This verse flows directly from verse 19.29-30, with much of the same vocabulary reoccurring. Here the emphasis is ironically on the unity of the Israelite people gathered together, since all the people come together as one man. The sad note is that they are coming together to take decisions that will lead to civil war. The Hebrew text says literally “And all the sons/children of Israel came out, and the congregation assembled as one man from Dan and to Beersheba and the land of Gilead to Yahweh the Mizpah.” However, many versions rearrange the text. For example, New International Version says “Then all the Israelites from Dan to Beersheba and from the land of Gilead came out as one man and assembled before the LORD in Mizpah.” Revised Standard Version also changes the Hebrew order here by moving the congregation assembled as one man closer to the phrases to the LORD at Mizpah.
Then all the people of Israel came out: Then renders the Hebrew waw conjunction, linking this section to the previous one. The Levite cut up the body of his concubine and sent a body part to each of the tribes of Israel, and Then all the Israelites gathered together in response. While some versions omit this conjunction (Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version), we might say “So” or use an expression that links back. New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh’s “Thereupon” sounds too formal, but gives an idea of a possible transition. All the people of Israel (literally “all the sons [or, children] of Israel”) is a direct link to the preceding verse. This phrase is ironic, since all the people would have included the tribe of Benjamin, now considered the enemy. In this context Israel refers only to eleven tribes, since Benjamin is not present. In other books of the Old Testament Israel may refer to the northern tribes, but the book of Judges describes a time before the northern kingdom existed (see comments on verse 1.1). All the people of Israel may be rendered simply “all the Israelites” (New Revised Standard Version, New International Version). Came out renders the same Hebrew verb (yatsaʾ) used throughout the previous section (see verse 19.27, where it is translated “went out”). In this context it means the Israelites “left their homes” (Revised English Bible) to gather together. Good News Translation sees this “coming out” as a kind of mobilization by saying “answered the call,” which may say slightly more than the text.
From Dan to Beer-sheba: The town of Dan (verse 18.29) was the northern most town in Israel, while the town of Beer-sheba (Gen 21.14) was the most southern town. So this phrase refers to the entire country. Some languages may add “from north to south” or “throughout the width and breadth of the country” to help the reader understand why these two cities are mentioned. We might say “from all parts of the country, from Dan in the north, and from Beersheba in the south.”
Including the land of Gilead: Gilead was the land east of the Jordan River allocated to Reuben, Gad, and half of the tribe of Manasseh (see verse 5.17). It was the land the furthest east in Israel, so its mention here means that the people of Israel came from everywhere in the country. This phrase may be rendered “they came too from Gilead in the east.”
And the congregation assembled as one man to the LORD at Mizpah: As noted above, Revised Standard Version changes the Hebrew word order here, which does not affect the meaning. The congregation assembled renders a Hebrew expression often used to describe how the Israelites came together for worship (see, for example, verse 18.1). Here it refers ironically to a war counsel, but this tone may be difficult to convey in many languages. Translators may say “they came together.” This verb phrase may be combined with came out by saying “came and gathered together” or “came and assembled.”
As one man expresses the Israelites’ unity of purpose as they came from their homes to gather together (compare verse 6.16). This was a general mobilization of the entire population. However, again there is a note of irony, since this group is clearly divided from their brothers, the Benjaminites. Many languages will be able to retain the idiom as one man. Other possible renderings are “in one body” (New Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation) and “with one common accord” (Bible en français courant). Contemporary English Version expresses it well with “they each felt the same,” but it misses the link to similar expressions in the book. See, for example, verse 20.8 and verse 20.11, where it should be expressed in the same way as here.
To the LORD means the people met “to consult with Yahweh,” which may need to be made explicit in some languages. We might also say they assembled “before the LORD” (New Revised Standard Version, New International Version) or “in the LORD’s presence” (Good News Translation).
At Mizpah is where the Israelites met. There were several towns named Mizpah in Israel (see verse 10.17). The one referred to here was the one in Benjaminite territory. This town, located on the border between Ephraim and Benjamin, played a very important role in Israel’s history. Though locations differ, the name of this town links back to an incident in Gen 31.49 when Laban and Jacob took a solemn vow, saying, “The LORD watch between you and me,” as they erected a memorial of their agreement, which constituted a wordplay since Mizpah sounds like the Hebrew word meaning “watch [out for].” So it is with great irony that the narrator notes that the tribes of Israel came from all over Israel to another town named Mizpah, a “place of agreement,” where they agree to launch a civil war against one of their own tribes!
Translation models for this verse are:
• Then all the Israelites—from Dan in the north to Beersheba in the south, as well as from Gilead in the east—gathered as one person before Yahweh in the town of Mizpah.
• Then the Israelites gathered together at Mizpah and united as one man to consult the LORD. From Dan in the north, to Beersheba in the south, as well as from Gilead in the east, they all came to meet together.
Quoted with permission from Zogbo, Lynell and Ogden, Graham S. A Handbook on Judges. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2019. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .