TSK - JUDGES 21

  1  The people bewail the desolation of Benjamin.
 8  By the destruction of Jabesh-gilead they provide them four
    hundred wives.
16  They advise the remainder to surprise the virgins that
    danced at Shiloh.


VERSE 1
- had sworn.
   * Jud 20:1,8,10 Jer 4:2
- There.
   * :5; 11:30,31 1Sa 14:24,28,29 Ec 5:2 Mr 6:23 Ac 23:12 Ro 10:2
- his daughter.
   * Ex 34:12-16 De 7:2,3


VERSE 2 
 - the house.
   * :12; 20:18,23,26 Jos 18:1
- lifted.
   * Jud 2:4 Ge 27:38 1Sa 30:4


VERSE 3 
 - why is.
   * De 29:24 Jos 7:7-9 Ps 74:1; 80:12 Pr 19:3 Isa 63:17 Jer 12:1


VERSE 4 
 - rose early.
   * Ps 78:34,35 Ho 5:15
- built there.
   * Jud 6:26 Ex 20:24,25 2Sa 24:18,25 1Ki 8:64 Heb 13:10


VERSE 5 
 - a great oath.
   * :1,18; 5:23 Le 27:28,29 1Sa 11:7 Jer 48:10


VERSE 6 
 - repented them.
   * :15; 11:35; 20:23 2Sa 2:26 Ho 11:8 Lu 19:41,42


VERSE 7 
 - sworn.
   * :1,18 1Sa 14:28,29,45


VERSE 8 
 - Jabesh-gilead.
  This place, as its name imports, was situated in Gilead, east
  of Jordan.  Eusebius and Jerome say it was a great town in
  their time, standing upon a hill, six miles south from Pella,
  in the way to Geresa, now Djerash.  The Wady Yabes, mentioned
  by Burckhardt, which empties itself into the Jordan, in the
  neighborhood of Bisan or Beth-shan (see 1 Sa 11 31:11,) and upon
  which Pella was situated, (celebrated by Pliny, 1. v. c.  18,
  for its fine waters,) seems to have taken its name from
  Jabesh.  Near this spot, we must therefore look for its site;
  and the place called Kalaat Rabbad seems to correspond, very
  nearly, to the spot; though it probably still retains among
  the Arabs its ancient name.

   * 1Sa 11:1-3; 31:11-13 2Sa 2:5,6

VERSE 9


VERSE 10 
 - Go and smite.
  As they had sworn to destroy those who would not assist in the
  war (ver. 5,) they determined to destroy the men of Jabesh,
  and to leave none except the virgins; and to give these to the
  600 Benjamites who had escaped to the rock of Rimmon.  The
  whole account is dreadful.  The crime of the men of Gibeah was
  of the deepest dye; the punishment involving both the guilty
  and innocent, was extended to the most criminal excess, and
  their mode of remedying the evil they had occasioned was
  equally abominable.

   * :5; 5:23 De 13:15 Jos 7:24 1Sa 11:7; 15:3


VERSE 11 
 - every male.
   * Nu 31:17,18 De 2:34
- hath lain by man.  Heb. knoweth the lying with man.


VERSE 12 
 - virgins.  Heb. women, virgins.  Shiloh.
   * Jud 20:18,23 Jos 18:1 Ps 78:60 Jer 7:12


VERSE 13 
 - to speak.  Heb. and spake and called.  the rock Rimmon.
   * Jud 20:47 Jos 15:32
- call peaceably.  or, proclaim peace.
   * De 20:10 Isa 57:19 Lu 10:5 Eph 2:17


VERSE 14 
 - sufficed them not.
   * :12; 20:47 1Co 7:2


VERSE 15 
 - repented.  See on ver.
   * :6,17
- a breach.
   * 1Ch 13:11; 15:13 Isa 30:13; 58:12

VERSE 16


VERSE 17 
 - an inheritance.
   * Nu 26:55; 36:7


VERSE 18 
 - sworn.  See on ver.
   * :1; 11:35


VERSE 19 
 - a feast.
   * Ex 23:14-16 Le 23:2,4,6,10,34 Nu 10:10; 28:16,26; 29:12
   * De 16:1,10,13 Ps 81:3 Joh 5:1; 7:2
- yearly.  Heb. from year to year.  on the east side.  or,
  toward the sun rising.  of the highway.  or, on.  Lebonah.
  Maundrell supposes, that either Khan Leban, which is situated
  on the eastern side of a "delicious vale," four leagues south
  from Shechem, and two leagues north from Bethel, or the
  village of Leban, which is on the opposite side, occupies the
  site of the ancient Lebonah.  It is eight hours, or about 24
  miles, from Jerusalem, according to Dr. Richardson.

VERSE 20


VERSE 21 
 - dance.
   * Jud 11:34 Ex 15:20 1Sa 18:6 2Sa 6:14,21 Ps 149:3; 150:4 Ec 3:4
   * Jer 31:13 Mt 10:17 Lu 17:25


VERSE 22 
 - Be favorable unto them.  or, Gratify us in them.
   * Phm 9 1:9-12
- each man.
   * :14 Ge 1:27; 7:13 Mr 10:6-8 1Co 7:2
- give unto.
   * :1,7,18 Pr 20:25


VERSE 23 
 - and they went.
  It appears that the Benjamites acted in the most honorable
  way to the women they had thus violently carried off, and we
  may rest assured, that they took them to an inheritance more
  than equal to their own.  But this transaction, as well as the
  indiscriminate massacre of the people of Jabesh-gilead, as Dr.
  Gray observes, was certainly stamped with injustice and
  cruelty; and must be condemned on those principles which the
  Scriptures elsewhere furnish.

- repaired.
   * Jud 20:48

VERSE 24


VERSE 25 
 - no.
   * Jud 17:6; 18:1; 19:1
- right.
   * Jud 18:7 De 12:8 Ps 12:4 Pr 3:5; 14:12 Ec 11:9 Mic 2:1,2



            CONCLUDING REMARKS ON THE BOOK OF JUDGES.

The book of Judges forms an important link in the history of the
Israelites.  It furnishes us with a lively description of a
fluctuating and unsettled nation; a striking picture of the
disorders and dangers which prevailed in a republic without
magistracy; when "the high-ways were unoccupied, and the
travellers walked through by-ways," (ch. 6 5:6;) when few prophets
were appointed to control the people, and "every one did that
which was right in his own eyes."  (ch. 6 17:6.)  It exhibits the
contest of true religion with superstition; and displays the
beneficial effects that flow from the former, and the miseries
and evil consequences of impiety.  It is a most remarkable
history of the long-suffering of God towards the Israelites, in
which we see the most signal instances of his justice and mercy
alternately displayed:  the people sinned, and were punished;
they repented, and found mercy.  These things are written for
our warning:  none should presume, for God is just; none need
despair, for God is merciful.  Independently of the internal
evidence of the authenticity of this sacred book, the
transactions it records are not only cited or alluded to by
other inspired writers, but are further confirmed by the
traditions current among heathen nations.



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