Judges Chapter 21

Benjamin’s future lamented

21:1 NOW the men of Israel had sworn in Mizpeh, saying, There shall not any of us give his daughter to Benjamin to wife.
21:2 And the people came to the house of God, and abode there till even before God, and lifted up their voices, and wept sore;
21:3 And said, O LORD God of Israel, why is this happening in Israel, that there should be to day one tribe lacking in Israel ?
21:4 And it so happened the next day, that the people rose early, and built there an altar, and offered burnt offerings and peaceשָׁלוֹם‎
Transliteration šālôm Pronunciation shaw-lome’ shalom – completeness, soundness, welfare, peace, be well, prosperity For more info click here offerings.
21:5 And the sons of Israel said, Who [is there] among all the tribes of Israel that came not up with the congregation unto YAHWEH יְהֹוָה‎
Hebrew Yəhōwā, one vocalization of the Tetragrammaton יהוה‎ (YHWH), the proper name of the God of Israel in the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament. It is considered one of the seven names of God in Judaism and a form of God’s name in Christianity. Covenant making covenant keeping GOD. For more info click here ? Because they had made a great oath concerning him that came not up to YAHWEH יְהֹוָה‎
Hebrew Yəhōwā, one vocalization of the Tetragrammaton יהוה‎ (YHWH), the proper name of the God of Israel in the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament. It is considered one of the seven names of God in Judaism and a form of God’s name in Christianity. Covenant making covenant keeping GOD. For more info click here to Mizpeh, saying, He shall surely be put to death.
21:6 And the sons of Israel repented them for Benjamin their brother, and said, There is one tribe cut off from Israel this day.

Wives provided for the remnant

21:7 How shall we do for wives for them that remain, seeing we have sworn by YAHWEH יְהֹוָה‎
Hebrew Yəhōwā, one vocalization of the Tetragrammaton יהוה‎ (YHWH), the proper name of the God of Israel in the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament. It is considered one of the seven names of God in Judaism and a form of God’s name in Christianity. Covenant making covenant keeping GOD. For more info click here that we will not give them of our daughters to wives ?
21:8 And they said, What one [is there] of the tribes of Israel that came not up to Mizpeh to YAHWEH יְהֹוָה‎
Hebrew Yəhōwā, one vocalization of the Tetragrammaton יהוה‎ (YHWH), the proper name of the God of Israel in the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament. It is considered one of the seven names of God in Judaism and a form of God’s name in Christianity. Covenant making covenant keeping GOD. For more info click here ? And, see, no one came to the camp from Jabesh-gileadיָבֵשׁ גִּלְעָד‎
Yāḇēš Gilʿāḏ), sometimes shortened to Jabesh, was an ancient Israelite town in Gilead, in northwest Jordan. Jabesh means “dry” in Hebrew, a name possibly attributed to the site’s well-draining soil. Gilead means ‘heap [of stones] of testimony’. There is also an alternative theory that it means ‘rocky region’. [Smith’s Bible Dictionary, “Gil’e-ad”] to the assembly.
21:9 Because the people were counted, and, look, [there were] none of the inhabitants of Jabesh-gileadיָבֵשׁ גִּלְעָד‎
Yāḇēš Gilʿāḏ), sometimes shortened to Jabesh, was an ancient Israelite town in Gilead, in northwest Jordan. Jabesh means “dry” in Hebrew, a name possibly attributed to the site’s well-draining soil. Gilead means ‘heap [of stones] of testimony’. There is also an alternative theory that it means ‘rocky region’. [Smith’s Bible Dictionary, “Gil’e-ad”] there.
21:10 And the congregation sent twelve thousand men of the bravest there , and commanded them, saying, Go and strike the inhabitants of Jabesh-gileadיָבֵשׁ גִּלְעָד‎
Yāḇēš Gilʿāḏ), sometimes shortened to Jabesh, was an ancient Israelite town in Gilead, in northwest Jordan. Jabesh means “dry” in Hebrew, a name possibly attributed to the site’s well-draining soil. Gilead means ‘heap [of stones] of testimony’. There is also an alternative theory that it means ‘rocky region’. [Smith’s Bible Dictionary, “Gil’e-ad”] with the edge of the sword, with the women and the sons.
21:11 And this [is] the thing that ya’ll shall do, ya’ll shall utterly destroy every male, and every woman that has lain by man.
21:12 And they found among the inhabitants of Jabesh-gileadיָבֵשׁ גִּלְעָד‎
Yāḇēš Gilʿāḏ), sometimes shortened to Jabesh, was an ancient Israelite town in Gilead, in northwest Jordan. Jabesh means “dry” in Hebrew, a name possibly attributed to the site’s well-draining soil. Gilead means ‘heap [of stones] of testimony’. There is also an alternative theory that it means ‘rocky region’. [Smith’s Bible Dictionary, “Gil’e-ad”] four hundred young virgins, that had known no man by lying with any male and they brought them to the camp to Shiloh, which [is] in the land of Canaan.
21:13 And the whole congregation sent [some] to speak to the sons of Benjamin that [were] in the rock Rimmon, and to call peaceably to them.
21:14 And Benjamin came again at that time ; and they gave them wives which they had saved alive of the women of Jabesh-gileadיָבֵשׁ גִּלְעָד‎
Yāḇēš Gilʿāḏ), sometimes shortened to Jabesh, was an ancient Israelite town in Gilead, in northwest Jordan. Jabesh means “dry” in Hebrew, a name possibly attributed to the site’s well-draining soil. Gilead means ‘heap [of stones] of testimony’. There is also an alternative theory that it means ‘rocky region’. [Smith’s Bible Dictionary, “Gil’e-ad”] and yet so they sufficed them not.
21:15 And the people repented them for Benjamin, because that YAHWEH יְהֹוָה‎
Hebrew Yəhōwā, one vocalization of the Tetragrammaton יהוה‎ (YHWH), the proper name of the God of Israel in the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament. It is considered one of the seven names of God in Judaism and a form of God’s name in Christianity. Covenant making covenant keeping GOD. For more info click here had made a breach in the tribes of Israel.
21:16 Then the elders of the congregation said, How shall we do for wives for them that remain, seeing the women are destroyed out of Benjamin ?
21:17 And they said, [There must be] an inheritance for them that are escaped of Benjamin, that a tribe be not destroyed out of Israel.
21:18 However we may not give them wives of our daughters because the sons of Israel have sworn, saying, Cursed [be] he that gives a wife to Benjamin.
21:19 Then they said, Look, [there is] a feast of YAHWEH יְהֹוָה‎
Hebrew Yəhōwā, one vocalization of the Tetragrammaton יהוה‎ (YHWH), the proper name of the God of Israel in the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament. It is considered one of the seven names of God in Judaism and a form of God’s name in Christianity. Covenant making covenant keeping GOD. For more info click here in Shiloh yearly [in a place] that [is] on the north side of Bethelבֵּית אֵל
romanized: Bēṯ ‘Ēl, “House of El” or “House of God” at first called changed by Jacob/Israel click here, on the east side of the highway that goes up from Bethelבֵּית אֵל
romanized: Bēṯ ‘Ēl, “House of El” or “House of God” at first called changed by Jacob/Israel click here to Shechem, and on the south of Lebonah.
21:20 So they commanded the sons of Benjamin, saying, Go and lie in wait in the vineyards ;
21:21 And see, and, So, if the daughters of Shiloh come out to dance in dances, then ya’ll come out of the vineyards, and each man catch his wife from the daughters of Shiloh, and go to the land of Benjamin.
21:22 And it shall be, when their fathers or their brothers come to us to complain, that we will say to them, Be favorable to them for our sake because we reserved not to each man his wife in the war for ya’ll did not give to them at this time,[that] ya’ll should be guilty.
21:23 And the sons of Benjamin did so, and took [them] wives, according to their number, of them that danced, whom they caught and they went and returned to their inheritance, and repaired the cities, and lived in them.
21:24 And the sons of Israel departed there at that time,every man to his tribe and to his family, and they went out from there every man to his inheritance.
21:25 In those days [there] wasn’t a king in Israel every man did [what was] right in his own eyes.