This verse isn't just about logistics; it reveals a strategic foresight born from the gravity of the situation. The disproportionate ratio (10 out of 100, 100 out of 1,000, etc.) highlights their determination to maintain a strong fighting force by ensuring ample provisions, anticipating a prolonged and costly campaign. This meticulous planning underscores their resolve to see justice done, not just a swift, emotional reaction.
and we will take ten men of a hundred throughout all the tribes of Israel, and a hundred of a thousand, and a thousand of ten thousand, to bring provisions for the people, that when they come they may repay Gibeah of Benjamin for all the outrage that they have committed in Israel.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
Following a horrific act of violence and injustice in Gibeah, the tribes of Israel have united in outrage. This verse reveals their plan to wage war: they will conscript one in ten men from across the nation to gather provisions, ensuring the main army can focus on marching to Gibeah and delivering the severe punishment that the Benjamites' wickedness deserves.
Imagine needing to feed an army, but you have to do it while also fighting a war. How do you ensure everyone is supplied?
In Judges 20:10, the Israelites are preparing for a major battle against the tribe of Benjamin due to a horrific crime. To sustain their large army, they implement a remarkable logistical plan: 'ten men of a hundred... a hundred of a thousand, and a thousand of ten thousand.'
A System of Support
This isn't just about numbers; it's about a structured commitment. Essentially, for every ten people in the army, one person is tasked with procuring food and supplies. This means 40,000 men are dedicated to provisioning the remaining 360,000.
Foresight and Sacrifice
This arrangement shows they anticipated a long and costly conflict. They weren't just going for a quick strike. By assigning a tenth of their forces to logistics, they were making a significant sacrifice, pulling valuable fighters away from the front lines. It's a testament to their determination to see justice done, even at great logistical cost.
What does it mean to 'repay' a crime, especially when it's committed against God's own people?
The driving force behind this massive mobilization and logistical effort is stated clearly: 'that they may repay Gibeah of Benjamin for all the outrage that they have committed in Israel.'
The Gravity of the Crime
This verse, and the context of Judges 19, points to an act of extreme wickedness and violence that shocked the entire nation. The crime at Gibeah wasn't just a local incident; it was an 'outrage' that defiled the land and challenged the covenant community.
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Justice and Reckoning
The phrase 'repay... according to all the outrage' signifies a complete and thorough judgment. It wasn't about simple retribution, but about holding the tribe accountable for allowing such depravity and for the sin committed 'in Israel' – among God's chosen people, making it even more heinous. This war was a national response to a deep moral crisis.
Understand the original words
gamal · Hebrew Verb
The concept of rendering justice or compensation for a wrong committed. It implies restoring the moral balance that was disrupted by a transgression, often involving retribution or punishment.
This verse reveals the practical, logistical preparations for a massive military campaign driven by righteous indignation. The decision to mobilize one-tenth of the fighting men for provisions highlights the scale of the conflict and the seriousness with which Israel viewed the crime committed at Gibeah.
Early 13th century BC
Period of the Judges Begins
Following the death of Joshua, Israel enters a period where tribal leaders, called judges, arise to govern. This era is marked by cycles of sin, oppression, deliverance, and peace, often characterized by a lack of centralized authority and widespread moral compromise.
Undated, during the Period of the Judges
The Crime at Gibeah
A Levite's concubine is brutally assaulted and murdered in the town of Gibeah, a city belonging to the tribe of Benjamin. This horrific act sparks outrage throughout Israel.
Undated, following the crime— this verse
Tribal Assembly and Declaration of War
All the tribes of Israel gather at Mizpah, united in their horror. They demand that the tribe of Benjamin hand over the perpetrators, but Benjamin refuses, leading to a decision to wage war against Gibeah.
Undated, during the war
Mobilization and Provisioning
The united tribes mobilize a massive army. To sustain this force during what they anticipate will be a prolonged conflict, they organize a system to provide provisions, with one in ten men designated for this task.
Undated, during the war
Initial Defeats and Divine Counsel
The initial assaults on Gibeah result in significant losses for the Israelite army, shaking their confidence. They return to Mizpah to seek God's counsel and reaffirm their commitment before launching further attacks.
Undated, culmination of the war
Near Annihilation of Benjamin
After further battles and strategic maneuvers, the war culminates in the near-extermination of the tribe of Benjamin, with only six hundred men surviving.
This passage details a census taken for military purposes, where every tenth man was counted and selected, mirroring the strategy in Judges 20:10 for organizing provisions for a large army.
1 Samuel 11:7After a similar crisis where an entire tribe's actions threatened the nation, a large contingent of Israelites was gathered to march against the aggressors, demonstrating a unified tribal response to widespread outrage.
Deuteronomy 13:12-18This passage outlines the severe judgment required when an entire community turns to wickedness, providing the theological justification for the widespread tribal action described in Judges 20 against Gibeah.
2 Samuel 21:1-14This account of a famine and its resolution by punishing the remaining Gibeonites highlights how national sin and its consequences could ripple through Israel, requiring decisive, albeit difficult, action.
clarkeJudges 20:10: "And we will take ten men of an hundred throughout all the tribes of Israel, and an hundred of a thousand, and a thousand out of ten thousand, to fetch victual for the people, that they may do, when they come to Gibeah of Benjamin, according to all the folly that they have wrought in Israel."
Ten men of a hundred - Expecting that they might have a long contest, they provide suttlers for the camp; and it is probable that they chose these tenths by lot.
pooleJudges 20:10: "And we will take ten men of an hundred throughout all the tribes of Israel, and an hundred of a thousand, and a thousand out of ten thousand, to fetch victual for the people, that they may do, when they come to Gibeah of Benjamin, according to all the folly that they have wrought in Israel."
That they may do according to all the folly that they have wrought; that we may punish them as such a wickedness deserves. In Israel: this is added as an aggravation, that they should do that…
This verse isn't just about logistics; it reveals a strategic foresight born from the gravity of the situation. The disproportionate ratio (10 out of 100, 100 out of 1,000, etc.) highlights their determination to maintain a strong fighting force by ensuring ample provisions, anticipating a prolonged and costly campaign. This meticulous planning underscores their resolve to see justice done, not just a swift, emotional reaction.
Following a horrific act of violence and injustice in Gibeah, the tribes of Israel have united in outrage. This verse reveals their plan to wage war: they will conscript one in ten men from across the nation to gather provisions, ensuring the main army can focus on marching to Gibeah and delivering the severe punishment that the Benjamites' wickedness deserves.
Following a horrific act of violence and injustice in Gibeah, the tribes of Israel have united in outrage. This verse reveals their plan to wage war: they will conscript one in ten men from across the nation to gather provisions, ensuring the main army can focus on marching to Gibeah and delivering the severe punishment that the Benjamites' wickedness deserves.
"and we will take ten men of a hundred throughout all the tribes of Israel, and a hundred of a thousand, and a thousand of ten thousand, to bring provisions for the people, that when they come they may repay Gibeah of Benjamin for all the o…" — This verse isn't just about logistics; it reveals a strategic foresight born from the gravity of the situation. The disproportionate ratio (10 out of 100, 100 out of 1,000, etc.) highlights their det…
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Last reviewed October 2026
