There they stood, the battel in Gibeah against the children of iniquity did not overtake them

There they stood, the battel in Gibeah against the children of iniquity did not overtake them.

There they stood] Either this must be meant of the men of Gibeah, that they stood, and the battel did not overtake the children of iniquity.

Or else according to others, it is to be interpreted of the men of Israel, there the men of Israel stood, and their battel did not overtake the children of iniquity.

If it be meant of the men of Gibeah, there they stood, then it notes their stoutness, they would stand it out, There they stood. Though they had committed such a horrible wickedness, and there was a desire but to have those that were delinquents to be brought forth for punishment, yet they combine together and would stand it out, they stood stoutly to maintain the wickedness that was committed, especially after their first success, they fought, and in both the days they slew forty thousand; now having the first day, this did hearten them, yes, they had the day the second time, and that made them stout in their way. Success will make men stand it out in their wickedness. God many times gives success on purpose to harden the hearts of men that they may stand it out to their ruin, for so it proved to the Benjamites.

Be not troubled at the success of adversaries, God gives them success to harden their hearts, to stand it out that they may be ruined at last.

Or, if you take it for the men of Israel, There they stood.

I find abundance of strange apprehensions of interpreters and variety about this, and it would cost one a great deal of time, the opening of this verse, to compose but the several interpretations that men have upon this text, but I'll only give you what I think may be the scope of the Holy Ghost, or at least what may be fairly hinted from the words.