1. Judges 20:15 (ESV)
  2. Exposition

What is noteworthy about the size of Benjamin’s military force?

Judges 20:15 (ESV)

15 And the people of Benjamin mustered out of their cities on that day 26,000 men who drew the sword, besides the inhabitants of Gibeah, who mustered 700 chosen men.

Benjamin’s military force has declined since the time of the exodus. Around that time, Benjamin had 35,400 men able to go to war (Numbers 1:37). At the next census, Benjamin had 45,600. Now they are down to 26,000, which is a significant drop. It is in fact proportionate to the drop in Israel as a whole.1