Book of Judges - Chapter 20 - Verse 13

In this verse, the tribes of Israel are demanding that the men of Gibeah, who committed a heinous crime, be delivered to face justice. The men of Gibeah had committed a grave sin, and the rest of Israel felt it was necessary to remove them from their midst in order to put away evil from the land. However, the children of Benjamin, to which the men of Gibeah belonged, refused to listen to the voices of their fellow Israelites. This act of defiance ultimately led to a civil war between the tribes of Israel, with the children of Benjamin suffering the consequences of their refusal to cooperate. This passage serves as a cautionary tale about the importance of unity and cooperation among the people of God in order to uphold justice and righteousness.

One of the key theological interpretations of this verse revolves around the concept of justice and the consequences of evil. The children of Benjamin, who refused to hand over the men of Belial from Gibeah, demonstrated their disobedience to God's commandments and their reluctance to remove evil from their midst. This refusal to address the wrongdoing within their community resulted in a severe moral failure that led to further consequences for the tribe of Benjamin. Additionally, the term "children of Belial" is often understood in biblical context to refer to wicked or worthless individuals, emphasizing the severity of the actions committed in Gibeah. The refusal of the children of Benjamin to heed the voice of their brethren serves as a cautionary tale about the importance of addressing evil and upholding justice within a community to maintain the moral integrity of the people of Israel.