21:1 at Mizpah This vow was not reported in ch. 20.

21:2 And the people of Bethel came See 20:18, 26, 31. Bethel was home to the ark of the covenant and Israel’s high priest (along with presumably the whole tabernacle structure, but see 18:31).

and wept bitterly The destruction of Benjamin now occasions national mourning. Their lament is vocalized in v. 3.

21:3 one tribe is lacking from Israel Given that some Benjaminites remain, the language here does not mean the Benjaminites are entirely gone but rather dangerously close to being gone. Judges 21:3–4 expresses mourning and concern for the survival of Benjamin, which they essentially repeat in vv. 6–7, with v. 5 interrupting the pairing.

21:5 a solemn oath In v. 5, the Israelites interrupt their mourning for Benjamin to confront another issue. Apparently, when the Levite of the incident described in ch. 19 sent the pieces of his dead concubine throughout Israel, the enraged Israelites threatened any city that failed to respond to the call for justice with death. The issue surfaces again in v. 8.

21:9 the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead Since Jabesh-gilead had failed to participate in bringing justice on Benjamin, the Israelite men decide that the city must now be punished. They seemed to have viewed this decision as falling within a provision of divine war (see note on 20:48). The Israelite men probably decided to spare a group of virgins because Moses had previously made a similar decision (Num 31:17–18). This is how they end up providing women for the remaining Benjaminite men, so that the Benjaminite tribe may continue to exist. See Judg 21:11 and note.

21:10 and the women and children The order again typifies the degradation of the times. While the people assemble at Bethel (v. 2) and lament before God for Benjamin, they never consult Yahweh for a solution. This, and the overall absurdity of the decisions of the Israelite men, suggests that although the Israelite men thought they were following Yahweh’s principles, they weren’t.

21:11 thing you will do The tribes of Israel impose the principle of cherem on Jabesh-gilead, sparing only virgin girls (see note on Josh 6:17).

21:12 at Shiloh, which is in the land of Canaan See Judg 20:1 and note.

21:13 they assured them they would not be hurt Messengers sent out word that Benjamin was no longer under threat.

21:14 Benjamin returned at that time The remaining Benjaminites return to their tribal inheritance.

they were not enough for them Since the Israelites were able to take only 400 virgins from Jabesh-gilead, and there are 600 Benjaminite men (20:47), the Israelites must find 200 more virgins.

21:16 the women from Benjamin have been destroyed Women also died in the attacks on Benjamin.

21:18 we cannot give them wives See 20:1 and note.

21:19 the annual feast of Yahweh is in Shiloh Many people would be attending this annual feast, providing an occasion for 200 more virgins to be kidnapped for the men of Benjamin.

21:20 lie in ambush in the vineyards The Benjaminites are to conduct the raid for their new wives.

21:22 you did not give them to them The leaders of Israel admit their complicity in the kidnappings. They contrive an excuse for the fathers whose daughters have been kidnapped that exempts them from the earlier vow (see note on v. 5). Apparently the instructions to the men of Benjamin were given without the men from Shiloh knowing.

21:23 and they lived in them Israel has resolved the Benjaminite problem, despite the heartache created for hundreds, if not thousands, of innocent family members.

21:25 each one did what was right in his own eyes See note on 17:6.