Judges Chapter 21

In Judges 21, the Israelites, distraught by the near extinction of the tribe of Benjamin, seek to find wives for the remaining Benjamites. They discover that the city of Jabesh-gilead did not join them in their battle against Benjamin and decide to take revenge. They send an army to attack Jabesh-gilead, killing all the men and non-virgin women but sparing the virgin women. They bring these women back to the camp and realize that they still do not have enough wives for all the Benjamites.

To address this issue, the Israelites devise a plan for the Benjamites to capture wives from a festival in Shiloh. They instruct the Benjamites to hide in the vineyards and take the young women as they come out to dance. The Benjamites do as they are told, and the Israelites declare that the Benjamites have wives and are no longer in danger of extinction.

The chapter concludes by mentioning the ongoing cycle of lawlessness during the time when there was no king in Israel. The book of Judges ends with this reminder of the chaotic and turbulent period of Israel’s history.

To explore the depth of each verse in its context, click the links below: