Welcome to Day 71 of Word for Word: The Bible. In this episode, we read Judges chapters 20–21, the sobering conclusion to the book of Judges. After the horrific events in Gibeah, the tribes of Israel unite to seek justice against the tribe of Benjamin. What follows is a devastating civil war that nearly wipes out one of Israel’s own tribes. Today’s reading includes Israel gathering before the LORD to seek guidance, the brutal battles between Israel and Benjamin, the destruction of the city of Gibeah, and the heartbreaking aftermath as the nation struggles to preserve the tribe of Benjamin from extinction. These chapters reveal the tragic consequences of a nation that has drifted far from God. The book of Judges ends with the same haunting reality repeated throughout its final pages: in those days Israel had no king, and everyone did what was right in their own eyes.
Welcome to Day 71 of Word for Word: The Bible.
In this episode, we read Judges chapters 20–21, the sobering conclusion to the book of Judges. After the horrific crime in Gibeah, the tribes of Israel gather together to confront the tribe of Benjamin. What begins as a pursuit of justice quickly becomes a devastating civil war that nearly wipes out one of Israel’s own tribes.
Today’s reading includes:
These final chapters reveal the deep moral and spiritual collapse that marked this period in Israel’s history. The book of Judges ends not with victory, but with a sobering picture of what happens when a nation abandons God’s leadership and each person follows their own path.