1 Now the men of Israel had sworn in Mizpeh, saying, There shall not any of us give his daughter unto Benjamin to wife.
2 And the people came to the house of God, and abode there till even before God, and lifted up their voices, and wept sore;
3 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?
4 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.
5 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.
6 And the children of Israel repented them for Benjamin their brother, and said, There is one tribe cut off from Israel this day.
7 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?
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.
9 For the people were numbered, and, behold, there were none of the inhabitants of Jabeshgilead there.
10 And the congregation sent thither twelve thousand men of the valiantest, and commanded them, saying, Go and smite the inhabitants of Jabeshgilead 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 Jabeshgilead 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 Jabeshgilead: 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 Bethel, on the east side of the highway that goeth up from Bethel 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.
The book of Judges is the seventh book in the Old Testament of the Bible. It tells the story of the Israelites after the death of Joshua, as they struggled to remain faithful to God and follow His commandments. Chapter 21 is the final chapter in this book and it concludes the narrative of the Israelites during the time of the judges. It is a chapter that is full of violence, chaos, and moral depravity, highlighting the dark and turbulent times in which the Israelites lived. This essay will provide a summary of chapter 21 of the book of Judges in the KJV Holy Bible, and discuss its main themes and the meaning it brings to readers.
To fully understand the events that take place in chapter 21, it is important to have a brief overview of the context of the book of Judges. After the death of Joshua, the Israelites were led by judges who were chosen by God to deliver them from their enemies and guide them in following His laws. However, the Israelites continuously fell into a cycle of sin, idolatry, and oppression. As a result, they faced consequences in the form of foreign invasions and internal conflicts.
The last few chapters of the book of Judges depict a time of great moral decay and confusion among the Israelites. Chapter 19 tells the story of a Levite who travels with his concubine and is offered shelter by an old man in the city of Gibeah. However, the men of the city demand to have sexual relations with the Levite, and he ends up giving them his concubine to spare himself. The concubine is abused and eventually dies, leading to a civil war between the Israelites and the tribe of Benjamin, to which the men of Gibeah belonged.
Chapter 21 begins with the Israelites mourning the loss of their brethren from the tribe of Benjamin. They had vowed not to give their daughters in marriage to the remaining men of Benjamin, as punishment for their participation in the war. However, they soon realize that this would lead to the extinction of the tribe of Benjamin, as they were the only ones left without wives. The Israelites gather at Mizpah and seek God’s counsel on how to solve this problem.
The Levite who had lost his concubine in the previous chapter comes forward and tells the Israelites about his journey to Gibeah and the events that followed. He reveals that he had cut his concubine’s body into twelve pieces and sent them to the twelve tribes of Israel as a means of provoking them to take action against the men of Gibeah. The Levite had hoped to avenge the abuse of his concubine and bring justice to her, but his actions had led to a civil war and the near extinction of a tribe.
After hearing the Levite’s story, the Israelites decide to send an army to Jabesh Gilead, where they had not participated in the war against the tribe of Benjamin. They were instructed to kill all the men, including women and children, and take the virgin girls as wives for the remaining men of Benjamin. The Israelites also instruct the men of Benjamin to kidnap women from the annual feast at Shiloh and take them as wives. This was seen as a way to repopulate the tribe of Benjamin and ensure their survival.
However, the Israelites were still concerned about the oath they had taken not to give their daughters in marriage to the men of Benjamin. To solve this issue, they come up with a plan to allow the men of Benjamin to kidnap women who were dancing at a festival in Shiloh. The fathers of these women would then make a case to the men of Benjamin to take their daughters as wives, thus fulfilling their oath without directly breaking it.
Chapter 21 of the book of Judges is a disturbing and chaotic conclusion to a book that is full of violence and moral decay. It highlights the consequences of the Israelites’ disobedience and their failure to follow God’s commandments. The events that take place in this chapter showcase the depravity and desperation of the Israelites as they try to solve their problems without seeking God’s guidance.
One of the main themes of this chapter is the consequences of sin. The Israelites’ disobedience and idolatry had led them to a state of moral decay and confusion. This is evident in the Levite’s actions, as he was willing to cut his concubine into pieces in order to avenge her. However, his actions only led to further violence and chaos, and he ultimately contributes to the near extinction of a tribe.
Another theme is the importance of keeping one’s word. The Israelites had made a rash vow not to give their daughters in marriage to the men of Benjamin, and they were now faced with the consequences of this vow. Instead of seeking God’s guidance and repenting for their mistake, they come up with a convoluted plan to fulfill their oath without breaking it directly. This highlights the danger of making impulsive promises and the importance of seeking God’s guidance in all decisions.
Furthermore, this chapter also sheds light on the treatment of women in the ancient world. The concubine in chapter 19 is treated as a possession and is ultimately abused and killed. In chapter 21, the women who are kidnapped and given as wives to the men of Benjamin are seen as objects to be bartered and traded. This is a reflection of the patriarchal society in which the Israelites lived, and it serves as a reminder of the importance of treating all individuals with respect and equality.
In conclusion, chapter 21 of the book of Judges in the KJV Holy Bible is full of violence, chaos, and moral depravity. It concludes the narrative of the Israelites during the time of the judges, highlighting the consequences of their disobedience and the desperation they faced in trying to solve their problems. This chapter serves as a reminder of the importance of following God’s commandments, keeping one’s word, and treating all individuals with respect and equality.
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