Judges 21

Judges 21:1

Now the men of Israel had sworn an oath at Mizpah, saying, “Not one of us will give his daughter in marriage to a Benjamite.”

Judges 21:1 · BSB

Judges 21:2

So the people came to Bethel and sat there before God until evening, lifting up their voices and weeping bitterly.

Judges 21:2 · BSB

Judges 21:3

“Why, O LORD God of Israel,” they cried out, “has this happened in Israel? Today in Israel one tribe is missing!”

Judges 21:3 · BSB

Judges 21:4

The next day the people got up early, built an altar there, and presented burnt offerings and peace offerings.

Judges 21:4 · BSB

Judges 21:5

The Israelites asked, “Who among all the tribes of Israel did not come to the assembly before the LORD?” For they had taken a solemn oath that anyone who failed to come up before the LORD at Mizpah would surely be put to death.

Judges 21:5 · BSB

Judges 21:6

And the Israelites grieved for their brothers, the Benjamites, and said, “Today a tribe is cut off from Israel.

Judges 21:6 · BSB

Judges 21:7

What should we do about wives for the survivors, since we have sworn by the LORD not to give them our daughters in marriage?”

Judges 21:7 · BSB

Judges 21:8

So they asked, “Which one of the tribes of Israel failed to come up before the LORD at Mizpah?” And, in fact, no one from Jabesh-gilead had come to the camp for the assembly.

Judges 21:8 · BSB

Judges 21:9

For when the people were counted, none of the residents of Jabesh-gilead were there.

Judges 21:9 · BSB

Judges 21:10

So the congregation sent 12,000 of their most valiant men and commanded them: “Go and put to the sword those living in Jabesh-gilead, including women and children.

Judges 21:10 · BSB

Judges 21:11

This is what you are to do: Devote to destruction every male, as well as every female who has had relations with a man.”

Judges 21:11 · BSB

hath lain by man Heb. knoweth the lying with man

Judges 21:12

So they found among the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead four hundred young women who had not had relations with a man, and they brought them to the camp at Shiloh in the land of Canaan.

Judges 21:12 · BSB

virgins Heb. women

Judges 21:13

Then the whole congregation sent a message of peace to the Benjamites who were at the rock of Rimmon.

Judges 21:13 · BSB

to speak Heb. and spake and called

Judges 21:14

And at that time the Benjamites returned and were given the women who were spared from Jabesh-gilead. But there were not enough women for all of them.

Judges 21:14 · BSB

Judges 21:15

The people grieved for Benjamin, because the LORD had made a void in the tribes of Israel.

Judges 21:15 · BSB

Judges 21:17

They added, “There must be heirs for the survivors of Benjamin, so that a tribe of Israel will not be wiped out.

Judges 21:17 · BSB

Judges 21:18

But we cannot give them our daughters as wives.” For the Israelites had sworn, “Cursed is he who gives a wife to a Benjamite.”

Judges 21:18 · BSB

Judges 21:19

“But look,” they said, “there is a yearly feast to the LORD in Shiloh, which is north of Bethel east of the road that goes up from Bethel to Shechem, and south of Lebonah.”

Judges 21:19 · BSB

yearly Heb. from year to year

on the east side or , toward the sun rising

of the highway or , on

Lebonah Maundrell supposes , that either Khan Leban , which is situated on the eastern side of a "delicious vale ," four leagues south from Shechem , and two leagues north from Bethel , or the village of Leban , which is on the opposite side , occupies the site of the ancient Lebonah. It is eight hours , or about 24 miles , from Jerusalem , according to Dr. Richardson.

Judges 21:21

and watch. When you see the daughters of Shiloh come out to perform their dances, each of you is to come out of the vineyards, catch for himself a wife from the daughters of Shiloh, and go to the land of Benjamin.

Judges 21:21 · BSB

Judges 21:22

When their fathers or brothers come to us to complain, we will tell them, ‘Do us a favor by helping them, since we did not get wives for each of them in the war. Since you did not actually give them your daughters, you have no guilt.’”

Judges 21:22 · BSB

Judges 21:23

The Benjamites did as instructed and carried away the number of women they needed from the dancers they caught. They went back to their own inheritance, rebuilt their cities, and settled in them.

Judges 21:23 · BSB

and they went It appears that the Benjamites acted in the most honourable way to the women they had thus violently carried off , and we may rest assured , that they took them to an inheritance more than equal to their own. But this transaction , as well as the indiscriminate massacre of the people of Jabesh-gilead , as Dr. Gray observes , was certainly stamped with injustice and cruelty; and must be condemned on those principles which the Scriptures elsewhere furnish.

Judges 21:24

And at that time, each of the Israelites returned from there to his own tribe and clan, each to his own inheritance.

Judges 21:24 · BSB

Judges 21:25

In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.

Judges 21:25 · BSB