disgusting thing?

English Revised Version
And the tribes of Israel sent men through all the tribe of Benjamin, saying, What wickedness is this that is come to pass among you?

GOD'S WORD® Translation
The tribes of Israel sent men throughout the tribe of Benjamin. They asked, "How could such an evil thing happen among you?

Good News Translation
The Israelite tribes sent messengers all through the territory of the tribe of Benjamin to say, "What is this crime that you have committed?

International Standard Version
The tribes of Israel sent men throughout the entire tribe of Benjamin to ask them, "What is this evil thing that has occurred among you?

Majority Standard Bible
And the tribes of Israel sent men throughout the tribe of Benjamin, saying, ?What is this wickedness that has occurred among you?

NET Bible
The tribes of Israel sent men throughout the tribe of Benjamin, saying, "How could such a wicked thing take place?

New Heart English Bible
The tribes of Israel sent men through all the tribe of Benjamin, saying, "What wickedness is this that has happened among you?

Webster's Bible Translation
And the tribes of Israel sent men through all the tribe of Benjamin, saying, What wickedness is this that is done among you?

World English Bible
The tribes of Israel sent men through all the tribe of Benjamin, saying, “What wickedness is this that has happened among you?
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And the tribes of Israel send men among all the tribes of Benjamin, saying, “What [is] this evil which has been among you?

Young's Literal Translation
And the tribes of Israel send men among all the tribes of Benjamin, saying, 'What is this evil which hath been among you?

Smith's Literal Translation
And the tribes of Israel will send men into all the tribes of Benjamin, saying, What this evil which was among you?
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And they sent messengers to all the tribe of Benjamin to say to them: Why hath so great an abomination been found among you?

Catholic Public Domain Version
And they sent messengers to the entire tribe of Benjamin, who said: “Why has so great a wickedness been found among you?

New American Bible
The tribes of Israel sent men throughout the tribe of Benjamin to say, “What is this evil that has occurred among you?

New Revised Standard Version
The tribes of Israel sent men through all the tribe of Benjamin, saying, “What crime is this that has been committed among you?
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And the tribes of Israel sent men through all the tribe of Benjamin, saying, What wickedness is this that has been done among you?

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And all the tribes of Israel sent men to the entire house of Benjamin, saying: “What is this evil that has come upon you?
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And the tribes of Israel sent men through all the tribe of Benjamin, saying: 'What wickedness is this that is come to pass among you?

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And the tribes of Israel sent men through the whole tribe of Benjamin, saying, What is this wickedness that has been wrought among you?

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Decree of the Assembly
11So all the men of Israel gathered as one man, united against the city. 12And the tribes of Israel sent men throughout the tribe of Benjamin, saying, “What is this wickedness that has occurred among you? 13Hand over the wicked men of Gibeah so we can put them to death and purge Israel of this evil.” But the Benjamites refused to heed the voice of their fellow Israelites.…

Cross References
Deuteronomy 13:12-18
If, regarding one of the cities the LORD your God is giving you to inhabit, you hear it said / that wicked men have arisen from among you and have led the people of their city astray, saying, “Let us go and serve other gods” (which you have not known), / then you must inquire, investigate, and interrogate thoroughly. And if it is established with certainty that this abomination has been committed among you, ...

Joshua 22:11-20
Then the Israelites received the report: “Behold, the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh have built an altar on the border of the land of Canaan, at Geliloth near the Jordan on the Israelite side.” / And when they heard this, the whole congregation of Israel assembled at Shiloh to go to war against them. / The Israelites sent Phinehas son of Eleazar the priest to the land of Gilead, to the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh. ...

Hosea 9:9
They have deeply corrupted themselves as in the days of Gibeah; He will remember their guilt; He will punish their sins.

Hosea 10:9
Since the days of Gibeah you have sinned, O Israel, and there you have remained. Did not the battle in Gibeah overtake the sons of iniquity?

1 Samuel 11:7
He took a pair of oxen, cut them into pieces, and sent them by messengers throughout the land of Israel, proclaiming, “This is what will be done to the oxen of anyone who does not march behind Saul and Samuel.” Then the terror of the LORD fell upon the people, and they came out together as one man.

1 Samuel 15:22-23
But Samuel declared: “Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obedience to His voice? Behold, obedience is better than sacrifice, and attentiveness is better than the fat of rams. / For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance is like the wickedness of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, He has rejected you as king.”

1 Samuel 15:33
But Samuel declared: “As your sword has made women childless, so your mother will be childless among women.” And Samuel hacked Agag to pieces before the LORD at Gilgal.

2 Samuel 20:1-2
Now a worthless man named Sheba son of Bichri, a Benjamite, happened to be there, and he blew the ram’s horn and shouted: “We have no share in David, no inheritance in Jesse’s son. Every man to his tent, O Israel!” / So all the men of Israel deserted David to follow Sheba son of Bichri. But the men of Judah stayed by their king all the way from the Jordan to Jerusalem.

2 Samuel 20:21-22
That is not the case. But a man named Sheba son of Bichri, from the hill country of Ephraim, has lifted up his hand against the king, against David. Deliver him alone, and I will depart from the city.” “Look,” the woman replied, “his head will be thrown to you over the wall.” / Then the woman went to all the people with her wise counsel, and they cut off the head of Sheba son of Bichri and threw it to Joab. So he blew the ram’s horn and his men dispersed from the city, each to his own home. And Joab returned to the king in Jerusalem.

1 Kings 12:16-19
When all Israel saw that the king had refused to listen to them, they answered the king: “What portion do we have in David, and what inheritance in the son of Jesse? To your tents, O Israel! Look now to your own house, O David!” So the Israelites went home, / but Rehoboam still reigned over the Israelites living in the cities of Judah. / Then King Rehoboam sent out Adoram, who was in charge of the forced labor, but all Israel stoned him to death. And King Rehoboam mounted his chariot in haste and escaped to Jerusalem. ...

1 Kings 12:24
that this is what the LORD says: ‘You are not to go up and fight against your brothers, the Israelites. Each of you must return home, for this is My doing.’” So they listened to the word of the LORD and turned back according to the word of the LORD.

2 Chronicles 13:4-12
Then Abijah stood on Mount Zemaraim in the hill country of Ephraim and said, “Hear me, O Jeroboam and all Israel! / Do you not know that the LORD, the God of Israel, has given the kingship of Israel to David and his descendants forever by a covenant of salt? / Yet Jeroboam son of Nebat, a servant of Solomon son of David, rose up and rebelled against his master. ...

Matthew 18:15-17
If your brother sins against you, go and confront him privately. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over. / But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ / If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, regard him as you would a pagan or a tax collector.

Matthew 18:21-22
Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother who sins against me? Up to seven times?” / Jesus answered, “I tell you, not just seven times, but seventy-seven times!

Matthew 18:35
That is how My heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart.”


Treasury of Scripture

And the tribes of Israel sent men through all the tribe of Benjamin, saying, What wickedness is this that is done among you?

sent men

Deuteronomy 13:14
Then shalt thou inquire, and make search, and ask diligently; and, behold, if it be truth, and the thing certain, that such abomination is wrought among you;

Deuteronomy 20:10
When thou comest nigh unto a city to fight against it, then proclaim peace unto it.

Joshua 22:13-16
And the children of Israel sent unto the children of Reuben, and to the children of Gad, and to the half tribe of Manasseh, into the land of Gilead, Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, …

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Awful Benjamin Committed Crime Entire Evil Israel Throughout Tribe Tribes Wickedness
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Awful Benjamin Committed Crime Entire Evil Israel Throughout Tribe Tribes Wickedness
Judges 20
1. The Levite in a general assembly declared his wrong
8. The decree of the assembly
12. The Benjamites, being cited, make head against the Israelites
18. The Israelites in two battles lose forty thousand
26. They destroy by a plan all the Benjamites, except six hundred.














And the tribes of Israel sent men throughout the tribe of Benjamin,
This phrase indicates a collective action by the tribes of Israel, emphasizing unity among the tribes in addressing a serious issue. The sending of men suggests a formal delegation, which was a common practice in ancient times for communication and negotiation. The tribe of Benjamin was one of the twelve tribes of Israel, descended from Jacob's youngest son, Benjamin. This action reflects the tribal confederation system in Israel before the establishment of the monarchy, where tribes acted both independently and collectively. The geographical context places Benjamin in a central location in the land of Israel, which was significant for communication and travel among the tribes.

saying, “What is this wickedness that has occurred among you?
The term "wickedness" here refers to the grievous sin committed in Gibeah, a city within the tribe of Benjamin, as described in the preceding chapter. This wickedness involved the brutal assault and murder of a Levite's concubine, which was a violation of the covenantal laws and moral standards expected of the Israelites. The inquiry reflects a judicial process, seeking accountability and justice. The cultural context of ancient Israel placed a high value on communal purity and righteousness, and such an atrocity demanded a response. This phrase also echoes the prophetic tradition of calling out sin and urging repentance, seen throughout the Old Testament. The call for accountability can be seen as a type of Christ's role in calling out sin and offering redemption.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Tribes of Israel
The collective group of the twelve tribes descended from the sons of Jacob, who are addressing the tribe of Benjamin regarding a grievous sin.

2. Tribe of Benjamin
One of the twelve tribes of Israel, which is being confronted by the other tribes for harboring wickedness within its borders.

3. Men Sent
Representatives or messengers from the tribes of Israel tasked with delivering a message of inquiry and confrontation to the tribe of Benjamin.

4. Wickedness
Refers to the grievous sin committed by certain men of Gibeah, a city within the territory of Benjamin, which led to a national crisis.

5. Gibeah
A city in the territory of Benjamin where the atrocity took place, leading to the confrontation by the other tribes.
Teaching Points
Confronting Sin in the Community
The tribes of Israel demonstrate the importance of addressing sin within the community. As believers, we are called to lovingly confront sin to maintain the purity and holiness of the body of Christ.

Corporate Responsibility
The passage highlights the collective responsibility of God's people to uphold righteousness. Each member of the community has a role in ensuring that sin is not tolerated.

Seeking Justice
The inquiry into the wickedness in Benjamin underscores the biblical principle of seeking justice. Believers are called to be advocates for justice and righteousness in their communities.

Unity in Righteousness
The united action of the tribes of Israel serves as a reminder of the power of unity in pursuing God's standards. The church today should strive for unity in upholding biblical truths.

Repentance and Restoration
While the passage focuses on confrontation, it also opens the door for repentance and restoration. The goal of addressing sin is always to bring about repentance and reconciliation.(12) Through all the tribe of Benjamin.--It was equitable to send this embassy, although the Benjamites had not come to the sacred gathering at Mizpeh. The word for "tribe" is in the plural, so that it is, "the tribes of Israel sent men through all the tribes of Benjamin." Clearly, in the latter instance shebet means a family. (See Note on Judges 18:19, and Numbers 4:18 : "the tribe of the families of Kohath.) There were ten families in the tribe of Benjamin (Genesis 46:21).

Verse 12. - Tribe of Benjamin. The Hebrew has tribes, meaning probably families, as the word is used Numbers 4:18. Vice versa, family is used for tribe, Judges 17:7; Judges 18:11. What wickedness, etc. The message was perhaps toe sharp and peremptory to be successful. It roused the pride and tribal independence of the Benjamites to resist. We must suppose the message to have preceded in point of time the hostile gathering recorded in ver. 11. It was probably sent before the council broke up (see above, Judges 7:25; Judges 8:4, and note).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
And the tribes
שִׁבְטֵ֤י (šiḇ·ṭê)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 7626: Rod, staff, club, scepter, tribe

of Israel
יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ (yiś·rā·’êl)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3478: Israel -- 'God strives', another name of Jacob and his desc

sent
וַֽיִּשְׁלְח֞וּ (way·yiš·lə·ḥū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 7971: To send away, for, out

men
אֲנָשִׁ֔ים (’ă·nā·šîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 582: Man, mankind

throughout
בְּכָל־ (bə·ḵāl)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

the tribe
שִׁבְטֵ֥י (šiḇ·ṭê)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 7626: Rod, staff, club, scepter, tribe

of Benjamin,
בִנְיָמִ֖ן (ḇin·yā·min)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 1144: Benjamin -- 'son of the right hand', youngest son of Jacob, also the name of two other Israelites

saying,
לֵאמֹ֑ר (lê·mōr)
Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 559: To utter, say

“What
מָ֚ה (māh)
Interrogative
Strong's 4100: What?, what!, indefinitely what

is this
הַזֹּ֔את (haz·zōṯ)
Article | Pronoun - feminine singular
Strong's 2063: Hereby in it, likewise, the one other, same, she, so much, such deed, that,

wickedness
הָרָעָ֣ה (hā·rā·‘āh)
Article | Adjective - feminine singular
Strong's 7451: Bad, evil

that
אֲשֶׁ֥ר (’ă·šer)
Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that

has occurred
נִהְיְתָ֖ה (nih·yə·ṯāh)
Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be

among you?
בָּכֶֽם׃ (bā·ḵem)
Preposition | second person masculine plural
Strong's Hebrew


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OT History: Judges 20:12 The tribes of Israel sent men through (Jd Judg. Jdg)
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