JUDGES LESSON 23


     We will begin this lesson in Judges 21:1 Now the men of Israel
had sworn in Mizpeh, saying, There shall not any of us give his
daughter unto Benjamin to wife.

     It appears that, the men of Israel had taken oaths, when they met
at Mizpeh. They were so revolted by the terrible crime these men of
Gibeah committed, that they refused to let their daughters marry a man
of Benjamin. They undoubtedly took an oath, also, that anyone who did
not come against this terrible sin, by fighting against the Benjamites
would be killed. This was to show their total disgust of this sin.

     Judges 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;"

     This is speaking of the Israelites, who were very sad about the
destruction of the tribe of Benjamin. They were one of the twelve
tribes. Their grief was for the fact that one of their own had gone
bad. It was, also, grief that the tribe of Benjamin might not survive
this.

     Judges 21:3 "And said, O LORD God of Israel, why is this come to
pass in Israel, that there should be to day one tribe lacking in
Israel?"

     The 12 tribes were all of Israel. The covenant that God made was
with all 12 tribes. There was such a destruction of the Benjamites,
that their tribe might die out altogether.  They are asking God for
the reason.

     Judges 21:4 "And it came to pass on the morrow, that the people
rose early, and built there an altar, and offered burnt offerings and
peace offerings."

     This is the same thing they had done before this last battle.
They are thankful the war is over, and this terrible sin has been
removed from their people, but they are sad for the loss of the tribe
of Benjamin.

     Judges 21:5 "And the children of Israel said, Who [is there]
among all the tribes of Israel that came not up with the congregation
unto the LORD? For they had made a great oath concerning him that came
not up to the LORD to Mizpeh, saying, He shall surely be put to
death."

     It appears that, this is an idea for furnishing wives to the 600
men of the tribe of Benjamin that are hid out. They had sworn at
Mizpeh they would die, if they did not go to this battle against this
terrible evil.

     Judges 21:6 "And the children of Israel repented them for
Benjamin their brother, and said, There is one tribe cut off from
Israel this day."

     It seems in the destruction of the cities of Benjamin, they had
killed all of the women and children, as well as the men. They would
like to find wives for the 600 men to start the tribe of Benjamin
again.

     Judges 21:7 "How shall we do for wives for them that remain,
seeing we have sworn by the LORD that we will not give them of our
daughters to wives?"

     They cannot break their oath, and give them of their daughters to
wife. Where will these men of Benjamin find Hebrew women to marry and
have children, so the tribe will not be totally annihilated?

     Judges 21:8  "And they said, What one [is there] of the tribes of
Israel that came not up to Mizpeh to the LORD? And, behold, there came
none to the camp from Jabesh-gilead to the assembly."

     There is very little known of this Jabesh-gilead. They lived on
the eastern side of Jordan. They were the only ones, that did not come
to fight against Gibeah.

     Judges 21:9 "For the people were numbered, and, behold, [there
were] none of the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead there."

     It seems, they had taken a census to see who was there and there
was no one from Jabesh-gilead there.

     Judges 21:10 "And the congregation sent thither twelve thousand
men of the valiantest, and commanded them, saying, Go and smite the
inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead with the edge of the sword, with the
women and the children."  Judges 21:11 "And this [is] the thing that
ye shall do, Ye shall utterly destroy every male, and every woman that
hath lain by man."

     This must have been a small group at Jabesh-gilead, because they
sent 12,000 of their bravest men to kill them. All the men were to be
killed, and all the women who were not virgins were to be killed. Even
the children were to be slain. This is an effort to find wives for the
600 men of Benjamin left. It was, also, to fulfill the oath they had
taken before God, to kill those who did not come to fight.

     Judges 21:12 "And they found among the inhabitants of Jabesh-
gilead four hundred young virgins, that had known no man by lying with
any male: and they brought them unto the camp to Shiloh, which [is] in
the land of Canaan."

     They had, probably, gone to Shiloh to seek help from God. This
group of 400 virgins would be a start, to finding wives for the 600
Benjamites who remained alive.

     Judges 21:13 "And the whole congregation sent [some] to speak to
the children of Benjamin that [were] in the rock Rimmon, and to call
peaceably unto them."

     Israel was trying to make peace with the remnant of 600 men of
Benjamin. They did not want to kill the Benjamites. Instead, they were
trying to find them wives, so the tribe of Benjamin could live on.

     Judges 21:14 "And Benjamin came again at that time; and they gave
them wives which they had saved alive of the women of Jabesh-gilead:
and yet so they sufficed them not."

     We see that there were not enough of these virgins for the 600
men of Benjamin. "Sufficed", in this verse, is speaking of being
enough. They were 200 women short.

     Judges 21:15 "And the people repented them for Benjamin, because
that the LORD had made a breach in the tribes of Israel."

     The people, here, are speaking of the Israelites. The LORD had
caused a division among Benjamin and the other tribes. All of the
other tribes were wanting the tribe of Benjamin to, again, be part of
the 12 tribes.

     Judges 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?"

     They are trying to think of some way for the other 200 men of
Benjamin to have wives. They do not want the tribe of Benjamin to stop
existing. They would give their daughters to the Benjamites, were it
not for the oath they took.

     Judges 21:17 "And they said, [There must be] an inheritance for
them that be escaped of Benjamin, that a tribe be not destroyed out of
Israel."

     There must be descendents for Benjamin.

     Judges 21:18 "Howbeit we may not give them wives of our
daughters: for the children of Israel have sworn, saying, Cursed [be]
he that giveth a wife to Benjamin."

     If they broke their oath they made to God at Mizpeh, they would
be cursed of God.

     Judges 21:19 "Then they said, Behold, [there is] a feast of the
LORD in Shiloh yearly [in a place] which [is] on the north side of
Beth-el, on the east side of the highway that goeth up from Beth-el to
Shechem, and on the south of Lebonah."

     There were several times a year, they had great celebrations
where all of the men, and most of the women, came to the tabernacle.
One of these was Passover. The feast of Tabernacles was a feast with
much joy and happiness. If it had been important to know what feast,
the Bible would have stated it. The directions given were so there
would be no doubt where they were to come to.

     Judges 21:20 "Therefore they commanded the children of Benjamin,
saying, Go and lie in wait in the vineyards;"  Judges 21:21 "And see,
and, behold, if the daughters of Shiloh come out to dance in dances,
then come ye out of the vineyards, and catch you every man his wife of
the daughters of Shiloh, and go to the land of Benjamin."

     The Jewish maidens danced at the feast of Tabernacles, so some of
the scholars believe this to be that feast. They would kidnap them
wives, and take them home with them to the land of Benjamin. This was
a prepared encounter. The fathers could not give their daughters to
them, without being cursed. The Benjamites could kidnap them, and the
father would not be held accountable.

     Judges 21:22 "And it shall be, when their fathers or their
brethren come unto us to complain, that we will say unto them, Be
favourable unto them for our sakes: because we reserved not to each
man his wife in the war: for ye did not give unto them at this time,
[that] ye should be guilty."

     It appears, from this, that Israel was feeling guilty that they
did not spare the wives of these 600 men. This is a plan that will
please Benjamin. It will, also, help the conscience of the other
Israelites. Best of all, it will be pleasing unto the LORD.

     Judges 21:23 "And the children of Benjamin did so, and took
[them] wives, according to their number, of them that danced, whom
they caught: and they went and returned unto their inheritance, and
repaired the cities, and dwelt in them."

     It appears that, the cities had not been totally destroyed. There
was enough left of them to repair. The 600 men, now, have wives and
have returned to their inheritance. Their cities are restored, and
now, they can raise a family, and keep the tribe of Benjamin alive.

     Judges 21:24 "And the children of Israel departed thence at that
time, every man to his tribe and to his family, and they went out from
thence every man to his inheritance."

     After the feast, the families of all the tribes went home and
lived peaceably.

     Judges 21:25 "In those days [there was] no king in Israel: every
man did [that which was] right in his own eyes."

     It is a dangerous thing for a people to do what is right in their
own sight. In the case of Israel, they have the law of God to guide
them, if they will keep it. Their welfare depended on them keeping the
commandments of God.

     In Judges, we see a people who are blessed beyond measure, but
who will not be thankful to the LORD, who is their blessing.
                         Judges 23 Questions


1.  What had the men of Israel sworn in Mizpeh?
2.  Why had they sworn such a thing?
3.  In verse 2, who is weeping?
4.  Why were the Israelites so sad?
5.  Who was God's covenant with?
6.  What did the people of Israel do in verse 4?
7.  What had they sworn to do to anyone, who did not come and fight
    against the Benjamites?
8.  Who had the Israelites killed in the cities of Benjamin?
9.  Where will these 600 men of Benjamin find wives?
10. Who had not come to fight with Israel against Benjamin?
11. How did the Israelites know they were not there?
12. Who did Israel send to destroy Jabesh-gilead?
13. Who was to be killed?
14. Why did they keep the virgins alive?
15. How many virgins did they find in Jabesh-gilead?
16. Where did Israel take the virgins?
17. Where were the 600 men of Benjamin?
18. Who went to talk to them?
19. What did they do for the Benjamites?
20. How many more women did they need, for each man to have a wife?
21. Why could the tribes of Israel not give their daughters to them to
    wife?
22. Where do they have this great feast?
23. Where were the Benjamites to hide?
24. At what festival, did the maidens dance?
25. What would the Benjamites do, that would ordinarily have been
    terribly wrong?
26. How did the Israelites make it alright?
27. Quote Judges chapter 21 verse 25.