Judges 21:1-9

1 The men of Israel had taken this oath in Mizpah: "None of us will ever let our daughters marry anyone from Benjamin."

2 The people went to Bethel and sat there in the presence of God until evening. They cried very loudly,

3 "LORD God of Israel, why has this happened among us? Why should one tribe be missing today in Israel?"

4 The next day the people got up early. They built an altar there and sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings.

5 The people asked, "Is there any family from Israel that did not take part in the assembly in the presence of the LORD?" They had taken a solemn oath that whoever had not come into the presence of the LORD at Mizpah must be put to death.

6 The people of Israel felt sorry for their close relatives, the men of Benjamin. They said, "Today one tribe has been excluded from Israel.

7 What will we do to provide wives for the men who are left? We swore to the LORD that we would not let any of our daughters marry them."

8 Then they asked, "Is there any family from Israel that did not come into the presence of the LORD at Mizpah?" No one from Jabesh Gilead had come to the assembly in the camp.

9 So they questioned the people, and there was no one there from Jabesh Gilead.

Judges 21:1-9 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.