Judges 21

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(No Transcript)
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Judges 21

• What do you do about the tribe of Benjamin?

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Judges 211 (NKJV)

• Now the men of Israel had sworn an oath at
  Mizpah, saying, "None of us shall give his
  daughter to Benjamin as a wife."

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Now the men of Israel had sworn an oath at
Mizpah,

• (Judg 201 KJV) Then all the children of Israel
  went out, and the congregation was gathered
  together as one man, from Dan even to Beersheba,
  with the land of Gilead, unto the LORD in Mizpeh.

• This is the account of when they got together to
  decide what to do to Benjamin, but there is no
  oath mentioned in this verse, or the verses that
  follow. We learn of the oath in Judges 21.

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Judg 212 (NKJV)

• Then the people came to the house of God, and
  remained there before God till evening. They
  lifted up their voices and wept bitterly,

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Then the people came to the house of God, . .
.They lifted up their voices and wept bitterly

• But what else did they do?
• Perhaps my biggest question Did they ask for
  Gods guidance?
• I find no indication that they did, and what
  follows does not all seem good.

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They lifted up their voices and wept bitterly,

• Clarke says, Their revenge was satisfied, and
  now reflection brings them to contrition for what
  they had done.

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They lifted up their voices and wept bitterly,

• Clarke says, Their revenge was satisfied, and
  now reflection brings them to contrition for what
  they had done.
• I dont think their actions were revengeI
  think they were seeking justice because Benjamin
  stood behind those who had been guilty of the
  atrocity.

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They lifted up their voices and wept bitterly,

• I think they were saddened that the
  Benjamanites were so hard and would not back down
  or deliver the ones who were guilty.

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They lifted up their voices and wept bitterly,

• I think they were saddened that the
  Benjamanites were so hard and would not back down
  or deliver the ones who were guilty.

• (Ezek 3311 NKJV) "Say to them 'As I live,'
  says the Lord GOD, 'I have no pleasure in the
  death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn
  from his way and live. Turn, turn from your evil
  ways! For why should you die, O house of Israel?'

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They may be weeping over the loss of 58,000 men.

• (Judg 2021 NKJV) Then the children of Benjamin
  came out of Gibeah, and on that day cut down to
  the ground twenty-two thousand men of the
  Israelites.
• (Judg 2025 NKJV) And Benjamin went out against
  them from Gibeah on the second day, and cut down
  to the ground eighteen thousand more of the
  children of Israel all these drew the sword.
• (Judg 2044 NKJV) And eighteen thousand men of
  Benjamin fell all these were men of valor.

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This may also be a reason for their weeping

• (Judg 213 NKJV) and said, "O LORD God of
  Israel, why has this come to pass in Israel, that
  today there should be one tribe missing in
  Israel?"

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They Seek God with Sacrifices

• (Judg 214 NKJV) So it was, on the next morning,
  that the people rose early and built an altar
  there, and offered burnt offerings and peace
  offerings.

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Judges 215 (NKJV)

• The children of Israel said, "Who is there among
  all the tribes of Israel who did not come up with
  the assembly to the LORD?" For they had made a
  great oath concerning anyone who had not come up
  to the LORD at Mizpah, saying, "He shall surely
  be put to death."

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Judges 215 (NKJV)

• The children of Israel said, "Who is there among
  all the tribes of Israel who did not come up with
  the assembly to the LORD?" For they had made a
  great oath concerning anyone who had not come up
  to the LORD at Mizpah, saying, "He shall surely
  be put to death."

• Is this a rash oath?
• Is it really justified?
• Did the people know they were to be there or die?

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Judges 215 (NKJV)

• I know of no record of these oaths besides the
  statements given in the text we are reading.
  Apparently the reason for the assembly was to
  seek Gods reconciliation after this terrible
  crime and sin of Benjamin.

• The children of Israel said, "Who is there among
  all the tribes of Israel who did not come up with
  the assembly to the LORD?" For they had made a
  great oath concerning anyone who had not come up
  to the LORD at Mizpah, saying, "He shall surely
  be put to death."

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Judges 216 (NKJV)

• And the children of Israel grieved for Benjamin
  their brother, and said, "One tribe is cut off
  from Israel today.

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Judges 216 (NKJV)

• And the children of Israel grieved for Benjamin
  their brother, and said, "One tribe is cut off
  from Israel today.

• Now the question is, What can we do about it?

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Judges 217 (NKJV)

• "What shall we do for wives for those who remain,
  seeing we have sworn by the LORD that we will not
  give them our daughters as wives?"

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Judges 217 (NKJV)

• From this, it appears that they had killed, not
  only the men, but the women and children as well.
• Again, some commentators feel this was the cause
  of some of the weepingthey may have gone further
  than they needed in the war.

• "What shall we do for wives for those who remain,
  seeing we have sworn by the LORD that we will not
  give them our daughters as wives?"

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Judges 218 (NKJV)

• And they said, "What one is there from the tribes
  of Israel who did not come up to Mizpah to the
  LORD?" And, in fact, no one had come to the camp
  from Jabesh Gilead to the assembly.

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Judg 219 (NKJV)

• For when the people were counted, indeed, not one
  of the inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead was there.

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Judges 2110 (NKJV)

• So the congregation sent out there twelve
  thousand of their most valiant men, and commanded
  them, saying, "Go and strike the inhabitants of
  Jabesh Gilead with the edge of the sword,
  including the women and children.

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Judges 2111 (NKJV)

• "And this is the thing that you shall do You
  shall utterly destroy every male, and every woman
  who has known a man intimately."

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Judges 2111 (NKJV)

• "And this is the thing that you shall do You
  shall utterly destroy every male, and every woman
  who has known a man intimately."

• There are more questions than answers. It seems
  that all of this started as a campaign to demand
  justice for the wrongs of Benjamin. How are
  these people involved? They failed to support
  the Children of Israel.

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Judges 2112 (NKJV)

• So they found among the inhabitants of Jabesh
  Gilead four hundred young virgins who had not
  known a man intimately and they brought them to
  the camp at Shiloh, which is in the land of
  Canaan.

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Judges 2113 (NKJV)

• Then the whole congregation sent word to the
  children of Benjamin who were at the rock of
  Rimmon, and announced peace to them.

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So What is the Plan?
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So What is the Plan?

• Do they wipe out the people of Jabesh Gilead so
  their young virgins can be given to the men of
  Benjamin?

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So What is the Plan?

• Do they wipe out the people of Jabesh Gilead so
  their young virgins can be given to the men of
  Benjamin?
• Why were the people of Jabesh Gilead destroyed?
  Wasnt it because they had not helped them
  destroy the people of Benjamin?

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So What is the Plan?

• Do they wipe out the people of Jabesh Gilead so
  their young virgins can be given to the men of
  Benjamin?
• Why were the people of Jabesh Gilead destroyed?
  Wasnt it because they had not helped them
  destroy the people of Benjamin?
• Am I confused, or are they?

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Judges 2114 (NKJV)

• So Benjamin came back at that time, and they gave
  them the women whom they had saved alive of the
  women of Jabesh Gilead and yet they had not
  found enough for them.

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yet they had not found enough for them.

• (Judg 2047 NKJV) "But six hundred men turned
  and fled toward the wilderness to the rock of
  Rimmon,

• (Judges 2112) So they found among the
  inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead four hundred young
  virgins who had not known a man intimately

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Judges 2115 (NKJV)

• And the people grieved for Benjamin, because the
  LORD had made a void in the tribes of Israel.

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Judges 2116 (NKJV)

• Then the elders of the congregation said, "What
  shall we do for wives for those who remain, since
  the women of Benjamin have been destroyed?
• Harleys note (600 400 200)

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Judges 2117 (NKJV)

• And they said, "There must be an inheritance for
  the survivors of Benjamin, that a tribe may not
  be destroyed from Israel.

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Judges 2118 (NKJV)

• "However, we cannot give them wives from our
  daughters, for the children of Israel have sworn
  an oath, saying, 'Cursed be the one who gives a
  wife to Benjamin.'"

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Judges 2119 (NKJV)

• Then they said, "In fact, there is a yearly feast
  of the LORD in Shiloh, which is north of Bethel,
  on the east side of the highway that goes up from
  Bethel to Shechem, and south of Lebonah."

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Judges 2119 (NKJV)

• Then they said, "In fact, there is a yearly feast
  of the LORD in Shiloh, which is north of Bethel,
  on the east side of the highway that goes up from
  Bethel to Shechem, and south of Lebonah."

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Judges 2120 (NKJV)

• Therefore they instructed the children of
  Benjamin, saying, "Go, lie in wait in the
  vineyards,

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Judges 2120 (NKJV)

• Therefore they instructed the children of
  Benjamin, saying, "Go, lie in wait in the
  vineyards,

• Is there any indication that they asked for Gods
  advice and His will in the matter?

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Judges 2121 (NKJV)

• "and watch and just when the daughters of Shiloh
  come out to perform their dances, then come out
  from the vineyards, and every man catch a wife
  for himself from the daughters of Shiloh then go
  to the land of Benjamin.

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Judges 2122 (NKJV)

• "Then it shall be, when their fathers or their
  brothers come to us to complain, that we will say
  to them, 'Be kind to them for our sakes, because
  we did not take a wife for any of them in the
  war for it is not as though you have given the
  women to them at this time, making yourselves
  guilty of your oath.'"

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Judges 2123 (NKJV)

• And the children of Benjamin did so they took
  enough wives for their number from those who
  danced, whom they caught. Then they went and
  returned to their inheritance, and they rebuilt
  the cities and dwelt in them.

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Judges 2124 (NKJV)

• So the children of Israel departed from there at
  that time, every man to his tribe and family
  they went out from there, every man to his
  inheritance.

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Judges 2125 (NKJV)

• In those days there was no king in Israel
  everyone did what was right in his own eyes.

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Backing upThey started out Right

• (Judg 2018 NKJV) Then the children of Israel
  arose and went up to the house of God to inquire
  of God. They said, "Which of us shall go up first
  to battle against the children of Benjamin?" The
  LORD said, "Judah first!"

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Did they lose their way?
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Did they lose their way?

• Judges 2125 (NKJV) In those days there was no
  king in Israel everyone did what was right in
  his own eyes.

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Did they lose their way?

• Judges 2125 (NKJV) In those days there was no
  king in Israel everyone did what was right in
  his own eyes.
• There was no king, but there was God.

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Did they lose their way?

• Judges 2125 (NKJV) In those days there was no
  king in Israel everyone did what was right in
  his own eyes.
• There was no king, but there was God.
• Sometimes they sought His advice, but at other
  times we have no record that they did.

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Did they lose their way?

• Judges 2125 (NKJV) In those days there was no
  king in Israel everyone did what was right in
  his own eyes.
• There was no king, but there was God.
• Sometimes they sought His advice, but at other
  times we have no record that they did.
• A lot of people suffered, a lot died!

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Did they lose their way?

• Judges 2125 (NKJV) In those days there was no
  king in Israel everyone did what was right in
  his own eyes.
• There was no king, but there was God.
• Sometimes they sought His advice, but at other
  times we have no record that they did.
• A lot of people suffered, a lot died!
• Was it all Gods will?

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In the Building Business . . .

• We have a statement
• Measure twice, cut once.

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In the Christian Life. . .

• We should say
• Pray fervently. Then act!

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• For the book of Judges we say

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• The
• End