V.1-11 All Israel sends men to gather together to decide what they will do. Notice that it is not because idolatry had come in, but because the social rights were touched. It is like people today being very upset about conditions in our country, but not about people turning away from God.
V.12-18 But God has His way of waking up people, and bringing them back to Him. The people of Israel, through this awful event, are brought to a point where they are concerned that God’s Name has been injured. At first their main concern was for the Levite and his concubine. God was in none of their thoughts. They made their plans to punish the men of Gibeah, but they use human plans. Then they ask God for advice! But God has a way to teach them all, that He must be asked first!
V.19-22 Even though the eleven tribes were morally correct in their position, they were wrong to act in such a hurry. Their own state was bad. Sometimes careless believers act very violently when they think a wrong has been done, but usually it is their own reputation, not the Lord’s glory that concerns them. Like when one in our family gets into trouble.
V.23-48 For the first time they call Benjamin “their brother.” But they are not yet properly humbled before God. Only after this has happened are they in a proper state to be used to punish Benjamin. But Israel lost 40,000 men!
V.28 This is the verse which lets us know that all this took place before the rest of the book of Judges. Phinehas was alive in the days of Moses, before they had come across the Jordan (Num. 25:77And when Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, saw it, he rose up from among the congregation, and took a javelin in his hand; (Numbers 25:7)).