Judges Chapter 20 verse 16 Holy Bible
Among all this people there were seven hundred chosen men lefthanded; every one could sling stones at a hair-breadth, and not miss.
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Who were left-handed, able to send a stone at a hair without error.
read chapter 20 in BBE
Among all these were seven hundred picked men who were left-handed; every one could sling a stone at a hair, and not miss.
read chapter 20 in DARBY
Among all this people there were seven hundred chosen men lefthanded; every one could sling stones at an hair breadth, and not miss.
read chapter 20 in KJV
Among all this people there were seven hundred chosen men left-handed; every one could sling stones to a hair-breadth, and not miss.
read chapter 20 in WBT
Among all this people there were seven hundred chosen men left-handed; everyone could sling stones at a hair-breadth, and not miss.
read chapter 20 in WEB
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.
read chapter 20 in YLT
Pulpit Commentary
Pulpit CommentaryVerse 16. - Seven hundred... men left-handed. It is curious that the tribe of Benjamin, which means son of the right hand, should have this peculiar institution of a corps of left-handed men. Ehud the Benjamite was a man left-handed (Judges 3:15; see also 1 Chronicles 12:2). The Roman name Scaexola means left-handed. For the use of the sling see 1 Samuel 17:40, 49. Diodorus Siculus (quoted by Rosenmuller) mentions the remarkable skill of the inhabitants of the Balearic Islands in the use of the sling, adding, in terms very similar to those of the text, that they seldom miss their aim.
Ellicott's Commentary
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(16) Seven hundred chosen men.--These words are omitted in the LXX. and Vulg.Left handed.--The same phrase as that employed in Judges 3:15.Could sling stones at an hair breadth, and not miss.--The expression is perfectly simple, and merely implies extreme accuracy of aim. Bochart's attempt (Hieroz. Ii. 162) to explain it by a passage in Quintus Smyrn?us, which says that archers used to contend which should be able to shoot off the horsehair crest of a helmet, is a mere specimen of learning fantastically misapplied. Skill with the sling was not confined to the Benjamites, as we see from the case of David (1Samuel 17:49). The sling is the natural weapon of a people which is poor and imperfectly armed. Cyrus valued his force of 400 slingers (Xen. Anab. iii. 3-6). The inhabitants of the Balearic Isles were as skilful as the Benjamites, and children were trained to sling their breakfasts down from the top of high poles. They once prevented the Carthaginian fleet from coming to anchor by showers of stones (liv. xxviii. 37, solo eo telo utebantur). Practice made them so expert that the stones they slung came with as much force as though hurled by a catapult, and pierced shields and helmets (Diod. Sic. Bibl. v. 18). Exactly similar tales are told of the trained skill of our English archers. The advantage of slinging with the left hand was very obvious, for it enabled the slinger to strike his enemy on the right, i.e., the undefended side.
