שופטים, פרק כ׳, פסוק י״ד

A horrific crime brings the tribes of Israel to a critical crossroads. Faced with an unthinkable act committed within their borders, the nation seeks justice, only to be met by an entire tribe willing to plunge into a bloody civil war to protect the guilty. The members of the tribe of Benjamin leave the various cities within their territory [מצודת דוד] and converge on the city of Gibeah [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Their gathering is not for negotiation or peace; their clear and stated objective is to launch an attack against their fellow Israelites. This aggressive stance exposes a deep level of arrogance and malice.

Originally, the rest of the Israelites had no intention of fighting the entire tribe of Benjamin. Their goal was simply to approach Gibeah, punish the specific individuals responsible for the atrocity, and turn to God for guidance. The Benjaminites, however, completely refused to hand over the perpetrators and made no effort to seek a peaceful resolution, choosing instead to initiate a war [אלשיך, אברבנאל].

The Israelites remained steadfast in their demand for justice because the crimes committed in Gibeah were exceptionally severe, warranting the ultimate punishment for several key reasons. First, the fact that an entire city publicly agreed to such a terrible offense required a harsh collective response, even beyond standard legal measures, to prevent the desecration of God's name. Second, the victim was recognized as a married woman, making the assault a grave act of adultery. Furthermore, she was violently kidnapped and subjected to brutal abuse that ultimately caused her death, an act equivalent to murder. Finally, the perpetrators acted with the intent to instill terror and stop travelers from passing through their land, a behavior that closely mirrors the sins of Sodom. Driven by the weight of these actions, the Israelites demanded that the guilty face judgment, while the tribe of Benjamin chose to take up arms to shield them [אברבנאל].