Judges 21:5-7 stress the sorrow and the dilemma the Israelites felt because of the Benjamites" situation. The "great oath" ( Judges 21:5) seems to have been that any Israelites who did not participate in the nation"s battles against her enemies should suffer God"s punishment (cf. Numbers 32:20-33). Judges 21:8-9 record the Israelites" solution to their dilemma having asked themselves, "What shall we do?" ( Judges 21:7; cf. Judges 21:16). They should have confessed their mistake in making the "wife vow" and asked for God"s solution (cf. Judges 20:8-11). Jabesh-Gilead ("well-drained soil of Gilead") was about48 miles northeast of Shiloh on the east side of the Jordan River. [source][source][source]
Next, the Israelites commanded12 ,000 assailants to attack the uncooperative Israelite town ( Judges 21:10-11). This was another sinful plan born out of self-will and vengeance. [source][source][source]
"The action [1] appears cruel in the extreme to the modern reader, but the virtual sacredness of the bond linking the several tribes into the amphictyony must be appreciated, and the sin of Jabesh-gilead seen in its light." [2][source]
This oppressive action provided only400 women for the600 remaining Benjamites, an insufficient number ( Judges 21:12-14). The failure of the plan confirms that it was not God"s will, though He permitted it. [source][source][source]
This section closes with the people"s response to the continuing problem due to the failure of their plan ( Judges 21:15). The Lord had made a breach or gap in the ranks of the Israelites in the sense that He permitted it to happen. However, He would not permit the annihilation of Benjamin in view of His promises concerning the future of Israel. [source][source][source]