Shofetim 21:12

12 And they found among the inhabitants of Yavesh-Gilead four hundred na’arah betulah, that had known no man by lying with any zakhar; and they brought them unto the machaneh at Shiloh, which is in Eretz Kena’an.

Shofetim 21:12 Meaning and Commentary

Judges 21:12

And they found among the inhabitants of Jabeshgilead four
hundred young virgins
Or damsel virgins F5; damsels that were virgins: that had known no man by lying with any male: which was judged of by their age, and by their unmarried state, and by common report, unless it can be thought they were examined by matrons; but how it was that they were not obliged, or did not think themselves obliged by their oath to put these to death, as well as others, is not easy to say; whether they thought the necessity of the case would excuse it, or they had a dispensation from the Lord for it, on consulting him; however, so it was:

and they brought them unto the camp to Shiloh, which is in the land of
Canaan;
this is observed because that Jabeshgilead was not in the land of Canaan, from whence they were brought, but in the land of Og king of Bashan; only what was on this side Jordan was the land of Canaan, and in that Shiloh was, to which they were brought; and this shows that not the city Bethel, but Shiloh, was the place whither the people or army of Israel came to offer sacrifice after the war was ended.


FOOTNOTES:

F5 (hlwtb hren) "puellam viginem", Montanus; "puellas virgines", Pagninus, Tigurine version, Drusius, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator.

Shofetim 21:12 In-Context

10 And HaEdah sent thither 12,000 ish of the Bnei HeChayil, and commanded them, saying, Go and strike the inhabitants of Yavesh-Gilead with the edge of the cherev, with the women and the children.
11 And this is the thing that ye shall do, Ye shall utterly destroy every zakhar, and every isha that hath da’as of lying with man.
12 And they found among the inhabitants of Yavesh-Gilead four hundred na’arah betulah, that had known no man by lying with any zakhar; and they brought them unto the machaneh at Shiloh, which is in Eretz Kena’an.
13 And the kol HaEdah sent some to speak to the Bnei Binyamin that were at the Rock of Rimmon, and to proclaim shalom unto them.
14 And Binyamin came again at that time; and they gave them nashim which they had saved alive of the women of Yavesh-Gilead; but they sufficed not for them.
The Orthodox Jewish Bible fourth edition, OJB. Copyright 2002,2003,2008,2010, 2011 by Artists for Israel International. All rights reserved.