This verse from Judges 20:22 describes the Israelites' reaction to their initial defeat against the Benjamites in the civil war sparked by the incident at Gibeah. Let's break it down:
"The people, the men of Israel, encouraged themselves...": This is the key part. After suffering a significant loss, the Israelites chose to boost their own morale. This implies that they were disheartened but decided to rally together, offering each other support and determination. They didn't wait for a leader or divine intervention to lift their spirits; they took initiative themselves. The Hebrew word here emphasizes a conscious, active choice to strengthen themselves.
"...and set the battle again in array...": This means they reorganized and prepared for another attack. "Array" refers to the order and positioning of troops for battle. They were getting ready for a second round.
"...in the place where they set themselves in array the first day.": This tells us they were returning to the same battlefield. Despite their initial defeat, they didn't retreat to a safer location or choose a different strategy (yet). They were sticking to their original plan, at least for the moment. This could indicate a few things:
A belief that they had a good plan that simply needed to be executed better.
Stubbornness or a lack of strategic thinking.
A desire to prove their strength in the face of defeat.
In summary, the verse highlights the Israelites' self-motivation and determination to fight again after suffering a setback. They actively encouraged each other and prepared to re-engage the Benjamites on the same battlefield where they had previously been defeated. It underscores their resolve, although whether this resolve is coupled with wisdom is questionable, as their initial defeat might have warranted a change in strategy.
This verse from Judges 20:22 describes the Israelites' reaction to their initial defeat against the Benjamites in the civil war sparked by the incident at Gibeah. Let's break it down:
"The people, the men of Israel, encouraged themselves...": This is the key part. After suffering a significant loss, the Israelites chose to boost their own morale. This implies that they were disheartened but decided to rally together, offering each other support and determination. They didn't wait for a leader or divine intervention to lift their spirits; they took initiative themselves. The Hebrew word here emphasizes a conscious, active choice to strengthen themselves.
"...and set the battle again in array...": This means they reorganized and prepared for another attack. "Array" refers to the order and positioning of troops for battle. They were getting ready for a second round.
"...in the place where they set themselves in array the first day.": This tells us they were returning to the same battlefield. Despite their initial defeat, they didn't retreat to a safer location or choose a different strategy (yet). They were sticking to their original plan, at least for the moment. This could indicate a few things:
A belief that they had a good plan that simply needed to be executed better.
Stubbornness or a lack of strategic thinking.
A desire to prove their strength in the face of defeat.
In summary, the verse highlights the Israelites' self-motivation and determination to fight again after suffering a setback. They actively encouraged each other and prepared to re-engage the Benjamites on the same battlefield where they had previously been defeated. It underscores their resolve, although whether this resolve is coupled with wisdom is questionable, as their initial defeat might have warranted a change in strategy.