Judges 21:8

8 And they said, What one of the tribes of Israel, who went not up to the Lord to Massephath? and, behold, no man came to the camp from Jabis Galaad to the assembly.

Judges 21:8 Meaning and Commentary

Judges 21:8

And they said, what one is there of the tribes of Israel that
came not up to Mizpeh to the Lord?
&c.] This is asked not only to bring them to justice, and put them to death, according to their oath, who should be found guilty, ( Judges 21:5 ) but as an expedient to find wives for the surviving Benjaminites; since these, as they came not to Mizpeh, so consequently swore not that they would not give their daughters to Benjaminites; wherefore from among them wives might be given to them, without the violation of an oath:

and, behold, there came none to the camp from Jabeshgilead to the
assembly;
this was observed by some upon the question put, which caused an inquiry to be made as after related. This city was in the land of Gilead, from whence it had its name, on the other side Jordan, and is placed by Adrichomius ^F1 in the half tribe of Manasseh; and Jerom ^F2 says it was a village in his time six miles from the city Pella, upon a mountain, as you go to Gerasa.

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FOOTNOTES:

F1 Theatrum Terrae S. p. 90.
F2 De loc. Heb. fol. 88. K. & fol. 93. L.

Judges 21:8 In-Context

6 And the children of Israel relented toward Benjamin their brother, and said, To-day one tribe is cut off from Israel.

7 What shall we do for wives for the rest that remain? whereas we have sworn by the Lord, not to give them of our daughters for wives.

8 And they said, What one of the tribes of Israel, who went not up to the Lord to Massephath? and, behold, no man came to the camp from Jabis Galaad to the assembly.

9 And the people were numbered, and there was not there a man from the inhabitants of Jabis Galaad.

10 And the congregation sent thither twelve thousand men of the strongest, and they charged them, saying, Go ye and smite the inhabitants of Jabis Galaad with the edge of the sword.