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.
JUDGES 20:10KJVWhat does Judges 20:10 mean?
Judges 20:10 describes how the Israelites planned to select a group of men from all their tribes to gather food supplies for the army, so that when the rest of the people went to Gibeah in Benjamin, they could punish the city for the terrible acts committed there. This verse shows the Israelites organizing themselves for a joint action against one of their own tribes because of a grave wrongdoing.
The context is a meeting of Israelite leaders after a shocking crime in Gibeah, a city in the tribe of Benjamin. The leaders are speaking to the assembled people, laying out a practical plan: they will choose a set number of men from each tribe to handle logistics—specifically, to "fetch victual" (bring food)—so the rest can focus on confronting Gibeah for its "folly," a word here meaning a disgraceful or outrageous act.
The Hebrew behind Judges 20:10
- The word for "folly" is נְבָלָה (nevalah), which often refers to a shocking, disgraceful act, not just foolishness. Here, it highlights the seriousness of the crime in Gibeah and why such a strong response was being organized.
- The verb "fetch" is לָקַח (laqach), meaning "to take" or "to bring." In this context, it shows the practical side of the plan: some men are assigned to gather food, not to fight.
- The numbers—עֶשֶׂר (eser, "ten"), מֵאָה (me’ah, "hundred"), אֶלֶף (eleph, "thousand")—are used to show a careful, proportional selection from each tribe, emphasizing fairness and order in the Israelites' preparations.
Why Judges 20:10 matters
- This verse clears up that not everyone in the Israelite army was going to fight; some were specifically chosen to support the effort by providing food, showing the importance of logistics in ancient warfare.
- The strong language for "folly" underlines that the crime in Gibeah was not a minor offense but something that shocked the whole nation, justifying the drastic response.
- The verse connects to the larger story by showing how seriously the Israelites took justice and unity, even when it meant acting against one of their own tribes.