What is the meaning of Judges 20:45? Then the Benjamites turned and fled toward the wilderness to the rock of Rimmon Picture the shattered Benjamite troops turning their backs on the battlefield, heading for a rugged limestone stronghold about 13 miles north of Jerusalem. • Their flight fulfills the earlier warning that the tribe would be “struck down before Israel” (Judges 20:35). • The rock of Rimmon becomes a temporary refuge for the 600 remaining men who eventually survive (Judges 20:47), yet it cannot shield them from God’s judgment—only from immediate death. • The scene recalls other desperate retreats to natural fortresses, such as David’s flight to Adullam’s cave (1 Samuel 22:1), highlighting how people often seek physical shelters when confronted with divine justice. • Application: sinful choices put us on the run. As Psalm 139:7 reminds us, no wilderness can hide us from the Lord’s presence. and Israel cut down 5,000 men on the roads Israel’s forces seize the strategic crossroads, preventing escape routes and executing God’s righteous verdict on Benjamin’s unrepentant violence (Judges 19:22–30). • Similar tactics appear when Saul attacks the Ammonites at dawn and “struck them down until the heat of the day” (1 Samuel 11:11). • Deuteronomy 13:12-18 underscores the covenant responsibility to purge evil from Israel; this slaughter is grim but just, aiming to preserve national holiness. • The number—5,000—underscores the scale of judgment yet also shows restraint; some are still allowed to flee to Rimmon, leaving the door open for future mercy (Judges 21:13-15). • Application: God’s people may be instruments of discipline, but His justice is measured, never capricious (Isaiah 28:21). And they overtook them at Gidom and struck down 2,000 more Israel presses the pursuit to Gidom—likely a ford or pass—eliminating the last organized pockets of resistance. • Judges 20:46 totals the Benjamite losses at 25,000; this verse explains the closing blows that bring that figure to completion. • The relentless advance mirrors Joshua’s campaigns, where Israel “did not leave a survivor” among the Canaanite kings (Joshua 11:8-15). • Even in heavy judgment, God preserves a remnant (the 600 at Rimmon), maintaining the tribe’s place in His redemptive plan (Romans 11:5). • Application: the wages of sin are severe (Romans 6:23), yet God’s covenant faithfulness still shines through remnants and future restoration. summary Judges 20:45 records the decisive collapse of Benjamin: a desperate flight to the rock of Rimmon, heavy casualties along the roads, and a final rout at Gidom. The verse vividly illustrates that sin invites certain judgment, escape routes are limited, and God’s purposes—both in justice and in preserving a remnant—stand firm. |
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