Judges 21 Commentary: A Nation Without a King
Now the men of Israel had sworn in Mizpeh, saying, There shall not any of us give his daughter unto Benjamin to wife.
And the people came to the house of God, and abode there till even before God, and lifted up their voices, and wept sore;
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?
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.
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.
And the children of Israel repented them for Benjamin their brother, and said, There is one tribe cut off from Israel this day.
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?
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.
For the people were numbered, and, behold, there were none of the inhabitants of Jabesh–gilead there.
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.
And this is the thing that ye shall do, Ye shall utterly destroy every male, and every woman that hath lain by man.
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.
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.
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.
And the people repented them for Benjamin, because that the Lord had made a breach in the tribes of Israel.
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?
And they said, There must be an inheritance for them that be escaped of Benjamin, that a tribe be not destroyed out of Israel.
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.
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.
Therefore they commanded the children of Benjamin, saying, Go and lie in wait in the vineyards;
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.
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.
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.
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.
In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes.
Judges 21 finds Israel grappling with the devastating consequences of their actions. After a brutal civil war that decimated the tribe of Benjamin, the Israelites are left with a profound moral dilemma: how to preserve a tribe of Israel from extinction while bound by rash oaths made in the heat of conflict. This chapter serves as a stark reminder of the spiritual and moral chaos that permeated Israel during the time of the Judges, emphasizing the critical need for godly leadership and adherence to God's law. The book of Judges concludes with a somber note, highlighting the absence of a king and the resulting moral freefall.
Grief, Oaths, and Unintended Consequences (Judges 21:1-4)
The chapter opens with the Israelites lamenting the near-extinction of the tribe of Benjamin. Immediately after Israel slaughters nearly the entire population of the tribe of Benjamin (Judges 20:47–48), the people seem to realize they have gone too far. This results in grief and threatens the extinction of the Benjaminites. They had sworn an oath at Mizpah not to give their daughters in marriage to any Benjaminite (Judges 21:1). This vow, intended to punish Benjamin for the wickedness at Gibeah, now threatens the very existence of one of the twelve tribes. The people's distress is palpable as they come to the house of God, weeping and fasting, offering burnt offerings and peace offerings.
This section highlights the danger of making hasty vows without carefully considering the long-term implications. While the initial impulse to punish sin was righteous, the oath's sweeping nature created an even greater problem. It also reveals a critical flaw: the people sought God's intervention after making a mess of things themselves, instead of seeking His guidance beforehand. The Lord instructed Israel to attack Benjamin at Gibeah (Judges 20:28), bringing judgment on that city for its heinous sins (Judges 20:11–13). Yet there is no hint that God commanded Israel to completely wipe out the entire tribe. Israel, acting on its own, seems to have gone beyond God's judgment to, once again, do what was right in their own eyes (Judges 17:6).
A Desperate Solution: Jabesh-Gilead (Judges 21:5-14)
In their desperation, the Israelites devise a plan. They discover that the people of Jabesh-Gilead had failed to join the assembly at Mizpah and, consequently, had not participated in the oath. This provides them with a loophole. They send an army to Jabesh-Gilead, killing all the men, married women, and children, but sparing 400 unmarried virgins (Judges 21:10-12). These virgins are then given as wives to the remaining Benjaminites.
This action is disturbing. While seemingly pragmatic, it involves further violence and bloodshed. It echoes the methods sometimes used against the depraved, evil Canaanites (Joshua 6:17), but not God's own people. It reveals a disturbing pattern of using violence and manipulation to solve problems, even under the guise of religious obligation. It also demonstrates a lack of discernment and a willingness to compromise moral principles in the pursuit of a desired outcome. The other eleven tribes find the surviving men of Benjamin hiding in caves, fearful for their lives after the slaughter of the battle. Israel proclaims peace and gives to them the four hundred young women from Jabesh-gilead. Of course, two hundred more wives are needed to restore the tribe (Judges 21:5–15).
Twisting the Oath: The Daughters of Shiloh (Judges 21:15-24)
Even after the slaughter at Jabesh-gilead there were still Benjaminite men who had no wives. Yet the Israelites had declared, Anyone who gives a wife to a Benjaminite is cursed (Judges 21:18). With 200 Benjaminite men still without wives, the elders of Israel concoct another plan, one that involves a deceptive loophole. They instruct the remaining Benjaminites to hide near the vineyards during the annual festival at Shiloh. When the young women of Shiloh come out to dance, the Benjaminites are to seize them and take them as wives (Judges 21:19-21). The elders promise to intercede with the girls' families, explaining that the Benjaminites did not receive the women as gifts, but rather took them.
The leaders of Israel hatch another scheme that will allow them to keep their oath not to provide wives for Benjamin, while still allowing Benjamin to acquire Israelite wives. This plot involves twisting their vow, warping the intent of the promise by creating a loophole in its literal words. In short, Israel decides that women "taken" are not women "given," so they stage a kidnapping and hasty negotiation. Israelite leaders tell the remaining unmarried men of Benjamin to hide near an upcoming feast. A group of young women are expected to participate in the dances there. The Benjaminites are to each grab one young woman to carry back to their territory as a wife. When the fathers and brothers of these young women object, the Israelites will assure them these young women are needed to save the tribe of Benjamin, convincing them to agree to the marriages (Judges 21:16–22).
This plan is a blatant attempt to circumvent their oath through manipulation and deceit. It reveals a disturbing willingness to prioritize the letter of the law over its spirit. Fallen human beings are good at justifying their actions and explaining away their guilt. It highlights the danger of legalism and the importance of seeking God's heart in all matters.
A Nation Without a King: Moral Relativism (Judges 21:25)
The chapter, and the book of Judges, concludes with a recurring refrain: "In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes" (Judges 21:25). This statement encapsulates the root cause of Israel's problems. The absence of a strong, godly leader created a vacuum in which moral relativism flourished. With no one to guide them back to God’s standards, the people followed their own desires, leading to chaos, violence, and spiritual decline.
This verse serves as a powerful indictment against the people of God—who looked nothing like “people of God.” They had turned from God to idols. There was no spiritual standard in those days, no king to turn the people to God through his example. The book of Judges ends with an indictment against the people of God—who looked nothing like “people of God.” They had turned from God to idols, and the Levites had facilitated their departure. There was no spiritual standard in those days, no king to turn the people to God through his example.
Lessons for Today
The story of Judges 21 offers several important lessons for believers today:
- The Danger of Hasty Vows: We must be careful about making promises, especially to God, and ensure that our commitments are well-considered and aligned with His will.
- The Importance of Godly Leadership: Strong, moral leadership is essential for maintaining order and promoting righteousness in society and in the church.
- The Perils of Moral Relativism: When individuals determine their own standards of right and wrong, the result is often chaos and injustice.
- The Need for Discernment: We must be discerning, seeking God's wisdom in all situations and avoiding compromises that violate our conscience and His Word.
Thankfully, this is no longer the case. Though the judges and even the later kings of Israel were always imperfect and often wicked, we now have a Judge and King like no other: Jesus Christ. He alone can turn sinners to the living and true God, making them holy and upright. Will you submit to his kingdom rule over your life?
The book of Judges serves as a cautionary tale, reminding us of the importance of remaining faithful to God and seeking His guidance in all aspects of our lives. It also points us to the need for a true King, one who will lead us in righteousness and establish justice in the earth. That King is Jesus Christ, and through Him, we can find hope and redemption.
Now the men of Israel had sworn in Mizpeh, saying, There shall not any of us give his daughter unto Benjamin to wife.
And the people came to the house of God, and abode there till even before God, and lifted up their voices, and wept sore;
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?
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.
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.
And the children of Israel repented them for Benjamin their brother, and said, There is one tribe cut off from Israel this day.
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?
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.
For the people were numbered, and, behold, there were none of the inhabitants of Jabesh–gilead there.
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.
And this is the thing that ye shall do, Ye shall utterly destroy every male, and every woman that hath lain by man.
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.
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.
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.
And the people repented them for Benjamin, because that the Lord had made a breach in the tribes of Israel.
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?
And they said, There must be an inheritance for them that be escaped of Benjamin, that a tribe be not destroyed out of Israel.
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.
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.
Therefore they commanded the children of Benjamin, saying, Go and lie in wait in the vineyards;
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.
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.
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.
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.
In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes.
Judges 21 finds Israel grappling with the devastating consequences of their actions. After a brutal civil war that decimated the tribe of Benjamin, the Israelites are left with a profound moral dilemma: how to preserve a tribe of Israel from extinction while bound by rash oaths made in the heat of conflict. This chapter serves as a stark reminder of the spiritual and moral chaos that permeated Israel during the time of the Judges, emphasizing the critical need for godly leadership and adherence to God's law. The book of Judges concludes with a somber note, highlighting the absence of a king and the resulting moral freefall.
Grief, Oaths, and Unintended Consequences (Judges 21:1-4)
The chapter opens with the Israelites lamenting the near-extinction of the tribe of Benjamin. Immediately after Israel slaughters nearly the entire population of the tribe of Benjamin (Judges 20:47–48), the people seem to realize they have gone too far. This results in grief and threatens the extinction of the Benjaminites. They had sworn an oath at Mizpah not to give their daughters in marriage to any Benjaminite (Judges 21:1). This vow, intended to punish Benjamin for the wickedness at Gibeah, now threatens the very existence of one of the twelve tribes. The people's distress is palpable as they come to the house of God, weeping and fasting, offering burnt offerings and peace offerings.
This section highlights the danger of making hasty vows without carefully considering the long-term implications. While the initial impulse to punish sin was righteous, the oath's sweeping nature created an even greater problem. It also reveals a critical flaw: the people sought God's intervention after making a mess of things themselves, instead of seeking His guidance beforehand. The Lord instructed Israel to attack Benjamin at Gibeah (Judges 20:28), bringing judgment on that city for its heinous sins (Judges 20:11–13). Yet there is no hint that God commanded Israel to completely wipe out the entire tribe. Israel, acting on its own, seems to have gone beyond God's judgment to, once again, do what was right in their own eyes (Judges 17:6).
A Desperate Solution: Jabesh-Gilead (Judges 21:5-14)
In their desperation, the Israelites devise a plan. They discover that the people of Jabesh-Gilead had failed to join the assembly at Mizpah and, consequently, had not participated in the oath. This provides them with a loophole. They send an army to Jabesh-Gilead, killing all the men, married women, and children, but sparing 400 unmarried virgins (Judges 21:10-12). These virgins are then given as wives to the remaining Benjaminites.
This action is disturbing. While seemingly pragmatic, it involves further violence and bloodshed. It echoes the methods sometimes used against the depraved, evil Canaanites (Joshua 6:17), but not God's own people. It reveals a disturbing pattern of using violence and manipulation to solve problems, even under the guise of religious obligation. It also demonstrates a lack of discernment and a willingness to compromise moral principles in the pursuit of a desired outcome. The other eleven tribes find the surviving men of Benjamin hiding in caves, fearful for their lives after the slaughter of the battle. Israel proclaims peace and gives to them the four hundred young women from Jabesh-gilead. Of course, two hundred more wives are needed to restore the tribe (Judges 21:5–15).
Twisting the Oath: The Daughters of Shiloh (Judges 21:15-24)
Even after the slaughter at Jabesh-gilead there were still Benjaminite men who had no wives. Yet the Israelites had declared, Anyone who gives a wife to a Benjaminite is cursed (Judges 21:18). With 200 Benjaminite men still without wives, the elders of Israel concoct another plan, one that involves a deceptive loophole. They instruct the remaining Benjaminites to hide near the vineyards during the annual festival at Shiloh. When the young women of Shiloh come out to dance, the Benjaminites are to seize them and take them as wives (Judges 21:19-21). The elders promise to intercede with the girls' families, explaining that the Benjaminites did not receive the women as gifts, but rather took them.
The leaders of Israel hatch another scheme that will allow them to keep their oath not to provide wives for Benjamin, while still allowing Benjamin to acquire Israelite wives. This plot involves twisting their vow, warping the intent of the promise by creating a loophole in its literal words. In short, Israel decides that women "taken" are not women "given," so they stage a kidnapping and hasty negotiation. Israelite leaders tell the remaining unmarried men of Benjamin to hide near an upcoming feast. A group of young women are expected to participate in the dances there. The Benjaminites are to each grab one young woman to carry back to their territory as a wife. When the fathers and brothers of these young women object, the Israelites will assure them these young women are needed to save the tribe of Benjamin, convincing them to agree to the marriages (Judges 21:16–22).
This plan is a blatant attempt to circumvent their oath through manipulation and deceit. It reveals a disturbing willingness to prioritize the letter of the law over its spirit. Fallen human beings are good at justifying their actions and explaining away their guilt. It highlights the danger of legalism and the importance of seeking God's heart in all matters.
A Nation Without a King: Moral Relativism (Judges 21:25)
The chapter, and the book of Judges, concludes with a recurring refrain: "In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes" (Judges 21:25). This statement encapsulates the root cause of Israel's problems. The absence of a strong, godly leader created a vacuum in which moral relativism flourished. With no one to guide them back to God’s standards, the people followed their own desires, leading to chaos, violence, and spiritual decline.
This verse serves as a powerful indictment against the people of God—who looked nothing like “people of God.” They had turned from God to idols. There was no spiritual standard in those days, no king to turn the people to God through his example. The book of Judges ends with an indictment against the people of God—who looked nothing like “people of God.” They had turned from God to idols, and the Levites had facilitated their departure. There was no spiritual standard in those days, no king to turn the people to God through his example.
Lessons for Today
The story of Judges 21 offers several important lessons for believers today:
- The Danger of Hasty Vows: We must be careful about making promises, especially to God, and ensure that our commitments are well-considered and aligned with His will.
- The Importance of Godly Leadership: Strong, moral leadership is essential for maintaining order and promoting righteousness in society and in the church.
- The Perils of Moral Relativism: When individuals determine their own standards of right and wrong, the result is often chaos and injustice.
- The Need for Discernment: We must be discerning, seeking God's wisdom in all situations and avoiding compromises that violate our conscience and His Word.
Thankfully, this is no longer the case. Though the judges and even the later kings of Israel were always imperfect and often wicked, we now have a Judge and King like no other: Jesus Christ. He alone can turn sinners to the living and true God, making them holy and upright. Will you submit to his kingdom rule over your life?
The book of Judges serves as a cautionary tale, reminding us of the importance of remaining faithful to God and seeking His guidance in all aspects of our lives. It also points us to the need for a true King, one who will lead us in righteousness and establish justice in the earth. That King is Jesus Christ, and through Him, we can find hope and redemption.