Judges 20:16

Verse

Among all these soldiers there were 700 select left-handers, each of whom could sling a stone at a hair without missing.

American Standard Version (1901)

Among all this people there were seven hundred chosen men lefthanded; every one could sling stones at a hair-breadth, and not miss.

Bible in Basic English

Who were left-handed, able to send a stone at a hair without error.

Free Bible Version

Making up part of this army were seven hundred experienced soldiers who used their left hands. All of them could fire a slingshot and not miss by even a hair's breadth.

Geneva Bible 1599

Of all this people were seuen hundreth chosen men, being left handed: all these could sling stones at an heare breadth, and not faile.

King James (Authorized) Version

Among all this people there were seven hundred chosen men lefthanded; every one could sling stones at an hair breadth, and not miss.

Translation for Translators

From all those soldiers there were 700 men who were left-handed, and each of them could sling a stone at a target that was very small and as narrow as a hair, and the stone always hit the target!

Unlocked Literal Bible

Among all these soldiers were seven hundred chosen men who were left-handed. Each of them could sling a stone at a hair and not miss.

Noah Webster Bible

Among all this people there were seven hundred chosen men left-handed; every one could sling stones to a hair -breadth , and not miss.

World English Bible

Among all these soldiers there were seven hundred chosen men who were left-handed. Every one of them could sling a stone at a hair and not miss.

Young's Literal Translation

among all this people [are] seven hundred chosen men, bound of their right hand, each of these slinging with a stone at the hair, and he doth not err.

Context

The Decree of the Assembly

¹⁵On that day the Benjamites mobilized 26,000 swordsmen from their cities, in addition to the 700 select men of Gibeah.¹⁶Among all these soldiers there were 700 select left-handers, each of whom could sling a stone at a hair without missing.

Sermons

What Happened?

K.P. Yohannan

Summary

In this verse, we see the description of 700 chosen men from the tribe of Benjamin who were left-handed and could sling a stone at a hair and not miss. This unique skill set highlights the specific abilities and strengths that God had given to these warriors. It showcases how God equips individuals in various ways for His purposes, emphasizing that He can use unconventional methods and people to achieve His plans. The precision and accuracy of these men in battle demonstrate God's sovereignty and the importance of utilizing our gifts and talents for His glory.

Commentary

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
John Gill

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

left-handed; every one could sling stones at an hair-breadth, and not miss--The sling was one of the earliest weapons used in war. The Hebrew sling was probably similar to that of the Egyptian, consisting of a leather thong, broad in the middle, with a loop at one end, by which it was firmly held with the hand; the other end terminated in a lash, which was let slip when the stone was thrown. Those skilled in the use of it, as the Benjamites were, could hit the mark with unerring certainty. A good sling could carry its full force to the distance of two hundred yards.

John Gill Bible Commentary

Among all this people there were seven hundred chosen men lefthanded,.... According to Ben Gersom, these were the seven hundred men of Gibeah; but this does not appear from the text, but, on the contrary, that these were among all the people; or there were so many to be selected out of them all, who were lefthanded men; nor is it likely that all the inhabitants of one place should be such. Benjamin signifies a son of the right hand, yet this tribe had a great number of lefthanded men in it, see Jdg 3:15. Josephus (h) wrongly reduces the number to five hundred: everyone could sling stones at an hair's breadth, and not miss: the mark they slung the stone at, so very expert were they at it; and perhaps their having such a number of skilful men in this art made them more confident of success, and emboldened them in this daring undertaking, to point to which this circumstance seems to be mentioned. There were a people that inhabited the islands, now called Majorca and Minorca, anciently Baleares, from their skilfulness in slinging stones, to which they brought up from their childhood, as it is related various writers, Strabo (i), Diodorus Siculus (k), Floras (l) and others (m); that their mothers used to set their breakfast on a beam or post, or some such thing, at a distance, which they were not to have, unless they could strike it off; and the first of these writers says, that they exercised this art from the time that the Phoenicians held these islands; and, according to Pliny (n), the Phoenicians, the old inhabitants of Canaan, were the first inventors of slings, and from these the Benjaminites might learn it. The Indians are said (o) to be very expert in slinging stones to an hair's breadth. (h) Antiqu. l. 5. c. 2. sect. 10. (i) Geograph l. 3. p. 116. (k) Bibliothec. l. 5. p. 298. (l) Roman Cost. l. 3. c. 8. (m) Vid. Barthii Ammadv. ad Claudian. in 3 Consul. Honor. ver. 50. (n) Nat. Hist. l. 7. c. 56. (o) Philoetrat. Vit. Apollon. l. 2. c. 12.