Judges 20:13Now therefore deliver up the men, the base fellows, who are in Gibeah, that we may put them to death, and put away evil from Israel." But Benjamin would not listen to the voice of their brothers the children of Israel.
The setting
Benjamin's tribal leaders refuse to hand over the men of Gibeah who committed gang rape and murder. Their refusal triggers Israel's first civil war. Modern-day West Bank, Palestine.
The emotion here: frustration at family choosing loyalty over justice
The original word
beliyya'al (בְּלִיַּעַל) — worthless, without moral restraint, completely corrupt
Why it matters
Benjamin's refusal meant protecting maybe 100 criminals would cost 65,000 Benjamite lives
Read with care
What most readers miss in Judges 20:13
Benjamin had the legal right to hand them over but chose tribal loyalty instead
Common misconceptionPeople think this shows Israel being harsh, but Benjamin was actually obligated by law to hand over the criminals and chose to protect them instead.
The thread continues
Verses that echo Judges 20:13
Bible Genome reading
Judges 20:13 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Judges 20:13 comes from the book of Judges, written during the judges period. These words are attributed to Israelites. The dominant emotion in this verse is angry, with a comfort power of 10% and a tone that is commanding. It belongs to the dialogue genre of biblical literature. Key themes include justice, purification, ultimatum. Notable phrases: deliver up the men; put away evil. This verse contains a command.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same angry
“Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruning hooks into spears. Let the weak say, 'I am strong.'”
— Joel 3:10
“You blind guides, who strain out a gnat, and swallow a camel!”
— Matthew 23:24
“Listen to this word, you cows of Bashan, who are on the mountain of Samaria, who oppress the poor, who crush the needy, who tell their husba…”
— Amos 4:1
“I hate, I despise your feasts, and I can't stand your solemn assemblies.”
— Amos 5:21
“Your eyes shall not pity; life shall go for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.”
— Deuteronomy 19:21
Your reflection
What does Judges 20:13 mean to you, today?
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