And the men of Israel turned again upon the children of Benjamin, and smote them with the edge of the sword, as well the men of every city, as the beast, and all that came to hand: also they set on fire all the cities that they came to.
The men of Israel turned back against the people of Benjamin and struck them down with the sword—killing the men in every city, the animals, and everything they found. They also set fire to all the cities they came across.
This verse describes the complete destruction that the Israelites brought upon the tribe of Benjamin, killing people and animals and burning cities.
📚 Historical Context
This occurs at the end of the civil war between Israel and Benjamin, triggered by the horrific crime in Gibeah where a Levite's concubine was brutally murdered. After three battles, Israel finally defeated Benjamin and carried out total warfare against them. This represents one of the darkest periods in Israel's history, during the time of the judges when 'everyone did what was right in their own eyes.'
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