Judges 21:8-18

8 They said, What one is there of the tribes of Yisra'el who didn't come up to the LORD to Mitzpah? Behold, there came none to the camp from Yavesh-Gil`ad to the assembly.

9 For when the people were numbered, behold, there were none of the inhabitants of Yavesh-Gil`ad there.

10 The congregation sent there twelve thousand men of the most valiant, and commanded them, saying, Go and strike the inhabitants of Yavesh-Gil`ad with the edge of the sword, with the women and the little ones.

11 This is the thing that you shall do: you shall utterly destroy every male, and every woman who has lain by man.

12 They found among the inhabitants of Yavesh-Gil`ad four hundred young virgins, who had not known man by lying with him; and they brought them to the camp to Shiloh, which is in the land of Kana`an.

13 The whole congregation sent and spoke to the children of Binyamin who were in the rock of Rimmon, and proclaimed shalom to them.

14 Binyamin returned at that time; and they gave them the women whom they had saved alive of the women of Yavesh-Gil`ad: and yet so they weren't enough for them.

15 The people repented them for Binyamin, because that the LORD had made a breach in the tribes of Yisra'el.

16 Then the Zakenim of the congregation said, How shall we do for wives for those who remain, seeing the women are destroyed out of Binyamin?

17 They said, There must be an inheritance for those who are escaped of Binyamin, that a tribe not be blotted out from Yisra'el.

18 However we may not give them wives of our daughters, for the children of Yisra'el had sworn, saying, Cursed be he who gives a wife to Binyamin.

Judges 21:8-18 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.