Judges 21:5

5 Then the Israelites asked, "Were there any out of all the tribes of Israel who didn't march up to the assembly before the LORD?" Indeed, they had made a solemn pledge that anyone who didn't march up before the LORD at Mizpah would be put to death.

Judges 21:5 Meaning and Commentary

Judges 21:5

And the children of Israel said
One to another, after they had offered their sacrifices, and while they were together in Shiloh:

who is there among all the tribes of Israel, that came not up with the
congregation unto the Lord?
when they were summoned to come to Mizpeh, to consult together about the affair of the Levite's concubine, as appears by what follows:

for they had made a great oath;
in a very awful and solemn manner, with a curse annexed to it, as that about not giving a wife to Benjamin, ( Judges 21:18 )

concerning him that came not up to the Lord to Mizpeh:
not about him who did not go out to battle against Benjamin, nor about every individual that did not come to consult about it; but every city that did not send their proper representatives or quota to assist in that affair:

he shall surely be put to death;
this was sent along with the summons, in order to quicken their attention to them.

Judges 21:5 In-Context

3 "LORD, God of Israel," they said, "why has this happened among us that as of today one tribe will be missing from Israel?"
4 And the next day, the people got up early and built an altar there. They offered entirely burned offerings and well-being sacrifices.
5 Then the Israelites asked, "Were there any out of all the tribes of Israel who didn't march up to the assembly before the LORD?" Indeed, they had made a solemn pledge that anyone who didn't march up before the LORD at Mizpah would be put to death.
6 The Israelites had a change of heart concerning their relatives the Benjaminites. They said, "Today one tribe has been cut off from Israel.
7 What can we do to provide wives for the ones who are left, since we ourselves have made a pledge before the LORD not to allow our daughters to marry them?"
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