Judges 21:14

And Beniamin came againe at that time, and they gaue them wiues which they had saued aliue of the women of Iabesh Gilead: and yet so they sufficed them not. Judges 21:14 (KJV)

The book of Judges records the period after Joshua’s death when the twelve tribes of Israel were settling in the Promised Land. This era was marked by a recurring cycle of rebellion, oppression, repentance, and deliverance. In the passage under study the tribe of Benjamin finds itself in a dire situation.

The Israelites had gathered to confront the wickedness that had been committed in the city of Gibeah, which lay in Benjamin’s territory. The men of Gibeah had perpetrated a horrific act of rape and murder, and the resulting outrage sparked a civil war between the other tribes and Benjamin. After a series of battles the tribe of Benjamin was almost entirely wiped out, leaving only a few hundred men.

The remaining Israelites felt deep regret and remorse for what had transpired. They swore, in Judges 21:1, not to give their daughters in marriage to the Benjamites, yet they were concerned that the oath might lead to the extinction of the tribe of Benjamin. Seeking a solution, they discovered that none of the inhabitants of Jabesh‑gilead had attended the assembly at Mizpeh.

The Israelites attacked Jabesh‑gilead, killing all the men and the non‑virgin women while sparing the virgin women to serve as wives for the Benjamites. Even with this plan, however, the number of women rescued from Jabesh‑gilead was insufficient to provide wives for all the remaining Benjamites. As the verse records, the wives they gave “still were not enough.”

This account depicts the desperate measures taken to preserve the tribe of Benjamin and highlights the consequences of the civil war and the challenges the Israelites faced as they tried to rectify the situation while honoring their oath. The narrative serves as a sobering reminder of the far‑reaching effects of sin and the importance of making wise, righteous choices.