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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Judges 21:16-25

We have here the method that was taken to provide the 200 Benjamites that remained with wives. And, though the tribe was reduced to a small number, they were only in care to provide each man with one wife, not with more under pretence of multiplying them the faster. They may not bestow their daughters upon them, but to save their oath, and yet marry some of their daughters to them, they put them into a way of taking them by surprise, and marrying them, which should be ratified by their... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 21:16

Then the elders of the congregation said .... This being the case, that there were not wives enough for them, they were obliged to consult again, and consider of another expedient to provide for them; and this motion came from the elders of the people, not only in years, but in office: how shall we do for wives for them that remain : the other two hundred, who had none: seeing the women are destroyed out of Benjamin ? and so no wives to be had there; and as for the Israelites which... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 21:17

And they said, there must be an inheritance for them that be escaped Benjamin ,.... The escaped are the six hundred men in the rock Rimmon; four hundred of them were supplied with wives, the other two wanted; and as there was an inheritance divided by lot to the tribe of Benjamin, to that tribe and to that only it belonged, and they must have it and no other; it now of right devolved on these six hundred men, and them only, and therefore provision must be made to increase their number, that... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 21:18

Howbeit, we may not give them wives of our daughters ,.... Though their case was so very necessitous and desperate: for the children of Israel have sworn, saying, cursed be he that giveth a wife to Benjamin , Judges 21:1 and therefore without the violation of their oath could not give any of their daughters in marriage to them: wherefore some other way must be devised to help them. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 21:19

Then they said ,.... Some of the elders that sat in council debating this matter, and considering of ways and means to assist their brethren the Benjaminites, and preserve their tribe from being lost: behold, there is a feast of the Lord in Shiloh yearly ; where the tabernacle then was, and before which the males of Israel were obliged to appear three times of the year; and this was one of them, as is clear by its being called a feast of the Lord; and therefore cannot design any civil... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 21:20

Therefore they commanded the children of Benjamin ,.... The two hundred men of the tribe that wanted wives; they ordered them as follows, and which they spake with authority, being the elders of the congregation, Judges 21:16 . saying, go and lie in wait in the vineyards ; which might belong to Shiloh, or it may be to Lebonah, which perhaps is the same with Bethlaban, famous for its wine with the Misnic writers; who say F7 Misn. Menachot, c. 8. sect. 6. the second places for wine... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 21:21

And see, and, behold, if the daughters of Shiloh come out to dance in dances ,.... As they used to do at this festival, not along with men, but by themselves; and so might the more easily be taken and carried off; and though only males were obliged to appear from all parts at this feast, yet females might come if they would; and, no doubt, from neighbouring places, at least many did; however, the daughters of Shiloh, who dwelt where the tabernacle was, these always attended the feast with... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Judges 21:19

There is a feast of the Lord - What this feast was is not known: it might be either the passover, pentecost, or the feast of tabernacles, or indeed some other peculiar to this place. All the above feasts were celebrated at that time of the year when the vines were in full leaf; therefore the Benjamites might easily conceal themselves in the vineyards; and the circumstances will answer to any of those feasts. On the east side of the highway , etc. - I can see no... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Judges 21:21

And catch you every man his wife - That is, Let each man of the two hundred Benjamites seize and carry off a woman, whom he is, from that hour, to consider as his wife. read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Judges 21:18

For the children of Israel have sworn - See Judges 21:1. Compare Saul’s rash oath 1 Samuel 14:24, and his breach of the oath made to the Gideonites 2 Samuel 21:2. For the guilt of a broken oath, see Ezekiel 17:15-20; Exodus 20:7. read more

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