Israel's Initial Defeats by Benjamin

In Judges 20, when Israel hears of the murder of a Levite's concubine by the evil men of Gibeah in Benjamin, who raped and abused her for an entire night, they swiftly take it upon themselves to "purge the evil from Israel." According to the commentaries, it is a hint of moral superiority--the condemnation of Benjamin without submitting to God for their own moral failings--which leads Israel to suffer two large losses even after God had given them the go-ahead. It is only after they show their hearts are once again in the right place through their burnt and fellowship offerings (verse 26-28) that God promises them success. The Kretzmann commentary says, "Chastisements, such as the Lord laid upon Israel in this instance, are always beneficial to his children, for they make them realize their absolute dependence upon God and remind them of their many lapses in faithfulness and obedience toward Jehovah."