While this verse uses many of the expressions found in verse 20.25, here what is striking is that the LORD moves into action, as he did earlier in the book. See, for example, verse 3.10; verse 4.23; verse 9.56; verse 11.32.

And the LORD defeated Benjamin before Israel: At this point of climax, most languages will omit the Hebrew waw conjunction (And) here. Almost out of nowhere, the LORD comes on the scene and fights for Israel. He is the one who defeated Benjamin. This is a significant theme of the book. Defeated renders the Hebrew verb translated “routed” in verse 20.32, but here it refers to a complete defeat. NET Bible proposes “annihilated.” Before Israel is literally “before the face of Israel,” implying that it was Yahweh who obtained the victory, while the Israelites stood by and watched the events happen. In many languages it will be necessary to restructure this clause by saying “It was Yahweh who gave Israel victory over Benjamin.” However this clause is rendered, the focus should be on Yahweh’s role in this overwhelming defeat.

And the men of Israel destroyed twenty-five thousand one hundred men of Benjamin that day: The previous sentence emphasizes the LORD’s role in defeating the Benjaminites, while here the narrator shows the LORD worked through his people to bring them victory. The Hebrew waw conjunction rendered and expresses the logical link between these two sentences, and could be translated “So” or “And so.” Another approach would be to combine the two sentences, saying “Yahweh was victorious over the Benjaminites, with the Israelites killing….” Once again the men of Israel is literally “the sons [or, children] of Israel,” though certainly it is the soldiers and not all the Israelites who are in focus here. For the Hebrew verb rendered destroyed, see verse 20.21, where it is translated “felled.” Here we might say “slaughtered” or “killed” (Good News Translation, Revised English Bible). Some scholars note that the number twenty-five thousand one hundred is rather strange, when in most cases round figures are given. In verse 20.15 the Benjaminites numbered 26,700, so this would mean an incredible massacre had taken place, with only 1,600 Benjaminite soldiers remaining. As noted earlier, such a large number may be expressed as a figure (25,100) rather than by words in order to make the text easier to read. Of Benjamin is literally “in Benjamin,” which may be rendered simply “Benjaminites” ( NET Bible). That day may refer to a longer time than a twenty-four hour period, so translators may say “on that occasion” (see verse 20.15, verse 21). This phrase occurs in the middle of the sentence in Hebrew, but translators may place it in any natural position in their language. A possible model might be “And so the Israelites slaughtered 25,100 Benjaminites at that time.”

All these were men who drew the sword refers to the 25,100 dead Benjaminites. See verse 20.25. These words show that civilians were not included in the count of those killed. As elsewhere (verse 8.10; verse 20.2), by showing the strength of the enemy, the narrator shows how great this victory was.

Translation models for this verse are:

• Yahweh defeated Benjamin for Israel, with the Israelite soldiers killing 25,100 Benjaminite warriors that day.

• The LORD fought for Israel and totally defeated the Benjaminites. That day the Israelite army killed twenty-five thousand one hundred (25,100) Benjaminites, all of them skilled swordsmen.

Quoted with permission from Zogbo, Lynell and Ogden, Graham S. A Handbook on Judges. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2019. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .