Judges 20:9-10 · Bible study
Judges 20:9-10 Commentary: The Lot and Divine Guidance in War
Hebrew · 9 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Why did Israel cast lots to attack Gibeah? A study of divine guidance, unity, and logistics in the civil war of Judges 20.
Research Summary
- Meaning: The Israelites commit to attack Gibeah by lot and appoint one-tenth to supply the army.
- Key words: Lot (goral), provision (tsedah), folly (nevalah).
- Main debate: Does the lot determine attack order (Barnes) or signify treating Gibeah as a Canaanite city (Keil)?
- Theological theme: Divine sovereignty over human decisions; unity in pursuing justice.
- Best use: Sermon series on seeking God's guidance; small group on decision-making.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
9Now this is what we will do to Gibeah: We will go against it as the lot dictates.
10We will take ten men out of every hundred from all the tribes of Israel, and a hundred out of every thousand, and a thousand out of every ten thousand, to supply provisions for the army when they go to Gibeah in Benjamin to punish them for the atrocity they have committed in Israel.”
WEB World English Bible 2000
9But now this is the thing which we will do to Gibeah: we will go up against it by lot;
10and we will take ten men of one hundred throughout all the tribes of Israel, and one hundred of one thousand, and a thousand out of ten thousand to get food for the people, that they may do, when they come to Gibeah of Benjamin, according to all the folly that the men of Gibeah have done in Israel.”
KJV King James Version 1769
9But now this shall be the thing which we will do to Gibeah; we will go up by lot against it;
10And 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.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
9But now this is the thing which we will do to Gibeah: we will go up against it by lot;
10and we will take ten men of a hundred throughout all the tribes of Israel, and a hundred of a thousand, and a thousand out of ten thousand, to fetch victuals 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.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
9and now, this is the thing which we do to Gibeah--against it by lot!
10and we have taken ten men of a hundred, of all the tribes of Israel, and a hundred of a thousand, and a thousand of a myriad, to receive provision for the people, to do, at their coming to Gibeah of Benjamin, according to all the folly which it hath done in Israel.'
Darby Darby Bible 1890
9But now this is the thing which we will do to Gibeah: [we go] by lot against it;
10and we will take ten men of a hundred throughout all the tribes of Israel, and a hundred of a thousand, and a thousand of ten thousand, to fetch victuals for the people, that they may do, when they come to Gibeah of Benjamin, according to all the villany that they have wrought in Israel.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
9But this we will do in common against Gabaa:
10We will take ten men of a hundred out of all the tribes of Israel, and a hundred out of a thousand, and a thousand out of ten thousand, to bring victuals for the army, that we may fight against Gabaa of Benjamin, and render to it for its wickedness, what it deserveth.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Judges 20:9
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree that the lot (גּוֹרָל, goral) was used to determine the order of attack against Gibeah. Barnes and the Cambridge Bible note that the terrain may have prevented the entire army from engaging at once, making a rotation necessary. Keil and Delitzsch, however, argue that the lot signifies treating Gibeah as a Canaanite city, to be conquered and its land divided by lot. The provision of one man in ten (40,000 out of 400,000) to fetch victuals is understood as a practical measure to keep the army supplied while maintaining unity (Clarke, Gill). This logistical arrangement reflects the earlier vow that no man would return home until justice was done (Judges 20:8). The lot itself assumes divine sovereignty, consistent with Proverbs 16:33.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Determine attack order: Barnes and Cambridge note terrain made rotation necessary; lots assigned first attack.
- Treat as Canaanite city: Keil and Delitzsch point to Mosaic law for Canaanite cities (destroy and lot) as model.
What is clear: Israel relied on the lot as a divine decision-making tool in their military campaign against Gibeah.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Use of the lot | The lot was a recognized method for discerning God's will in Israel. | Some see it as determining the order of attack (Barnes), while Keil and Delitzsch interpret it as a declaration of total destruction like Canaanite cities. |
| Provision system | Israel appointed one man in ten to gather supplies, allowing the army to stay in the field. | Whether this reflects a long campaign expectation or just temporary logistics. |
| Unity of Israel | All eleven tribes except Benjamin were united as 'one man'. | Whether this unity was righteous justice or an overreaction leading to civil war. |
| Morality of the actions | The text narrates Israel's attempt to deal with sin; it does not explicitly endorse or condemn. | Some see it as a model of zeal for purity; others as a tragic spiral of violence. |
Historical & Cultural Context
The events of Judges 20 follow the horrific story of the Levite's concubine (chs. 19-20). Israel's assembly at Mizpeh (v.1) represents a rare moment of national unity: 'All the people arose as one man' (v.8). The decision to use lots (goral) was rooted in an ancient practice of discerning God's will. The lot was a way to submit human decisions to divine sovereignty (Proverbs 16:33; Jonah 1:7). Earlier, Joshua used lots to divide the land (Joshua 14:2). The highly organized provision system, one man in ten, shows Israel's determination to see the campaign through without returning home, acting on their vow (v.8). The phrase 'folly' (nevalah) echoes the sin of Gibeah, a term used for disgraceful acts. The campaign against Benjamin became a civil war, showing the consequences of sin within the covenant community.
The use of lots in the Old Testament often involved stones or pebbles cast to determine God's will. In this case, the lot likely designated which tribe would lead the assault. The context suggests a careful balancing of justice and logistics, reflecting Israel's desire to act rightly even in a messy situation.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note that the Hebrew text of vv.9-10 exhibits signs of corruption. The Cambridge Bible points out an accidental omission of a verb in v.9, requiring the reader to supply 'we will go up' (LXX reading). In v.10, the syntax is awkward, with the preposition lamedh used nine times in various senses. The phrase 'when they come' may be a gloss, and some scholars (Moore, Budde) propose transposing the two halves of the verse for better sense. These textual issues do not affect the main points: the use of the lot and the provision of supplies.
Reception History
Interpreters from the Reformation era focused on the moral and judicial aspects. Matthew Henry sees the assembly and the lot as an example of due process and divine guidance. Gill emphasizes the practical wisdom of the supply plan. In the 19th century, critical scholars like Moore and Budde raised questions about text composition and historicity, while Keil and Delitzsch maintained the narrative's historical reliability. The passage has been less prominent in devotional reading but serves as a cautionary tale about the consequences of sin within the community.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- United Purpose: Israel acted as one man, refusing to return home until justice was served (v.8). Their unity was rooted in shared outrage and covenantal responsibility.
- Seeking Guidance: They cast lots to determine the order of attack, entrusting the decision to God. This shows humility before the Lord even in righteous anger.
- Practical Provision: They appointed one in ten to gather supplies, enabling the army to stay in the field. Obedience does not exclude careful planning.
Five-point outline
- United Response to Sin: The entire nation gathered as one, recognizing the severity of sin within their community.
- Judicial Process: They sought the Levite's testimony and deliberated (vv.4-7), showing a commitment to due process.
- Corporate Decision: The lot was used to discern God's will, acknowledging that the battle belonged to the Lord.
- Sustainable Action: The provision plan allowed the army to maintain pressure on Gibeah without scattering to gather food.
- Call for Justice with Mercy: Israel first demanded the offenders be handed over (v.13), showing their aim was punishment of the guilty, not annihilation.
Illustration hooks
- Planning a long road trip with friends and using a lottery to decide who drives first, a simple way to keep things fair and avoid arguments.
- A church's decision to start a new ministry: they pray for direction, then form a committee to handle practical details like budgets and schedules. Trust and planning go hand in hand.
- When a family or small group must make a tough decision, sometimes writing options on paper and praying over them can help submit the outcome to God.
Questions your congregation is asking
- How do I know if a decision is God's will when multiple options seem good?
- Is it biblical to use random methods like drawing straws for guidance?
- What is the difference between holy unity and mob mentality?
Leading a Discussion
This passage records Israel's response to the atrocity in Gibeah. Their use of the lot reveals a trust in God's sovereignty over human affairs, while their provision plan shows wisdom and long-term commitment. As you reflect on these verses, consider how your community seeks God's guidance and prepares for action.
Discussion questions
- What does the decision to 'go up against it by lot' tell you about Israel's view of God's role in battle?
- Why do you think the lot was used here instead of a leader simply announcing the plan?
- How did the provision system help the army stay united (v.8-10)? What does that teach about preparing for God's work?
- In your church or small group, what methods do you use to discern God's will in collective decisions?
- How do you balance prayerful dependence on God with practical planning?
- Israel was acting out of righteous anger. How can we tell when anger is leading us toward justice versus toward sin?
- What might it look like for your community to address a serious sin or injustice today?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Joshua 14:2 | by the lot of their inheritance, as Yahweh commanded by Moses, for the nine tribes, and for the half-tribe. |
| I Samuel 14:41 | Therefore Saul said to Yahweh, the God of Israel, “Show the right.” Jonathan and Saul were chosen, but the people escaped. |
| I Samuel 14:42 | Saul said, “Cast lots between me and Jonathan my son.” Jonathan was selected. |
| I Chronicles 24:5 | Thus they were divided impartially by drawing lots; for there were princes of the sanctuary and princes of God, both of the sons of Eleazar, and of the sons of Ithamar. |
| Nehemiah 11:1 | The princes of the people lived in Jerusalem. The rest of the people also cast lots to bring one of ten to dwell in Jerusalem, the holy city, and nine parts in the other cities. |
| Proverbs 16:33 | The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from Yahweh. |
| Jonah 1:7 | They all said to each other, “Come! Let’s cast lots, that we may know who is responsible for this evil that is on us.” So they cast lots, and the lot fell on Jonah. |
| Acts 1:26 | They drew lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias; and he was counted with the eleven apostles. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
9 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke notes that the selection of one man from every ten was to supply the camp for an expected lengthy campaign. He suggests these provisioners were probably chosen by lot.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes notes that the lot was used because the terrain prevented the whole army from fighting at once, making an orderly arrangement necessary. He adds that the decision to appoint every tenth man to gather provisions was a practical solution to keep the full force in the field long enough to punish Gibeah.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The Cambridge Bible Schools commentary highlights the verse's poor style and corrupt Hebrew text, noting a missing verb supplied from the Greek Septuagint. The editor suggests that transposing the verse's two halves and treating "when they come" as a later gloss produces a coherent sentence, and that "Geba" should be corrected to "Gibeah."
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva note highlights the meticulous planning behind Israel's campaign: they would select men by lot, using a precise ratio, solely to carry provisions. This systematic arrangement ensured the main army could focus entirely on executing judgment against Gibeah for its outrageous wickedness.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill focuses on the logistical wisdom behind Israel's plan. He notes that by appointing a fixed number of men from each contingent to gather provisions, the army could avoid scattering and press the siege against Gibeah without interruption until justice was served.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch argue that the phrase "against it by lot" is a judicial sentence modeled on the Mosaic law for Canaanite towns: Gibeah is to be conquered, burned, and its land divided by lot. They reject the common reading that the lot merely selected one man in ten for supply duty, insisting that the lot itself pronounces the town's doom.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange emphasizes that the assembly at Mizpah was a theocratic "Congregation of the People of God" convoked by the priesthood, not a judge. He also notes the Levite's testimony is carefully selective: he omits his host and his own surrender of the concubine, presenting the crime as an attack on all Israel to provoke
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry highlights the extraordinary unity of all Israel, gathered as one man from Dan to Beersheba, to address the atrocity in Gibeah. For him, this shows the whole nation acting as God's people, determined to investigate and judge the wickedness together before any action was taken.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley rejects Matthew Henry's claim that the goodness of God's promised land will intensify the punishment of those who perish. He argues that this reasoning fails under predestination: if some are not elected, they never had a genuine offer, and if all the elect are saved, the grant was never free to the others.