Judges 21:5

5 and said, Who of all the lineages of Israel went not up into the host of the Lord? For when they were in Mizpeh, they had bound themselves with a full great oath, that they that failed (to go up) thence should be (made) dead. (and they said, Who out of all the tribes of Israel did not go up to the gathering unto the Lord? For when they were in Mizpeh, they had bound themselves with a very great, or a very solemn, oath, that anyone who failed to go up there should 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 and said, Lord God of Israel, why is this evil done in thy people, that today one lineage be taken away of us? (and they said, Lord God of Israel, why is this evil done among thy people, that today one tribe was taken away from us?)
4 Soothly in the tother day they rised early, and builded an altar, and offered there burnt sacrifices and peaceable sacrifices, (And the next day they rose up early, and built an altar there, and offered burnt sacrifices, and peace offerings,)
5 and said, Who of all the lineages of Israel went not up into the host of the Lord? For when they were in Mizpeh, they had bound themselves with a full great oath, that they that failed (to go up) thence should be (made) dead. (and they said, Who out of all the tribes of Israel did not go up to the gathering unto the Lord? For when they were in Mizpeh, they had bound themselves with a very great, or a very solemn, oath, that anyone who failed to go up there should be put to death.)
6 And the sons of Israel were led by penance on their brother Benjamin, and began to say, One lineage of Israel is taken away; (And the Israelites felt great remorse, or regret, over their kinsmen the Benjaminites, and said again, Today one of Israel's tribes was taken from us;)
7 whereof shall they take wives? certainly all we have sworn in common, that we shall not give our daughters to them. (where shall they get wives? for we have all sworn in common, that we shall not give any of our daughters to them.)
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.