Judges 20:47 (KJV)

What does Judges 20:47 mean?

Judges 20:47 describes how six hundred men from the tribe of Benjamin escaped the battle and fled to the wilderness, where they stayed at a place called the rock Rimmon for four months. This verse highlights the survival of a small remnant after a devastating conflict between the tribe of Benjamin and the other tribes of Israel.

The setting is the aftermath of a brutal civil war within Israel, where the tribe of Benjamin has been nearly wiped out because of their actions in the previous chapters. The verse is a narrative detail, showing that not every Benjamite was killed—these six hundred men managed to find refuge in a remote, rocky area called Rimmon, and they remained in hiding there for a significant period.

The Hebrew behind Judges 20:47

• The word for "wilderness" is מִדְבָּר (midbar), which often refers to a desolate, uninhabited area. This emphasizes how desperate the situation was for the survivors, as they had to hide in a harsh and remote environment.
• "Rock" is סֶלַע (sela‘), and "Rimmon" רִמּוֹן (Rimmon) is a place name. The repeated mention of "the rock Rimmon" suggests a specific, well-known landmark that offered natural protection, not just any rocky area.
• The number "six hundred" uses שֵׁשׁ (shesh) for "six" and מֵאָה (me’ah) for "hundred," showing the precise count of survivors, which is important for what happens in the following chapters.

Why Judges 20:47 matters

• This verse clears up that the tribe of Benjamin was not completely destroyed; a small group survived, which is crucial for the tribe’s future restoration.
• The detail about the survivors hiding for "four months" sets up the events that follow, where the rest of Israel grapples with how to preserve the tribe of Benjamin from extinction.
• The mention of "the rock Rimmon" connects to the geography of ancient Israel and shows how natural features played a role in survival and refuge during times of crisis.