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주석[매튜 헨리] — 사사기 20장 · 베냐민과의 전쟁

요약
매튜 헨리 주석 · 섹션 5개 · 한국어 번역 있음(한국어 우선) · 본문 보기
아래 주석은 원문(및 번역문) 그대로입니다.

1~11절 카드 ↗

The Combination Against Gibeah. . 1 Then all the children of Israel went out, and the congregation was gathered together as one man, from Dan even to Beer-sheba, with the land of Gilead, unto the LORD in Mizpeh. 2 And the chief of all the people, even of all the tribes of Israel, presented themselves in the assembly of the people of God, four hundred thousand footmen that drew sword. 3 (Now the children of Benjamin heard that the children of Israel were gone up to Mizpeh.) Then said the children of Israel, Tell us, how was this wickedness? 4 And the Levite, the husband of the woman that was slain, answered and said, I came into Gibeah that belongeth to Benjamin, I and my concubine, to lodge. 5 And the men of Gibeah rose against me, and beset the house round about upon me by night, and thought to have slain me: and my concubine have they forced, that she is dead. 6 And I took my concubine, and cut her in pieces, and sent her throughout all the country of the inheritance of Israel: for they have committed lewdness and folly in Israel. 7 Behold, ye are all children of Israel; give here your advice and counsel. 8 And all the people arose as one man, saying, We will not any of us go to his tent, neither will we any of us turn into his house. 9 But now this shall be the thing which we will do to Gibeah; we will go up by lot against it; 10 And we will take ten men of a hundred throughout all the tribes of Israel, and a 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. 11 So all the men of Israel were gathered against the city, knit together as one man. Here is, I. A general meeting of all the congregation of Israel to examine the matter concerning the Levite's concubine, and to consider what was to be done upon it, Judges 20:1 ; Judges 20:2 . It does not appear that they were summoned by the authority of any one common head, but they came together by the consent and agreement, as it were, of one common heart, fired with a holy zeal for the honour of God and Israel. 1. The place of their meeting was Mizpeh; they gathered together unto the Lord there, for Mizpeh was so very near to Shiloh that their encampment might very well be supposed to reach from Mizpeh to Shiloh. Shiloh was a small town, and therefore, when there was a general meeting of the people to represent themselves before God, they chose Mizpeh for their head-quarters, which was the next adjoining city of note, perhaps because they were not willing to give that trouble to Shiloh which so great an assembly would occasion, it being the resident of the priests that attended the tabernacle. 2. The persons that met were all Israel, from Dan (the city very lately so called, Judges 18:29 ; Judges 18:29 ) in the north to Beersheba in the south, with the land of Gilead (that is, the tribes on the other side Jordan), all as one man, so unanimous were they in their concern for the public good. Here was an assembly of the people of God, not a convocation of the Levites and priests, though a Levite was the person principally concerned in the cause, but an assembly of the people, to whom the Levite referred himself with an Appello populum--I appeal to the people. The people of God were 400,000 footmen that drew the sword, that is, were armed and disciplined, and fit for service, and some of them perhaps such as had known the wars of Canaan, Judges 3:1 ; Judges 3:1 . In this assembly of all Israel, the chief (or corners) of the people (for rulers are the corner-stones of the people, that keep all together) presented themselves as the representatives of the rest. They rendered themselves at their respective posts, at the head of the thousands and hundreds, the fifties and tens, over which they presided; for so much order and government, we may suppose, at least, they had among them, though they had no general or commander-in-chief. So that here was, (1.) A general congress of the states for counsel. The chief of the people presented themselves, to lead and direct in this affair. (2.) A general rendezvous of the militia for action, all that drew sword and were men of war ( Judges 20:17 ; Judges 20:17 ), not hirelings nor pressed men, but the best freeholders, that went at their own charge. Israel were above 600,000 when they came into Canaan, and we have reason to think they were at this time much increased, rather than diminished; but then all between twenty and sixty were military men, now we may suppose more than the one half exempted from bearing arms to cultivate the land; so that these were as the trained bands. The militia of the two tribes and a half were 40,000 ( Joshua 4:13 ), but the tribes were many more. II. Notice given to the tribe of Benjamin of this meeting ( Judges 20:3 ; Judges 20:3 ): They heard that the children of Israel had gone up to Mizpeh. Probably they had a legal summons sent them to appear with their brethren, that the cause might be fairly debated, before any resolutions were taken up upon it, and so the mischiefs that followed would have been happily prevented; but the notice they had of this meeting rather hardened and exasperated them than awakened them to think of the things that belonged to their peace and honour. III. A solemn examination of the crime charged upon the men of Gibeah. A very horrid representation of it had been made by the report of the messengers that were sent to call them together, but it was fit it should be more closely enquired into, because such things are often made worse than really they were; a committee therefore was appointed to examine the witnesses (upon oath, no doubt) and to report the matter. It is only the testimony of the Levite himself that is here recorded, but it is probable his servant, and the old man, were examined, and gave in their testimony, for that more than one were examined appears by the original ( Judges 20:3 ; Judges 20:3 ), which is, Tell you us; and the law was that none should be put to death, much less so many, upon the testimony of one witness only. The Levite gives a particular account of the matter: that he came into Gibeah only as a traveller to lodge there, not giving the least shadow of suspicion that he designed them any ill turn ( Judges 20:4 ; Judges 20:4 ), and that the men of Gibeah, even those that were of substance among them, that should have been a protection to the stranger within their gates, riotously set upon the house where he lodged, and thought to slay him; he could not, for shame relate the demand which they, without shame, made, Judges 19:22 ; Judges 19:22 . They declared their sin as Sodom, even the sin of Sodom, but his modesty would not suffer him to repeat it; it was sufficient to say they would have slain him, for he would rather have been slain than have submitted to their villany; and, if they had got him into their hands, they would have abused him to death, witness what they had done to his concubine: They have forced her that she is dead, Judges 20:5 ; Judges 20:5 . And, to excite in his countrymen an indignation at this wickedness, he had sent pieces of the mangled body to all the tribes, which had fetched them together to bear their testimony against the lewdness and folly committed in Israel, Judges 20:6 ; Judges 20:6 . All lewdness is folly, but especially lewdness in Israel. For those to defile their own bodies who have the honourable seal of the covenant in their flesh, for those to defy the divine vengeance to whom it is so clearly revealed from heaven--Nabal is their name, and folly is with them. He concludes his declaration with an appeal to the judgment of the court ( Judges 20:7 ; Judges 20:7 ): You are all children of Israel, and therefore you know law and judgment, Esther 1:13 . "You are a holy people to God, and have a dread of every thing which will dishonour God and defile the land; you are of the same community, members of the same body, and therefore likely to feel from the distempers of it; you are children of Israel, that ought to take particular care of the Levites, God's tribe, among you, and therefore give your advice and counsel what is to be done." IV. The resolution they came to hereupon, which was that, being now together, they would not disperse till they had seen vengeance taken upon this wicked city, which was the reproach and scandal of their nation. Observe, 1. Their zeal against the lewdness that was committed. They would not return to their houses, how much soever their families and their affairs at home wanted them, till they had vindicated the honour of God and Israel, and recovered with their swords, if it could not be had otherwise, that satisfaction for the crime which the justice of the nation called for, Judges 20:8 ; Judges 20:8 . By this they showed themselves children of Israel indeed, that they preferred the public interest before their private concerns. 2. Their prudence in sending out a considerable body of their forces to fetch provisions for the rest, Judges 20:9 ; Judges 20:10 . One of ten, and he chosen by lot, 40,000 in all, must go to their respective countries, whence they came, to fetch bread and other necessaries for the subsistence of this great army; for when they came from home they took with them provisions only for a journey to Mizpeh, not for an encampment (which might prove long) before Gibeah. This was to prevent their scattering to forage for themselves, for, if they had done this, it would have been hard to get them all together again, especially all in so good a mind. Note, When there appears in people a pious zeal for any good work it is best to strike while the iron is hot, for such zeal is apt to cool quickly if the prosecution of the work be delayed. Let it never be said that we left that good work to be done to-morrow which we could as well have done to-day. 3. Their unanimity in these counsels, and the execution of them. The resolution was voted, Nemine contradicente--Without a dissenting voice ( Judges 20:8 ; Judges 20:8 ); it was one and all; and, when it was put in execution, they were knit together as one man, Judges 20:11 ; Judges 20:11 . This was their glory and strength, that the several tribes had no separate interests when the common good was concerned. return to ' Top of Page ' <a name="verses-12-17" class="com-number"

Pericope (part_of)

절 (explains)

bible-text/jdg-20-1, bible-text/jdg-20-2, bible-text/jdg-20-3, bible-text/jdg-20-4, bible-text/jdg-20-5, bible-text/jdg-20-6, bible-text/jdg-20-7, bible-text/jdg-20-8, bible-text/jdg-20-9, bible-text/jdg-20-10, bible-text/jdg-20-11

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**기브아에 대한 연합**

이스라엘 자손이 모두 나가서 미스바에서 한 사람같이 회중이 모였는데, 단에서부터 브엘세바까지, 그리고 길르앗 땅 사람들까지 여호와 앞에 모였다. 모든 지파의 우두머리 곧 하나님의 백성의 총회에서 사백만 명의 칼을 빼는 보병이 나타났다. 베냐민 자손이 이스라엘 자손이 미스바에 올라갔다는 것을 들었다. 이스라엘 자손이 말했다. "이 악한 일이 어떻게 일어났는지 말해 보시오." 그러자 죽임을 당한 여인의 남편인 레위인이 대답했다. "나는 베냐민에 속한 기브아에 내 첩과 함께 묵으러 들어갔습니다. 기브아 사람들이 밤에 나를 치려고 일어나 내가 묵는 집을 에워쌌습니다. 그들은 나를 죽이려 했고 내 첩을 강간하여 죽였습니다. 나는 내 첩을 취하여 그 시체를 토막 내어 이스라엘 기업의 온 땅에 보냈으니, 그들이 이스라엘에서 음행과 어리석음을 저질렀기 때문입니다. 보십시오, 당신들은 모두 이스라엘 자손입니다. 여기서 당신들의 조언과 의논을 내어 놓으십시오." 모든 백성이 한 사람같이 일어나 말했다. "우리 중 아무도 자기 장막으로 돌아가지 않겠으며 아무도 자기 집으로 들어가지 않겠습니다. 이제 우리가 기브아에 대해 행할 것은 이렇습니다. 우리가 제비를 뽑아 올라가겠습니다. 우리가 이스라엘 모든 지파에서 각 백 명 중에 열 명, 각 천 명 중에 백 명, 각 만 명 중에 천 명을 취하여 군대의 양식을 나를 자들로 삼겠으니, 이는 그들이 기브아에 이르렀을 때 이스라엘에서 저지른 모든 악을 따라 행하게 하려 함입니다." 이스라엘 모든 사람이 한 사람같이 뭉쳐 그 성읍을 치러 모였다.

여기에서 다음 세 가지를 살펴볼 수 있다.

**I. 레위인의 첩 사건을 조사하기 위해 이스라엘 온 회중이 총회를 열었다(1-2절).** 어느 한 공동의 지도자가 소집한 것이 아니라, 말하자면 하나의 공통된 마음의 동의와 합의로 모인 것이었으니, 하나님과 이스라엘의 명예를 위한 거룩한 열심이 그들을 불태웠다.

1. **모임의 장소는 미스바**였다. 그들이 거기서 여호와께 모였으니, 미스바는 실로와 매우 가까워 진영이 미스바에서 실로까지 이어졌다고 볼 수 있었다. 실로는 작은 읍이어서 그렇게 큰 집회가 열릴 때는 인접한 규모 있는 성읍인 미스바를 집결지로 삼았는데, 아마도 성막을 섬기는 제사장들이 거주하는 실로에 대군이 몰려드는 번거로움을 주지 않으려 했을 것이다.

2. **모인 자들은 온 이스라엘**이었다—북쪽의 단(사사기 18장에서 새로 명명된 성읍)에서부터 남쪽의 브엘세바까지, 요단 동편 지파들인 길르앗 땅까지, 모두 한 사람같이 공익을 위해 하나가 되었다. 이것은 하나님의 백성의 회중이었으니, 레위인이 관련된 사건이었음에도 레위인과 제사장들의 집회가 아니라 백성의 총회였다. 레위인은 *백성에게 호소합니다*라는 말로 자신을 백성에게 위탁했다. 하나님의 백성은 칼을 빼는 보병 40만 명이었으니, 무장하고 훈련받아 전투에 적합한 자들이었고, 그 일부는 가나안 전쟁을 이미 경험한 이들이었을 것이다(삿 3:1). 이 온 이스라엘 총회에서 백성의 우두머리들(백성을 하나로 묶어 주는 모퉁잇돌 같은 통치자들)이 각자 맡은 부대—천부장, 백부장, 오십부장, 십부장—의 선두에 섰다. 이 총회는 두 가지 성격을 가졌다. (1) 의결을 위한 열방의 일반 의회—우두머리들이 이 문제를 이끌고 지도하기 위해 나섰다. (2) 행동을 위한 민병대의 총집결—칼을 빼는 군인들, 즉 용병도 징집병도 아닌 최상의 자유민들로서 자비를 들여 나온 자들이었다.

**II. 베냐민 지파에게 이 모임의 통지가 전달되었다(3절).** 베냐민 자손은 이스라엘 자손이 미스바에 올라갔다는 소식을 들었다. 그들에게는 회의가 공정하게 진행되고 어떤 결의가 내려지기 전에 형제들과 함께 출석하라는 정식 소환장이 발송되었을 것이다. 그리했다면 뒤따라온 재앙들을 막을 수 있었겠지만, 이 회의의 통지는 오히려 그들을 강퍅하게 만들고 격분시켰을 뿐이다.

**III. 기브아 사람들에게 부과된 죄에 대한 엄숙한 조사가 이루어졌다.** 당초 전달된 사자들의 보고로 인해 이미 끔찍한 내용이 알려져 있었지만, 이런 일들은 실제보다 과장되는 경우가 많으므로 더 면밀히 조사할 필요가 있었다. 레위인의 증언만이 여기 기록되어 있지만, 그의 종과 노인도 심문을 받아 증언했을 것이다. 레위인은 사건의 경위를 상세히 진술했다—자신은 단지 나그네로서 기브아에 묵으러 들어간 것이며(4절), 기브아 사람들 중 유력자들이 폭동을 일으켜 그가 묵는 집을 에워싸고 자신을 죽이려 했다고 했다. 그들이 부끄러움도 없이 한 요구는 차마 다시 말하지 못했다(삿 19:22). 그것은 소돔의 죄, 바로 소돔 자체의 죄였으나 그의 정숙함이 그것을 다시 거론하지 못하게 했다. "그들이 나를 죽이려 했다"는 말로 충분했으니, 그는 차라리 죽임을 당하는 편을 택했을 것이다. 그들이 자신의 첩에게 행한 것이 그 증거이다—"그들이 그녀를 강간하여 죽였습니다"(5절). 그리고 동포들의 의분을 불러일으키기 위해 그는 그 훼손된 시체의 각 부분을 모든 지파에 보냈으니, 이스라엘에서 저질러진 음행과 어리석음에 대해 증언하게 하려 함이었다(6절). 모든 음란은 어리석음이지만 특히 이스라엘에서의 음란은 더욱 그러하다. 그는 법정의 판단에 호소하며 진술을 마쳤다(7절). "당신들은 모두 이스라엘 자손이니 법과 판결을 알 것입니다"(에 1:13). "당신들은 하나님께 거룩한 백성이니 하나님을 욕되게 하고 땅을 더럽히는 모든 것을 두려워할 것입니다. 당신들은 같은 공동체, 같은 몸의 지체이니 그 병으로 인한 고통을 느낄 것입니다."

**IV. 이에 따라 내려진 결의** — 이미 함께 모인 만큼 이 악한 성읍에 대한 징벌을 이루기까지 해산하지 않겠다는 것이었다. 다음을 살펴보라.

1. **저질러진 음란에 대한 열심.** 그들은 집에서 가족과 일이 아무리 기다리고 있더라도 하나님과 이스라엘의 명예를 옹호하고, 그 범죄에 합당한 응보를 칼로라도 받아 내기 전까지는 집으로 돌아가지 않겠다고 했다(8절). 이로써 그들은 진정한 이스라엘 자손임을 드러냈으니, 사익보다 공익을 앞세웠다.

2. **군대의 양식을 조달하기 위한 분별.** 전체 병력 중 상당한 수를 제비 뽑아—10명 중 1명씩, 총 4만 명—각자 고향으로 보내 양식과 생필품을 가져오게 했다(9-10절). 집에서 올 때는 미스바까지의 여행길 양식만 가져왔을 뿐, 장기간의 포위전을 위한 물자는 준비하지 않았기 때문이다. 이것은 자급자족을 위해 흩어지는 것을 막기 위함이었다. 일단 흩어지면 그 좋은 마음으로 다시 모이기가 어렵기 때문이다. 선한 일을 위한 경건한 열심이 보일 때는 쇠가 뜨거울 때 두드려야 한다.

3. **이 모든 결의에서의 만장일치.** 결의는 단 한 명의 이견도 없이 가결되었고(8절), 실행에 있어서도 한 사람같이 뭉쳤다(11절). 이것이 그들의 영광이자 힘이었으니, 공동의 선이 걸린 문제 앞에서 여러 지파가 각자의 이해관계를 내려놓았다.

원주석

1~48절 카드 ↗

J U D G E S CHAP. XX. Into the book of the wars of the Lord the story of this chapter must be brought, but it looks as sad and uncomfortable as any article in all that history; for there is nothing in it that looks in the least bright or pleasant but the pious zeal of Israel against the wickedness of the men of Gibeah, which made it on their side a just and holy war; but otherwise the obstinacy of the Benjamites in protecting their criminals, which was the foundation of the war, the vast loss which the Israelites sustained in carrying on the war, and (though the righteous cause was victorious at last) the issuing of the war in the almost utter extirpation of the tribe of Benjamin, make it, from first to last, melancholy. And yet this happened soon after the glorious settlement of Israel in the land of promise, upon which one would have expected every thing to be prosperous and serene. In this chapter we have, I. The Levite's cause heard in a general convention of the tribes, Judges 20:1-7 . II. A unanimous resolve to avenge his quarrel upon the men of Gibeah, Judges 20:8-11 . III. The Benjamites appearing in defence of the criminals, Judges 20:12-17 . IV. The defeat of Israel in the first and second day's battle, Judges 20:18-25 . V. Their humbling themselves before God upon that occasion, Judges 20:26-28 . VI. The total rout they gave the Benjamites in the third engagement, by a stratagem, by which they were all cut off, except 600 men, Judges 20:29-48 . And all this the effect of the indignities done to one poor Levite and his wife; so little do those that do iniquity consider what will be the end thereof. return to ' Top of Page ' <a name="verses-1-11" class="com-number"

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사사기 20장은 주님의 전쟁 기록에 포함되어야 할 내용이나, 그 역사 전체를 통틀어 가장 슬프고 암울한 기사 중 하나이다. 이 장에서 밝고 희망찬 빛을 발하는 것은 오직 이스라엘이 기브아 사람들의 악에 맞서 보여 준 경건한 열심뿐이며, 그 점에서 이스라엘의 전쟁은 정당하고 거룩한 것이었다. 그러나 그 외의 모든 것—범죄자들을 비호하며 전쟁의 빌미를 제공한 베냐민 지파의 완강함, 전쟁을 수행하는 과정에서 이스라엘이 입은 막대한 손실, 그리고 의로운 명분이 마침내 승리를 거두었음에도 결국 베냐민 지파가 거의 완전히 멸절되어 버린 결말—은 처음부터 끝까지 비탄스럽기만 하다. 더욱이 이 일은 이스라엘이 약속의 땅에 영광스럽게 정착한 지 얼마 되지 않아 발생했으니, 그 시기에는 모든 것이 번영하고 평온할 것으로 기대했을 법도 하다.

이 장에 기록된 내용은 다음과 같다. 첫째, 레위인이 지파 전체 총회에서 자신의 사건을 호소함(1-7절). 둘째, 기브아 사람들에게 복수하기로 한 만장일치의 결의(8-11절). 셋째, 베냐민 지파가 범죄자들을 비호하며 군대를 일으킴(12-17절). 넷째, 이스라엘이 첫째 날과 둘째 날 전투에서 패배함(18-25절). 다섯째, 이스라엘이 그 일로 인해 하나님 앞에 자신을 낮춤(26-28절). 여섯째, 세 번째 전투에서 전략을 구사하여 베냐민을 완전히 무찌름—600명을 제외하고 모두 전멸됨(29-48절). 이 모든 것이 한 가련한 레위인과 그의 아내에게 가해진 모욕이 불러온 결과였으니, 불의를 행하는 자들이 그 끝이 어떻게 될지 얼마나 깊이 생각하지 않는지 잘 보여 준다.

원주석

12~17절 카드 ↗

The War with the Benjamites. . 12 And the tribes of Israel sent men through all the tribe of Benjamin, saying, What wickedness is this that is done among you? 13 Now therefore deliver us the men, the children of Belial, which are in Gibeah, that we may put them to death, and put away evil from Israel. But the children of Benjamin would not hearken to the voice of their brethren the children of Israel: 14 But the children of Benjamin gathered themselves together out of the cities unto Gibeah, to go out to battle against the children of Israel. 15 And the children of Benjamin were numbered at that time out of the cities twenty and six thousand men that drew sword, beside the inhabitants of Gibeah, which were numbered seven hundred chosen men. 16 Among all this people there were seven hundred chosen men lefthanded; every one could sling stones at a hair breadth, and not miss. 17 And the men of Israel, beside Benjamin, were numbered four hundred thousand men that drew sword: all these were men of war. Here is, I. The fair and just demand which the tribes of Israel, now encamped, sent to the tribe of Benjamin, to deliver up the malefactors of Gibeah to justice, Judges 20:12 ; Judges 20:13 . If the tribe of Benjamin had come up, as they ought to have done, to the assembly, and agreed with them in their resolution, there would have been none to deal with but the men of Gibeah only, but they, by their absence, taking part with the criminals, application must be made to them all. The Israelites were zealous against the wickedness that was committed, yet they were discreet in their zeal, and did not think it would justify them in falling upon the whole tribe of Benjamin unless they, by refusing to give up the criminals, and protecting them against justice, should make themselves guilty, ex post facto -- as accessaries after the fact. They desire them to consider how great the wickedness was that was committed ( Judges 20:12 ; Judges 20:12 ), and that it was done among them: and how necessary it was therefore that they should either punish the malefactors with death themselves, according to the law of Moses, or deliver them up to the general assembly, to be so much the more publicly and solemnly punished, that evil might be put away from Israel, the national guilt removed, the infection stopped by cutting off the gangrened part, and national judgments prevented; for the sin was so very like that of the Sodomites that they might justly fear, if they did not punish it, God would rain hail from heaven upon them, as he did, not only upon Sodom, but the neighbouring cities. If the Israelites had not made this reasonable demand, they would have had much more reason to lament the following desolations of Benjamin. All methods of accommodation must be used before we go to war or go to law. The demand was like that of Joab's to Abel, 2 Samuel 20:20 ; 2 Samuel 20:21 . "Only deliver up the traitor, and we will lay down our arms." On these terms, and no other, God will be at peace with us, that we part with our sins, that we mortify and crucify our lusts, and then all shall be well; his anger will be turned away. II. The wretched obstinacy and perverseness of the men of Benjamin, who seem to have been as unanimous and zealous in their resolutions to stand by the criminals as the rest of the tribes were to punish them, so little sense had they of their honour, duty, and interest. 1. They were so prodigiously vile as to patronise the wickedness that was committed: They would not hearken to the voice of their brethren ( Judges 20:13 ; Judges 20:13 ), either because those of that tribe were generally more vicious and debauched at this time than the rest of the tribes, and therefore would not bear to have that punished in others of which they knew themselves guilty (some of the most fruitful and pleasant parts of Canaan fell to the lot of this tribe; their land, like that of Sodom, was as the garden of the Lord, which perhaps helped to make the inhabitants, like the men of Sodom, wicked, and sinners before the Lord exceedingly, Genesis 13:10 ; Genesis 13:13 ), or because (as bishop Patrick suggests) they took it ill that the other tribes should meddle with their concerns; they would not do that which they knew was their duty because they were reminded of it by their brethren, by whom they scorned to be taught and controlled. If there were any wise men among them that would have complied with the demand made, yet they were overpowered by the majority, who thus made the crime of the men of Gibeah their own. Thus we have fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness if we say A confederacy with those that have, and make ourselves guilty of other men's sins by countenancing and defending them. It seems there is no cause so bad but it will find some patrons, some advocates, to appear for it; but woe be to those by whom such offences come. Those will have a great deal to answer for that obstruct the course of necessary justice, and strengthen the hands of the wicked, by saying, O wicked man! thou shalt not die. 2. They were so prodigiously vain and presumptuous as to make head against the united force of all Israel. Never, surely, were men so wretchedly infatuated as they were when they took up arms in opposition, (1.) To so good a cause as Israel had. How could they expect to prosper when they fought against justice, and consequently against the just God himself, against those that had the high priest and the divine oracle on their side, and so acted in downright rebellion against the sacred and supreme authority of the nation. (2.) To so great a force as Israel had. The disproportion of their numbers was much greater than that, Judges 20:32 , where he that had but 10,000 durst not meet him that came against him with 20,000, and therefore desired conditions of peace. There the enemy was but two to one, here above fifteen to one; yet they despised conditions of peace. All the forces they could bring into the field were but 26,000 men, besides 700 men of Gibeah ( Judges 20:15 ; Judges 20:15 ); yet with these they will dare to face 400,000 men of Israel, Judges 20:17 ; Judges 20:17 . Thus sinners are infatuated to their own ruin, and provoke him to jealousy who is infinitely stronger than they, 1 Corinthians 10:22 . But it should seem they depended upon the skill of their men to make up what was wanting in numbers, especially a regiment of slingers, 700 men, who, though left-handed, were so dexterous at slinging stones that they would not be a hair's breadth beside their mark, Judges 20:16 ; Judges 20:16 . But these good marksmen were very much out in their aim when they espoused this bad cause. Benjamin signifies the son of the right hand, yet we find his posterity left-handed. return to ' Top of Page ' <a name="verses-18-25" class="com-number"

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bible-text/jdg-20-12, bible-text/jdg-20-13, bible-text/jdg-20-14, bible-text/jdg-20-15, bible-text/jdg-20-16, bible-text/jdg-20-17

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**베냐민과의 전쟁**

이스라엘 지파들이 베냐민 온 지파에 사람들을 보내어 말했다. "당신들 가운데서 이런 악한 일이 일어났으니 어찌 된 것입니까? 이제 기브아에 있는 저 악한 사람들을 우리에게 내어 주면 우리가 그들을 죽여 이스라엘에서 악을 제거하겠습니다." 그러나 베냐민 자손은 자기 형제 이스라엘 자손의 말을 듣지 않으려 했다. 베냐민 자손은 성읍들에서 나와 기브아로 모여 이스라엘 자손과 싸우러 나갔다. 그 때 베냐민 자손이 칼을 빼는 이만 육천 명을 각 성읍에서 집결시켰는데, 기브아 주민 칠백 명의 정병은 제외된 수였다. 이 모든 백성 중에 왼손잡이 칠백 명의 정병이 있었는데, 그들은 모두 머리카락 하나만 한 오차도 없이 돌을 물맷돌로 던질 수 있는 자들이었다. 베냐민 외의 이스라엘 사람 수는 칼을 빼는 사십만 명이었으니 다 군사였다.

여기에서 다음 두 가지를 살펴볼 수 있다.

**I. 이스라엘 지파들이 베냐민 지파에게 보낸 공정하고 정당한 요구(12-13절).** 베냐민 지파가 마땅히 해야 했던 대로 총회에 함께 나와 동참했더라면 기브아 사람들만을 상대하면 되었겠지만, 그들은 불참함으로써 범죄자들의 편을 든 셈이 되었으므로 지파 전체를 상대해야 했다. 이스라엘은 저질러진 악에 대해 열심을 품었으나 그 열심에 분별도 함께했다. 그들은 베냐민이 범죄자들을 넘겨주기를 거부하고 그들을 비호함으로써 사후 공범이 되지 않는 한, 이 열심이 온 지파를 공격하는 것을 정당화한다고 생각하지 않았다. 이스라엘은 저질러진 악이 얼마나 큰지(12절), 그 악이 바로 베냐민 가운데서 일어났다는 것을 생각해 보도록 촉구했다. 그리고 모세의 율법에 따라 직접 범죄자들을 사형에 처하거나, 더욱 공개적이고 엄숙하게 처벌받도록 총회에 넘겨 이스라엘에서 악을 제거해야 할 필요성을 일깨웠다. 그 죄는 소돔 사람들의 것과 너무나 흡사했기 때문에, 만약 처벌하지 않는다면 하나님께서 소돔뿐 아니라 인접 성읍들에도 하셨던 것처럼 하늘에서 불을 내리실까 두려워해야 했다. 이스라엘이 이 합당한 요구를 하지 않았더라면 뒤따르는 베냐민의 멸망을 더욱 슬퍼했을 것이다. 이 요구는 아벨에 대한 요압의 말과 유사했다(삼하 20:20-21). "반역자 하나만 내어 주면 우리는 무기를 내려놓겠습니다." 이것이 하나님께서 우리와 화평하시는 조건이다—우리가 죄를 버리고 육신의 욕심을 죽이면 모든 것이 잘 되리라는 것이다.

**II. 베냐민 사람들의 끔찍한 완강함과 패역함.** 그들은 범죄자들을 비호하는 결의에 있어서도 나머지 지파들이 그들을 처벌하는 결의에 있어서도 마찬가지로 만장일치였으니, 자신들의 명예와 의무와 이익에 대한 감각이 얼마나 없었는지 알 수 있다.

1. **그들은 저질러진 악을 옹호하는 끔찍한 타락에 빠졌다.** 그들은 형제들의 말을 듣지 않으려 했다(13절). 이는 아마도 그 지파 전체가 당시 다른 지파들보다 더 부도덕하고 방종했기 때문일 것이다—베냐민의 땅 중 가장 비옥하고 쾌적한 지역은 소돔의 땅처럼 여호와의 동산 같았으나(창 13:10-13), 그것이 소돔 사람들처럼 그 주민들을 방종하게 만들었을지도 모른다. 또는 주교 패트릭이 제안하듯이, 그들은 다른 지파들이 자기들 일에 간섭하는 것을 불쾌하게 여겼는지도 모른다. 그들 가운데 순종하려는 현명한 사람들이 있었더라도 다수의 기세에 눌렸다. 이렇게 그들은 기브아 사람들의 죄를 자신들의 죄로 삼아 버렸다. 아무리 나쁜 명분이라도 그것을 지지하고 변호하는 자들이 나오기 마련이다. 그러나 그런 일로 인해 책임지게 되는 자들에게는 화가 있다. 악인들의 손을 강하게 하는 자들은 많은 것에 대해 답해야 한다.

2. **그들은 온 이스라엘의 연합된 군사력에 맞서 싸우려는 끔찍한 허망함과 교만함에 빠졌다.** 이보다 더 비참하게 혼미해진 사람들은 없었을 것이다. (1) 이스라엘이 가진 것만큼 좋은 명분을 가지고 그들이 어떻게 승리를 기대할 수 있었겠는가? 그들은 정의에 맞서, 따라서 공의로운 하나님 자신에 맞서 싸웠다. 대제사장과 신탁(神託)을 가진 자들에 맞서 싸웠고, 국가의 신성하고 최고의 권위에 정면으로 반역하는 것이었다. (2) 이스라엘이 가진 것만큼 강한 군사력에 맞서 싸우려 했다. 병력의 불균형은 만 명을 가지고 이만 명을 당하지 못하여 강화를 요청했던 경우보다 훨씬 더 컸다—거기서는 적이 2 대 1이었지만 여기서는 15 대 1이 넘었다. 그러나 그들은 강화 조건을 무시했다. 그들이 전장에 끌어낼 수 있는 병력은 기브아의 700명 외에 2만 6천 명에 불과했는데(15절), 이스라엘의 40만 명에 감히 맞서려 했다(17절). 이렇게 죄인들은 자신의 멸망으로 미혹되어 자신보다 무한히 강하신 분을 시험한다(고전 10:22). 숫자의 부족을 기술로 보완하려 했던 것 같다. 특히 물맷돌 부대 700명은 왼손잡이였음에도 불구하고 돌을 던지는 기술이 탁월하여 목표에서 머리카락 하나만큼도 벗어나지 않았다(16절). 그러나 이 뛰어난 사수들은 이 나쁜 명분을 택함으로써 목표를 크게 빗나갔다. '베냐민'은 '오른손의 아들'이라는 뜻이지만, 그 후손들은 왼손잡이가 되었다.

원주석

18~25절 카드 ↗

18 And the children of Israel arose, and went up to the house of God, and asked counsel of God, and said, Which of us shall go up first to the battle against the children of Benjamin? And the LORD said, Judah shall go up first. 19 And the children of Israel rose up in the morning, and encamped against Gibeah. 20 And the men of Israel went out to battle against Benjamin; and the men of Israel put themselves in array to fight against them at Gibeah. 21 And the children of Benjamin came forth out of Gibeah, and destroyed down to the ground of the Israelites that day twenty and two thousand men. 22 And the people the men of Israel encouraged themselves, and set their battle again in array in the place where they put themselves in array the first day. 23 (And the children of Israel went up and wept before the LORD until even, and asked counsel of the LORD , saying, Shall I go up again to battle against the children of Benjamin my brother? And the LORD said, Go up against him.) 24 And the children of Israel came near against the children of Benjamin the second day. 25 And Benjamin went forth against them out of Gibeah the second day, and destroyed down to the ground of the children of Israel again eighteen thousand men; all these drew the sword. We have here the defeat of the men of Israel in their first and second battle with the Benjamites. I. Before their first engagement they asked counsel of God concerning the order of their battle and were directed, and yet they were sorely beaten. They did not think it was proper to ask of God whether they should go up at all against Benjamin (the case was plain enough, the men of Gibeah must be punished for their wickedness, and Israel must inflict the punishment or it will not be done), but "Who shall go first?" ( Judges 20:18 ; Judges 20:18 ), that is, "Who shall be general of our army?" for, which soever tribe was appointed to go first, the prince of that tribe must be looked upon as commander-in-chief of the whole body. For, if they had meant it of the order of their march only, it would have been proper to ask, "Who shall go next?" and then, "Who next?" But, if they know that Judah must go first, they know they must all observe the orders of the prince of that tribe. This honour was done to Judah because our Lord Jesus was to spring from that tribe, who was in all things to have the pre-eminence. The tribe that went up first had the most honourable post, but withal the most dangerous, and probably lost most in the engagement. Who would strive for precedency that sees the peril of it? Yet though Judah, that strong and valiant tribe, goes up first, and all the tribes of Israel attend them, little Benjamin (so he is called, Psalms 68:27 ), is too hard for them all. The whole army lays siege to Gibeah, Judges 20:19 ; Judges 20:19 . The Benjamites advance to raise the siege, and the army prepares to give them a warm reception, Judges 20:20 ; Judges 20:20 . But between the Benjamites that attacked them in the front with incredible fury, and the men of Gibeah that sallied out upon their rear, they were put into confusion and lost 22,000 men, Judges 20:21 ; Judges 20:21 . Here were no prisoners taken, for there was no quarter given, but all put to the sword. II. Before their second engagement they again asked counsel of God, and more solemnly than before; for they wept before the Lord until evening ( Judges 20:23 ; Judges 20:23 ), lamenting the loss of so many brave men, especially as it was a token of God's displeasure and would give occasion to the Benjamites to triumph in the success of their wickedness. Also at this time they did not ask who should go up first, but whether they should go up at all. The intimate a reason why they should scruple to do it, especially now that Providence had frowned upon them, because Benjamin was their brother, and a readiness to lay down their arms if God should so order them. God bade them go up; he allowed the attempt, for, though Benjamin was their brother, he was a gangrened member of their body and must be cut off. Upon this they encouraged themselves, perhaps more in their own strength than in the divine commission, and made a second attempt upon the forces of the rebels, in the same place where the former battle was fought ( Judges 20:22 ; Judges 20:22 ), with the hope of retrieving their credit upon the same spot of ground where they had lost it, which they would not superstitiously change, as if there were any thing unlucky in the place. But they were this second time repulsed, with the loss of 18,000 men, Judges 20:25 ; Judges 20:25 . The former day's loss and this amounted to 40,000, which was just a tenth part of the whole army, and the same number that they had drawn out by lot to fetch victuals, Judges 20:10 ; Judges 20:10 . They decimated themselves for that service, and now God again decimated them for the slaughter. But what shall we say to these things, that so just and honourable a cause should thus be put to the worst once and again? Were they not fighting God's battle against sin? Had they not his commission? What, and yet miscarry thus! 1. God's judgments are a great deep, and his way is in the sea. Clouds and darkness are often round about him, but judgment and justice are always the habitation of his throne. We may be sure of the righteousness, when we cannot see the reasons, of God's proceedings. 2. God would hereby show them, and us in them, that the race is not to the swift nor the battle to the strong, that we are not to confide in numbers, which perhaps the Israelites did with too much assurance. We must never lay the weight on an arm of flesh, which only the Rock of ages will bear. 3. God designed hereby to correct Israel for their sins. They did well to show such a zeal against the wickedness of Gibeah: but were there not with them, even with them, sins against the Lord their God? Those must be made to know their own iniquity that are forward in condemning the iniquity of others. Some think it was a rebuke to them for not witnessing against the idolatry of Micah and the Danites, by which their religion was corrupted, as they now did against the lewdness of Gibeah and the Benjamites, by which the public peace was disturbed, though God had particularly ordered them to levy war upon idolaters, Deuteronomy 13:12-18 , &c. 4. God would hereby teach us not to think it strange if a good cause should suffer defeat fore a while, nor to judge of the merits of it by the success of it. The interest of grace in the heart, and of religion in the world, may be foiled, and suffer great loss, and seem to be quite run down, but judgment will be brought forth to victory at last. Vincimur in prælio, sed non in bello--We are foiled in a battle, but not in the whole campaign. Right may fall, but it shall arise. return to ' Top of Page ' <a name="verses-26-48" class="com-number"

Pericope (part_of)

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bible-text/jdg-20-18, bible-text/jdg-20-19, bible-text/jdg-20-20, bible-text/jdg-20-21, bible-text/jdg-20-22, bible-text/jdg-20-23, bible-text/jdg-20-24, bible-text/jdg-20-25

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이스라엘 자손이 일어나 벧엘로 올라가 하나님께 물어 말했다. "우리 중에 누가 베냐민 자손과 싸우러 먼저 올라가겠습니까?" 여호와께서 말씀하셨다. "유다가 먼저 올라갈 것이다." 이스라엘 자손이 아침에 일어나 기브아를 향해 진을 쳤다. 이스라엘 사람들이 베냐민을 치러 나갔고 기브아 앞에서 싸움을 위해 전열을 갖추었다. 베냐민 자손이 기브아에서 나와 그 날 이스라엘 사람 이만 이천 명을 땅에 쓰러뜨렸다. 이스라엘의 백성, 곧 이스라엘 사람들이 스스로 용기를 내어 첫째 날 전열을 갖춘 바로 그 자리에 다시 전열을 갖추었다. 이스라엘 자손이 올라가 저녁까지 여호와 앞에서 울며 여호와께 물었다. "내가 내 형제 베냐민 자손과 싸우러 다시 나아가겠습니까?" 여호와께서 말씀하셨다. "그를 향해 올라가거라." 이스라엘 자손이 이튿날 베냐민 자손에게 다가갔다. 베냐민 이튿날에도 기브아에서 그들을 향해 나가 이스라엘 자손 가운데 다시 만 팔천 명을 땅에 쓰러뜨렸으니 다 칼 빼는 자들이었다.

여기에서는 이스라엘이 베냐민과의 첫째 날과 둘째 날 전투에서 패배한 내용을 살펴본다.

**I. 첫 번째 전투 이전, 전투 순서에 관해 하나님께 물었으나 지시를 받고도 크게 패배했다.** 그들은 베냐민을 상대로 올라가야 하는지 자체를 하나님께 묻는 것이 적절하다고 생각하지 않았다—기브아 사람들은 악행에 대해 반드시 처벌받아야 하고 이스라엘이 그 징벌을 집행하지 않으면 다른 누가 할 것이냐는 것이 명백했기 때문이다. 다만 "누가 먼저 올라가겠습니까?"라고 물었다(18절). 즉, "우리 군대의 총사령관이 누구여야 합니까?"라는 것이었다. 어느 지파가 먼저 가도록 임명되든 그 지파의 왕자가 전체 군대의 최고 지휘관으로 간주되어야 했기 때문이다. 이 명예는 우리 주 예수 그리스도께서 유다 지파에서 나셔야 했기 때문에 유다에게 주어졌으니, 그는 모든 일에서 으뜸이 되셔야 했다. 먼저 올라간 지파는 가장 영예로운 자리를 차지했지만 동시에 가장 위험한 자리였고, 전투에서 아마도 가장 많은 손실을 입었을 것이다. 앞자리를 두고 경쟁하려는 자가 그 위험을 본다면 어찌 다투겠는가? 그러나 강하고 용맹한 유다 지파가 먼저 올라가고 온 이스라엘 지파들이 함께했음에도, 어린 베냐민(시 68:27에서 그렇게 불림)이 그들 모두를 이겼다. 온 군대가 기브아를 포위했고(19절), 베냐민 사람들이 포위를 풀러 나오자 군대가 그들을 맞이할 태세를 갖추었다(20절). 그러나 믿기 어려운 맹렬함으로 정면에서 공격하는 베냐민 사람들과 기브아에서 후방으로 돌출한 기브아 주민들 사이에서 혼란에 빠져 2만 2천 명을 잃었다(21절). 포로는 한 명도 없었으니, 자비 없이 모두 칼날로 쓰러뜨렸다.

**II. 두 번째 전투 이전, 다시 하나님께 물었는데 이번에는 더 엄숙하게 했다.** 저녁까지 여호와 앞에서 울었으니(23절), 그 많은 용사들의 죽음을 슬퍼했고, 특히 그것이 하나님의 불쾌함의 징표가 되어 베냐민 사람들이 악의 성공에 의기양양해지는 빌미가 되었다. 또한 이번에는 누가 먼저 올라가야 하는지가 아니라 아예 올라가야 하는지를 물었다. 이들은 하나님께서 명령을 내리시지 않으면 무기를 내려놓을 준비가 되어 있다는 뜻으로 베냐민이 형제임을 내세웠다. 하나님께서 올라가라고 하셨으니, 비록 베냐민이 형제이나 그는 몸의 썩은 지체이므로 잘라 내야 한다고 허락하셨다. 이에 그들은 스스로 용기를 냈는데, 아마도 신성한 위임보다는 자신의 힘에 더 의지했을 것이다. 첫 번째 전투가 벌어진 바로 그 자리에서 두 번째 시도를 했으니(22절), 그 자리에서 잃은 명예를 같은 장소에서 만회하려는 희망에서였다. 그러나 이번에도 1만 8천 명을 잃고 다시 격퇴되었다(25절). 두 날의 손실을 합하면 4만 명이 되니, 이는 전체 군대의 정확히 십분의 일이었고, 그들이 양식을 가져오도록 제비 뽑아 보낸 수와 같았다(10절). 그들은 그 임무를 위해 스스로를 십분의 일로 줄였는데, 이제 하나님께서 학살로 그들을 다시 십분의 일로 줄이셨다.

이 일들을 어떻게 설명해야 하는가? 그토록 의롭고 명예로운 명분이 이처럼 거듭 패배한다는 것은 어떻게 된 일인가? 그들이 죄에 맞서 하나님의 전쟁을 수행하고 있지 않았는가? 그분의 위임을 받지 않았는가? 그런데도 이처럼 실패한다는 말인가!

1. **하나님의 심판은 큰 심연이요 그 길은 바다 속에 있다.** 그분 주위에는 종종 구름과 어둠이 드리워져 있지만, 심판과 공의는 항상 그분의 보좌의 기초이다. 하나님의 행하심의 이유를 볼 수 없을 때라도 그 의로우심은 확신할 수 있다.

2. **하나님은 이것으로 그들에게 달음질은 빠른 자가 이기는 것이 아니요 전쟁은 강한 자가 이기는 것이 아님을 보여 주려 하셨다.** 이스라엘이 지나치게 자신 있게 의존했을지도 모르는 숫자에 우리가 의지해서는 안 된다는 것이다. 우리는 오직 세월의 반석만이 감당할 수 있는 짐을 육신의 팔에 얹어서는 안 된다.

3. **하나님은 이것으로 이스라엘의 죄를 징계하려 하셨다.** 그들이 기브아의 악함에 맞서 그러한 열심을 보인 것은 잘한 일이었다. 그러나 그들 가운데서도, 심지어 그들과 함께도, 그들의 하나님 여호와를 거스르는 죄들이 있지 않았는가? 다른 이들의 불의를 정죄하는 일에 앞서는 자들이 자신의 불의도 알아야 한다. 일부는 이것이 다름 아닌 미가의 우상 숭배와 단 지파의 우상 숭배—공공 평화를 어지럽힌 기브아의 음란에 대해서는 지금처럼 공격했으면서 종교를 오염시킨 그것들에 대해서는 증언하지 않은 것—에 대한 책망이라고 생각한다(신 13:12-18).

4. **하나님은 이것으로 우리에게, 좋은 명분이 한동안 패배를 당하더라도 이상하게 여기지 말 것을, 그리고 그것의 공과를 성패로 판단하지 말 것을 가르치려 하셨다.** 마음속의 은혜의 이익과 세상 속의 종교의 이익은 패배를 당하고 큰 손실을 입으며 완전히 쓰러진 것처럼 보일 수 있지만, 결국 심판은 승리를 향해 나아간다. *전투에서 패하지만 전쟁에서 지지 않는다.* 의는 쓰러질 수 있어도 다시 일어난다.

원주석

26~48절 카드 ↗

The Defeat of the Benjamites. . 26 Then all the children of Israel, and all the people, went up, and came unto the house of God, and wept, and sat there before the LORD , and fasted that day until even, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the LORD . 27 And the children of Israel enquired of the LORD , (for the ark of the covenant of God was there in those days, 28 And Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, stood before it in those days,) saying, Shall I yet again go out to battle against the children of Benjamin my brother, or shall I cease? And the LORD said, Go up; for to morrow I will deliver them into thine hand. 29 And Israel set liers in wait round about Gibeah. 30 And the children of Israel went up against the children of Benjamin on the third day, and put themselves in array against Gibeah, as at other times. 31 And the children of Benjamin went out against the people, and were drawn away from the city; and they began to smite of the people, and kill, as at other times, in the highways, of which one goeth up to the house of God, and the other to Gibeah in the field, about thirty men of Israel. 32 And the children of Benjamin said, They are smitten down before us, as at the first. But the children of Israel said, Let us flee, and draw them from the city unto the highways. 33 And all the men of Israel rose up out of their place, and put themselves in array at Baal-tamar: and the liers in wait of Israel came forth out of their places, even out of the meadows of Gibeah. 34 And there came against Gibeah ten thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and the battle was sore: but they knew not that evil was near them. 35 And the LORD smote Benjamin before Israel: and the children of Israel destroyed of the Benjamites that day twenty and five thousand and a hundred men: all these drew the sword. 36 So the children of Benjamin saw that they were smitten: for the men of Israel gave place to the Benjamites, because they trusted unto the liers in wait which they had set beside Gibeah. 37 And the liers in wait hasted, and rushed upon Gibeah; and the liers in wait drew themselves along, and smote all the city with the edge of the sword. 38 Now there was an appointed sign between the men of Israel and the liers in wait, that they should make a great flame with smoke rise up out of the city. 39 And when the men of Israel retired in the battle, Benjamin began to smite and kill of the men of Israel about thirty persons: for they said, Surely they are smitten down before us, as in the first battle. 40 But when the flame began to arise up out of the city with a pillar of smoke, the Benjamites looked behind them, and, behold, the flame of the city ascended up to heaven. 41 And when the men of Israel turned again, the men of Benjamin were amazed: for they saw that evil was come upon them. 42 Therefore they turned their backs before the men of Israel unto the way of the wilderness; but the battle overtook them; and them which came out of the cities they destroyed in the midst of them. 43 Thus they inclosed the Benjamites round about, and chased them, and trode them down with ease over against Gibeah toward the sunrising. 44 And there fell of Benjamin eighteen thousand men; all these were men of valour. 45 And they turned and fled toward the wilderness unto the rock of Rimmon: and they gleaned of them in the highways five thousand men; and pursued hard after them unto Gidom, and slew two thousand men of them. 46 So that all which fell that day of Benjamin were twenty and five thousand men that drew the sword; all these were men of valour. 47 But six hundred men turned and fled to the wilderness unto the rock Rimmon, and abode in the rock Rimmon four months. 48 And the men of Israel turned again upon the children of Benjamin, and smote them with the edge of the sword, as well the men of every city, as the beast, and all that came to hand: also they set on fire all the cities that they came to. We have here a full account of the complete victory which the Israelites obtained over the Benjamites in the third engagement: the righteous cause was victorious at last, when the managers of it amended what had been amiss; for, when a good cause suffers, it is for want of good management. Observe then how the victory was obtained, and how it was pursued. I. How the victory was obtained. Two things they had trusted too much to in the former engagements--the goodness of their cause and the superiority of their numbers. It was true that they had both right and strength on their side, which were great advantages; but they depended too much upon them, to the neglect of those duties to which now, this third time, when they see their error, they apply themselves. 1. They were previously so confident of the goodness of their cause that they thought it needless to address themselves to God for his presence and blessing. They took it for granted that God would bless them, nay, perhaps they concluded that he owed them his favour, and could not in justice withhold it, since it was in defence of virtue that they appeared and took up arms. But God having shown them that he was under no obligation to prosper their enterprise, that he neither needed them nor was tied to them, that they were more indebted to him for the honour of being ministers of his justice than he to them for the service, now they became humble petitioners for success. Before they only consulted God's oracle, Who shall go up first? And, Shall we go up? But now they implored his favour, fasted and prayed, and offered burnt-offerings and peace-offerings ( Judges 20:26 ; Judges 20:26 ), to make an atonement for sin and an acknowledgment of their dependence upon God, and as an expression of their desire towards him. We cannot expect the presence of God with us, unless we thus seek it in the way he has appointed. And when they were in this frame, and thus sought the Lord, then he not only ordered them to go up against the Benjamites the third time, but gave them a promise of victory: Tomorrow I will deliver them into thy hand, Judges 20:28 ; Judges 20:28 . 2. They were previously so confident of the greatness of their strength that they thought it needless to use any art, to lay any ambush, or form a stratagem, not doubting but to conquer purely by a strong hand; but now they saw it was requisite to use some policy, as if they had an enemy to deal with them that had been superior in number; accordingly, they set liers in wait ( Judges 20:29 ; Judges 20:29 ), and gained their point, as their fathers did before Ai ( Joshua 8:1-35 ), stratagems of that kind being most likely to take effect after a previous defeat, which has flushed the enemy, and made the pretended flight the less suspected. The management of this artifice is here very largely described. The assurance God had given them of success in this day's action, instead of making them remiss and presumptuous, set all heads and hands on work for the effecting of what God had promised. (1.) Observe the method they took. The body of the army faced the city of Gibeah, as they had done before, advancing towards the gates, Judges 20:30 ; Judges 20:30 . The Benjamites, the body of whose army was now quartered at Gibeah, sallied out upon them, and charged them with great bravery. The besiegers gave back, retired with precipitation, as if their hearts failed them upon the sight of the Benjamites, which they were willing to believe, proudly imagining that by their former success they had made themselves very formidable. Some loss the Israelites sustained in this counterfeit flight, about thirty men being cut off in their rear, Judges 20:31 ; Judges 20:39 . But, when the Benjamites were all drawn out of the city, the ambush seized the city ( Judges 20:37 ; Judges 20:37 ), gave a signal to the body of the army ( Judges 20:38 ; Judges 20:40 ), which immediately turned upon them ( Judges 20:41 ; Judges 20:41 ), and, it should seem, another considerable party that was posted at Baal-tamar came upon them at the same time ( Judges 20:33 ; Judges 20:33 ); so that the Benjamites were quite surrounded, which put them into the greatest consternation that could be. A sense of guilt now disheartened them, and the higher their hopes had been raised the more grievous was this confusion. At first the battle was sore ( Judges 20:34 ; Judges 20:34 ), the Benjamites fought with fury; but, when they saw what a snare they were drawn into, they thought one pair of heels (as we say) was worth two pair of hands, and they made the best of their way towards the wilderness ( Judges 20:42 ; Judges 20:42 ); but in vain: the battle overtook them, and, to complete their distress, those who came out of the cities of Israel, that waited to see the event of the battle, joined with their pursuers, and helped to cut them off. Every man's hand was against them. (2.) Observe in this story, [1.] That the Benjamites, in the beginning of the battle, were confident that the day was their own: They are smitten down before us, Judges 20:32 ; Judges 20:39 . Sometimes God suffers wicked men to be lifted up in successes and hopes, that their fall may be the sorer. See how short their joy is, and their triumphing but for a moment. Let not him that girdeth on the harness boast, except he has reason to boast in God. [2.] Evil was near them and they did not know it, Judges 20:34 ; Judges 20:34 . But ( Judges 20:41 ; Judges 20:41 ) they saw, when it was too late to prevent it, that evil had come upon them. What evils may at any time be near us we cannot tell, but the less they are feared the heavier they fall. Sinners will not be persuaded to see evil near them, but how dreadful will it be when it comes and there is no escaping! 1 Thessalonians 5:3 . [3.] Though the men of Israel played their parts so well in this engagement, yet the victory is ascribed to God ( Judges 20:35 ; Judges 20:35 ): The Lord smote Benjamin before Israel. The battle was his, and so was the success. [4.] They trode down the men of Benjamin with ease when God fought against them, Judges 20:43 ; Judges 20:43 . It is an easy thing to trample upon those who have made God their enemy. See Malachi 4:3 . II. How the victory was prosecuted and improved in a military execution done upon these sinners against their own souls. 1. Gibeah itself, that nest of lewdness, was destroyed in the first place. The ambush that entered the city by surprise drew themselves along, that is, dispersed themselves into the several parts of it, which they might easily do, now that all the men of war had sallied out and very presumptuously left it defenceless; and they smote all they found, even women and children, with the sword ( Judges 20:37 ; Judges 20:37 ), and set fire to the city, Judges 20:40 ; Judges 20:40 . Sin brings ruin upon cities. 2. The army in the field was quite routed and cut off: 18,000 men of valour lay dead upon the spot, Judges 20:44 ; Judges 20:44 . 3. Those that escaped from the field were pursued, and cut off in their flight, to the number of 7000, Judges 20:45 ; Judges 20:45 . It is to no purpose to think of out-running divine vengeance. Evil pursues sinners, and it will overtake them. 4. Even those that tarried at home were involved in the ruin. They let their sword devour for ever, not considering that it would be bitterness in the latter end, as Abner pleads long after, when he was at the head of an army of Benjamites, probably with an eye to this very story, 2 Samuel 2:25 ; 2 Samuel 2:26 . They put to the sword all that breathed, and set fire to all the cities, Judges 20:48 ; Judges 20:48 . So that of all the tribe of Benjamin, for aught that appears, there remained none alive but 600 men that took shelter in the rock Rimmon, and lay close there four months, Judges 20:47 ; Judges 20:47 . Now, (1.) It is difficult to justify this severity as it was Israel's act. The whole tribe of Benjamin was culpable; but must they therefore be treated as devoted Canaanites? That it was done in the heat of war, that this was the way of prosecuting victories which the sword of Israel had been accustomed to, that the Israelites were extremely exasperated against the Benjamites for the slaughter they had made among them in the two former engagements, will go but a little way to excuse the cruelty of this execution. It is true they had sworn that whosoever did not come up to Mizpeh should be put to death, Judges 21:5 ; Judges 21:5 . But that, if it was a justifiable oath, yet extended only to the men of war; the rest were not expected to come. Yet, (2.) It is easy to justify the hand of God in it. Benjamin had sinner against him, and God had threatened that, if they forgot him, they should perish as the nations that were before them perished ( Deuteronomy 8:20 ), who were all in this manner cut off. (3.) It is easy likewise to improve it for warning against the beginnings of sin: they are like the letting forth of water, therefore leave it off before it be meddled with, for we know not what will be in the end thereof. The eternal ruin of souls will be worse, and more fearful, than all these desolations of a tribe. This affair of Gibeah is twice spoken of by the prophet Hosea as the beginning of the corruption of Israel and a pattern to all that followed ( Hosea 9:9 ): They have deeply corrupted themselves as in the days of Gibeah; and ( Hosea 10:9 ), Thou hast sinned from the days of Gibeah; and it is added that the battle in Gibeah against the children of iniquity did not (that is, did not at first ) overtake them. return to ' Top of Page ' Judges Jdg 19 Judges Jdg Judges Jdg 21 Footnotes: Copyright Statement These files are public domain and are a derivative of an electronic edition that is available on the Christian Classics Ethereal Library Website. Bibliographical Information Henry, Matthew. "Complete Commentary on Judges 20". 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of 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Corinthians",url:"1-corinthians",abbr:"1Co",sl:"1co",ch:[1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16]},{num:46,name:"2 Corinthians",url:"2-corinthians",abbr:"2Co",sl:"2co",ch:[1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13]},{num:47,name:"Galatians",url:"galatians",abbr:"Gal",sl:"ga",ch:[1,2,3,4,5,6]},{num:48,name:"Ephesians",url:"ephesians",abbr:"Eph",sl:"eph",ch:[1,2,3,4,5,6]},{num:49,name:"Philippians",url:"philippians",abbr:"Phi",sl:"php",ch:[1,2,3,4]},{num:50,name:"Colossians",url:"colossians",abbr:"Col",sl:"col",ch:[1,2,3,4]},{num:51,name:"1 Thessalonians",url:"1-thessalonians",abbr:"1Th",sl:"1th",ch:[1,2,3,4,5]},{num:52,name:"2 Thessalonians",url:"2-thessalonians",abbr:"2Th",sl:"2th",ch:[1,2,3]},{num:53,name:"1 Timothy",url:"1-timothy",abbr:"1Ti",sl:"1ti",ch:[1,2,3,4,5,6]},{num:54,name:"2 Timothy",url:"2-timothy",abbr:"2Ti",sl:"2ti",ch:[1,2,3,4]},{num:55,name:"Titus",url:"titus",abbr:"Tit",sl:"tit",ch:[1,2,3]},{num:56,name:"Philemon",url:"philemon",abbr:"Phm",sl:"phm",ch:[1]},{num:57,name:"Hebrews",url:"hebrews",abbr:"Heb",sl:"heb",ch:[1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13]},{num:58,name:"James",url:"james",abbr:"Jas",sl:"jas",ch:[1,2,3,4,5]},{num:59,name:"1 Peter",url:"1-peter",abbr:"1Pe",sl:"1pe",ch:[1,2,3,4,5]},{num:60,name:"2 Peter",url:"2-peter",abbr:"2Pe",sl:"2pe",ch:[1,2,3]},{num:61,name:"1 John",url:"1-john",abbr:"1Jn",sl:"1jo",ch:[1,2,3,4,5]},{num:62,name:"2 John",url:"2-john",abbr:"2Jn",sl:"2jo",ch:[1]},{num:63,name:"3 John",url:"3-john",abbr:"3Jn",sl:"3jo",ch:[1]},{num:64,name:"Jude",url:"jude",abbr:"Jud",sl:"jude",ch:[1]},{num:65,name:"Revelation",url:"revelation",abbr:"Rev",sl:"re",ch:[1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,20,21,22]}]; var 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keys=t.split(',');keys.forEach(function(key){if(key==='com'){_ts_loadCom();}if(key==='bib'){_ts_loadBib();}});} function _ts_loadCom(){var commEl=document.querySelector('.commentary');comsec=commEl?commEl.getAttribute('data-com-sec'):'';comlang=commEl?commEl.getAttribute('data-com-lang'):'';comabbr=commEl?commEl.getAttribute('data-com-abbr'):'';var qs='bk='+encodeURIComponent(cur_com_bn)+'&ch='+encodeURIComponent(cur_com_cn)+'&vs='+encodeURIComponent(cur_com_vs)+'&cs='+encodeURIComponent(comsec)+'&cl='+encodeURIComponent(comlang)+'&ca='+encodeURIComponent(comabbr);fetch('/cgi-bin/bible/getBible_data.cgi?'+qs).then(function(r){return r.text();}).then(function(text){var doc=new DOMParser().parseFromString(text,'text/xml');var sn=_ts_xmlSplit(doc,'sn');var sa=_ts_xmlSplit(doc,'sa');var sf=_ts_xmlSplit(doc,'sf');for(var i=0;i u?o(n,r,t,e,u+1):0:0==i?1:-1}(o,n,r,t,0)})} var TS_PARENT_MODE={commentary:'section',translation:'language',chapter:'book',verse:'chapter'}; function _ts_isPerVerseUrl(path){var slash=path.lastIndexOf('/');if(slash =stem.length-1){return false;}return _ts_isAllDigits(stem.substring(0,dash))&&_ts_isAllDigits(stem.substring(dash+1));} function _ts_isAllDigits(s){if(!s||!s.length){return false;}for(var i=0;i 57){return false;}}return true;} function _ts_buildOverlay(){document.documentElement.style.overflowY='hidden';document.body.style.overflowY='hidden';updateSizes('470','650');var overlay=_ts_el('div',{cls:'overlayMaster',style:{top:curTop+'px',left:curLeft+'px',width:'100%',height:'100%'}});document.body.appendChild(overlay);var popup=_ts_el('div',{cls:'popupDiv noselect',style:{left:popLeft+'px',top:popTop+'px',width:popWidth+'px',height:popHeight+'px'}});overlay.appendChild(popup);} function _ts_buildHeader(mode){var parent=TS_PARENT_MODE[mode];var popup=document.querySelector('.popupDiv');var titleBar=_ts_el('div',{cls:'popupDiv-title'});popup.appendChild(titleBar);var prevBtn=_ts_el('span',{cls:'popupDiv-title-prev 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0);}else{takesVerse=(parseInt(verse,10)>0);}if(takesVerse){translationSelector_menu('verse');}else{_ts_sendThemBack('reference-noverse');}}});}if(mode==='verse'){return _ts_el('div',{cls:'popupDiv-item clickable selector-chapter',data:{number:o},html:o,click:function(){_ts_removeOverlay();verse=parseInt(this.getAttribute('data-number'),10);_ts_sendThemBack('reference-verse');}});}if(mode==='language'){return _ts_el('div',{cls:'popupDiv-item clickable selector-languages',data:{'trans-lang':items[o].abbr},html:items[o].name,click:function(){_ts_removeOverlay();translang=this.getAttribute('data-trans-lang');translationSelector_menu('translation');}});}if(mode==='translation'){return _ts_el('div',{cls:'popupDiv-item clickable selector-translation',data:{'trans-abbr':items[o].trans},html:items[o].name,click:function(){_ts_removeOverlay();transabbr=this.getAttribute('data-trans-abbr');_ts_sendThemBack('translation');}});}} function _ts_sendThemBack(reason){var origPath=window.location.pathname;var parts=origPath.split('/');var noVerse=(reason==='reference-noverse');var inputIsPerVerse=_ts_isPerVerseUrl(origPath);if(parts[1]==='interlinear-study-bible'){parts=parts.slice(0,5);parts[3]=book_data[book].url;parts[4]=noVerse?(chapter+'.html'):(chapter+'-'+verse+'.html');}else if(parts[1]==='commentary'){parts=parts.slice(0,4);parts[2]=book_data[book].url;parts[3]=noVerse?(chapter+'.html'):(chapter+'-'+verse+'.html');}else if(parts[1]==='commentaries'){parts[2]=comlang;parts[3]=comabbr;if(inputIsPerVerse){parts=parts.slice(0,6);parts[4]=book_data[book].url;parts[5]=noVerse?(chapter+'.html'):(chapter+'-'+verse+'.html');}else{parts=parts.slice(0,5);parts[4]=book_data[book].url+'-'+chapter+'.html';}}else if(parts[1]==='bible'){parts=parts.slice(0,6);parts[2]=translang;parts[3]=transabbr;parts[4]=book_data[book].url;parts[5]=(verse duction ","Verses 1-11","Verses 12-17","Verses 18-25","Verses 26-48"]; function

Pericope (part_of)

절 (explains)

bible-text/jdg-20-26, bible-text/jdg-20-27, bible-text/jdg-20-28, bible-text/jdg-20-29, bible-text/jdg-20-30, bible-text/jdg-20-31, bible-text/jdg-20-32, bible-text/jdg-20-33, bible-text/jdg-20-34, bible-text/jdg-20-35, bible-text/jdg-20-36, bible-text/jdg-20-37, bible-text/jdg-20-38, bible-text/jdg-20-39, bible-text/jdg-20-40, bible-text/jdg-20-41, bible-text/jdg-20-42, bible-text/jdg-20-43, bible-text/jdg-20-44, bible-text/jdg-20-45, bible-text/jdg-20-46, bible-text/jdg-20-47, bible-text/jdg-20-48

Source

**베냐민의 패배**

이스라엘 자손 모두와 온 백성이 올라가 벧엘에 이르러 여호와 앞에서 울며 그 날 저녁까지 금식하고 여호와 앞에 번제와 화목제를 드렸다. 이스라엘 자손이 여호와께 물었으니—그 때 하나님의 언약궤가 거기 있었고, 아론의 아들 엘르아살의 아들 비느하스가 그 앞에 섰다—말했다. "내가 내 형제 베냐민 자손을 치러 다시 나가겠습니까, 아니면 그만두겠습니까?" 여호와께서 말씀하셨다. "올라가거라. 내일 내가 그를 네 손에 넘겨주겠다." 이스라엘이 기브아 사방에 복병을 두었다. 이스라엘 자손이 셋째 날에 베냐민 자손을 향해 올라가서 다른 때와 같이 기브아 앞에서 전열을 갖추었다. 베냐민 자손이 백성을 향해 나오다가 성읍에서 끌려 나왔고, 다른 때와 같이 여호와의 집으로 올라가는 큰길과 기브아 들판으로 이르는 길에서 이스라엘 사람 약 삼십 명을 치기 시작했다. 베냐민 자손이 말했다. "그들이 처음처럼 우리 앞에 무너진다." 그러나 이스라엘 자손은 말했다. "우리가 도망하여 그들을 성읍에서 큰길로 끌어내자." 이스라엘 사람들이 모두 자기 자리에서 일어나 바알다말에서 전열을 갖추었고, 이스라엘의 복병들이 자기 자리, 곧 기브아의 초장에서 나왔다. 온 이스라엘 중에서 택한 만 명이 기브아를 향해 치러 왔고 전투가 치열했다. 그러나 그들은 재앙이 자기들에게 가까이 왔음을 알지 못했다. 여호와께서 베냐민을 이스라엘 앞에서 무찌르셨다. 이스라엘 자손이 그 날 베냐민 사람 이만 오천백 명을 쳤으니 다 칼 빼는 자들이었다. 베냐민 자손은 이스라엘이 베냐민에게 자리를 내어 준 것은 기브아 곁에 놓아 둔 복병을 믿기 때문임을 알고 패배했음을 깨달았다. 복병들이 빠르게 달려가 기브아로 돌입하여 뻗어 나가며 온 성읍을 칼날로 쳤다. 이스라엘 사람들과 복병 사이에 미리 정해진 신호가 있었으니, 곧 성읍에서 연기 기둥이 크게 오르게 하는 것이었다. 이스라엘 사람들이 전투에서 물러서자 베냐민이 이스라엘 사람 약 삼십 명을 치기 시작하며 말했다. "그들이 첫 번째 전투에서처럼 틀림없이 우리 앞에 무너진다." 그러나 불기둥이 연기와 함께 성읍에서 오르기 시작하자, 베냐민 사람들이 뒤를 돌아보니, 보라, 성읍의 불꽃이 하늘까지 올랐다. 이스라엘 사람들이 돌아서자 베냐민 사람들이 당황했으니, 그들은 재앙이 자기들에게 닥쳤음을 보았다. 그들이 이스라엘 사람들 앞에서 광야 쪽으로 등을 돌려 달아났지만 전투가 그들을 따라잡았다. 성읍들에서 나온 자들도 그 가운데서 무찔렀다. 그들이 베냐민 사람들을 사방에서 에워싸고 쫓아가 해 뜨는 쪽 기브아 앞에서 수월하게 짓밟았다. 베냐민 사람 만 팔천 명이 쓰러졌으니 다 용사였다. 그들이 광야로 향해 림몬 바위로 달아났는데, 이스라엘 사람들이 큰길에서 오천 명을 뒤이어 잡고 기돔까지 쫓아가 이천 명을 더 죽였다. 이렇게 그 날 베냐민에서 쓰러진 자 모두 칼 빼는 이만 오천 명이었으니 다 용사였다. 그러나 육백 명은 광야를 향해 림몬 바위로 달아나 사 개월 동안 림몬 바위에 머물렀다. 이스라엘 사람들이 다시 베냐민 자손을 향해 돌아와 성읍마다, 짐승마다, 손에 잡히는 것마다 칼날로 쳤고 나타나는 성읍마다 불을 질렀다.

이 단락에서는 세 번째 전투에서 이스라엘이 베냐민을 완전히 이긴 내용을 살펴본다. 의로운 명분은 마침내 승리했으니, 그것을 관리하는 자들이 잘못된 것들을 고쳤을 때였다. 선한 명분이 고통당할 때는 관리가 잘못된 탓이다.

**I. 승리를 거둔 방법.** 앞선 두 전투에서 이스라엘이 지나치게 의존했던 두 가지가 있었다—명분의 정당성과 숫자의 우세. 그들이 정의와 힘 모두를 자기편에 갖추고 있었던 것은 사실이었고 그것은 큰 이점이었다. 그러나 이제 세 번째로 자신들의 오류를 깨닫자, 이전에 소홀히 했던 의무들을 이행했다.

1. **그들은 이전에 명분의 정당성을 너무 자신했기에 하나님의 임재와 복을 구하는 것이 불필요하다고 생각했다.** 하나님이 자신들에게 호의를 베푸실 것이라고 당연히 여겼고, 아마도 덕을 지키기 위해 무기를 들었으니 하나님이 자신들의 기업을 번영케 하실 의무가 있다고까지 생각했을 것이다. 그러나 하나님은 그들에게 당신은 그들의 기업에 아무 의무도 없으심을 보여 주셨다—그들이 의로운 심판의 도구가 되는 영예를 얻은 것이 오히려 그들이 하나님께 봉사하는 것보다 더 큰 은혜였다. 이제 그들은 겸손한 탄원자가 되어, 금식하고 기도하며 번제와 화목제를 드렸으니(26절), 죄를 속하고 하나님께 의존함을 고백하며 그분을 향한 열망을 표현하기 위함이었다. 하나님이 우리와 함께하시기를 기대하려면 그분이 정하신 방식으로 이처럼 구해야 한다. 그들이 이런 자세가 되어 여호와를 구했을 때, 하나님은 세 번째로 베냐민을 치러 올라가라고 명하셨을 뿐 아니라 승리의 약속도 주셨다. "내일 내가 그를 네 손에 넘겨주겠다"(28절).

2. **그들은 이전에 자신의 힘의 위대함을 너무 자신했기에 어떤 책략도 복병도 전략도 사용할 필요가 없다고 생각했다.** 그러나 이제 그들은 우세한 숫자를 가진 적을 상대하는 것처럼 일종의 술책이 필요하다고 보았다. 그에 따라 복병을 배치하고(29절) 이전에 아이 앞에서 조상들이 했던 것처럼(수 8장) 목표를 달성했다. 그런 종류의 전략은 이전의 패배 이후에 가장 효과가 있었으니, 그 패배로 적이 기세가 올라 있어 꾸며진 퇴각이 덜 의심스러웠다. 이 책략의 운용은 여기에서 매우 상세히 묘사되어 있다. 하나님이 주신 승리의 확신은 그들을 태만하거나 교만하게 만들지 않고, 오히려 그분이 약속하신 것을 이루기 위해 모든 머리와 손을 일하게 했다.

**(1) 그들이 취한 방법.** 군대의 주력이 이전처럼 기브아 성읍을 향해 맞섰고 성문을 향해 전진했다(30절). 기브아에 주둔해 있던 베냐민의 주력군이 돌출하여 크게 용감하게 공격했다. 포위군이 물러났는데, 베냐민 사람들이 이전의 성공으로 자신들이 매우 위협적인 존재가 되었다고 자만하며 그들이 겁을 먹은 것이라 믿게 하려는 꾸민 도주였다. 이스라엘이 이 꾸민 도주에서 약간의 손실을 입어 후방에서 약 30명이 끊어졌다(31절, 39절). 그러나 베냐민 사람들이 모두 성읍 밖으로 이끌려 나오자 복병들이 성읍을 점령하고(37절), 군대 주력에 신호를 보냈으며(38절, 40절), 주력이 즉시 그들에게로 돌아섰고(41절), 바알다말에 배치되어 있던 다른 상당한 부대도 같은 때에 그들에게 달려들었다(33절). 이로써 베냐민 사람들은 완전히 포위되었고 이보다 더한 공황 상태는 있을 수 없었다. 죄책감이 그들의 사기를 꺾었고, 희망이 높을수록 이 혼란은 더욱 비참했다. 처음에는 전투가 치열했으나(34절), 베냐민이 어떤 덫에 빠진 것을 보자 두 손보다 두 발이 낫다고 하여 광야를 향해 최대한 도주했다(42절). 그러나 소용없었다. 전투가 그들을 따라잡았고, 설상가상으로 이스라엘 성읍들에서 전투의 결과를 지켜보던 자들이 추격에 합류하여 그들을 끊어 냈다. 모든 사람의 손이 그들에 맞섰다.

**(2) 이 이야기에서 주목할 것들.**

[1] 전투 초기에 베냐민 사람들은 자기들이 이긴다고 확신했다. "그들이 처음처럼 우리 앞에 무너진다"(32절, 39절). 때로 하나님은 악한 자들이 성공과 희망으로 고양되게 허락하셨다가 그 추락을 더 비참하게 만드신다. 그들의 기쁨이 얼마나 짧고 그들의 의기양양함이 한순간에 불과한지를 보라. 무기를 두르는 자는 자랑하지 말고 오직 하나님 안에서만 자랑하라.

[2] 재앙이 그들에게 가까이 왔으나 그들은 알지 못했다(34절). 그러나 그들이 막지 못할 때에야 그것이 왔음을 보았다(41절). 어떤 재앙이든 우리에게 언제든 닥칠 수 있지만, 두려움을 덜 느낄수록 더 무겁게 떨어진다. 죄인들은 재앙이 가까이 있음을 알려 해도 설득되지 않으나, 그것이 임하여 피할 수 없을 때 얼마나 두려울 것인가!(살전 5:3)

[3] 이스라엘 사람들이 이 전투에서 제 몫을 다했음에도 불구하고 승리는 하나님께 돌려졌다(35절). "여호와께서 베냐민을 이스라엘 앞에서 무찌르셨다." 전투도 그분의 것이었고 성공도 그분의 것이었다.

[4] 하나님이 그들에 맞서 싸우셨을 때 이스라엘이 베냐민 사람들을 수월하게 짓밟았다(43절). 하나님을 원수로 삼은 자들을 밟아 이기는 것은 쉬운 일이다(말 4:3).

**II. 승리를 어떻게 추진하고 활용했는가.** 자신들의 영혼에 죄를 지은 이 죄인들에게 군사적 처형이 가해졌다.

1. **음란의 소굴인 기브아 자체가 먼저 파멸되었다.** 모든 남자가 돌출하여 거리낌 없이 성읍을 무방비 상태로 남겨 두었으므로, 성읍에 기습 침입한 복병들이 성읍 각처로 흩어져 발견하는 여인들과 아이들을 모두 칼로 치고(37절) 성읍에 불을 질렀다(40절). 죄는 성읍에 멸망을 가져온다.

2. **들판의 군대가 완전히 패주하여 섬멸되었다.** 용사 1만 8천 명이 현장에서 전사했다(44절).

3. **들판에서 달아난 자들은 추격을 받아 도주 중에 7천 명이 끊어졌다(45절).** 하나님의 심판을 피해 달아나려는 것은 아무 소용이 없다. 재앙이 죄인들을 뒤쫓으며 그들을 따라잡는다.

4. **집에 머물던 자들도 이 멸망에 휩쓸렸다.** 그들은 칼이 영원히 삼키게 했으니, 그 끝이 쓴 것임을 깨닫지 못했는데, 아브넬이 훗날 아마 이 이야기를 염두에 두고 베냐민 군대의 선두에 서서 이것을 언급했다(삼하 2:25-26). 숨 쉬는 자는 모두 칼날로 치고 모든 성읍에 불을 질렀다(48절). 이렇게 베냐민 온 지파에서 살아 남은 자는 림몬 바위에 피신하여 사 개월을 거기서 숨어 지낸 600명뿐이었다(47절).

이 결과에 대해 몇 가지를 살피자.

**(1) 이 가혹함을 이스라엘의 행위로서 정당화하기는 어렵다.** 베냐민 온 지파가 죄가 있었지만, 그렇다고 그들을 저주받은 가나안 사람들처럼 다루어야 했는가? 전쟁의 열기 속에서 행해진 것이라는 것, 이것이 이스라엘의 칼이 승리를 추진해 온 방식이었다는 것, 이스라엘이 앞선 두 전투에서의 학살로 인해 베냐민 사람들에 대해 극도로 격분해 있었다는 것 등은 이 처형의 잔인함을 거의 변명해 주지 못한다. 그들이 미스바에 오지 않는 자는 사형에 처하겠다고 맹세했던 것이 사실이지만(삿 21:5), 그것이 정당한 맹세라 하더라도 군사에게만 해당되는 것이었다.

**(2) 하나님의 손을 정당화하기는 쉽다.** 베냐민이 하나님께 죄를 지었고, 하나님은 그들이 그분을 잊으면 그들 이전에 있던 나라들이 멸망한 것처럼 그들도 멸망할 것이라고 경고하셨다(신 8:20).

**(3) 죄의 시작에 대한 경고로 삼기도 쉽다.** 죄의 시작은 둑을 허무는 것과 같으니, 그러므로 분쟁이 시작되기 전에 그것을 내버려 두라. 그 끝이 어떻게 될지 우리는 알 수 없다. 영혼의 영원한 멸망은 이 지파의 모든 황폐함보다 더 두렵고 무서울 것이다.

이 기브아의 일은 선지자 호세아가 이스라엘 타락의 시작과 그 뒤에 이어진 모든 것의 본보기로 두 번 언급한다(호 9:9). "그들이 기브아의 날에서처럼 깊이 타락했다." 그리고 또(호 10:9). "기브아의 날 이후로 네가 죄를 범했다." 그리고 덧붙이기를, 기브아에서 악을 행하는 자식들에 대한 전투가 그들을 따라잡지 (처음에는) 못했다고 한다.

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