12 And they found H4672 among the inhabitants H3427 of Jabeshgilead H3003 H1568 four H702 hundred H3967 young H5291 virgins, H1330 that had known H3045 no man H376 by lying H4904 with any male: H2145 and they brought H935 them unto the camp H4264 to Shiloh, H7887 which is in the land H776 of Canaan. H3667
And the whole congregation H5712 of the children H1121 of Israel H3478 assembled together H6950 at Shiloh, H7887 and set up H7931 the tabernacle H168 of the congregation H4150 there. And the land H776 was subdued H3533 before H6440 them.
And the children H1121 of Israel H3478 arose, H6965 and went up H5927 to the house H1004 of God, H430 H1008 and asked H7592 counsel of God, H430 and said, H559 Which H4310 of us shall go up H5927 first H8462 to the battle H4421 against the children H1121 of Benjamin? H1144 And the LORD H3068 said, H559 Judah H3063 shall go up first. H8462
(And the children H1121 of Israel H3478 went up H5927 and wept H1058 before H6440 the LORD H3068 until even, H6153 and asked H7592 counsel of the LORD, H3068 saying, H559 Shall I go up H5066 again H3254 to battle H4421 against the children H1121 of Benjamin H1144 my brother? H251 And the LORD H3068 said, H559 Go up H5927 against him.)
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Judges 21
Commentary on Judges 21 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 21
The ruins of the tribe of Benjamin we read of in the foregoing chapter; now here we have,
Jdg 21:1-15
We may observe in these verses,
Jdg 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 parents' consent, ex post facto-afterwards. The less consideration is used before the making of a vow, the more, commonly, there is need of afterwards for the keeping of it.
Lastly, In the close of all we have,