The History of the Old Testament Methodized, Chapter 4 · Section 132
SECT. CXXXII.
THe Iſraelites having thus deſtroyed all the Men, Women, and Children of Benjamin, excepting only thoſe ſix hundred that fled to Rimmon, they now began to conſider into what a ſtrait they had brought themſelves. For having ſlain all the Women of Benjamin, and having made a Vow that none of them ſhould give their Daughters in marriage to the Men of that Tribe, either thoſe ſix hundred men muſt take themſelves Wives from the Heathens, which was unlawful, (and the holy Seed would be thereby polluted) or elſe a Tribe muſt periſh from Iſrael (and ſo their Body Politick, which God had formed, would be diſmembred,) or themſelves muſt break an Oath which they had ſolemnly taken in the preſence of God. Being exceedingly perplexed about this matter, they thereupon went with their whole Army to the Houſe of God in Shiloh, there to bewail their Caſe, and to inquire of the Lord what they ſhould do in theſe Difficulties. They roſe therefore early the next morning and built there an Altar, and offered thereon Burnt-Offerings and Peace-Offerings, becauſe the Altar in the Tabernacle was not ſufficient for the Offering up ſuch a vaſt multitude of Sacrifices as were now brought in by the people after they had prevailed againſt the Benjamites (ſee a like thing done 1 Kings 8.64. and the rearing Altars upon ſuch extraordinary Occaſions was not unlawful, ſee Exod. 20.24.)
Then they began to conſider what City or Town in all their Tribes had ſent none to help them againſt the Benjamites; For there had been a ſolemn Oath ſworn by them all at Mizpeh, before they engag'd in this War (and it was taken with a ſevere Execration againſt any that ſhould break it) that whatſoever City or Town did not come in to help and aſſiſt them in this Quarrel, ſhould be deſtroyed. Upon inquiry they found that Jabeſh-Gilead, on the other ſide Jordan, had ſent none to their aſſiſtance. Hereupon they ſent twelve thouſand valiant men to deſtroy that City, giving them order that they ſhould deſtroy all the Men and all the Women thereof that had known man, but the Virgins that were marriageable they ſhould ſpare, not doubting but of thoſe there would be enough found to make Wives for the ſix hundred Benjamites. But it ſeems there were were only four hundred ſuch found in that City. So that there being not Wives enough for them, the Iſraelites much blamed themſelves that they had in their rage deſtroyed all the Benjamitiſh-Women, ſee verſ. 22. Theſe four hundred Virgins being brought to Shiloh, the Iſraelites ſent a kind Meſſage to the Benjamites at Rimmon to come to them, who accordingly coming, they gave to four hundred of them theſe four hundred Virgins to make them Wives, wherein they conceived that they broke not their Oath, becauſe they were not their own Daughters. But theſe being not enough for the remaining Benjamites, the Iſraelites much repented their dealing with Benjamin, both that they had in the heat of War ſlain their Brethren with ſo great a ſlaughter, and more eſpecially becauſe they had killed the Women, and knew not how, in regard of their Oath, to furniſh thoſe that remain'd of them with Wives. This made them bewail, that the Lord, for their ſins, had made ſuch a Breach among them. They fell therefore into conſideration what they ſhould do for theſe two hundred Benjamites that yet wanted Wives. They ſaid, Thoſe that were eſcap'd of Benjamin muſt keep the whole Inheritance that was allotted to them; no part of it might be given to any other Tribe, and their portion being ſo large, and they that were to inherit it ſo few in number, they ought to be provided of Wives, that the Tribe might continue in being, and that they might people their Inheritance the ſooner. They pitch therefore at laſt upon this way to ſupply the two hundred remaining Benjamites with Wives. It ſeems it was a Cuſtom at the Feaſt of Tabernacles for the young Virgins of Shiloh to dance among themſelves at a place nigh the Town. They adviſe that theſe two hundred Benjamites ſhould come at that time and hide themſelves in the Vineyards thereabouts, and ſo when the Daughters of Shiloh came forth to dance, then they ſhould ſuddainly riſe up and catch every man one of them, and ſo carry them away. 'Tis ſtrange they ſhould ſatisfie their Conſciences with ſuch a ſhift as this. For what difference was there between giving their own Daughters to the Benjamites, and appointing them (with their conſent) to go and take them themſelves by force? 'Tis ſtrange they could ſatisfie their Conſciences to permit the Benjamites in a way of Rape (without the particular conſent either of Parties or Parents) thus to provide themſelves Wives. But it was a raſh and unlawful Oath they had taken, and therefore could not bind them to that which was evil. How much better had it been to have acknowledged their ſin in making this raſh Oath, and to have repented of it, and ſo to have taken the liberty which God gave them to free themſelves from it. But men are naturally more inclined to ſtop the mouth of Conſcience with ſome device of their own, than to ſee their own folly, or judge themſelves for their former Errour. However one thing is remarkable in the Iſraelites, that they permitted not theſe Benjamites to take any more than every one one Virgin to wife. Which ſhews that though Polygamy was practiſed by ſome among them, yet it was not publickly approved in thoſe times. And yet there was more than ordinary cauſe to have allowed it now to theſe Benjamites, to increaſe and multiply their Tribe (reduced to ſo ſmall a number) and to repleniſh their Inheritances which were otherwiſe like to lie waſt and deſtitute of Inhabitants.
Things being thus contriv'd, the Elders of Iſrael acquaint the Benjamites with this their Project, and to encourage them in it, they tell them, That if the Parents or Brethren of any of the young Virgins whom they ſhould ſeize, came to them to complain thereof, they would ſay to them, Be favourable to theſe Benjamites for our ſakes, that you may free us from that Guilt which otherwiſe will lie upon us. For we have brought this neceſſity upon them, by deſtroying their women, and not reſerving a ſufficient number for them; and beſides, 'tis no breach of your Oath to permit it ſo to be; For you did not give your Daughters to theſe Benjamites, but they themſelves took them by force. The Benjamites readily agreed hereunto, and accordingly took them Wives anſwerable to their number of the Virgins that danced at Shiloh, and ſo returned unto their Inheritance, and repaired their Cities and dwelt in them. Indeed theſe ſeem to be ſtrange kind of Matches. For what ground could the men have to believe that they ſhould love their Wives, it not being permitted them to chuſe the fitteſt whom they liked, but being neceſſitated to catch the firſt they could lay their hands on? Or what ground could they have to believe that they ſhould be beloved by their Wives whom they took by ſtorm and force, and not by a fair Treaty? And the caſe was much the ſame on the Womens part. But what ever conditioned Husbands theſe new Brides met with, yet they had one thing to comfort them, viz. they were all married to rich and great landed-men, ſeeing the fair, large, and fruitful Inheritance of the Tribe of Benjamin was to be ſhar'd among ſix hundred of them, as the ſole Survivors, and abſolute Heirs of the whole Country.
Ch. 21. whole Chapter.