Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 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.
8. Jabesh-gilead ] This ancient city, Jabesh of G., is only mentioned again in connexion with the history of Saul, 1Sa 11:1 ff; 1Sa 31:11 ff., 2Sa 2:5 f., Jdg 21:12 f. The name survives in the Wdi el-Jbis, about half way between the Yarmuk and the W. Zer (Jabbok); the city probably lay in the upper part of the valley where it reaches the highlands of Gilead, a nights march from Beth-shean (= Bsn) across the Jordan, 1Sa 31:12. It has been suggested that this narrative of the war against Jabesh was dictated by Judaean animosity against Saul 1 [64] ; but it is clear that the narrative dates from a period later than that of the kingdom of Judah. At the same time we cannot deny that the writer, in singling out Jabesh for punishment, may have remembered its ancient loyalty to Saul (so Moore).
[64] So recently, Kittel, Gesch. des Volkes Israel 2 (1909), p. 23.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Jabesh-Galead – Is here mentioned for the first time. (See marginal references.) The name of Jabesh survives only in the Wady Yabes (running down to the east bank of the Jordan), near the head of which are situated the ruins called Ed-Deir, which are identified with Jabesh-Gilead.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 8. There came none to the camp from Jabesh-gilead] As they had sworn to destroy those who would not assist in this war, Jdg 21:5, they determined to destroy the men of Jabesh, and to leave none alive except the virgins, and to give these to the six hundred Benjamites that had escaped to the rock Rimmon. So twelve thousand men went, smote the city, and killed all the males and all the married women. The whole account is dreadful; and none could have been guilty of all these enormities but those who were abandoned of God. The crime of the men of Gibeah was of the deepest die; the punishment, involving both the guilty and innocent, was extended to the most criminal excess; and their mode or redressing the evil which they had occasioned was equally abominable.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
A city in Gilead, and in the tribe of Manasseh; of which see 1Sa 11:1,3,9, &c.; 1Sa 31:11, &c.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
8. there came none to the camp fromJabesh-gilead to the assemblyThis city lay within theterritory of eastern Manasseh, about fifteen miles east of theJordan, and was, according to JOSEPHUS,the capital of Gilead. The ban which the assembled tribes hadpronounced at Mizpeh seemed to impose on them the necessity ofpunishing its inhabitants for not joining the crusade againstBenjamin; and thus, with a view of repairing the consequences of onerash proceeding, they hurriedly rushed to the perpetration ofanother, though a smaller tragedy. But it appears (Jud21:11) that, besides acting in fulfilment of their oath, theIsraelites had the additional object by this raid of supplying wivesto the Benjamite remnant. This shows the intemperate fury of theIsraelites in the indiscriminate slaughter of the women and children.
Jud21:16-21. THE ELDERSCONSULT HOWTO FIND WIVESFOR THOSE THATWERE LEFT.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
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, Jud 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 the violation of an oath:
and, behold, there came none to the camp from Jabeshgilead to the assembly; this was observed by some upon the question put, which caused an inquiry to be made as after related. This city was in the land of Gilead, from whence it had its name, on the other side Jordan, and is placed by Adrichomius a in the half tribe of Manasseh; and Jerom b says it was a village in his time six miles from the city Pella, upon a mountain, as you go to Gerasa.
a Theatrum Terrae S. p. 90. b De loc. Heb. fol. 88. K. & fol. 93. L.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Jabesh-gilead Assaulted, vs. 8-15
The Israelites, lamenting over the destruction of Benjamin, now seized on their oath to exterminate any town or region which did not come to the war as a possible way to secure wives for the surviving Benjamites. It is little short of amazing that those lamenting over a foolish deed of over-zealous blood-letting could turn to such an inhumane solution of their difficulty. They seem to have called the roll of Israelite places till they found one across the Jordan, Jabesh, in Gilead, which had no representative in the infamous war.
Twelve thousand armed men were sent out from Shiloh, the most valiant, with orders to exterminate the town, killing all males of whatever age, and all married women. Only the virgins were to be spared. By what measurement of logic they could believe this was less reprehensible than what they had done to Benjamin, save in scope, it is impossible to imagine. An unwise oath was more important to them than obedience to God’s… law. For even if the men were guilty, the law forbade the extermination of their families (De 24:16).
Four hundred marriageable girls were saved out of the slaughter of Jabesh-gilead. Messengers then went to the survivors of Benjamin in the rock of Rimmon and offered them peaceable return to their tribal inheritance. The four hundred virgins were given to them, and they did return to their lands. However, there were still two hundred men who had no wives, so the people repented some more,.
Verse 15 states that they repented because “the Lord made a breach in the tribes of Israel,” as though the Lord wanted the tribe exterminated. The meaning, obviously, is that the Lord let the breach occur because of the sin of all the tribe and to emphasize their sins and disobedience to His law. It was of the will of the bloodthirsty men of Israel that the tribe of Benjamin was slaughtered, (Mat 24:22).
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
Wives for the Benjamites Jdg. 21:8-25
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.
9 For the people were numbered, and, behold, there were none of the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead there.
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.
11 And this is the thing that ye shall do, Ye shall utterly destroy every male, and every woman that hath lain by man.
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.
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.
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.
15 And the people repented them for Benjamin, because that the Lord had made a breach in the tribes of Israel.
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?
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.
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.
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.
20 Therefore they commanded the children of Benjamin, saying, Go and lie in wait in the vineyards;
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.
22 And it shall be, when their fathers or their brethren come unto us to complain, that we will say unto them, Be favorable 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.
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.
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.
25 In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes.
5.
Where was Jabesb-gilead? Jdg. 21:9
Jabesh-gilead was east of the Jordan and southeast of the Sea of Galilee. The town was attacked by Nahash, king of Ammon, but was rescued by Saul (1Sa. 11:1 ff.). On account of this kindness shown to them by Saul, the inhabitants later rescued the bodies of Saul and his sons when the Philistines gibbeted them on the wall of Beth-shan (1Sa. 31:8 ff.). Josephus called Jabesh a metropolis of Gilead (Antiquities VI, v, 1). Although the people of Israel had looked with horror and amazement, they still were not willing to give any of their daughters to be the wives of the men of Benjamin. Since the people of Jabesh-gilead had not taken the vow entered into by the rest of the men of Israel, the leaders saw the women of this town east of the Jordan as possible wives for the men of Benjamin.
6.
Why did they take the captive women to Shiloh? Jdg. 21:12
Shiloh is described as being in the land of Canaan because Jabesh was in Gilead. Shiloh was the usual meeting place of the congregation for it was the place where the Tabernacle was established. The representatives of the thousands of Israel had gone there after their deliberations concerning the men of Jabesh. From this place they were able to send a delegation to the surviving men of Benjamin. The women taken from Jabesh-gilead were to be kept at Shiloh until all the details of the arrangements were finalized.
7.
Why were the men of Benjamin still at rock Rimmon? Jdg. 21:13
The children of Israel had spoken peaceably to the six hundred men of Benjamin who had fled to the rock of Rimmon, but the entire matter had not been settled satisfactorily. Consequently, these men who survived the dreadful slaughter were still on their guard. They were not yet at peace completely, and they were evidently afraid to return to Gibeah or to any other of the cities of Benjamin. Only when their differences with the children of Israel had been completely settled were they in a position to resume anything resembling a normal life.
8.
Why did the author say the Lord had made a breach? Jdg. 21:15
Quite often the writers of Scripture refer to God as the ultimate cause of all things. For example, Moses said God hardened Pharaohs heart (Exo. 10:20), whereas earlier it had been said that Pharaoh hardened his own heart (Exo. 8:32). Moses also said Pharaohs heart was hardened when the magicians imitated Moses miracles (Exo. 7:22) without saying whether Pharaoh hardened his own heart or God hardened it. In the days of the judges, Israel had made a breach in Israelthey had nearly destroyed one entire tribebut since they had asked God whether to go to war or not, the statement is made that God made the breach. God allowed it. The people themselves actually made it.
9.
What yearly feast was this? Jdg. 21:19
It might have been either Passover, Pentecost, or Tabernacles. The festivities best fit the first one. All three feastsPassover, Pentecost and Tabernacleswere held yearly. From the importance of it, it was likely one which lasted seven dayseither the Passover or the feast of Tabernacles. Since a dance was held in connection with the feast, the festivities appear to be an imitation of the dances of the Israelitish women who celebrated the safe crossing of the Red Sea. At that time Miriam led the women of Israel singing of the triumph of the Lord over Pharaoh (Exo. 15:20).
10.
Where was Lebonah? Jdg. 21:19
Lebonah was three miles west of Shiloh. There is a community now known as El Lubban. The village stands on the slope of a hill bordering a valley called Wady Lubban. The houses are grey and have an ancient appearance, In the cliffs above the community are caves and sepulchers which testify of its having been of importance through the centuries. The location of Shiloh is thus fixed as being north of Bethel and somewhat south but mostly east of Lebonah.
11.
Why did Israel devise such a plan? Jdg. 21:20-21
The children of Benjamin were encouraged to go and hide in the vineyards of the area around Shiloh. They were instructed to wait until the daughters of Shiloh came out to dance in the celebration of the feast. At that point the men were to come out of hiding and catch wives from among the daughters of Shiloh. They would then be in a position to return to their homes and begin a semblance of normal life. Since the daughters of Shiloh were probably the children of the Levites, the vow which the children of Israel had taken at Mizpeh did not apply. In this way, the Israelites were enabled to follow the letter of the oath while preventing the complete annihilation of the tribe of Benjamin.
12.
Why did they expect the fathers and brothers to complain? Jdg. 21:22
Although the Levites had not entered into the warfare, they might naturally be reluctant to have their daughters marry men who had been guilty of protecting the criminals at Gibeah. Since all the other fathers and brothers of Israel had decided not to give any of their daughters and sisters as wives to these men, the Levites would feel a similar repugnance for such marriages. The leaders of Israel had promised the men of Benjamin they would encourage the Levites to be lenient in the matter since they had not actually taken the oath themselves.
13.
What light does Jdg. 21:25 throw on the question of authorship? Jdg. 21:25
This final verse of the book of Judges, along with such other verses making reference to the kind of government in Israel at the time, points to the books having been written when the monarchy was in the thinking of the people. Such statements as this one (see Jdg. 19:1 and Jdg. 18:1) bring the era of the judges into sharp contrast with the time of the monarchy. No era in the history of Israel was so filled with this kind of discussion as that of the closing days of Samuels judgeship. At that time the people of Israel had begun to clamor for a king in order that they might be like all the other nations. Samuel had tried to tell them what kind of person a king would be. He even wrote the manner of a kingdom in a book (1Sa. 10:25). The closing of Samuels judgeship would be the most appropriate time for such a book as Judges to be written and given to the people of Israel as a part of their Scriptures. Of course, Samuel was filled with the spirit of God. His work has found a place in the canon of the Bible. For that reason it is a part of the Word of God preserved for all men to the present age.
14.
What was the condition of life in Israel? Jdg. 21:25 b
Along with the statement telling of there being no king in Israel, we find a collateral statement of every man doing that which was right in his own eyes. Such a statement may point to anarchy; but since it speaks of men doing what was right, we are led to believe conditions may have been better than often supposed. There was rudeness degenerating into unbridled licentiousness. The law given by Moses was well above the standard by which the people lived, The worst traits of the Canaanites surrounding the Israelites had written their mark in the characters of many. When we read of the people going to the house of the Lord (Jdg. 19:18), of the yearly feasts at Shiloh (Jdg. 21:19), of all Israel rallying as one man to punish crime (Jdg. 20:1), and of men doing that which was right (Jdg. 21:25), we are led to believe many in Israel were striving to follow the Lords leading even though they had no central government in the form of a king.
Fuente: College Press Bible Study Textbook Series
(8) There came none to the camp from Jabesh-gilead.Jabesh-Gilead, which Josephus calls the metropolis of Gilead (Antt. vi. 5, 1), is probably to be identified with the ruins now called El-Deir in the Wady Yabes (Robinson, 3:319). It was six miles from Pella, on the top of a hill which lies on the road from Pella to Gerasa. For some reason with which we are unacquainted, there seems to have been a bond of intense sympathy between the inhabitants of this town and Benjamin. If their abstinence from the assembly of vengeance was not due to this, we must suppose that the sort of companionship in misery caused by these wild events itself created a sense of union between these communities, for it is the peril of Jabesh which first arouses King Saul to action (1 Samuel 11). and in memory of the deliverance which he effected the men of Jabesh alone save the bodies of Saul and Jonathan from the indignity of rotting on the wall of Bethshan (1Sa. 31:11), which gained them the blessing of David (2Sa. 2:5-6). We see from these later incidents that Jabesh recovered from the extermination now inflicted on its inhabitants.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
8. Came none from Jabesh-gilead This was the chief city of the mountainous land of Gilead on the east of the Jordan, and its name is still preserved in the valley in which it was situated Wady Yabis. Its exact site has not been positively ascertained, but there remains hardly a doubt that it was identical with the modern ruin ed-Deir, which lies on a hill on the south side of the wady Yabis, some six or seven miles east of the Jordan. “The name ed-Deir,” says Dr. Robinson. “is often given to ruins of which the Arabs can make nothing else; while the existence of columns, and the position upon the road from Beisan to Jerash, are circumstances of great weight. The distance too, of six miles from Pella, as specified by Eusebius and Jerome, seems entirely applicable to ed-Deir.” The fact that none came from this city to fight against Benjamin has led some writers, with reason, to suspect that a secret alliance existed between this city and Benjamin.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘And they said, “What one is there of the tribes of Israel who did not come up to Yahweh, to Mizpah?” And lo, there came none to the camp from Jabeshgilead to the assembly. For when the people were numbered, behold, there were none of the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead there.’
A check was made of the tribes and sub-tribes and it was discovered that the people of Jabesh-gilead had failed to respond (Gilead had a reputation for failing to respond to the call to arms (Jdg 5:17)). And it was not a failure involving only the confederacy. They were seen as having directly refused to obey Yahweh. Such a failure rendered them liable to The Ban in accordance with the oath taken at the assembly. It was always a risk to refuse to respond to the call to arms (compare Jdg 5:23).
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Jdg 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 Jabeshgilead to the assembly.
Ver. 8. There came none to the camp from Jabeshgilead. ] They came not up to help the Lord, as Jdg 5:23 ; they contributed nothing toward the just punishment of those sons of Belial, and therefore seemed to like well of their wickedness. These inhabitants of Jabeshgilead lay far out beyond Jordan, toward the Lake of Gennesaret, and therefore, haply, held themselves less concerned. There is none so wise as the sluggard, Pro 26:16 for self-love teacheth him a great many excuses, which he thinks will go for wisdom, because by them he thinks to sleep in a whole skin. But in fine his cunning deceiveth him, and he smoketh for it.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Jabeshgilead: This place, as its name imports, was situated in Gilead, east of Jordan. Eusebius and Jerome say it was a great town in their time, standing upon a hill, six miles south from Pella, in the way to Geresa, now Djerash. The Wady Yabes, mentioned by Burckhardt, which empties itself into the Jordan, in the neighbourhood of Bisan or Beth-shan – see note on 1Sa 31:11, and upon which Pella was situated – celebrated by Pliny, 1. v. c. 18, for its fine waters seems to have taken its name from Jabesh. Near this spot, we must therefore look for its site; and the place called Kalaat Rabbad seems to correspond, very nearly, to the spot; though it probably still retains among the Arabs its ancient name. 1Sa 11:1-3, 1Sa 31:11-13, 2Sa 2:5, 2Sa 2:6
Reciprocal: Num 21:24 – Israel Jos 11:3 – land
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
21:8 And they said, What one [is there] of the tribes of Israel that {d} came not up to Mizpeh to the LORD? And, behold, there came none to the camp from Jabeshgilead to the assembly.
(d) Condemning them as lovers of evil, who would not punish it.