What is the meaning of Judges 20:47?

But 600 men turned

• The previous verses record that “25,000 Benjamite swordsmen fell that day” (Judges 20:46). Out of roughly 26,700 fighters (Judges 20:15), only 600 remain.

• Their turning is a decisive retreat, a conscious break from the futile battle, similar to Israel’s earlier strategic withdrawals (Joshua 8:14–16).

• Even here, the Lord preserves a remnant, echoing His pattern with Noah (Genesis 6:8) and Elijah’s 7,000 (1 Kings 19:18).

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and fled into the wilderness

• The wilderness has often served as a place of refuge: Moses (Exodus 2:15), David (1 Samuel 23:14), Elijah (1 Kings 19:3–4).

• Physically, it offers isolation and natural defenses; spiritually, it pictures the Lord’s protective hand (Psalm 63:1, Psalm 55:6–8).

• Their flight fulfills the divine warning that sin brings severe consequences yet stops short of total destruction (Deuteronomy 28:62–63).

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to the rock of Rimmon

• This rocky stronghold lies about 13 miles northeast of Gibeah, a natural fortress much like En Gedi’s cliffs (1 Samuel 24:1–2).

• God often uses rocks to symbolize safety: “The LORD is my rock and my fortress” (Psalm 18:2).

• Ironically, Saul—Benjamin’s future king—will later fight Philistines near a place also called Rimmon (1 Samuel 14:2), showing how God can redeem a shattered tribe.

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where they stayed four months

• Four months allowed tempers to cool and Israel to recognize the peril of erasing a whole tribe (Judges 21:1–3).

• During this time the community repents and seeks a way to provide wives for the survivors (Judges 21:13–15).

• The pause illustrates Proverbs 19:2—zeal without knowledge is perilous—yet also Romans 11:29, for God’s gifts and calling to His people are irrevocable.

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summary

Judges 20:47 records the survival of 600 Benjamite men who escape annihilation by retreating to the rock of Rimmon for four months. Their preservation demonstrates God’s justice against unchecked sin while showcasing His mercy in sparing a remnant, ensuring the continuity of Benjamin and the unfolding of His covenant purposes.