Wives Provided for the Tribe of Benjamin

Judges 21:1-15

February 14, 2021

 

 Wives Provided for the Tribe of Benjamin

Now the men of Israel had sworn at Mizpah, “No one of us shall give his daughter in marriage to Benjamin.”   And the people came to Bethel and sat there till evening before God, and they lifted up their voices and wept bitterly.   And they said, “O Lord, the God of Israel, why has this happened in Israel, that today there should be one tribe lacking in Israel?”   And the next day the people rose early and built there an altar and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings.   And the people of Israel said, “Which of all the tribes of Israel did not come up in the assembly to the Lord?” For they had taken a great oath concerning him who did not come up to the Lord to Mizpah, saying, “He shall surely be put to death.”   And the people of Israel had compassion for Benjamin their brother and said, “One tribe is cut off from Israel this day.   What shall we do for wives for those who are left, since we have sworn by the Lord that we will not give them any of our daughters for wives?”

And they said, “What one is there of the tribes of Israel that did not come up to the Lord to Mizpah?” And behold, no one had come to the camp from Jabesh-gilead, to the assembly.   For when the people were mustered, behold, not one of the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead was there.   So, the congregation sent 12,000 of their bravest men there and commanded them, “Go and strike the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead with the edge of the sword, also the women and the little ones.   This is what you shall do: every male and every woman that has lain with a male you shall devote to destruction.”   And they found among the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead 400 young virgins who had not known a man by lying with him, and they brought them to the camp at Shiloh, which is in the land of Canaan.

 

Then the whole congregation sent word to the people of Benjamin who were at the rock of Rimmon and proclaimed peace to them    And Benjamin returned at that time. And they gave them the women whom they had saved alive of the women of Jabesh-gilead, but they were not enough for them.   And the people had compassion for Benjamin because the Lord had made a breach in the tribes of Israel.

We've all been to that family reunion where someone you were expecting to see is missing.  In the case of the twelve tribes, we see that all but one answer the call to fight with their brothers the tribe of Benjamin.  But it became clear that no one had come to the camp from Jabesh-gilead, to the assembly.   For when the people were mustered, behold, not one of the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead was there.   They sent 12,000 of their bravest men with orders to kill everyone but the virgins, and they returned with 400 virgins, that they gave to the 600 men of Benjamin who were at the rock of Rimmon.  But it became apparent they were 200 women short.  So, they came up with a plan to allow them to steal more virgins from them without breaking the oath they had taken.

Once more chapter 20 and 21 will not fit into many of our understanding, but it did restore the tribe of Benjamin, and yes evil action often has ramifications that brings harm to good people who were not involved.  All we have to do is look at World War 11 to see the millions that died from the action of a few evil men.

 

From the Back Porch,

 

Bob Rice