Judges 20:1

Then we read: *“Then all the sons of Israel from Dan to Beersheba, including the land of Gilead, came out, and the congregation assembled as one man to the LORD at Mizpah.”* (v.1) This gathering occurs during the time of the Judges, which is roughly between 1370 and 1050 BC. In this period, Israel was a confederation of tribes who were frequently called to unified action when faced with moral or social crises. Here, the verse tells us that people traveled the entire span of the land, *“from Dan to Beersheba”* (v.1). Dan was located in the north, serving as a boundary region near the foothills of Mount Hermon, while Beersheba was far in the south, marking a vital frontier for the people of Israel. Mentioning *“the land of Gilead”* (v.1) points to a region east of the Jordan River, known for its forests and rugged terrain.

In the latter part of the verse, we see that everyone *“assembled as one man to the LORD at Mizpah”* (v.1). Mizpah lay in the territory of Benjamin, situated north of Jerusalem, and it appears several times in Scripture as a location where significant national gatherings took place. The phrase *“as one man”* (v.1) underscores the unity the tribes displayed during a moment of profound solemnity. Much like believers are encouraged to remain in unity today (Ephesians 4:3, NASB-95), this assembly symbolized a collective resolve to seek God’s direction for a situation that demanded decisive communal action.

They gathered with a shared commitment and a readiness to address the crisis of their day.