Judges 21:22 - It shall be, when their fathers or their brothers come to complain to us, that we will say to them, ‘Grant them graciously to us, because we didn’t take for each man his wife in battle, neither did you give them to them, otherwise you would now be guilty.’”
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What does "Judges 21:22" mean?
This verse from Judges 21:22 is part of a desperate and somewhat morally questionable plan to find wives for the remaining men of the tribe of Benjamin. After a near-extermination of the tribe due to a civil war, the Israelites swore an oath not to give their daughters in marriage to Benjamin. Now they realize their oath will lead to the tribe's extinction and are looking for loopholes.
Here's a breakdown of the verse and its context:
Background: The Israelites feel bound by their rash oath, but also want to preserve the tribe of Benjamin. They come up with a plan to circumvent the oath without technically breaking it. They remember that the people of Jabesh-gilead were not present at the initial assembly where the oath was taken, so they can give wives from there. They were nearly all killed except for the virgins.
The Plan: They tell the remaining Benjamite men to hide near the vineyards of Shiloh and wait for the women of Shiloh to come out and dance during a festival. The Benjamites are instructed to seize a wife for themselves from among the dancing women.
The Verse's Meaning: This verse provides instructions for after the Benjamites have taken the women. It anticipates the inevitable complaints from the fathers and brothers of the abducted women. The elders of Israel (the "we" in the verse) will then intervene and say to the complaining relatives:
"Grant them graciously to us...": Basically, "Let them be married. Let the marriage be allowed."
"...because we didn’t take for each man his wife in battle...": This is the critical justification. The elders are arguing that the men of Benjamin weren't actively involved in taking the women as spoils of war. They're implying that it was a spontaneous act, not a planned military conquest.
"...neither did you give them to them, otherwise you would now be guilty.”: This is the key to their "loophole." Since the Israelites took an oath not to give their daughters to Benjamin, they're arguing that they haven't broken the oath because the women were not given. By not actively giving the women, they are absolving themselves of the consequences and blame of breaking their oath. By forcing the fathers and brothers to allow the marriage, they are not in the same position as breaking their oath.
Moral Implications: This is a highly problematic passage. It involves:
Abduction and Forced Marriage: The Benjamite men are essentially kidnapping the women.
Manipulation and Deception: The elders are using a technicality and exploiting the oath to justify their actions.
Lack of Consent: The women have no say in this process.
Subordination of Individual Rights to Group Needs: The preservation of the tribe of Benjamin is prioritized above the well-being and autonomy of the individual women.
In essence, the verse outlines a plan to cover up a morally dubious act by exploiting a technicality in their oath. It highlights the dangers of making rash vows and the lengths people will go to in order to maintain the appearance of fulfilling them, even at the expense of justice and individual rights. This story serves as a cautionary tale within the book of Judges, showcasing the moral decline and chaos that resulted from the Israelites' disobedience to God and lack of strong leadership.
Judges 21:22 - It shall be, when their fathers or their brothers come to complain to us, that we will say to them, ‘Grant them graciously to us, because we didn’t take for each man his wife in battle, neither did you give them to them, otherwise you would now be guilty.’”
What does "Judges 21:22" mean?
This verse from Judges 21:22 is part of a desperate and somewhat morally questionable plan to find wives for the remaining men of the tribe of Benjamin. After a near-extermination of the tribe due to a civil war, the Israelites swore an oath not to give their daughters in marriage to Benjamin. Now they realize their oath will lead to the tribe's extinction and are looking for loopholes.
Here's a breakdown of the verse and its context:
Background: The Israelites feel bound by their rash oath, but also want to preserve the tribe of Benjamin. They come up with a plan to circumvent the oath without technically breaking it. They remember that the people of Jabesh-gilead were not present at the initial assembly where the oath was taken, so they can give wives from there. They were nearly all killed except for the virgins.
The Plan: They tell the remaining Benjamite men to hide near the vineyards of Shiloh and wait for the women of Shiloh to come out and dance during a festival. The Benjamites are instructed to seize a wife for themselves from among the dancing women.
The Verse's Meaning: This verse provides instructions for after the Benjamites have taken the women. It anticipates the inevitable complaints from the fathers and brothers of the abducted women. The elders of Israel (the "we" in the verse) will then intervene and say to the complaining relatives:
"Grant them graciously to us...": Basically, "Let them be married. Let the marriage be allowed."
"...because we didn’t take for each man his wife in battle...": This is the critical justification. The elders are arguing that the men of Benjamin weren't actively involved in taking the women as spoils of war. They're implying that it was a spontaneous act, not a planned military conquest.
"...neither did you give them to them, otherwise you would now be guilty.”: This is the key to their "loophole." Since the Israelites took an oath not to give their daughters to Benjamin, they're arguing that they haven't broken the oath because the women were not given. By not actively giving the women, they are absolving themselves of the consequences and blame of breaking their oath. By forcing the fathers and brothers to allow the marriage, they are not in the same position as breaking their oath.
Moral Implications: This is a highly problematic passage. It involves:
Abduction and Forced Marriage: The Benjamite men are essentially kidnapping the women.
Manipulation and Deception: The elders are using a technicality and exploiting the oath to justify their actions.
Lack of Consent: The women have no say in this process.
Subordination of Individual Rights to Group Needs: The preservation of the tribe of Benjamin is prioritized above the well-being and autonomy of the individual women.
In essence, the verse outlines a plan to cover up a morally dubious act by exploiting a technicality in their oath. It highlights the dangers of making rash vows and the lengths people will go to in order to maintain the appearance of fulfilling them, even at the expense of justice and individual rights. This story serves as a cautionary tale within the book of Judges, showcasing the moral decline and chaos that resulted from the Israelites' disobedience to God and lack of strong leadership.