And the chief of all the people, even of all the tribes of Israel, presented themselves in the assembly of the people of God, four hundred thousand footmen that drew sword.
The leaders of all the people from every tribe of Israel came together in God's assembly - four hundred thousand soldiers ready for battle with their swords.
The writer is describing how all the tribes of Israel united together, bringing 400,000 armed men to deal with a serious crisis.
📚 Historical Context
In the Book of Judges, this verse occurs during a time when Israel had no king, and the tribes often acted independently to address conflicts. Following a brutal crime in the tribe of Benjamin, where a Levite's concubine was violated and killed, the other tribes gathered to demand justice and prepare for war. This assembly of 400,000 armed men highlights the unity of the tribes in response to moral outrage, reflecting the decentralized nature of Israelite society.
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