What does Judges 20:47 reveal about God's justice and mercy? Text and Immediate Context Judges 20:47 : “But six hundred men turned and fled into the wilderness to the rock of Rimmon, where they stayed four months.” This line closes three days of divinely sanctioned judgment against Benjamin (Judges 20:18, 23, 28) for its defense of the crimes committed at Gibeah (Judges 19). Twenty-five thousand Benjamites fall; only six hundred escape. Historical-Geographical Setting The “rock of Rimmon” is generally identified with modern-day Rammūn, 13 km northeast of Jerusalem. Surveys of the Judean hill country (e.g., Israel Finkelstein, Highlands of Judah, 1992) document a Late Bronze–early Iron I occupation stratum there, matching the book’s chronology. Nearby Tell el-Ful—widely accepted as biblical Gibeah—was excavated by William F. Albright (1922–1923) and P. K. McCown (1957). Pottery assemblages and fortifications align with Judges-era settlement patterns, bolstering historicity. Canonical Pattern of Divine Justice Scripture consistently teaches that God repays unrepentant wickedness, even among His covenant people (Deuteronomy 32:4; Isaiah 5:16). Benjamin receives the same standard applied to Canaanite cities (Deuteronomy 13:12-18). The startling casualty figure (Judges 20:46) underscores the impartiality of divine justice: God “shows no favoritism” (Romans 2:11). Mercy through a Preserved Remnant Yet verse 47 records a divinely preserved remnant. Throughout Scripture the remnant motif couples judgment with continued covenant grace (Genesis 6:8; 1 Kings 19:18; Isaiah 10:20-22; Romans 11:5). Had Benjamin been erased, the God-given structure of twelve tribes (Genesis 49; Revelation 7) would collapse. God’s mercy therefore operates within, not against, His justice (Exodus 34:6-7). Foreshadowing Redemptive History From this spared nucleus will come King Saul (1 Samuel 9:1-2) and, a millennium later, the apostle Paul (Philippians 3:5). Both become pivotal in salvation history—Saul illustrating the need for a better King (foreshadowing Christ), Paul carrying the gospel to the Gentiles. Thus mercy to six hundred anticipates global mercy in Jesus’ resurrection, where justice against sin meets grace for sinners (Romans 3:25-26). Practical Encouragement for Contemporary Readers Believers facing communal or personal crisis can trust that divine discipline, though severe, is never devoid of purpose or hope (Hebrews 12:5-11). The “rock of Rimmon” becomes emblematic of refuge—an Old Testament pointer to Christ the Rock (1 Corinthians 10:4). Summary Judges 20:47 exhibits God’s uncompromising justice in purging entrenched sin while simultaneously displaying His covenantal mercy by safeguarding a remnant. The verse threads into the larger biblical tapestry that culminates in the resurrection, where ultimate justice and unfathomable mercy meet for the salvation of all who believe. |
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