Keraia
Judges 21

Judges 21:5

Wives for the Benjamites · Judges 21:1–25
Read Judges 21

Translations

Modern
The Israelites asked, “Who among all the tribes of Israel did not come to the assembly before the LORD?” For they had taken a solemn oath that anyone who failed to come up before the LORD at Mizpah would surely be put to death.
Traditional
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.
Literal
And the sons of Israel said, “Who is he that did not come up with the assembly among all the tribes of Israel to YHWH?” For a great oath had been concerning not coming up to YHWH at Mizpah, saying, “He must surely be put to death.”
Latin
Quis non ascendit in exercitu Domini de universis tribubus Israël? grandi enim juramento se constrinxerant, cum essent in Maspha, interfici eos qui defuissent.

Original

Hebrew
English
The Israelites asked, “Who among all the tribes of Israel did not come to the assembly before the LORD?” For they had taken a solemn oath that anyone who failed to come up before the LORD at Mizpah would surely be put to death.

Notes

Judges 19:1–21:25

  • This second epilogue (see study note on Judges 17:1–21:25) shifts the focus from individuals to entire tribes. It begins with the outrage in the Benjamite town of Gibeah (Judges 19), which led to a civil war (Judges 20) and the near destruction of Benjamin. It then moves to the attempt to save the tribe from disappearing (Judges 21). The book ends with the familiar refrain: In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes. This was what they did in the days of Gibea, perhaps the lowest point in Israel's history that Hosea, 400 years later, would compare to the depths Ephraim had reached (Hosea 9:9; 10:9).

  • The path was cleared for a shift from charismatic leadership to "covenant-charismatic kingship." This kingship combined living under the Lord’s covenant with the anointing of the spirit for ruling, as seen with Saul and David.

Judges 17:1–21:25

These two epilogues (Judges 17–18 and 19–21) show that inspired but unstructured leadership cannot last. As society moved toward chaos and civil war, the phrase, In those days there was no king in Israel appears four times. The phrase, everyone did what was right in his own eyes is added twice (Judges 17:6; 18:1; 19:1; 21:25). The era of inspired leadership declined and ended in disorder. Something important was missing.

Theme notes and profiles

Social Chaos in Judges

People

Israel: Patriarch, son of Isaac, father of twelve tribes

Places

Mizpah: A city in Benjamin; a place of gathering and judgment

Glossary

Benjamin, Tribe of Concubinage, Concubines Gibeah Jabesh, Jabesh-Gilead (Place) Judges, Book of Shiloh

Topics

Armies: Refusal to Obey the Summons, Instance of Discipline of Armies, for Disobedience of Orders Oath: The Israelites Swear in Mizpeh Rashness: Israel's Vow to Destroy the Benjamites The Armies of Israel: Refusing to Join, often Punished Tribe of Benjamin: Remnant of, Provided with Wives to Preserve the Tribe Vows: Rash: The Israelites, to Destroy the Benjamites