Judges 21:1-7

1 The men of Isra'el had sworn in Mitzpah that none of them would let his daughter marry a man from Binyamin.

2 The people came to Beit-El and stayed there before God till evening crying out and weeping.

3 They said: "ADONAI, why has this come about in Isra'el? Why should there be today in Isra'el one tribe missing?"

4 The next day the people got up early, built an altar and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings.

5 The people of Isra'el asked, "Who among the tribes of Isra'el did not come up to assemble before ADONAI? For they had made a great oath to put to death whoever didn't come up to ADONAI at Mitzpah.

6 The people of Isra'el became sorry for Binyamin their brother and said, "Today one tribe has been cut off from Isra'el.

7 How are we going to obtain wives for those who remain alive, since we've sworn by ADONAI that we won't let our daughters marry them?"

Judges 21:1-7 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO JUDGES 21

This chapter relates how that when the Israelites calmed down, and seriously to reflect on what had passed, they were sore grieved, and much lamented the case of Benjamin, and were particularly concerned what they should do for wives for those few men that remained, that the tribe might be built up again, Jud 21:1-7 and for these they provided wives, partly out of Jabeshgilead, the inhabitants of which came not up to the convention at Mizpeh, and therefore they smote them, men, women, and children, only reserved four hundred virgins, whom they gave to the men of Benjamin, Jud 21:8-15, and partly from among the daughters of Shiloh, taken at a yearly feast there, the taking of whom was connived at, the other number not being sufficient, Jud 21:16-25.