Judges 20:19-24

Judges 20:19

And the children of Israel rose up in the morning, and encamped against Gibeah.

Then the children of Israel now having direction in this upcoming battle by means of the delegation they had sent to Shiloh, now returned and encamped against Gibeah.  The men of Israel were now ready to engage the Benjamites.

Judges 20:20

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.

Then the men of Israel were ready and went out to fight against Benjamin.  They put themselves in array ready for the fight.  To put in array is to be placed in lines of defense or in order to prevent confusion and disaster when the battle begins.  They were ready to fight both the Benjamites and the men of Gibeah.

Judges 20:21

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.

The first day of battle commenced and it did not go well for the Israelites as they lost 22,000 men killed in battle the first day.  Some believe that the battle did not go well because these tribes wanting to put away the evil in Benjamin, had not put away the idols in their own tribes and that was why they were weakened in battle.  In other words, there was hypocrisy in their motives which should have been dealt with before they marched on Benjamin.

Judges 20:22

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.

Then the second day of battle commenced.  They had encouraged themselves and placed their troops in array again in the same place they had been on the first day.  This could have been a tactical mistake because the Benjamites were now familiar with that land and method of attack by Israel which means they could deliver another devastating blow on the remaining 378,000 troops.  The men of Israel did not shrink back but instead held their ground.

Judges 20:23

(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.)

On the backs of that devastating defeat the children of Israel had once again went up to Shiloh and asked counsel of the Lord.  Then they included in the name of Benjamin that they were brothers since they were fellow Israelites.  The Lord gives them the same advice He gave them before and that was that they should go up against them again.  This time they had come to the Lord with a very contrite attitude as they wept before Him because of the loss they suffered in battle and wanted to make sure they were doing the right thing.

Judges 20:24

And the children of Israel came near against the children of Benjamin the second day.