Judges 20:15
New International Version
At once the Benjamites mobilized twenty-six thousand swordsmen from their towns, in addition to seven hundred able young men from those living in Gibeah.

New Living Translation
In all, 26,000 of their warriors armed with swords arrived in Gibeah to join the 700 elite troops who lived there.

English Standard Version
And the people of Benjamin mustered out of their cities on that day 26,000 men who drew the sword, besides the inhabitants of Gibeah, who mustered 700 chosen men.

Berean Standard Bible
On that day the Benjamites mobilized 26,000 swordsmen from their cities, in addition to the 700 select men of Gibeah.

King James Bible
And the children of Benjamin were numbered at that time out of the cities twenty and six thousand men that drew sword, beside the inhabitants of Gibeah, which were numbered seven hundred chosen men.

New King James Version
And from their cities at that time the children of Benjamin numbered twenty-six thousand men who drew the sword, besides the inhabitants of Gibeah, who numbered seven hundred select men.

New American Standard Bible
From the cities on that day the sons of Benjamin were counted, twenty-six thousand men who drew the sword, besides the inhabitants of Gibeah who were counted, seven hundred choice men.

NASB 1995
From the cities on that day the sons of Benjamin were numbered, 26,000 men who draw the sword, besides the inhabitants of Gibeah who were numbered, 700 choice men.

NASB 1977
And from the cities on that day the sons of Benjamin were numbered, 26,000 men who draw the sword, besides the inhabitants of Gibeah who were numbered, 700 choice men.

Legacy Standard Bible
And from the cities on that day the sons of Benjamin were numbered, 26,000 men who draw the sword, besides the inhabitants of Gibeah who were numbered, 700 choice men.

Amplified Bible
And the Benjamites assembled out of their cities at that time twenty-six thousand men who drew the sword, besides the inhabitants of Gibeah, who assembled seven hundred chosen men.

Christian Standard Bible
On that day the Benjaminites mobilized twenty-six thousand armed men from their cities, besides seven hundred fit young men rallied by the inhabitants of Gibeah.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
On that day the Benjaminites rallied 26,000 armed men from their cities, besides 700 choice men rallied by the inhabitants of Gibeah.

American Standard Version
And the children of Benjamin were numbered on that day out of the cities twenty and six thousand men that drew sword, besides the inhabitants of Gibeah, who were numbered seven hundred chosen men.

Contemporary English Version
The Benjamin tribe had 26,000 soldiers, not counting the 700 who were Gibeah's best warriors.

English Revised Version
And the children of Benjamin were numbered on that day out of the cities twenty and six thousand men that drew sword, besides the inhabitants of Gibeah, which were numbered seven hundred chosen men.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
That day 26,000 men armed with swords came from Benjamin's cities and organized for battle along with 700 of Gibeah's best men.

International Standard Version
The day of the battle, the army from the descendants of Benjamin numbered 26,000 expert swordsmen from their cities, not including the inhabitants of Gibeah, who numbered 700 special forces soldiers.

Majority Standard Bible
On that day the Benjamites mobilized 26,000 swordsmen from their cities, in addition to the 700 select men of Gibeah.

NET Bible
That day the Benjaminites mustered from their cities twenty-six thousand sword-wielding soldiers, besides seven hundred well-trained soldiers from Gibeah.

New Heart English Bible
The people of Benjamin were numbered on that day out of the cities twenty-six thousand men who drew the sword, besides the inhabitants of Gibeah, who were numbered seven hundred chosen men.

Webster's Bible Translation
And the children of Benjamin were numbered at that time out of the cities twenty and six thousand men that drew sword, besides the inhabitants of Gibeah, who were numbered seven hundred chosen men.

World English Bible
The children of Benjamin were counted on that day out of the cities twenty-six thousand men who drew the sword, in addition to the inhabitants of Gibeah, who were counted seven hundred chosen men.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And the sons of Benjamin number themselves on that day; out of the cities [are] twenty-six thousand men drawing sword, apart from the inhabitants of Gibeah, [who] numbered themselves, seven hundred chosen men;

Young's Literal Translation
And the sons of Benjamin number themselves on that day; out of the cities are twenty and six thousand men drawing sword, apart from the inhabitants of Gibeah, who numbered themselves, seven hundred chosen men;

Smith's Literal Translation
And the sons of Benjamin will be reviewed in that day from the cities, twenty and six thousand men drawing the sword, besides from the inhabitants of Gibeah they were reviewed, seven hundred chosen men.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And there were found of Benjamin five and twenty thousand men that drew the sword, besides the inhabitants of Gabaa,

Catholic Public Domain Version
And there were found from Benjamin twenty-five thousand who drew the sword, aside from the inhabitants of Gibeah,

New American Bible
On that day the Benjaminites mustered from their cities twenty-six thousand swordsmen, in addition to the inhabitants of Gibeah, who mustered seven hundred picked men

New Revised Standard Version
On that day the Benjaminites mustered twenty-six thousand armed men from their towns, besides the inhabitants of Gibeah.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And the Benjamites were numbered in that day out of the cities twenty-six thousand men that drew sword, besides the inhabitants of Gibeah, who were numbered seven hundred chosen men.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And the sons of Benjamin in that day from the cities were numbered twenty and six thousand men drawing a sword, apart from the dwellers of Gebah who were numbered seven hundred men
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And the children of Benjamin numbered on that day out of the cities twenty and six thousand men that drew sword, besides the inhabitants of Gibeah, who numbered seven hundred chosen men.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And the children of Benjamin from their cities were numbered in that day, twenty-three thousand, every man drawing a sword, besides the inhabitants of Gabaa, who were numbered seven hundred chosen men of all the people, able to use both hands alike;

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Decree of the Assembly
14And from their cities they came together at Gibeah to go out and fight against the Israelites. 15On that day the Benjamites mobilized 26,000 swordsmen from their cities, in addition to the 700 select men of Gibeah. 16Among all these soldiers there were 700 select left-handers, each of whom could sling a stone at a hair without missing.…

Cross References
Joshua 18:11-28
The first lot came up for the clans of the tribe of Benjamin. Their allotted territory lay between the tribes of Judah and Joseph: / On the north side their border began at the Jordan, went up past the northern slope of Jericho, headed west through the hill country, and came out at the wilderness of Beth-aven. / From there the border crossed over to the southern slope of Luz (that is, Bethel) and went down to Ataroth-addar on the hill south of Lower Beth-horon. ...

1 Samuel 11:8
And when Saul numbered them at Bezek, there were 300,000 Israelites and 30,000 men of Judah.

1 Samuel 15:4
So Saul summoned the troops and numbered them at Telaim—200,000 foot soldiers and 10,000 men of Judah.

2 Samuel 24:9
And Joab reported to the king the total number of the troops. In Israel there were 800,000 men of valor who drew the sword, and in Judah there were 500,000.

1 Chronicles 7:6-12
The three sons of Benjamin: Bela, Becher, and Jediael. / The sons of Bela: Ezbon, Uzzi, Uzziel, Jerimoth, and Iri, heads of their families—five in all. There were 22,034 mighty men of valor listed in their genealogies. / The sons of Becher: Zemirah, Joash, Eliezer, Elioenai, Omri, Jeremoth, Abijah, Anathoth, and Alemeth; all these were Becher’s sons. ...

1 Chronicles 12:23-40
Now these are the numbers of men armed for battle who came to David at Hebron to turn Saul’s kingdom over to him, in accordance with the word of the LORD: / From Judah: 6,800 armed troops bearing shields and spears. / From Simeon: 7,100 mighty men of valor, ready for battle. ...

2 Chronicles 17:14-19
These are their numbers according to the houses of their fathers: From Judah, the commanders of thousands: Adnah the commander, and with him 300,000 mighty men of valor; / next to him, Jehohanan the commander, and with him 280,000; / and next to him, Amasiah son of Zichri, the volunteer for the LORD, and with him 200,000 mighty men of valor. ...

Numbers 1:26-27
From the sons of Judah, according to the records of their clans and families, counting the names of all those twenty years of age or older who could serve in the army, / those registered to the tribe of Judah numbered 74,600.

Numbers 26:38-41
These were the descendants of Benjamin by their clans: The Belaite clan from Bela, the Ashbelite clan from Ashbel, the Ahiramite clan from Ahiram, / the Shuphamite clan from Shupham, and the Huphamite clan from Hupham. / And the descendants of Bela from Ard and Naaman were the Ardite clan from Ard and the Naamite clan from Naaman. ...

Deuteronomy 33:12
Concerning Benjamin he said: “May the beloved of the LORD rest secure in Him; God shields him all day long, and upon His shoulders he rests.”

Hosea 5:8-9
Blow the ram’s horn in Gibeah, the trumpet in Ramah; raise the battle cry in Beth-aven: Lead on, O Benjamin! / Ephraim will be laid waste on the day of rebuke. Among the tribes of Israel I proclaim what is certain.

Psalm 68:27
There is Benjamin, the youngest, ruling them, the princes of Judah in their company, the princes of Zebulun and of Naphtali.

Romans 11:1
I ask then, did God reject His people? Certainly not! I am an Israelite myself, a descendant of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin.

Philippians 3:5
circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin; a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee;

Revelation 7:8
from the tribe of Zebulun 12,000, from the tribe of Joseph 12,000, and from the tribe of Benjamin 12,000.


Treasury of Scripture

And the children of Benjamin were numbered at that time out of the cities twenty and six thousand men that drew sword, beside the inhabitants of Gibeah, which were numbered seven hundred chosen men.

twenty

Judges 20:25,35,46,47
And Benjamin went forth against them out of Gibeah the second day, and destroyed down to the ground of the children of Israel again eighteen thousand men; all these drew the sword…

Numbers 26:41
These are the sons of Benjamin after their families: and they that were numbered of them were forty and five thousand and six hundred.

Jump to Previous
Armed Benjamin Benjaminites Benjamites Besides Best Children Choice Chosen Cities Draw Drew Hundred Inhabitants Mobilized Mustered Numbered Numbering Once Picked Seven Six Sword Swords Swordsmen Themselves Thousand Time Towns Twenty Twenty-Six
Jump to Next
Armed Benjamin Benjaminites Benjamites Besides Best Children Choice Chosen Cities Draw Drew Hundred Inhabitants Mobilized Mustered Numbered Numbering Once Picked Seven Six Sword Swords Swordsmen Themselves Thousand Time Towns Twenty Twenty-Six
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.














On that day
This phrase sets the immediate context and urgency of the events. The Hebrew word for "day" is "yom," which can signify a literal day or a period of time. Here, it emphasizes the swift mobilization and the seriousness of the situation. Historically, this reflects the rapid response required in ancient warfare, where decisions and actions were often made quickly due to the pressing nature of tribal conflicts.

the Benjamites
The tribe of Benjamin, one of the twelve tribes of Israel, is central to this narrative. The Hebrew root "Binyamin" means "son of the right hand," indicating a position of favor or strength. The Benjamites were known for their fierce warriors and skilled archers, as seen in other biblical accounts. This tribe's involvement in the conflict highlights the internal strife within Israel and the complexities of tribal loyalties.

mobilized
The act of mobilization indicates preparation for battle. The Hebrew word "paqad" can mean to muster or to number, suggesting an organized and deliberate gathering of forces. This reflects the structured nature of ancient Israelite military practices, where tribes would rally their men for defense or aggression, often in response to a call to arms.

26,000 swordsmen
The specific number of swordsmen underscores the significant military capability of the Benjamites. The use of "swordsmen" (Hebrew "ish chereb") highlights the importance of the sword as a primary weapon in ancient warfare. This detail not only provides a sense of the scale of the conflict but also emphasizes the readiness and determination of the Benjamites to defend their cause.

from their cities
This phrase indicates that the mobilization was widespread, involving multiple cities within the territory of Benjamin. The Hebrew word "ir" for city suggests established settlements, each contributing to the collective defense. This reflects the decentralized nature of Israelite society, where each city had its own leadership but could unite for common causes.

in addition to the 700 choice men of Gibeah
The "700 choice men" signifies an elite group of warriors, possibly selected for their skill and bravery. The Hebrew word "bachur" for choice implies a selection based on merit or excellence. Gibeah, a city within Benjamin, is notorious for the events leading to this conflict, as described earlier in Judges. The mention of these men highlights the strategic importance of Gibeah and the heightened stakes of the battle. This detail serves as a reminder of the moral and social decay that had permeated Israel, necessitating divine intervention and judgment.

(15) Out of the cities.--They could only live in cities, because the Jebusites still held Jerusalem, and the Canaanites around them were very incompletely subdued.

Twenty and six thousand.--This seems to be the correct number, and is found in the Chaldee, Syriac, and Arabic. Josephus, however (Antt. v. 2, ? 10), has 25,000, as also has Codex A of theLXX., and Codex B has 23,000 (see Note on Judges 20:46). We see generally that the Benjamites, like the rest of the Israelites, in spite of their exceptional increase in the wilderness, had been now diminished by about a third since the last census (Numbers 26:41). (See Note on Judges 20:2.)

Seven hundred chosen men.--There seems to be some uncertainty or confusion in the text here. It is difficult to imagine that, as the text stands, the single city of Gibeah furnished to the Benjamites their one choice contingent of seven hundred slingers, and it would be a curious coincidence that the force of Gibeah and the slingers should each be exactly seven hundred.

Verse 15. - Twenty and six thousand. The numbers of Benjamin in the wilderness were at the first numbering 35,400, and at the second 45,600 (Numbers 1:36; Numbers 2:23; Numbers 26:41). It is impossible to account with certainty for the falling off in the numbers by so many as near 20,000; but perhaps many were slain in the wars of Canaan, and the unsettled times were unfavourable to early marriages. For the whole of Israel there was, as appeared by ver. 2, note, a falling off of nearly 200,000 men, or, to speak exactly (601,730-400,000 +26,700), of 175,030. Which were numbered. There is some obscurity in this latter clause; but, in spite of the accents being opposed to it, the A.V. seems certainly right. The rendering acording to the accents, "they (the Benjamites) were numbered, besides the inhabitants of Gibeah, seven hundred chosen men," makes no sense, and does not explain who the 700 were. The population of Gibeah would be about 5 × 700, i.e. 3500, according to this statement.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
On that
הַהוּא֙ (ha·hū)
Article | Pronoun - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1931: He, self, the same, this, that, as, are

day
בַּיּ֤וֹם (bay·yō·wm)
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3117: A day

the Benjamites
בְנֵ֨י (ḇə·nê)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 1121: A son

mobilized
וַיִּתְפָּֽקְדוּ֩ (way·yiṯ·pā·qə·ḏū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hitpael - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 6485: To visit, to oversee, muster, charge, care for, miss, deposit

26,000
עֶשְׂרִ֨ים (‘eś·rîm)
Number - common plural
Strong's 6242: Twenty, twentieth

swordsmen
חָ֑רֶב (ḥā·reḇ)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 2719: Drought, a cutting instrument, as a, knife, sword

from their cities,
מֵהֶ֣עָרִ֔ים (mê·he·‘ā·rîm)
Preposition-m, Article | Noun - feminine plural
Strong's 5892: Excitement

in addition to
לְ֠בַד (lə·ḇaḏ)
Preposition | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 905: Separation, a part of the body, branch of a, tree, bar for, carrying, chief of

the 700
שְׁבַ֥ע (šə·ḇa‘)
Number - feminine singular construct
Strong's 7651: Seven, seven times, a week, an indefinite number

select
בָּחֽוּר׃ (bā·ḥūr)
Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine singular
Strong's 970: Selected, a youth

men
אִ֥ישׁ (’îš)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 376: A man as an individual, a male person

of Gibeah.
הַגִּבְעָה֙ (hag·giḇ·‘āh)
Article | Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 1390: Gibeah -- 'hill', three cities in Palestine


Links
Judges 20:15 NIV
Judges 20:15 NLT
Judges 20:15 ESV
Judges 20:15 NASB
Judges 20:15 KJV

Judges 20:15 BibleApps.com
Judges 20:15 Biblia Paralela
Judges 20:15 Chinese Bible
Judges 20:15 French Bible
Judges 20:15 Catholic Bible

OT History: Judges 20:15 The children of Benjamin were numbered (Jd Judg. Jdg)
Judges 20:14
Top of Page
Top of Page