Judges 20:3
(Now the children of Benjamin heard that the children of Israel were gone up to Mizpeh.) Then said the children of Israel, Tell us, how was this wickedness? (Now the children of Benjamin heard that the children of Israel were gone up to Mizpeh.) Then said the children of Israel, Tell us, how was this wickedness?
The gathering at Mizpeh belongs to an event that took place early in the history of the judges, although it is recorded in chapters 17-21, after the book's main story ends with chapter 16. It falls within the closing record of Israel's backsliding, which shows the low state into which Israel had fallen before the call of Samuel the prophet, with the disgrace and punishment that followed. At Mizpeh Israel inquired about the wickedness done at Gibeah of Benjamin, which was the disgraceful murder of the Levite's concubine, in a crime with which the tribe of Benjamin identified itself.
Gibeah of Benjamin lies just past Mizpeh toward Jerusalem, on the right of the road, within an hour's walk of Jerusalem. The wickedness there nearly resulted in the extermination of the tribe of Benjamin, leaving it least and nearly extinct. The account shows that tribal loyalty could be put above justice, but sin is never excused.
Divine wisdom chose Israel's king from the tribe of Benjamin to remove all grounds of jealousy among the other tribes. Its account of wickedness stands in mighty contrast to the miracles and teaching of Jesus recorded in Luke, yet both together speak of the goodness and mercy of God.