Judges 20:21

“And the children of Benjamin came forth out of Gibeah, etc.] Which was their place of rendezvous, and which they came to defend; and in and about which they had stationed their whole army of 26,000 men: and destroyed down to the ground: killed dead upon the spot: of the Israelites that day twenty and two thousand men; wanting but 4000 of their whole number, excepting the men of Gibeah, which was such a rebuff the Israelites did not expect, being engaged in so just a cause, and having such a numerous army. Several Jewish, writers f423 think this was on account of their idolatry, that though they were very zealous to revenge corporeal adultery in the case of the Levite’s concubine, and to…”

“Gibeah, being on a hill, was difficult of access to an attacking army, and gave great advantage to the defenders, who fought from higher ground, and probably defended a narrow pass, while their companions on the walls could gall the assailants with their slingstones. return to 'Top of Page'”

“Destroyed, &c. - Why would God suffer them to have so great a loss in so good a cause? Because they had many and great sins reigning among themselves, and they should not have come to so great a work of God, with polluted hands, but should have pulled the beam out of their own eye, before they attempted to take that out of their brother Benjamin's eye: which because they did not, God doth it for them, bringing them through the fire, that they might he purged from their dross; it being probable that the great God who governs every stroke in battle, did so order things, that their worst members should be cut off, which was a great blessing to the whole common - wealth. And God would hereby…”

“the children: Gen 49:27; Hos 10:9 destroyed: Deu 23:9; Ch2 28:10; Psa 33:16, Psa 73:18, Psa 73:19, Psa 77:19; Ecc 9:1-3; Jer 12:1 Judges 20:22”