5 And the children H1121 of Israel H3478 said, H559 Who is there among all the tribes H7626 of Israel H3478 that H834 came H5927 not up with the congregation H6951 unto the LORD? H3068 For they had made a great H1419 oath H7621 concerning him that came not up H5927 to the LORD H3068 to Mizpeh, H4709 saying, H559 He shall surely H4191 be put to death. H4191
Curse H779 ye Meroz, H4789 said H559 the angel H4397 of the LORD, H3068 curse H779 ye bitterly H779 the inhabitants H3427 thereof; because they came H935 not to the help H5833 of the LORD, H3068 to the help H5833 of the LORD H3068 against the mighty. H1368
Notwithstanding no devoted thing, H2764 that a man H376 shall devote H2763 unto the LORD H3068 of all that he hath, both of man H120 and beast, H929 and of the field H7704 of his possession, H272 shall be sold H4376 or redeemed: H1350 every devoted thing H2764 is most H6944 holy H6944 unto the LORD. H3068 None devoted, H2764 which shall be H3808 devoted H2763 of men, H120 shall be redeemed; H6299 but shall surely H4191 be put to death. H4191
Howbeit we may H3201 not give H5414 them wives H802 of our daughters: H1323 for the children H1121 of Israel H3478 have sworn, H7650 saying, H559 Cursed H779 be he that giveth H5414 a wife H802 to Benjamin. H1144
And he took H3947 a yoke H6776 of oxen, H1241 and hewed them in pieces, H5408 and sent H7971 them throughout all the coasts H1366 of Israel H3478 by the hands H3027 of messengers, H4397 saying, H559 Whosoever cometh not forth H3318 after H310 Saul H7586 and after H310 Samuel, H8050 so shall it be done H6213 unto his oxen. H1241 And the fear H6343 of the LORD H3068 fell H5307 on the people, H5971 and they came out H3318 with one H259 consent. H376
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Judges 21
Commentary on Judges 21 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 21
The ruins of the tribe of Benjamin we read of in the foregoing chapter; now here we have,
Jdg 21:1-15
We may observe in these verses,
Jdg 21:16-25
We have here the method that was taken to provide the 200 Benjamites that remained with wives. And, though the tribe was reduced to a small number, they were only in care to provide each man with one wife, not with more under pretence of multiplying them the faster. They may not bestow their daughters upon them, but to save their oath, and yet marry some of their daughters to them, they put them into a way of taking them by surprise, and marrying them, which should be ratified by their parents' consent, ex post facto-afterwards. The less consideration is used before the making of a vow, the more, commonly, there is need of afterwards for the keeping of it.
Lastly, In the close of all we have,