1.
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From Dan to Beersheba. This implies that
the Danite migration (ch. 18) had already taken place.
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2.
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Four hundred thousand. Nearly all the
numbers in this chapter are difficult. Perhaps one of the suggestions in
“Bible Studies”, 10.15, may help.
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3.
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Tell us. A plural verb, implying that both
the Levite and his servant gave evidence.
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5.
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Thought to have slain me. An exaggeration?
or an added detail not included in ch. 19?
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15.
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Twenty six thousand....seven hundred. Is
it possible that in the small territory of Benjamin there were nearly forty
other places as big as Gibeah? And out of 26,000 fighting men, only 700 (v. 16)
who were expert slingers? The numbers problem again.
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38.
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An appointed sign. Hebrew: mo’ed
usually means a feast of the Lord. Then is the added meaning here:
‘God has blessed us and here we now offer sacrifice (the cherem)
’to Him’.
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40.
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The flame of the city. The archaeologists
have concluded that Gibeah was destroyed by fire somewhere about 1100 B.C. (this
date is a bit late by Bible chronology).
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45.
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Rimmon. Three miles east of
Bethel.
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Unto Gidom. Or: until they had cut them
of:; s.w. 21:6
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