Judges 21:1-7

1 Also the sons of Israel had sworn in Mizpeh, and said, None of us shall give to the sons of Benjamin a wife of his daughters. (At Mizpeh the Israelites had sworn, and said, None of us shall give any of his daughters for a wife to the Benjaminites.)

2 And all came to the house of God in Shiloh, and they sat in the sight of him till to eventide, and they raised their voice, and began to weep with great yelling, (And now when they all came to Bethel in the presence of God, they sat before him until the evening, and they raised up their voices, and began to weep with great yelling,)

3 and said, Lord God of Israel, why is this evil done in thy people, that today one lineage be taken away of us? (and they said, Lord God of Israel, why is this evil done among thy people, that today one tribe was taken away from us?)

4 Soothly in the tother day they rised early, and builded an altar, and offered there burnt sacrifices and peaceable sacrifices, (And the next day they rose up early, and built an altar there, and offered burnt sacrifices, and peace offerings,)

5 and said, Who of all the lineages of Israel went not up into the host of the Lord? For when they were in Mizpeh, they had bound themselves with a full great oath, that they that failed (to go up) thence should be (made) dead. (and they said, Who out of all the tribes of Israel did not go up to the gathering unto the Lord? For when they were in Mizpeh, they had bound themselves with a very great, or a very solemn, oath, that anyone who failed to go up there should be put to death.)

6 And the sons of Israel were led by penance on their brother Benjamin, and began to say, One lineage of Israel is taken away; (And the Israelites felt great remorse, or regret, over their kinsmen the Benjaminites, and said again, Today one of Israel's tribes was taken from us;)

7 whereof shall they take wives? certainly all we have sworn in common, that we shall not give our daughters to them. (where shall they get wives? for we have all sworn in common, that we shall not give any of our daughters to 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.