Judges 21:5-15

Judges 21:5-15

[5] And the children  of Israel  said,  Who is there among all the tribes  of Israel  that  came  not up with the congregation  unto the LORD?  For they had made a great  oath  concerning him that came not up  to the LORD  to Mizpeh,  saying,  He shall surely  [6] And the children  of Israel  repented  them for Benjamin  their brother,  and said,  There is one  tribe  cut off  from Israel  this day.  [7] How shall we do  for wives  for them that remain,  seeing we have sworn  by the LORD  that we will not give  them of our daughters  to wives?  [8] And they said,  What one  is there of the tribes  of Israel  that came not up  to Mizpeh  to the LORD?  And, behold, there came  none  to the camp  from Jabeshgilead  to the assembly.  [9] For the people  were numbered,  and, behold, there were none  of the inhabitants  of Jabeshgilead  [10] And the congregation  sent  thither twelve  thousand  men  of the valiantest,  and commanded  them, saying,  and smite  the inhabitants  of Jabeshgilead  with the edge  of the sword,  with the women  and the children.  [11] And this is the thing  that ye shall do,  Ye shall utterly destroy  every male,  and every woman  that hath lain  by man.  [12] And they found  among the inhabitants  of Jabeshgilead  four  hundred  young  virgins,  that had known  no man  by lying  with any male:  and they brought  them unto the camp  to Shiloh,  which is in the land  of Canaan.  [13] And the whole congregation  sent  some to speak  to the children  of Benjamin  that were in the rock  Rimmon,  and to call  peaceably  unto them. [14] And Benjamin  came again  at that time;  and they gave  them wives  which they had saved alive  of the women  of Jabeshgilead:  and yet so they sufficed  them not. [15] And the people  repented  them for Benjamin,  because that the LORD  had made  a breach  in the tribes  of Israel. 

What does Judges 21:5-15 Mean?

Contextual Meaning

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.
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.
"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]
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.
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.