Annotations Upon the Historical Books Part 2, Judges · Chapter 21
CHAP. XXI.
Verſ. 1. NOw the men of Iſrael had ſworn in Mizpeh, ſaying, There ſhall not any of us give his daughter to Benjamin to wife.] To wit, when they there firſt agreed to undertake this warre againſt the Benjamites, chap. 20.8. The moſt of Expoſitours hold, that the drift of this oath was the utter extirpation of the tribe of Benjamin; as indeed all the women of their own tribe being ſlain, this withholding from them the daughters of Iſrael, muſt needs extinguiſh the tribe, unleſſe they would marrie the daughters of the heathen about them, which was not lawfull; but yet the opinion of Expoſitours differeth about this oath. For ſome hold, that it was an unlawfull, unadviſed, raſh oath, thus to bind themſelves to cut off a tribe from Iſrael; and that now they began to ſee their folly, and repent themſelves of it: but then others think that it was lawfull and warrantable; (yea ſome, that it was not without Gods appointment) becauſe it is not likely, that Phinehas, and others ſuch as he, would elſe have ſuffered them publickly to bind themſelves with ſuch an oath. Now herein I conceive, that they are on both ſides miſtaken, in that they think this oath aimed at the extinguiſhing of the tribe, whereas it appears not that they ever meant wholly to root out all, men, women and children, in the tribe; but onelyonly, that having deſtroyed utterly all the inhabitants of Gibeah, they would alſo then ſend ſeverall companies of their army, to the ſeverall cities of Benjamin, and deſtroy them alſo with a great deſtruction; unto which they then added this oath, in a further manifeſtation of their deteſting this fact of the Benjamites, in maintaining the men of Gibeah, who were guiltie of ſuch a horrible villanie, to wit, that they would not make any marriages with thoſe that ſhould remain of the tribe, to ſhew that they eſteemed no otherwiſe of them, then of heathens, and ſuch as deſerved not the name of Iſraelites: which will appear the more probable, if we conſider, firſt, that it is no where expreſſed, that they vowed to deſtroy all the men and women in this tribe: ſecondly, that if they had ſo vowed, there would have been no place for this vow, of not giving their daughters in marriage to them: thirdly, that the vow being made before the battel, they might have ſuppoſed that ſome of the women might eſcape, as well as ſome of the men: and fourthly, that verſ. 3. they ſeem to ſay, that this danger of loſing a tribe, was happened unto them beſides their expectation: Why is this come to paſſe, ſay they, &c? This ſeems to be that which troubled them. All the men, women, and children, being in the heat of battel, beſides their expectation, every where ſlain (the Iſraelites every where falling upon them with extreme furie) thoſe ſix hundred men onelyonly excepted, that were fled to the rock Rimmon, they now ſaw that the keeping their oath of not making marriages with them, would tend to the utter extirpation of the tribe; and this did now at laſt exceedingly perplex them.
Verſ. 2. And the people came up to the houſe of God, &c.] To wit, when they perceived that all the women of Benjamin were deſtroyed, and none left of that tribe, but onelyonly thoſe ſix hundred men that were fled to the rock Rimmon, chap. 20.47. for now at length they began to conſider into what a ſtrait they were fallen; namely, that having ſlain all the women of Benjamin, and having withall made a vow, that none of them would give their daughters in marriage to the men of that tribe, either thoſe ſix hundred men muſt take them wives from the heathens, and ſo the holy ſeed muſt be polluted; or elſe a tribe muſt periſh from Iſrael, (and ſo their body politick which God had formed, muſt be diſmembred) or themſelves muſt break an oath which they had ſolemnly taken, as in Gods preſence; and ſo thereupon they went with their whole army to the houſe of God in Shiloh, (and therefore it is ſaid in the twelfth verſe of this chapter, that the camp was in Shiloh) there to bewail theſe difficulties they were fallen into; and to conſult together; yea, happely alſo to enquire of God what they ſhould do.
Verſ. 3. O Lord God of Iſrael, why is this come to paſſe in Iſrael, that there ſhould be to day one tribe lacking in Iſrael?] As if they had ſaid, Alas Lord, that it ſhould ſo be, that one tribe ſhould be wholly cut off from thy people: for I conceive the words are onelyonly ſpoken to bewail the loſſe of a tribe; but yet more may be implied, for if they deſtroyed all the women, not by warrant of any command from God, which ſome think they did, but onelyonly through their own immoderate rage and fury againſt them; it may well be, that theſe words were ſpoken to intimate, by way of excuſing themſelves, that they did not intend to have deſtroyed them all; and that this was happened to them beſides their expectation, through the ſecret all-ruling providence of God; and that therefore they would deſire the Lord that ſome thing might be done to prevent this great evil.
Verſ. 4. And the people roſe early, and built there an altar, and offered burnt offerings, and peace offerings.] Being at the houſe of God in Shiloh, what needed they any other altar then that in the Tabernacle? I anſwer, that either this altar was built as a memoriall of Gods proſpering them againſt the Benjamites, and that their ſacrifices were notwithſtanding offered on the altar in the Tabernacle; or elſe that they reared this altar for this preſent occaſion, becauſe the ordinary altar was not ſufficient for the offering up of ſuch a multitude of ſacrifices, as were now brought in by the people, after they had prevailed againſt the Benjamites; for the like we ſee was done, 1. Kings 8.64. The ſame day did the King hallow the middle of the court that was before the houſe of the Lord: for there he offered burnt offerings, and meat offerings, and the fat of the peace offerings: becauſe the brazen altar that was before the Lord, was too little to receive the burnt offerings, and meat offerings, and the fat of the peace offerings: and that the rearing of altars, upon ſuch extraordinary occaſions was not unlawfull, we may probably gather from Exod. 20.24. An altar of earth thou ſhalt make unto me, and ſhalt ſacrifice thereon thy burnt offerings, and thy peace offerings, thy ſheep and thy oxen: In all places where I record my name, I will come unto thee, and I will bleſſe thee.
Verſ. 5. 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.] This cannot be meant of every particular man, but it muſt be meant of every citie, or town, that ſent none to help them againſt the Benjamites; and the oath they had taken concerning theſe, is called a great oath, partly, becauſe it was generally taken by all the people in a ſolemn manner; and partly, becauſe it was taken with ſome ſevere execration againſt any, that ſhould dare to break it, as is expreſſed concerning the other oath, verſ. 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.
Verſ. 11. Ye ſhall utterly deſtroy every male, and every woman that hath lien by man.] For even againſt theſe inhabitants of Jabeſh-Gilead, they thought they were bound to proceed as againſt men devoted, who were to be all deſtroyed; and that becauſe they came not forth to help their brethren againſt the Benjamites. See the note in the former chapter, verſ. 48.
Verſ. 12. And they found among the inhabitants of Jabeſh-Gilead, foure hundred young virgins that had known no man, &c.] To wit, ſuch as were marriageable, and not yet married; the Iſraelites gave them order onelyonly to ſave ſuch as theſe, not doubting but of theſe there would have been ſix hundred found, for the ſix hundred Benjamites that were left alive; but there were onelyonly four hundred ſuch found: and the reſt being killed, there were not wives enough for them: for which the Iſraelites afterwards blamed themſelves, verſ. 22. Be favourable unto them for our ſakes, becauſe we reſerved not to each man his wife in the warre.
Verſ. 12. And they brought them unto the camp to Shiloh, which is in the land of Canaan.] Becauſe they brought them from Jabeſh-Gilead, which was without Jordan; therefore it is ſaid, that they brought them to Shiloh, which is in the land of Canaan; for the land within Jordan was more peculiarly called the land of Canaan.
Verſ. 14. And they gave them wives which they had ſaved alive, of the women of Jabeſh-Gilead.] Wherein they conceived they brake not their oath, becauſe they were not their own daughters.
Verſ. 19. Then they ſaid. Behold, there is a feaſt of the Lord in Shiloh yearly, &c.] Having hitherto onelyonly provided four hundred wives for four hundred of the Benjamites that were fled to the rock Rimmon; now they pitch upon another way whereby the other two hundred ſhould be ſupplyed with wives, that ſo that tribe that was almoſt wholly deſtroyed, might the ſooner grow up again: namely, that at the time when there was a feaſt of the Lord kept yearly in Shiloh, theſe two hundred Benjamites ſhould hide themſelves in the vineyards there abouts, and ſo when the daughters of Shiloh came forth to dance, they ſhould then catch every man his wife, and ſo carry them away. A great queſtion it is, what feaſt it was in Shiloh when this was to be done; ſome conceive it was ſome civill feſtivity, and time of rejoycing which they kept in that town, either becauſe of ſome fair or time of extraordinary concourſe for traffique or ſome ſuch like occaſion; but others again think that it was one of thoſe three ſolemne feaſts, when all the males of Iſrael were to come up to the Tabernacle of the Lord, Deut. 16.16. and indeed becauſe the Tabernacle was now in Shiloh, and becauſe it is called a feaſt of the Lord; this ſeems the more probable: onelyonly in regard the women uſed to come up voluntarily from all parts of the land at theſe feaſts to the Tabernacle, (though onelyonly the males were bound to come up by the Law) it may be thought that they ſhould alſo joyn in theſe dances, and then it may be queſtioned how they ſhould propound to the Benjamites the taking away the daughters of Shiloh onelyonly; but for this we muſt conſider, that it ſeems it was a known cuſtome, that onelyonly the inhabitants the daughters of Shiloh uſed to go forth in dances; at leaſt in that place where the Benjamites were appointed to lie in wait for them, and hence was this plot laid for the taking of the daughters of Shiloh onelyonly. As for this courſe which the Iſraelites took to provide wives for the Benjamites, without breaking the oath the oath they had taken, it may juſtly ſeem ſtrange that they ſhould ſatisfie their conſciences therewith: for what difference was there between giving the Benjamites wives of any of the daughters of their tribes; and appointing them with their conſent to go and take them by force? doubtleſſe this was but a device to delude conſcience, when they found their oath could not be kept without ſuffering a tribe to periſh; how much better had it been to condemne the raſhneſſe of their oath, and ſo to take the liberty which was given them of God? But when men have a deſire to do what is cauſeleſſely ſcrupled, they are naturally more inclinable to ſtop the mouth of conſcience with ſome groundleſſe device or excuſe, then to ſee their own folly, and to judge themſelves for their former errour.
Verſ. 21. If the daughters of Shiloh come out to dance in dances, then come ye out of the vineyards, &c] Hereby it appears, that in thoſe dayes dancing was one of the wayes whereby they expreſſed their joy, even when it was holy and ſpirituall, as we ſee likewiſe, Exod. 15.20. And Miriam the propheteſſe the ſiſter of Aaron took a timbrel in her hand, and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances; but then withall we muſt note, that the virgins danced apart by themſelves, for had their been men with them, the Benjamites could not …o eaſily have ſnatched them away: mixed dancing is very dangerous, and was not it ſeems uſed in thoſe times by the people of God.
Verſ. 22. Be favourable unto them for our ſakes, becauſe we reſerved not to each man his wife in the warre, &c.] By two arguments, the Elders of Iſrael do here undertake to perſwade the men of Shiloh not to be offended with the Benjamites for taking away their daughters; to wit, firſt, becauſe their was an errour committed by the Iſraelites, in that they reſerved not to each man his wife in the warre, that is, in the warre againſt Jabeſh-Gilead: and ſecondly, becauſe it was no breach of their oath, that the Benjamites had taken them wives of their daughters, ye did not (ſay they) give unto them at this time, that you ſhould be guilty, as if they ſhould have ſaid, ye have not broken the oath ye took, becauſe ye gave them not your daughters, but they took them by force.
Verſ. 25. In thoſe dayes there was no king in Iſrael, &c.] See the note, chap. 17.6.