What is the meaning of Judges 20:36? Then the Benjamites realized they had been defeated • At this moment the tribe of Benjamin finally grasps the reality that the battle’s tide has turned against them. Earlier, they had twice routed Israel (Judges 20:21, 25), but the Lord had assured Israel of ultimate victory (Judges 20:28). Benjamin’s realization fulfills that divine word. • The text shows a sudden awakening—similar to Pharaoh’s army recognizing God’s hand against them at the Red Sea (Exodus 14:25). When God decrees judgment, recognition can come abruptly and too late for repentance. • Their defeat is not merely military; it is moral. Benjamin had chosen to shield the wickedness in Gibeah (Judges 19:22–24; 20:13). Proverbs 11:5–6 echoes this: “the wicked are ensnared by their own desires.” Now the men of Israel had retreated before Benjamin • Israel’s withdrawal looks like panic, yet it is intentional. Earlier, God directed Israel to set an ambush (Judges 20:29–30). So the “retreat” is a feigned flight, much like Joshua’s tactic at Ai (Joshua 8:14–16). • The seeming setback tests Israel’s faith. They must trust God’s strategy rather than appearances (2 Corinthians 5:7). Sometimes obedience involves stepping back so that God’s plan can unfold. because they were relying on the ambush they had set against Gibeah • The ambush fulfills the precise instructions given in verses 29–34. Israel divides its forces, placing 10,000 valiant men near Gibeah (Judges 20:34). This coordinated plan mirrors Gideon’s reliance on divine strategy over brute strength (Judges 7:16–22). • “Relying on” signals faith in God-given means, not mere human cunning. Psalm 33:16–18 reminds us that victory is not by “large army” but by the Lord’s eye upon those who fear Him. • Gibeah’s destruction serves both justice and purification. Deuteronomy 13:12-15 prescribes rooting out covenant-breaking evil from within Israel, and the ambush answers that command. summary Judges 20:36 records the turning point of the civil war: Benjamin at last recognizes defeat, while Israel’s apparent retreat is actually trustful obedience to God’s ambush plan. The verse teaches that God’s justice prevails, even when His people must first appear weak, and that faith follows divine instruction rather than visible circumstances. |
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