Judges 21:2

2 And the people came to Baethel, and sat there until evening before God: and they lifted up their voice and wept with a great weeping;

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 children of Israel swore in Massephath, saying, No man of us shall give his daughter to Benjamin for a wife.

2 And the people came to Baethel, and sat there until evening before God: and they lifted up their voice and wept with a great weeping;

3 and said, Wherefore, O Lord God of Israel, has this come to pass, that to-day one tribe should be counted from Israel?

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

5 And the children of Israel said, Who of all the tribes of Israel, went not up in the congregation to the Lord? for there was a great oath concerning those who went not up to the Lord to Massephath, saying, He shall surely be put to death.