Judges 21:22

And it shall be, when their fathers or their brethren come unto us to complain, that we will say unto them, Be favourable unto them for our sakes: because we reserved not to each man his wife in the war: for ye did not give unto them at this time, [that] ye should be guilty.

And it shall be, when their fathers {H1} or their brethren {H251} come {H935} unto us to complain {H7378}, that we will say {H559} unto them, Be favourable {H2603} unto them for our sakes: because we reserved {H3947} not to each man {H376} his wife {H802} in the war {H4421}: for ye did not give {H5414} unto them at this time {H6256}, that ye should be guilty {H816}.

When their fathers or brothers come to complain to us, we will say to them, 'Give them as a personal favor to us, because we didn't take wives for each of them in battle. You didn't give them to them; that would have made you guilty of breaking your oath.'"

When their fathers or brothers come to us to complain, we will tell them, โ€˜Do us a favor by helping them, since we did not get wives for each of them in the war. Since you did not actually give them your daughters, you have no guilt.โ€™โ€

And it shall be, when their fathers or their brethren come to complain unto us, that we will say unto them, Grant them graciously unto us, because we took not for each man of them his wife in battle, neither did ye give them unto them, else would ye now be guilty.

Commentary

Context

Judges 21:22 is a pivotal verse in one of the Bible's most disturbing narratives, found at the very end of the book of Judges. It describes the desperate and ethically questionable solution devised by the remaining Israelite tribes to secure wives for the 600 surviving men of the tribe of Benjamin. Following a devastating civil war sparked by the Levite's concubine incident (Judges 19), the Benjamites were nearly annihilated (Judges 20:46-48). The Israelites had previously sworn a solemn oath at Mizpeh not to give their daughters in marriage to any Benjamite. This oath, combined with the destruction of Jabesh-Gilead (from which 400 virgins were taken for Benjamin), left 200 Benjamite men without wives. The plan outlined in this chapter involves allowing the remaining 200 Benjamites to seize virgins from Shiloh during a festival. Verse 22 provides the pre-planned justification they would offer to the families of the kidnapped women.

Key Themes and Messages

  • Desperate Measures: The verse highlights the extreme lengths to which the Israelites went to preserve a tribe, even resorting to a morally dubious act of kidnapping. It underscores the chaos and lack of central authority characteristic of the period described in Judges.
  • The Weight of Oaths: A central theme is the consequences of hasty and ill-conceived vows. The Israelites were trapped between their oath and the desire to prevent a tribe from perishing, leading to a pragmatic, though ethically compromised, solution.
  • Moral Compromise and Rationalization: The proposed defense ("ye did not give unto them at this time, [that] ye should be guilty") is a clear attempt to rationalize an unrighteous act. It absolves the families of the women from the guilt of breaking the oath (because they didn't 'give' them) while simultaneously allowing the Benjamites to acquire wives.
  • Collective Guilt and Responsibility: The entire Israelite community, having been involved in the war and the oath, felt a collective responsibility to ensure Benjamin's survival, even if it meant endorsing an act of abduction.

Linguistic Insights

The phrase "ye should be guilty" translates the Hebrew word 'asham (ืึธืฉึทืื), which denotes being culpable, incurring guilt, or bearing the penalty for a sin or transgression. In this context, the argument is that since the fathers and brethren did not *formally give* their daughters to the Benjamites (which would have broken their oath), they would not be held morally or legally culpable for the unions that resulted from the abduction. The Benjamites simply "took" them, thereby circumventing the oath's prohibition on 'giving'. This legalistic loophole highlights the Israelites' focus on external adherence to the letter of the law rather than its spirit or moral implications.

Practical Application

This passage serves as a stark reminder of the dangers of human-centric problem-solving, especially when detached from divine wisdom. It illustrates how "every man did that which was right in his own eyes" (Judges 21:25), leading to a cycle of violence, despair, and moral decay. For believers today, Judges 21:22 underscores the importance of:

  • Seeking God's Guidance: Rather than making hasty decisions or vows, and then struggling with their consequences, we should consistently seek God's counsel in prayer and through His Word.
  • Ethical Integrity: True righteousness goes beyond legalistic loopholes. God desires integrity of heart and actions that reflect justice and love, not just the avoidance of technical guilt.
  • Understanding Context: This verse, and the book of Judges as a whole, is a historical account of a dark period in Israel's history, not a prescriptive guide for behavior. It vividly portrays the consequences of forsaking God's covenant.
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Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated โ€” the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • Judges 21:18 (4 votes)

    Howbeit we may not give them wives of our daughters: for the children of Israel have sworn, saying, Cursed [be] he that giveth a wife to Benjamin.

  • Judges 21:1 (4 votes)

    ยถ Now the men of Israel had sworn in Mizpeh, saying, There shall not any of us give his daughter unto Benjamin to wife.

  • Judges 21:7 (2 votes)

    How shall we do for wives for them that remain, seeing we have sworn by the LORD that we will not give them of our daughters to wives?

  • Proverbs 20:25 (2 votes)

    ยถ [It is] a snare to the man [who] devoureth [that which is] holy, and after vows to make enquiry.

  • Philemon 1:9 (2 votes)

    Yet for love's sake I rather beseech [thee], being such an one as Paul the aged, and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ.

  • Philemon 1:12 (2 votes)

    Whom I have sent again: thou therefore receive him, that is, mine own bowels:

  • Genesis 7:13 (2 votes)

    ยถ In the selfsame day entered Noah, and Shem, and Ham, and Japheth, the sons of Noah, and Noah's wife, and the three wives of his sons with them, into the ark;