But 600 men turned and fled toward the wilderness to the rock of Rimmon and remained at the rock of Rimmon four months.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse highlights that even in utter defeat, a remnant survived, clinging to a rocky refuge for months. Their survival in the "rock Rimmon" wasn't just hiding; it was a desperate, strategic endurance, implying they were able to secure provisions and wait for the immediate fury to pass, setting the stage for future generations of Benjamin.
But 600 men turned and fled toward the wilderness to the rock of Rimmon and remained at the rock of Rimmon four months.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Following a devastating battle where nearly the entire tribe of Benjamin was wiped out as punishment for a horrific crime, this verse describes the last remaining men of Benjamin. These 600 survivors, escaping the massacre, found refuge in the caves of a rugged place called the Rock of Rimmon, where they remained hidden for four months. This desperate survival highlights the dire consequences of their tribe's actions and sets the stage for how Israel will later ensure Benjamin's future.
In the aftermath of a devastating war, a tiny group of survivors vanishes into the rugged landscape. How did they endure?
The final verses of Judges 20 describe the total annihilation of the tribe of Benjamin, a brutal and exhaustive military campaign by the other tribes of Israel. Out of 26,700 fighting men initially, only 600 escaped. This tiny remnant didn't just disappear; they fled to a place called the "rock of Rimmon." This wasn't a gentle retreat but a desperate dash into the wilderness, suggesting a rugged and unforgiving terrain.
The "rock of Rimmon" was likely a natural fortress, possibly a cave system within a rocky outcrop, offering concealment and protection. These 600 men found refuge there for four months, a significant period that allowed them to survive while the surrounding conflict subsided. Their survival is astonishing, highlighting the tenacity of life even in the face of utter devastation and the strategic importance of a hidden, defensible location.
This small band of survivors, seemingly forgotten, holds a crucial key to the future of a whole tribe. What does their continued existence mean?
While the war against Benjamin was intended to eradicate a wicked element, the complete annihilation of an entire tribe would have been a devastating loss for Israel. The preservation of these 600 men, though they were the remnants of a tribe that had committed terrible acts, was essential for the future.
This survival wasn't accidental. The text implies they were able to sustain themselves by foraging and hiding. Their continued existence set the stage for the subsequent actions in the book, where the Israelites, realizing they couldn't wipe out an entire tribe, devised a plan to ensure the continuation of Benjamin through other means. These 600 men, hiding in the rock, represent a fragile but vital seed of restoration for the tribe of Benjamin.
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Understand the original words
midbar · Hebrew Noun
A barren or desolate area, often symbolizing a place of refuge, testing, or separation from society. In biblical narrative, it is frequently a place where the marginalized or survivors hide.
sela · Hebrew Noun
A high, prominent place or a natural formation used for defense. Symbolically, it often represents stability, protection, or a refuge provided by God, though here it is a physical location for survival.
The desperate flight of these 600 Benjamites highlights the extreme consequences of the civil war and the lengths to which the tribes went to preserve the existence of one of Israel's families.
Mid 11th century BC
Intertribal Civil War Erupts
The tribe of Benjamin is nearly annihilated by the other Israelite tribes due to a heinous crime and a subsequent tribal oath. This conflict escalates into a brutal civil war.
Mid 11th century BC
Near Annihilation of Benjamin
After multiple battles, all cities in Benjamin are destroyed, and almost all men, women, and children are killed, reducing the tribe to a mere handful.
Mid 11th century BC— this verse
Gibeathites Escape to Rimmon Rock
The remaining 600 men of Benjamin, the sole survivors of the tribe, flee into the wilderness to a refuge known as Rimmon Rock.
Mid 11th century BC
Four Months of Refuge
The 600 men hide in caves within Rimmon Rock for four months, surviving by foraging and presumably sending out scouts for supplies.
Mid 11th century BC
Abduction of Pillar of Shiloh Brides
To ensure the survival of the tribe of Benjamin, the remaining Israelites devise a plan to allow these 600 men to abduct wives from the daughters of Shiloh.
This passage describes Saul and his army taking refuge in a cave, highlighting the strategic use of rocky terrain for survival, mirroring the Benjamite survivors' desperate situation at the rock of Rimmon.
2 Samuel 22:49David’s song of thanksgiving uses imagery of God delivering him from his enemies and setting him in a high place, which resonates with the ultimate deliverance and escape the 600 Benjamites found in their rocky refuge.
Joshua 8:12This shows a similar military tactic of using an ambush, which is how the Israelites planned to defeat Gibeah, contrasting the strategic planning of the Israelites with the desperate flight of the Benjamites.
Psalm 18:2This Psalm speaks of the Lord as a rock and fortress where one can find deliverance, offering a theological perspective on the 'rock' that provided refuge, even if the refuge was for those who had sinned grievously.
gillJudges 20:47: "But six hundred men turned and fled to the wilderness unto the rock Rimmon, and abode in the rock Rimmon four months."
But six hundred men,.... Who were all that were left of 26,700 turned and fled to the wilderness; turned out of the highway or common road, and being swift of foot, got to a wilderness; what wilderness is not certain: unto the rock Rimmon, and abode in the rock Rimmon four months; very probably in a cave of that rock, which might be large enough to hold such a nu…
pooleJudges 20:47: "But six hundred men turned and fled to the wilderness unto the rock Rimmon, and abode in the rock Rimmon four months."
In a cave within that rock, where they fortified themselves and fetched in provision as they had opportunity; which they could easily do, when the heat of the battle was over, and the Israelites were not solicitous to pursue them farther.
This verse highlights that even in utter defeat, a remnant survived, clinging to a rocky refuge for months. Their survival in the "rock Rimmon" wasn't just hiding; it was a desperate, strategic endurance, implying they were able to secure provisions and wait for the immediate fury to pass, setting the stage for future generations of Benjamin.
Following a devastating battle where nearly the entire tribe of Benjamin was wiped out as punishment for a horrific crime, this verse describes the last remaining men of Benjamin. These 600 survivors, escaping the massacre, found refuge in the caves of a rugged place called the Rock of Rimmon, where they remained hidden for four months. This desperate survival highlights the dire consequences of their tribe's actions and sets the stage for how Israel will later ensure Benjamin's future.
Following a devastating battle where nearly the entire tribe of Benjamin was wiped out as punishment for a horrific crime, this verse describes the last remaining men of Benjamin. These 600 survivors, escaping the massacre, found refuge in the caves of a rugged place called the Rock of Rimmon, where they remained hidden for four months. This desperate survival highlights the dire consequences of their tribe's actions and sets the stage for how Israel will later ensure Benjamin's future.
"But 600 men turned and fled toward the wilderness to the rock of Rimmon and remained at the rock of Rimmon four months." — This verse highlights that even in utter defeat, a remnant survived, clinging to a rocky refuge for months. Their survival in the "rock Rimmon" wasn't just hiding; it was a desperate, strategic endur…
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Last reviewed October 2026