Judges 21:2

2 And the people came to the house of God, and remained there till evening before God, and lifted up their voices and wept sorely,

Judges 21:2 Meaning and Commentary

Judges 21:2

And the people came to the house of God
Not to the city Bethel, as the Targum, Septuagint, and other versions, but to Shiloh, where were the tabernacle and ark; and this is to be understood of the army after they had utterly destroyed the Benjaminites: hence we read of the camp in Shiloh, ( Judges 21:12 ) , here they came not so much to rejoice, and be glad, and to return thanks for the victory they had at last obtained, as to lament the unhappy case of the tribe of Benjamin, and to have counsel and advice, and consider of ways and means to repair their loss:

and abode there till even before God;
fasting and praying, instead of feasting and rejoicing:

and lifted up their voices, and wept sore;
not so much, or at least not only for the 40,000 Israelites that were slain, but for the tribe of Benjamin, in danger of being lost, as follows.

Judges 21:2 In-Context

1 Now the men of Israel had sworn in Mizpah, saying, "There shall not any of us give his daughter unto Benjamin for a wife."

2 And the people came to the house of God, and remained there till evening before God, and lifted up their voices and wept sorely,

3 and said, "O LORD God of Israel, why has this come to pass in Israel, that there should be today one tribe lacking in Israel?"

4 And it came to pass on the morrow that the people rose early and built there an altar, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings.

5 And the children of Israel said, "Who is there among all the tribes of Israel who came not up with the congregation unto the LORD?" For they had made a great oath concerning him that came not up to the LORD to Mizpah, saying, "He shall surely be put to death."