Judges 20:12-13
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Before launching into war, Israel sent an embassy to Benjamin, not to inquire about the crime, but to emphasize its magnitude and demand justice. This wasn't just about finding the guilty parties; it was a direct challenge to the entire tribe, calling them to reckon with the immense wickedness within their midst and urging them to prevent their own destruction by handing over the offenders.
And the tribes of Israel sent men through all the tribe of Benjamin, saying, “What evil is this that has taken place among you? Now therefore give up the men, the worthless fellows in Gibeah, that we may put them to death and purge evil from Israel.” But the Benjaminites would not listen to the voice of their brothers, the people of Israel.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Before Israel launches a devastating war against Benjamin, they send messengers throughout the tribe demanding an explanation for the horrific crime committed in Gibeah. This attempt at a peaceful resolution aims to separate the guilty from the innocent and give Benjamin a chance to uphold justice by handing over the perpetrators. However, this plea for accountability, though just, ultimately fails to prevent the bloodshed that follows.
Before the first arrow flies or the first sword is drawn, Israel takes a crucial step. What does this tell us about how they approached conflict, and what can we learn from it?
The narrative in Judges 20 shows us that even in the face of extreme evil, the Israelites first sought a path of justice and accountability.
The Embassy to Benjamin
Before launching a full-scale war, the tribes of Israel sent messengers to the entire tribe of Benjamin. Their question, "What wickedness is this that has taken place among you?" wasn't just a rhetorical flourish. It was a formal demand for the guilty parties to be identified and handed over for judgment.
A Chance for Peace
This step was wise and just for several reasons:
Ask a follow-up
The crime happened in Gibeah, but the demand went out to all of Benjamin. Why was the entire tribe held accountable?
The events in Judges 20 highlight a crucial concept in ancient Israelite society: the interconnectedness and shared responsibility of a tribe or family.
Collective Identity
In the tribal system, a person's identity and accountability were deeply tied to their kinship group. The sin of a few was seen as a stain upon the entire tribe. The question posed to Benjamin wasn't just about the individuals who committed the crime, but about the tribe's complicity or failure to act.
The Danger of Complicity
Commentaries point out that if the tribe shielded the guilty, they too would incur guilt and bring God's judgment upon themselves. This wasn't about punishing the innocent for the sake of it, but about ensuring that the wicked were not allowed to fester and corrupt the whole community. It’s a stark reminder that silence or inaction in the face of evil can have serious consequences.
Understand the original words
ra'ah · Hebrew Noun
A moral or spiritual deviation from God’s standard; wickedness or depravity that disrupts the covenant relationship and requires judgment or atonement.
beliya'al · Hebrew Noun
A term describing morally corrupt, base, or useless individuals, often implying a lack of reverence for God or societal standards.
ba'ar · Hebrew Verb
To remove, clear away, or drive out moral impurity or wickedness from the covenant community to maintain holiness and satisfy God's justice.
This event highlights the brutal reality of a society without strong central leadership, where a horrific crime could plunge the entire nation into devastating civil war. The ensuing actions reveal the complexities of justice, vengeance, and the desperate measures taken to preserve a tribe, even at the cost of further violence.
Unknown, early in the period of the Judges— this verse
The Crime at Gibeah
A Levite's concubine is brutally assaulted and murdered by men of the tribe of Benjamin in the town of Gibeah. This horrific act sparks outrage throughout Israel.
Unknown, shortly after the crime
Israelite Tribes Assemble at Mizpah
All the tribes of Israel gather as one body at Mizpah to discuss the crime and decide on a course of action against the tribe of Benjamin.
Unknown, following the assembly
Embassy Sent to Benjamin
Before resorting to war, the tribes of Israel send messengers to the tribe of Benjamin demanding the perpetrators be handed over for justice.
Unknown, Benjamin refuses to comply
Benjamin's Rejection and War Begins
The tribe of Benjamin refuses to surrender the guilty men, leading to a full-scale civil war between Benjamin and the other eleven tribes of Israel.
Unknown, during the war
Initial Defeats for Israel
The united tribes of Israel suffer two significant military defeats against the skilled warriors of Benjamin, leading to a period of prayer and fasting.
Unknown, after seeking God's counsel
Israel's Victory and Benjamin's Near Extermination
After receiving divine counsel, the Israelite tribes achieve victory, leading to a near-complete annihilation of the tribe of Benjamin, with only 600 men surviving.
Unknown, following the war
The Problem of Benjamin's Lack of Women
The near extermination of Benjamin creates a crisis, as the other tribes had vowed not to give their daughters to Benjaminite men, threatening the tribe's survival.
This passage shows a devastating judgment from God, mirroring the destruction that befell Sodom and Gomorrah due to their extreme wickedness, setting a precedent for the severe consequences of such evil.
Leviticus 18:22This verse explicitly condemns the kind of sexual sin that led to the crisis in Gibeah, highlighting that this was not just a social breakdown but a profound violation of God's law, which carried severe penalties.
Romans 1:26-27Paul describes similar unnatural sexual acts and the resulting 'recompense of error' in the Gentile world, drawing a parallel to the deep moral corruption seen in Benjamin that provoked God's judgment.
1 Corinthians 5:1The Apostle Paul rebukes the Corinthian church for tolerating a similar kind of sexual immorality, emphasizing that such wickedness should not even be named among believers and must be judged.
Jude 1:7This passage refers to Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities committing 'sexual immorality and unnatural lust,' serving as an eternal warning about the judgment that follows such egregious sins.
bensonJudges 20:12: "And the tribes of Israel sent men through all the tribe of Benjamin, saying, What wickedness is this that is done among you?"
Jdg 20:12 . The tribes of Israel sent men, &c. — Before they marched forward they sent an embassy to the Benjamites, to complain of the wickedness that had been committed, and the injury that had been done by some of their tribe, and to demand that the offenders might be delivered up to justice. This was a wise and just course, that the innocent might be s…
pooleJudges 20:12: "And the tribes of Israel sent men through all the tribe of Benjamin, saying, What wickedness is this that is done among you?"
The tribe, Heb. tribes ; either the plural number for the singular; or rather tribe is put for family , as was noted before, as families are elsewhere put for tribes . They take a wise and a just course, in sending to all the parts and families of the tribe, to separate the innocent from the guilty, and to give them a fair opportunity of preventing their r…
Before launching into war, Israel sent an embassy to Benjamin, not to inquire about the crime, but to emphasize its magnitude and demand justice. This wasn't just about finding the guilty parties; it was a direct challenge to the entire tribe, calling them to reckon with the immense wickedness within their midst and urging them to prevent their own destruction by handing over the offenders.
Before Israel launches a devastating war against Benjamin, they send messengers throughout the tribe demanding an explanation for the horrific crime committed in Gibeah. This attempt at a peaceful resolution aims to separate the guilty from the innocent and give Benjamin a chance to uphold justice by handing over the perpetrators. However, this plea for accountability, though just, ultimately fails to prevent the bloodshed that follows.
Before Israel launches a devastating war against Benjamin, they send messengers throughout the tribe demanding an explanation for the horrific crime committed in Gibeah. This attempt at a peaceful resolution aims to separate the guilty from the innocent and give Benjamin a chance to uphold justice by handing over the perpetrators. However, this plea for accountability, though just, ultimately fails to prevent the bloodshed that follows.
"And the tribes of Israel sent men through all the tribe of Benjamin, saying, “What evil is this that has taken place among you? Now therefore give up the men, the worthless fellows in Gibeah, that we may put them to death and purge evil fr…" — Before launching into war, Israel sent an embassy to Benjamin, not to inquire about the crime, but to emphasize its magnitude and demand justice. This wasn't just about finding the guilty parties; it…
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Last reviewed October 2026
