Among all this people there were seven hundred chosen men left-handed; everyone could sling stones at a hair-breadth, and not miss.
Bethel was only about four miles north of Mizpah. The ark of the covenant was at Bethel then (Judges 20:27). This is the only mention of the ark in Judges. The people were not seeking the Lord much at this time. Contrast the more numerous references to it in Joshua where the Israelites were more victorious. They apparently had moved the ark and the tabernacle from Shiloh (cf. Joshua 21:2; Joshua 22:9; Joshua 22:12; Judges 18:31; Judges 21:12; Judges 21:19; Judges 21:21; 1 Samuel 1:3). Another possibility is that only the ark was at Bethel and the tabernacle was still at Shiloh. The Israelites viewed the ark as a good luck charm (cf. 1 Samuel 4:3-4). They had a low view of God’s holiness, which explains their disregard for Him as their commander-in-chief in this chapter.