16. the elders of the congregation said, How shall we do for wives for them that remain—Though the young women of Jabesh-gilead had been carefully spared, the supply was found inadequate, and some other expedient must be resorted to. read more
17. There must be an inheritance for them that be escaped of Benjamin—As they were the only rightful owners of the territory, provision must be made for transmitting it to their legitimate heirs, and a new act of violence was meditated (Judges 21:19); the opportunity for which was afforded by the approaching festival—a feast generally supposed to be the feast of tabernacles. This, like the other annual feasts, was held in Shiloh, and its celebration was attended with more social hilarity and... read more
19. on the east side of the highway that goeth up from Beth-el to Shechem—The exact site of the place was described evidently for the direction of the Benjamites. read more
21, 22. daughters of Shiloh come out to dance in dances—The dance was anciently a part of the religious observance. It was done on festive occasions, as it is still in the East, not in town, but in the open air, in some adjoining field, the women being by themselves. The young women being alone indulging their light and buoyant spirits, and apprehensive of no danger, facilitated the execution of the scheme of seizing them, which closely resembles the Sabine rape in Roman history. The elders... read more
3. The preservation of Benjamin ch. 21In chapter 20 Israel tried desperately to destroy the tribe of Benjamin. In Genesis 42:36 Jacob feared that Joseph’s brothers would do something that would result in Benjamin’s death. What he feared then almost happened now. In chapter 21 Israel tried just as hard to deliver this tribe from the extinction that her own excessive vengeance threatened to accomplish. The anarchy of God’s people complicated the problems that her apostasy had initiated. The moral... read more
Israel’s second sufficient solution: a technical loophole 21:16-24The writer constructed this section parallel to the previous one (Judges 21:5-15) to highlight the dilemma Israel continued to face. [Note: Davis, Such a . . ., p. 224.] About 200 Benjamites still needed wives. Judges 21:16-18 repeat the dilemma that the Israelites’ "wife oath" had created (Judges 21:1).The elders of Israel proposed a second plan (Judges 21:19; cf. Judges 21:8-9). It would give the Benjamites wives without... read more
Wives are given to the Benjamite Survivors1-6. The lamentation for Benjamin.1. Had sworn] see on Judges 17:2. All the women and children in Benjamin have been massacred: cp. Judges 21:16. 2. House of God] RV ’Bethel,’ as in Judges 20:26, Judges 20:31. 4. Burnt offerings and peace offerings] see on Judges 20:26. 5. Lit. ’the great curse had been pronounced upon,’ etc. 6. Repented them] see on Judges 2:18.7-25. The Benjamites provided with wives.8. Jabesh-gilead] i.e. Jabesh in Gilead; cp. 1... read more
(16) How shall we do . . .?—They want to keep their vow in the letter, while they break it in the spirit. The sense of the binding nature of the “ban” was intensely strong (Exodus 20:7; Ezekiel 17:18-19), but, as is so often the case among rude and ignorant people, they fancied that it was sufficient to keep it literally, while in effect they violated it. Similarly in Herodotus (iv. 154), Themison having sworn to throw Phronima into the sea—the intention having been that she should be... read more
(17) There must be an inheritance.—Rather, possession of the remnant shall be for Benjamin—i.e., We will leave untouched their land and possessions. “We give you leave to take the whole land of Benjamin to yourselves” (Jos. Antt. v. 3, § 12).That a tribe be not destroyed.—Benjamin never quite recovered this crushing blow. Even though it furnished the second judge (Ehud) and the first king (Saul) to Israel, and was advantageously situated, and was often honoured by the residence of Samuel, it... read more
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Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Judges 21:19
Judges 21:19. Behold, there is a feast of the Lord in Shiloh yearly— The three great festivals were always to be held in the place where God fixed his habitation, which was now at Shiloh. Some have supposed, that this festival was that of the passover; but, from the festivity attending it, it is much more reasonable to suppose, that it was that of tabernacles. "Kane-laban," says Mr. Maundrell, "stands on the east side of a delicious vale, having a village of the same name standing opposite to... read more