Judges 20:47
New International Version
But six hundred of them turned and fled into the wilderness to the rock of Rimmon, where they stayed four months.

New Living Translation
leaving only 600 men who escaped to the rock of Rimmon, where they lived for four months.

English Standard Version
But 600 men turned and fled toward the wilderness to the rock of Rimmon and remained at the rock of Rimmon four months.

Berean Standard Bible
But 600 men turned and fled into the wilderness to the rock of Rimmon, where they stayed four months.

King James Bible
But six hundred men turned and fled to the wilderness unto the rock Rimmon, and abode in the rock Rimmon four months.

New King James Version
But six hundred men turned and fled toward the wilderness to the rock of Rimmon, and they stayed at the rock of Rimmon for four months.

New American Standard Bible
But six hundred men turned and fled toward the wilderness to the rock of Rimmon; and they remained at the rock of Rimmon for four months.

NASB 1995
But 600 men turned and fled toward the wilderness to the rock of Rimmon, and they remained at the rock of Rimmon four months.

NASB 1977
But 600 men turned and fled toward the wilderness to the rock of Rimmon, and they remained at the rock of Rimmon four months.

Legacy Standard Bible
But 600 men turned and fled toward the wilderness to the rock of Rimmon, and they remained at the rock of Rimmon four months.

Amplified Bible
But six hundred men turned and fled toward the wilderness to the rock of Rimmon and stayed at the rock of Rimmon for four months.

Christian Standard Bible
But six hundred men escaped into the wilderness to Rimmon Rock and stayed there four months.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
But 600 men escaped into the wilderness to the rock of Rimmon and stayed there four months.

American Standard Version
But six hundred men turned and fled toward the wilderness unto the rock of Rimmon, and abode in the rock of Rimmon four months.

Contemporary English Version
Only 600 of them finally made it into the desert to Rimmon Rock, where they stayed for four months.

English Revised Version
But six hundred men turned and fled toward the wilderness unto the rock of Rimmon, and abode in the rock of Rimmon four months.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
But 600 men turned and fled into the desert to Rimmon Rock. They stayed at Rimmon Rock for four months.

Good News Translation
But six hundred men were able to escape to the open country to Rimmon Rock, and they stayed there four months.

International Standard Version
However, 600 soldiers ran into the wilderness in the direction of the rock of Rimmon, where they remained as fugitives for four months.

Majority Standard Bible
But 600 men turned and fled into the wilderness to the rock of Rimmon, where they stayed four months.

NET Bible
Six hundred survivors turned and ran away to the wilderness, to the cliff of Rimmon. They stayed there four months.

New Heart English Bible
But six hundred men turned and fled toward the wilderness to the rock of Rimmon, and stayed in the rock of Rimmon four months.

Webster's Bible Translation
But six hundred men turned and fled to the wilderness to the rock Rimmon, and abode in the rock Rimmon four months.

World English Bible
But six hundred men turned and fled toward the wilderness to the rock of Rimmon, and stayed in the rock of Rimmon four months.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
but six hundred men turn and flee into the wilderness, to the rock of Rimmon, and they dwell in the rock of Rimmon four months.

Young's Literal Translation
and there turn and flee into the wilderness, unto the rock of Rimmon six hundred men, and they dwell in the rock Rimmon four months.

Smith's Literal Translation
And there will turn and flee to the desert to the rock Rimmon, six hundred men, and they will dwell in the rock Rimmon four months.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And there remained of all the number of Benjamin only six hundred men that were able to escape, and flee to the wilderness: and they abode in the rock Remmon four months.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And so there remained from the entire number of Benjamin six hundred men who were able to escape and to flee into the wilderness. And they settled at the rock of Rimmon, for four months.

New American Bible
Six hundred men turned and fled into the wilderness to the crag of Rimmon, where they remained for four months.

New Revised Standard Version
But six hundred turned and fled toward the wilderness to the rock of Rimmon, and remained at the rock of Rimmon for four months.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
But six hundred men turned and fled to the wilderness to the rock of Rimmon, and abode in the rock of Rimmon four months.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And they turned and fled to the wilderness to the cliff of Ramun, six hundred men, and they stayed at the cliff of Ramun four months
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
But six hundred men turned and fled toward the wilderness unto the rock of Rimmon, and abode in the rock of Rimmon four months.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And the rest turned, and fled to the wilderness to the rock of Remmon, even six hundred men; and they sojourned four months in the rock of Remmon.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Civil War Against Benjamin
46That day 25,000 Benjamite swordsmen fell, all men of valor. 47But 600 men turned and fled into the wilderness to the rock of Rimmon, where they stayed four months. 48And the men of Israel turned back against the other Benjamites and put to the sword all the cities, including the animals and everything else they found. And they burned down all the cities in their path.…

Cross References
Joshua 20:1-9
Then the LORD said to Joshua, / “Tell the Israelites to designate the cities of refuge, as I instructed you through Moses, / so that anyone who kills another unintentionally or accidentally may flee there. These will be your refuge from the avenger of blood. ...

1 Samuel 22:1-2
So David left Gath and took refuge in the cave of Adullam. When his brothers and the rest of his father’s household heard about it, they went down to him there. / And all who were distressed or indebted or discontented rallied around him, and he became their leader. About four hundred men were with him.

1 Kings 19:3-4
And Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there, / while he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness. He sat down under a broom tree and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, LORD,” he said. “Take my life, for I am no better than my fathers.”

2 Samuel 2:3-4
David also took the men who were with him, each with his household, and they settled in the towns near Hebron. / Then the men of Judah came to Hebron, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah. And they told David, “It was the men of Jabesh-gilead who buried Saul.”

1 Samuel 30:9-10
So David and his six hundred men went to the Brook of Besor, where some stayed behind / because two hundred men were too exhausted to cross the brook. But David and four hundred men continued in pursuit.

1 Samuel 23:13-14
Then David and his men, about six hundred strong, set out and departed from Keilah, moving from place to place. When Saul was told that David had escaped from Keilah, he declined to go forth. / And David stayed in the wilderness strongholds and in the hill country of the Wilderness of Ziph. Day after day Saul searched for him, but God would not deliver David into his hand.

1 Samuel 13:6
Seeing that they were in danger because their troops were hard-pressed, the men of Israel hid in caves and thickets, among the rocks, and in cellars and cisterns.

1 Samuel 14:22
When all the Israelites who had been hiding in the hill country of Ephraim heard that the Philistines were fleeing, they also joined the battle in close pursuit.

2 Kings 6:8-12
Now the king of Aram was at war against Israel. After consulting with his servants, he said, “My camp will be in such and such a place.” / Then the man of God sent word to the king of Israel: “Be careful not to pass by this place, for the Arameans are going down there.” / So the king of Israel sent word to the place the man of God had pointed out. Time and again Elisha warned the king, so that he was on his guard in such places. ...

2 Kings 25:4-5
Then the city was breached; and though the Chaldeans had surrounded the city, all the men of war fled by night by way of the gate between the two walls near the king’s garden. They headed toward the Arabah, / but the army of the Chaldeans pursued the king and overtook him in the plains of Jericho, and his whole army deserted him.

Matthew 4:1-11
Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. / After fasting forty days and forty nights, He was hungry. / The tempter came to Him and said, “If You are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” ...

Mark 1:12-13
At once the Spirit drove Jesus into the wilderness, / and He was there for forty days, being tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and the angels ministered to Him.

Luke 4:1-13
Then Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, / where for forty days He was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and when they had ended, He was hungry. / The devil said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.” ...

Hebrews 11:32-34
And what more shall I say? Time will not allow me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets, / who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, / quenched the raging fire, and escaped the edge of the sword; who gained strength from weakness, became mighty in battle, and put foreign armies to flight.

Revelation 12:6
And the woman fled into the wilderness, where God had prepared a place for her to be nourished for 1,260 days.


Treasury of Scripture

But six hundred men turned and fled to the wilderness to the rock Rimmon, and stayed in the rock Rimmon four months.

six hundred

Judges 21:13
And the whole congregation sent some to speak to the children of Benjamin that were in the rock Rimmon, and to call peaceably unto them.

Psalm 103:9,10
He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for ever…

Isaiah 1:9
Except the LORD of hosts had left unto us a very small remnant, we should have been as Sodom, and we should have been like unto Gomorrah.

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Abode Desert Dwell Hundred Months Rimmon Rock Six Turn Turned Turning Waste Wilderness
Judges 20
1. The Levite in a general assembly declared his wrong
8. The decree of the assembly
12. The Benjamites, being cited, make head against the Israelites
18. The Israelites in two battles lose forty thousand
26. They destroy by a plan all the Benjamites, except six hundred.














But six hundred men turned and fled into the wilderness to the rock of Rimmon, where they stayed four months
But six hundred men
This phrase highlights the remnant of the tribe of Benjamin after a devastating civil war with the other Israelite tribes. The number "six hundred" signifies a small fraction of the original fighting force, emphasizing the severe judgment and near annihilation they faced. In Hebrew, the word for "six hundred" (שֵׁשׁ מֵאוֹת, shesh me'ot) underscores completeness in judgment, as the number six often symbolizes imperfection or incompleteness, contrasting with the divine perfection of seven. This remnant represents God's mercy, preserving a seed for future restoration.

turned and fled
The Hebrew root for "turned" (פָּנָה, panah) implies a change of direction or repentance. In this context, it is a physical turning away from battle, but it can also symbolize a spiritual turning or repentance. "Fled" (נָס, nas) indicates a hurried escape, driven by fear and desperation. This action reflects the dire circumstances and the instinct for survival, yet it also opens the door for future redemption and reconciliation.

into the wilderness
The "wilderness" (מִדְבָּר, midbar) in biblical terms often represents a place of testing, purification, and encounter with God. It is a place of desolation but also of divine provision and revelation, as seen in the Israelites' journey during the Exodus. For the Benjaminites, the wilderness becomes a refuge and a place of reflection, away from the immediate threat of their brethren, allowing for a period of regrouping and spiritual renewal.

to the rock of Rimmon
The "rock of Rimmon" serves as a natural fortress and a place of safety. In Hebrew, "rock" (צוּר, tsur) symbolizes strength, stability, and protection, often associated with God Himself as a "rock" of refuge. "Rimmon" may refer to a location known for its rocky terrain, providing a strategic advantage for defense. This setting underscores God's provision of a safe haven amidst judgment, pointing to His enduring faithfulness even in times of severe discipline.

where they stayed four months
The duration of "four months" (אַרְבָּעָה חֳדָשִׁים, arba'ah chadashim) signifies a complete cycle of time, allowing for healing and reflection. The number four often represents universality or completeness in the earthly realm, suggesting a period sufficient for the Benjaminites to contemplate their actions and the consequences. This time of seclusion prepares them for reintegration into the community of Israel, highlighting themes of repentance, restoration, and the hope of reconciliation with God and their fellow Israelites.

(47) In the rock Rimmon.--This may be quite literally taken, for there are four large caverns in the hill.

Verse 47. - But six hundred men turned. If these 600 survivors are added to the 25,000, or 25,100, enumerated as slain (vers. '35, 44), it gives a total of 25,700. But the total number of Benjamites, as given in ver. 15, was 26,700. There remain, therefore, 1000 men unaccounted for. These may, have been killed partly in the two first days successful battles (vers. 21, 25), and partly in the different cities into which they had escaped, when the general massacre recorded in ver. 48 took place. The rock Rimmon. There are two proposed identifications of this place. One makes it the same as Rummon, "a village perched on the summit of a conical chalky hill," "rising on the south side to a height of several hundred feet from the Wady Muti-yah," and defended on the west side "by a cross valley of great depth," which lies three miles east of Bethel, and seven miles northeast of Gibeah (Tulell el-Ful), and is situated in the wilderness between the highlands of Benjamin and the Jordan. This is advocated by Robinson ('Biblical Researches,' 1:440), by Mr. Grove in the 'Dictionary of the Bible,' and by Lt. Conder ('Quart. State. for July 1880,' P. 173). The other is advocated by Mr. W. F. Birch ('Pal. Expl., Quart. State. for April 1880'). This identifies it with the Wady er-Rummon, discovered by Mr. Rawnsley, where there is a vast cave, Mugharet el Jai, about a mile and a half from Geba, capable, according to the local tradition, of holding 600 men, and used to the present day by the villagers as a place of refuge from the government persecutions According to this view, the statement that they abode in the rock Rimmon is strictly correct.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
But six
שֵׁ֥שׁ (šêš)
Number - feminine singular
Strong's 8337: Six (a cardinal number)

hundred
מֵא֖וֹת (mê·’ō·wṯ)
Number - feminine plural
Strong's 3967: A hundred

men
אִ֑ישׁ (’îš)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 376: A man as an individual, a male person

turned
וַיִּפְנ֞וּ (way·yip̄·nū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 6437: To turn, to face, appear, look

and fled
וַיָּנֻ֤סוּ (way·yā·nu·sū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 5127: To flit, vanish away

into the wilderness
הַמִּדְבָּ֙רָה֙ (ham·miḏ·bā·rāh)
Article | Noun - masculine singular | third person feminine singular
Strong's 4057: A pasture, a desert, speech

to
אֶל־ (’el-)
Preposition
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

the rock
סֶ֣לַע (se·la‘)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 5553: A craggy rock

of Rimmon,
הָֽרִמּ֔וֹן (hā·rim·mō·wn)
Article | Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 7417: A Syrian god

where they stayed
וַיֵּֽשְׁבוּ֙ (way·yê·šə·ḇū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 3427: To sit down, to dwell, to remain, to settle, to marry

four
אַרְבָּעָ֖ה (’ar·bā·‘āh)
Number - masculine singular
Strong's 702: Four

months.
חֳדָשִֽׁים׃ (ḥo·ḏā·šîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 2320: The new moon, a month


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OT History: Judges 20:47 But six hundred men turned and fled (Jd Judg. Jdg)
Judges 20:46
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