SCRIPTURE: JUDGES 21
WIVES FOR BENJAMIN (vs. 1-25)
The men of Israel had taken an oath at Mizpah saying that not one of them will give his daughter in marriage to a Benjamite. But they were worried that one tribe of Israel will be missing. Early next day, the people built an altar and presented burnt and fellowship offerings. Those who failed to attend should be put to death. And they discovered that there was a tribe of Israel that failed to assemble at Mizpah. So they sent 12,000 men to put to the sword those living there including women who were not virgin and children. But they took the 400 young virgin women to the camp at Shiloh in Canaan. Then they offer peace to Benjamin by giving them the virgin women of Jabesh Gilead. The elders of the assembly set a plan for the Benjamite sworn to have heirs. They instructed the Benjamites to go and hide in the vineyards during the annual festival of the Lord in Shiloh. When the girls of Shiloh came out to dance, they were to rush to the vineyard and seize a wife from the girls of Shiloh and go to the Land of Benjamin. So when the girls were dancing, each Benjamite caught one and carried off to be his wife. Then they returned tot heir inheritance and rebuilt the towns and settled there.
THOUGHTS:
After the conflict between the tribes of Israel had been calm down, the nation discovered that they made a rush vow of not to give their daughters in marriage to a Benjamite. As as result, a tribe of Israel was about to become extinct. The leaders of Israel became peacemakers by suggesting the men to take their wives instead of them giving their daughter to them as wives. In this way, they were not violating their vow.
The Israelites put tribal loyalties above God’s commands and they justified wrong actions to correct their mistakes. Everyone became his own authority and acted on his own opinions of right and wrong. Today, the world is similar. Individual groups and societies have made themselves the final authorities without reference to God. We must therefor submit all our plans, desires and motives to God. Our standards, morals, truths and convictions must based on God’s Word.