“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.”
Context:The book of Judges is set in a time when Israel was governed by judges, who were raised up by God to deliver the Israelites from their enemies. Judges 20 recounts the account of the Israelites’ battle against the tribe of Benjamin. The conflict arose because of the heinous crime committed in Gibeah, a city in the territory of Benjamin, where a Levite’s concubine was abused and killed. The tribes of Israel united to seek justice for the crime, leading to a war against the tribe of Benjamin.
Unity of the Israelites:In this verse, we see the unity of the men of Israel. They rose up and assembled themselves in preparation for battle. The Israelites came together as one united force, setting aside their tribal divisions and personal interests for the sake of seeking justice and defending the honour of God’s law.
Strategic planning:The verse mentions that the Israelites put themselves in array at Baal-tamar, which means they organised themselves into a strategic formation. This implies that they were not hastily rushing into battle but were prepared and ready to fight. They took the time to plan their military strategy and position themselves strategically for the forthcoming conflict.
God’s guidance:Although the verse does not explicitly mention God’s guidance, we can infer that the Israelites sought His direction in their battle plans. Throughout the book of Judges, God raised up judges and provided guidance and assistance to the Israelites when they sought Him. It is reasonable to assume that the Israelites sought God’s guidance and trusted in His help as they prepared for battle.
The element of surprise:The verse also mentions the “liers in wait” of Israel who came forth from their hidden places, specifically from the meadows of Gibeah. These were troops strategically positioned to surprise the enemy. The Israelites employed tactics that involved an element of surprise, which could have given them an advantage in the battle.
