Judges 20:19
And the children of Israel rose up in the morning, and encamped against Gibeah.
Original Language Analysis
וַיָּק֥וּמוּ
rose up
H6965
וַיָּק֥וּמוּ
rose up
Strong's:
H6965
Word #:
1 of 7
to rise (in various applications, literal, figurative, intensive and causative)
בְנֵֽי
And the children
H1121
בְנֵֽי
And the children
Strong's:
H1121
Word #:
2 of 7
a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or
יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל
of Israel
H3478
יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל
of Israel
Strong's:
H3478
Word #:
3 of 7
he will rule as god; jisral, a symbolical name of jacob; also (typically) of his posterity
בַּבֹּ֑קֶר
in the morning
H1242
בַּבֹּ֑קֶר
in the morning
Strong's:
H1242
Word #:
4 of 7
properly, dawn (as the break of day); generally, morning
וַיַּֽחֲנ֖וּ
and encamped
H2583
וַיַּֽחֲנ֖וּ
and encamped
Strong's:
H2583
Word #:
5 of 7
properly, to incline; by implication, to decline (of the slanting rays of evening); specifically, to pitch a tent; generally to encamp (for abode or s
Historical Context
Morning attacks were common in ancient warfare, allowing full daylight for battle operations. The encampment 'against Gibeah' positioned Israel's 400,000-man force to execute the ambush strategy (v. 29) that would draw Benjamin out of their fortified position. This represented the turning point where Israel's superior numbers, combined with God's promised blessing and wise strategy, would finally prevail.
Questions for Reflection
- How does faithful obedience following God's explicit promise differ from presumptuous activity lacking divine authorization?
- What does it mean to move with alacrity when God has clearly spoken versus hesitation when you're unsure of His will?
- How do you distinguish between confidence rooted in divine promise and presumption rooted in religious activity?
Related Resources
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Analysis & Commentary
The children of Israel rose up in the morning, and encamped against Gibeah (וַיָּקוּמוּ בְנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵל בַּבֹּקֶר, vayaqumu benei-yisra'el baboqer)—Israel rises early, demonstrating military discipline and eagerness to execute the battle plan authorized by God. Encamped against Gibeah (וַיַּחֲנוּ עַל־הַגִּבְעָה, vayachanu al-hagibeah)—they establish their siege position facing the fortified town.
This verse represents the moment of obedient action following divine promise. After proper seeking (vv. 26-28) yielded God's explicit assurance 'tomorrow I will deliver them into thine hand' (v. 28), Israel now moves with confidence rooted in divine word rather than presumptuous self-reliance. The 'rising up in the morning' suggests alacrity born of faith—they don't delay or second-guess God's promise but move immediately to position. This contrasts with their earlier campaigns (vv. 19-20, 22-24) where they advanced with religious procedure but without explicit divine promise. The difference between presumptuous religious activity and faithful obedience lies not in outward actions but in whether those actions flow from complete submission to God's revealed will. When God explicitly promises victory, prompt obedience demonstrates faith; when we haven't received such promise, identical actions may reveal presumption.