Judges 21:4 NIV

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Judges 21:4

(4) Built there an altar.—We find David doing the same at the threshing-floor of Araunah (2 Samuel 24:25), and Solomon at Gibeon. Unless the entire tabernacle had, for the time, been removed to Bethel, there was no regular altar there. It has been suggested that in any case this altar must have been necessitated by the multitude of sacrifices required for the holocausts and the food of the people. (See Note on Judges 20:26.) Probably there is some other reason unknown to us. read more

William Nicoll

Expositor's Dictionary of Texts - Judges 21:1-25

Judges 21:3 If there were no fault in their severity, it needed no excuse: and if there were a fault, it will admit of no excuse: yet, as if they meant to shift off the sin, they expostulate with God, 'O Lord God of Israel, why is this come to pass this day!' God gave them no command of this rigour; yea he twice crost them in the execution; and now, in that which they entreated of God with tears, they challenge Him. It is a dangerous injustice to lay the burden of our sins upon Him, which... read more

William Nicoll

Expositor's Bible Commentary - Judges 21:1-25

; Judges 20:1-48; Judges 21:1-25FROM JUSTICE TO WILD REVENGEJudges 19:1-30; Judges 20:1-48; Judges 21:1-25THESE last chapters describe a general and vehement outburst of moral indignation throughout Israel, recorded for various reasons. A vile thing is done in one of the towns of Benjamin and the fact is published in all the tribes. The doers of it are defended by their clan and fearful punishment is wrought upon them, not without suffering to the entire people. Like the incidents narrated in... read more

Arno Clemens Gaebelein

Arno Gaebelein's Annotated Bible - Judges 21:1-25

CHAPTER 21 The Repentance About Benjamin 1. Sorrow of the people and Jabesh-Gilead smitten (Judges 21:1-15 ) 2. The restoration of Benjamin (Judges 21:16-25 ) A tribe of the nation was almost entirely exterminated. Then the oath they had made not to give their daughters to wife to the Benjamites left assured the complete extinction of the tribe. The dreadful work they had done dawned suddenly upon them and weeping before Jehovah they said, “Why is this come to pass in Israel that there... read more

John Calvin

Geneva Study Bible - Judges 21:4

21:4 And it came to pass on the morrow, that the people rose early, and built there an {b} altar, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings.(b) According to their custom, when they would consult the Lord. read more

James Gray

James Gray's Concise Bible Commentary - Judges 21:1-25

APPENDIX TO THE BOOK The chapters concluding the book detail certain incidents at various periods during the preceding history, when the whole nation was disordered and corrupt, and “every man did that which was right in his own eyes.” A MAN-MADE PRIEST (Judges 17:0 ) Chapter 17 tells of Micah who established his own imitation of the tabernacle. Of course it was contrary to the law and evinced ignorance and superstition, although the motive may not have been bad. ORIGIN OF THE CITY OF... read more

Joseph Parker

The People's Bible by Joseph Parker - Judges 21:1-25

One Tribe Lacking Jdg 21:3 THE spirit of this inquiry is the spirit of the whole Bible. It is, indeed, not so much an inquiry as a wail, a burst of sorrow, a very agony of kinship and disunion. The three-fold repetition of "Israel" indicates supreme distress. Israel was meant to be a unity a constitution not only complete but inviolable foursquare, without break or flaw, vital at every point a noble integrity! And now Benjamin is threatened with extinction: Benjamin is not in the house of... read more

Robert Hawker

Hawker's Poor Man's Commentary - Judges 21:2-4

It is pleasing to remark, that though at this time, the interests of Religion appeared at so low an ebb; yet, the ordinances of worship were still kept up at Shiloh. read more

George Haydock

George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary - Judges 21:4

Altar, within the tabernacle, to suffice for the number of victims as Solomon did; (3 Kings viii. 64.; Tirinus) or out of the court, by God's dispensation, as they were defiled with blood; (Numbers xxxi. 24.; Calmet) though this is not certain, as four months elapsed between the battle and the reconciliation of the remaining Israelites with their brethren: (chap. xx. 47.) so that during that interval, they might have committed the massacres in the different cities, and still have had time to be... read more

Paul E. Kretzmann

The Popular Commentary by Paul E. Kretzmann - Judges 21:1-14

The Expedition Against Jabesh-Gilead v. 1. Now the men of Israel had sworn in Mizpeh, at the time of the great assembly, Judges 20:1, when the embittered feeling against Benjamin ran high, saying, There shall not any of us give his daughter unto Benjamin, to any member of that tribe, to wife, man for man they had promised that. v. 2. And the people, after the close of the war of vengeance, came to the house of God, to Bethel, where the Ark of the Covenant remained till the end of the... read more