Judges 21:1-6

1 iuraverunt quoque filii Israhel in Maspha et dixerunt nullus nostrum dabit filiis Beniamin de filiabus suis uxorem

2 veneruntque omnes ad domum Dei in Silo et in conspectu eius sedentes usque ad vesperam levaverunt vocem et magno ululatu coeperunt flere dicentes

3 quare Domine Deus Israhel factum est hoc malum in populo tuo ut hodie una tribus auferretur ex nobis

4 altera autem die diluculo consurgentes extruxerunt altare obtuleruntque ibi holocausta et pacificas victimas et dixerunt

5 quis non ascendit in exercitu Domini de universis tribubus Israhel grandi enim se iuramento constrinxerant cum essent in Maspha interfici eos qui defuissent

6 ductique paenitentia filii Israhel super fratre suo Beniamin coeperunt dicere ablata est una tribus de Israhel

Judges 21:1-6 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.