Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 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.
4. built there an altar ] But an altar must have existed in the sanctuary at Beth-el when the sacrifices were offered before, Jdg 20:26. Either these words, or the whole verse, must be a gloss, due perhaps to a recollection of 2Sa 24:25 and ch. Jdg 20:26.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
It is not certain whether the brass altar was at Bethel at this time, or whether it may not have been elsewhere, e. g., at Shiloh with the tabernacle. Some, however, think that the altar here mentioned was additional to the brass altar, in consequence of the unusual number of sacrifices caused by the presence of the whole congregation (compare 1Ki 8:64 note).
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 4. Built there an altar] This affords some evidence that this was not a regular place of worship, else an altar would have been found in the place; and their act was not according to the law, as may be seen in several places of the Pentateuch. But there was neither king nor law among them, and they did whatever appeared right in their own eyes.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Built there an altar; not for a monument of the victory, as some say, but for sacrifices, as the next words show.
Quest. What need was there of this, when the ordinary altar was there, to which also they seem to be restrained, Deu 16:2?
Answ. They are not there restrained to one altar, but to one place of worship, as is expressed; and therefore there might be in that place more altars than one, when the multitude of sacrifices so required, which was the case 1Ki 8:61; and probably at this time, when all the tribes being met, they had many sacrifices to offer, some in common for all, and some peculiar to every tribe. Nay, other altars might be, and ofttimes were, erected in other places, by David, direction or dispensation; as Jdg 6:21,26; 1Sa 7:9,17; 11:15; 16:2,5.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
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 altar; but that in such a course of years might have been demolished: and if it was Shiloh, there was the tabernacle, and so the altar of the Lord there; wherefore this either signifies the repairing of that, being in ruins, which is not likely, since it was but lately used, Jud 20:26 or the building of a new one, which to do in the tabernacle was not unlawful, especially when the number of sacrifices required it, which it is highly probable was the case now, as it was at the dedication of the temple, 1Ki 8:64 though the above mentioned writer thinks, that building an altar signifies, as in many places, only seeking the Lord; but the use for which it was built is expressed:
and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings; both to atone for the sins they had been guilty of in the prosecution of the war, and to return thanks for victory given, and to implore fresh favours to be bestowed upon them.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(4) Built there an altar.We find David doing the same at the threshing-floor of Araunah (2Sa. 24:25), and Solomon at Gibeon. Unless the entire tabernacle had, for the time, been removed to Bethel, there was no regular altar there. It has been suggested that in any case this altar must have been necessitated by the multitude of sacrifices required for the holocausts and the food of the people. (See Note on Jdg. 20:26.) Probably there is some other reason unknown to us.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
4. Built there an altar The altar on which they had sacrificed a few days before (Jdg 20:26) was perhaps not large enough for the purposes of the present occasion, or there may have been thought something meritorious in the building of a new altar there.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘ And so it was that on the next day the people rose early and built there an altar, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings.’
The ‘building’ of an altar refers to refurbishing it since its last use and preparing it for the offering of sacrifices. The ‘rising early’ demonstrates that they were in earnest. Then again they offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. The burnt offerings were offered wholly to God. The peace offerings they could partake of themselves. The one represented total dedication, the other their fellowship with God through the shedding of blood.
Bethel was one of the places where God had revealed His name in the past, and He had done so again in Jdg 20:28. This last was presumably the grounds on which they had rebuilt the altar. Thus they were proceeding in their view in accordance with Exo 20:24.
Then they began the serious business of dealing with those of their own who had failed to observe the covenant.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Jdg 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.
Ver. 4. And built there an altar. ] Either for a monument and memorial of the victory, a as Jos 8:30 Jdg 6:24 , or else by reason of the multitude of their sacrifices, b as 1Ki 8:64 .
a Diodat.
b Junius
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
offered. Hebrew. ‘alah. App-43.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
rose early: Psa 78:34, Psa 78:35, Hos 5:15
built there: Jdg 6:26, Exo 20:24, Exo 20:25, 2Sa 24:18, 2Sa 24:25, 1Ki 8:64, Heb 13:10
Reciprocal: Lev 3:1 – a sacrifice Jdg 6:24 – built 1Sa 6:14 – offered 1Sa 14:35 – built 1Ki 18:32 – And with
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Jdg 21:4. The people rose early and built there an altar It is likely that they erected a new altar upon this present occasion, when such a multitude of sacrifices were to be offered by all the people of Israel, that the ordinary altar was not sufficient to receive them. Thus Solomon did when he dedicated the temple, 1Ki 8:64. And, by the direction of God, it was frequently done in other places besides at the house of God.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
21:4 And it came to pass on the morrow, that the people rose early, and built there an {b} altar, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings.
(b) According to their custom, when they would consult the Lord.