Judges 21:1-15

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Judges 21:1-15

We may observe in these verses, I. The ardent zeal which the Israelites had expressed against the wickedness of the men of Gibeah, as it was countenanced by the tribe of Benjamin. Occasion is here given to mention two instances of their zeal on this occasion, which we did not meet with before:?1. While the general convention of the states was gathering together, and was waiting for a full house before they would proceed, they bound themselves with the great execration, which they called the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 21:1

Now the men of Israel had sworn in Mizpeh ,.... Where they were there convened, before the war began; after they had heard the account the Levite gave of the affair, which brought them thither; and after they had sent messengers to Benjamin to deliver up the men of Gibeah, that had committed the wickedness; and after they perceived that Benjamin did not hearken to their demand, but prepared to make war with them; then, as they resolved on the destruction of Gibeah, and of all the cities that... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 21:2

And the people came to the house of God ,.... Not to the city Bethel, as the Targum, Septuagint, and other versions, but to Shiloh, where were the tabernacle and ark; and this is to be understood of the army after they had utterly destroyed the Benjaminites: hence we read of the camp in Shiloh, Judges 21:12 , here they came not so much to rejoice, and be glad, and to return thanks for the victory they had at last obtained, as to lament the unhappy case of the tribe of Benjamin, and to have... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 21:3

And said, O Lord God of Israel ,.... Jehovah, the only living and true God, the Being of beings, eternal, immutable, omnipotent and omnipresent, the God of all Israel, of the twelve tribes of Israel, their covenant God and Father; who had shown favour to them in such a peculiar and gracious manner, as he had not to other nations, and therefore hoped he would still have a kind regard unto them, and suffer them to expostulate with him in the following manner: why is this come to pass in... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 21:4

And it came to pass on the morrow, that the people rose early ,.... The day after their fasting and prayer, and a sense of their present case and circumstances being deeply impressed upon their minds, they rose early in the morning to acts of devotion, and exercises of religion, hoping that being in the way of their duty, the difficulties with which they were perplexed would be removed: and built there an altar ; if this place was Bethel, as Kimchi reasons, there Jacob had built an... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 21:5

And the children of Israel said ,.... One to another, after they had offered their sacrifices, and while they were together in Shiloh: who is there among all the tribes of Israel, that came not up with the congregation unto the Lord ? when they were summoned to come to Mizpeh, to consult together about the affair of the Levite's concubine, as appears by what follows: for they had made a great oath ; in a very awful and solemn manner, with a curse annexed to it, as that about not... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 21:6

And the children of Israel repented them for Benjamin their brother ,.... Not that they went to war with them, as if their cause was not good; but for the severity they had exercised towards them, especially in destroying their women and children, and for the fatal consequences like to follow here after, particularly the dissolution of the whole tribe: and said, there is one tribe cut off from Israel this day ; that is, there is a likelihood or great danger of it. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 21:7

How shall we do for wives for them that remain ,.... By which it seems, as well as by what is after related, that they knew of the six hundred men hid in the rock Rimmon: seeing we have sworn by the Lord ; by the Word of the Lord, as the Targum; and such an oath with them was a sacred thing, and to be kept inviolable, even to their own hurt: that we will not give them of our daughters to wives ; as in Judges 21:1 and therefore they must either marry among the Heathens, which was... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 21:8

And they said, what one is there of the tribes of Israel that came not up to Mizpeh to the Lord ?.... This is asked not only to bring them to justice, and put them to death, according to their oath, who should be found guilty, Judges 21:5 but as an expedient to find wives for the surviving Benjaminites; since these, as they came not to Mizpeh, so consequently swore not that they would not give their daughters to Benjaminites; wherefore from among them wives might be given to them, without... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 21:9

For the people were numbered ,.... To know who did come up, and who did not, and particularly to know whether the inhabitants of Jabeshgilead did or not, against whom an information was brought: and, behold, there were none of the inhabitants of Jabeshgilead there ; for as yet none that came had returned home; all came to Shiloh first, to pay their devotion to the Lord; and as none were found among the living, it did not appear they were among the slain; and very probably the muster roll... read more

Group of Brands