What is the meaning of Judges 20:12? And the tribes of Israel sent men • The whole nation acts together, showing collective responsibility for covenant purity (compare Judges 20:1; Deuteronomy 13:12-15). • No tribe stands aloof; unity under God outweighs regional loyalties (see Joshua 22:12-16). • The action is deliberate—“sent men”—not rash mob justice. They first seek facts, mirroring the principle of due inquiry found in Deuteronomy 17:4. throughout the tribe of Benjamin • Messengers go “throughout,” indicating a thorough, impartial investigation rather than targeting a single town (contrast the singular city of Gibeah in Judges 19:14). • The route underscores how sin in one place can implicate an entire community if unaddressed (Joshua 7:1-12; 1 Corinthians 5:6). • Benjamin is treated as a full covenant partner; the other tribes still seek dialogue before discipline (Proverbs 18:13). saying • The inquiry is verbal and relational first, not immediately punitive (Matthew 18:15). • This brief word highlights the pattern: communication → confirmation → correction, an approach repeated in Acts 15:2 when the church sent representatives to investigate doctrinal concerns. “What is this wickedness that has occurred among you?” • The question confronts sin directly, refusing to minimize it (Isaiah 5:20; Ephesians 5:11). • Calling it “wickedness” echoes God’s moral standard revealed in the Law (Leviticus 18:17; Deuteronomy 22:25-27). • “Among you” stresses covenant solidarity: sin inside the camp demands internal accountability (1 Peter 4:17). • The wording invites confession and repentance rather than mere condemnation (2 Chronicles 30:6-9). summary The verse portrays Israel’s tribes acting in unified, righteous concern to investigate reported evil within Benjamin. They pursue facts, speak candidly, and hold their brethren to God’s unchanging standard, modeling how believing communities today should address sin: united, thorough, truth-seeking, and redemptive. |
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