And the LORD smote Benjamin before Israel: and the children of Israel destroyed of the Benjamites that day twenty and five thousand and an hundred men: all these drew the sword.

JUDGES 20:35KJV
Know the Bible

Judges 20:35 (KJV)

What does Judges 20:35 mean?

Judges 20:35 describes how the LORD enabled the Israelites to defeat the tribe of Benjamin in battle, resulting in the Israelites killing 25,100 Benjamite warriors who fought with swords. This verse highlights a decisive moment where the conflict between Israel and Benjamin reached a deadly and significant turning point.

The setting is a civil war within ancient Israel, where the other tribes have gathered against Benjamin because of a grievous crime committed in Gibeah, a Benjamite city. The verse makes it clear that the victory is attributed to the LORD's intervention ("the LORD smote Benjamin before Israel"), not just military strength. The number given—25,100 men—shows the scale of the loss for Benjamin and the seriousness of the conflict among the tribes.

The Hebrew behind Judges 20:35

  • "the LORD" (יְהוָה, Yahweh): This word emphasizes that the outcome of the battle is seen as the direct action of God, not just human effort.
  • "smote" (נָכָה, nakah): This verb means to strike or defeat, underscoring that the victory was a decisive blow rather than a minor skirmish.
  • "destroyed" (שָׁחַת, shachath): This word often means to ruin or devastate, highlighting the completeness of the defeat suffered by Benjamin.
  • "drew the sword" (שָׁלַף חֶרֶב, shalaph cherev): This phrase identifies the Benjamites as active warriors, not noncombatants, making the scale of the loss even more striking.

Why Judges 20:35 matters

  • This verse clarifies that the victory was not just a result of military tactics but was attributed to divine intervention, shaping how the Israelites understood their history.
  • The large number of casualties among the Benjamites shows the seriousness of the civil conflict and sets up the aftermath, where the tribe of Benjamin is nearly wiped out.
  • Understanding this verse helps explain the dramatic tension in the rest of Judges 20–21, where the other tribes later struggle with the consequences of almost destroying one of their own.

Where else these words appear

“Benjamites” Hebrew H1145 · used in 18 verses

  • Judges 3:15 But when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD, the LORD raised them up a deliverer, Ehud the son of Gera, a Benjamite, a man lefthanded: and by him the children of Israel sent a present unto Eglon the king of Moab.
  • 1 Samuel 9:1 Now there was a man of Benjamin, whose name was Kish, the son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Bechorath, the son of Aphiah, a Benjamite, a mighty man of power.
  • 2 Samuel 19:17 And there were a thousand men of Benjamin with him, and Ziba the servant of the house of Saul, and his fifteen sons and his twenty servants with him; and they went over Jordan before the king.

“drew” Hebrew H8025 · used in 24 verses

  • Numbers 22:23 And the ass saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and the ass turned aside out of the way, and went into the field: and Balaam smote the ass, to turn her into the way.
  • Judges 20:2 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.
  • 1 Samuel 31:4 Then said Saul unto his armourbearer, Draw thy sword, and thrust me through therewith; lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through, and abuse me. But his armourbearer would not; for he was sore afraid. Therefore Saul took a sword, and fell upon it.

“smote” Hebrew H5062 · used in 46 verses

  • Exodus 8:2 And if thou refuse to let them go, behold, I will smite all thy borders with frogs:
  • 1 Samuel 4:2 And the Philistines put themselves in array against Israel: and when they joined battle, Israel was smitten before the Philistines: and they slew of the army in the field about four thousand men.
  • 2 Chronicles 6:24 And if thy people Israel be put to the worse before the enemy, because they have sinned against thee; and shall return and confess thy name, and pray and make supplication before thee in this house;

“destroyed” Hebrew H7843 · used in 136 verses

  • Genesis 6:11 The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.
  • 2 Samuel 11:1 And it came to pass, after the year was expired, at the time when kings go forth to battle, that David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the children of Ammon, and besieged Rabbah. But David tarried still at Jerusalem.
  • Jeremiah 6:5 Arise, and let us go by night, and let us destroy her palaces.