Judges 21:8

8 And they said, "What one is there from the tribes of Israel who did not come up to Mizpah to the Lord?" And, in fact, no one had come to the camp from Jabesh Gilead to the assembly.

Judges 21:8 Meaning and Commentary

Judges 21:8

And they said, what one is there of the tribes of Israel that
came not up to Mizpeh to the Lord?
&c.] This is asked not only to bring them to justice, and put them to death, according to their oath, who should be found guilty, ( Judges 21:5 ) but as an expedient to find wives for the surviving Benjaminites; since these, as they came not to Mizpeh, so consequently swore not that they would not give their daughters to Benjaminites; wherefore from among them wives might be given to them, without the violation of an oath:

and, behold, there came none to the camp from Jabeshgilead to the
assembly;
this was observed by some upon the question put, which caused an inquiry to be made as after related. This city was in the land of Gilead, from whence it had its name, on the other side Jordan, and is placed by Adrichomius ^F1 in the half tribe of Manasseh; and Jerom ^F2 says it was a village in his time six miles from the city Pella, upon a mountain, as you go to Gerasa.

---

FOOTNOTES:

F1 Theatrum Terrae S. p. 90.
F2 De loc. Heb. fol. 88. K. & fol. 93. L.

Judges 21:8 In-Context

6 And the children of Israel grieved for Benjamin their brother, and said, "One tribe is cut off from Israel today.

7 What shall we do for wives for those who remain, seeing we have sworn by the Lord that we will not give them our daughters as wives?"

8 And they said, "What one is there from the tribes of Israel who did not come up to Mizpah to the Lord?" And, in fact, no one had come to the camp from Jabesh Gilead to the assembly.

9 For when the people were counted, indeed, not one of the inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead was there.

10 So the congregation sent out there twelve thousand of their most valiant men, and commanded them, saying, "Go and strike the inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead with the edge of the sword, including the women and children.