Judges 21:1-15
“Now the men of Israel had sworn in Mizpeh, saying, There shall not any of us give his daughter unto Benjamin to wife.” (Judges 21:1)
Outraged by the gang rape and murder of the Levites wife, and tribe of Benjamin’s refusal to deal with it, the men of Israel had sworn they would never give their daughters to a member the tribe to be treated in such a fashion.
“And the people came to the house of God, and abode there till even before God, and lifted up their voices, and wept sore; And said, O LORD God of Israel, why is this come to pass in Israel, that there should be to day one tribe lacking in Israel?” (Judges 21:2-3)
Having gotten right with God, after defeating Benjamin, Israel returned to the Tabernacle humiliated and concerned that Israel could have produced such sin and asking how and why it occurred, resulting in the destruction of one of the tribes. They had clear laws prohibiting such behavior. Like people today, they failed to realize the moral attitude is what determines people’s behavior, not laws to regulate it.
We see the same type of outrage today over the school shooting in Sandy hook. Proponents of gun control insist that the problem would have been avoided if stronger laws had been in place, ignoring the fact that the nation with the strongest gun laws in the world, Mexico, also has the highest number of murders and mass shooting in the world.
The opponents of gun control want to allow teachers to carry weapons to school and provide armed officers to protect against such shootings, correctly saying that criminals don’t abide by laws. They ignore the fact that although almost every family had a gun during prohibition, gangs such as the Dalton gang or Al Capone’s terrorized much of the United States, killing many innocent people.
Neither outlawing guns or allowing more people to have them will resolve the problem. What is needed is to instill a different moral attitude, and not just a moral code or set of rules. Our problem is not the gun laws but the attitude toward right and wrong. Since Samson first began treat the law as merely suggested behavior that didn‘t apply to him, the nation as a whole had developed the same attitude.
“And it came to pass on the morrow, that the people rose early, and built there an altar, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. And the children of Israel said, Who is there among all the tribes of Israel that came not up with the congregation unto the LORD? For they had made a great oath concerning him that came not up to the LORD to Mizpeh, saying, He shall surely be put to death.” (Judges 21:4-5)
At the peak of their outrage, Israel had also made another commitment, that anyone who did not help punish the guilty would be put to death, as tacitly supporting the crime. No one from the city of Jabesh-Gilead, in the land of Gad on the eastern side of Jordan had come to assist in defeating Benjamin. The problem with making threats or promises is that one is obligated to fulfill them or become a liar, even if one later regrets the commitment, just as Jephthah was. Promises made when we are angry or upset are seldom given sufficient thought.
“And the children of Israel repented them for Benjamin their brother, and said, There is one tribe cut off from Israel this day. 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?
And they said, What one is there of the tribes of Israel that came not up to Mizpeh to the LORD? And, behold, there came none to the camp from Jabeshgilead to the assembly. For the people were numbered, and, behold, there were none of the inhabitants of Jabeshgilead there.
And the congregation sent thither twelve thousand men of the valiantest, and commanded them, saying, Go and smite the inhabitants of Jabeshgilead with the edge of the sword, with the women and the children. And this is the thing that ye shall do, Ye shall utterly destroy every male, and every woman that hath lain by man.
And they found among the inhabitants of Jabeshgilead four hundred young virgins, that had known no man by lying with any male: and they brought them unto the camp to Shiloh, which is in the land of Canaan.” (Judges 21:6-12)
On reflection, Israel realized there had been no need to destroy Benjamites who had not gone to fight for the guilty ones at Gibeah. In their anger they had gone overboard, almost completely destroying the tribe of Benjamin in the effort to punish them. They recognized they needed to make up for that overreaction, by helping rebuild the tribe.
Because of their oath, they could not simply allow the Benjamites to marry their daughters lest they loose credibility, nor could they not keep their promise to destroy any who did not come up to help them. Realizing that Jabesh-Gilead had not sent any to help in the battle, they sent twelve thousand men to wipe out the city, sparing only the virgin women. There were four hundred virgins in the region that were spared and brought to the main camp.
“And the whole congregation sent some to speak to the children of Benjamin that were in the rock Rimmon, and to call peaceably unto them. And Benjamin came again at that time; and they gave them wives which they had saved alive of the women of Jabeshgilead: and yet so they sufficed them not.” (Judges 21:13-14)
Six hundred survivors of Benjamins army had taken refuge on top of the rock Rimmon. Messengers were sent to inform them that they were safe and ask them to come to main congregation, where the virgins from Jabesh Gilead were given to them to be their wives. Since there were only four hundred girls, there weren’t enough to go around.
Actions taken or commitments made when we are angry or upset frequently lead to serious problems because they are not well thought out. Instead of chastening wayward children, employees, or church members, we focus on punishing them abusively. We make threats and promises that will destroy our credibility if we break them and respect or love if we fulfill them. It is critical that we not allow our emotions to control our efforts to chasten those who do wrong.
Allowing their emotions to control their dealing with Gibeah’s sin had put Israel in an untenable position that they sincerely regret. Unlike many today, they did not just ignore their error, taking steps to correct in so far as possible. Judges 21:15 says, “And the people repented them for Benjamin…” Had they not done so, the tribe of Benjamin would have ultimately ceased to exist as part of Israel.
Failure to make amends when we over react often destroys rather than corrects those we deal with. Love requires we admit our faults and correct them. While chastening and punishment are necessary, they must be tempered with reason and love.
“Now the men of Israel had sworn in Mizpeh, saying, There shall not any of us give his daughter unto Benjamin to wife.” (Judges 21:1)
Outraged by the gang rape and murder of the Levites wife, and tribe of Benjamin’s refusal to deal with it, the men of Israel had sworn they would never give their daughters to a member the tribe to be treated in such a fashion.
“And the people came to the house of God, and abode there till even before God, and lifted up their voices, and wept sore; And said, O LORD God of Israel, why is this come to pass in Israel, that there should be to day one tribe lacking in Israel?” (Judges 21:2-3)
Having gotten right with God, after defeating Benjamin, Israel returned to the Tabernacle humiliated and concerned that Israel could have produced such sin and asking how and why it occurred, resulting in the destruction of one of the tribes. They had clear laws prohibiting such behavior. Like people today, they failed to realize the moral attitude is what determines people’s behavior, not laws to regulate it.
We see the same type of outrage today over the school shooting in Sandy hook. Proponents of gun control insist that the problem would have been avoided if stronger laws had been in place, ignoring the fact that the nation with the strongest gun laws in the world, Mexico, also has the highest number of murders and mass shooting in the world.
The opponents of gun control want to allow teachers to carry weapons to school and provide armed officers to protect against such shootings, correctly saying that criminals don’t abide by laws. They ignore the fact that although almost every family had a gun during prohibition, gangs such as the Dalton gang or Al Capone’s terrorized much of the United States, killing many innocent people.
Neither outlawing guns or allowing more people to have them will resolve the problem. What is needed is to instill a different moral attitude, and not just a moral code or set of rules. Our problem is not the gun laws but the attitude toward right and wrong. Since Samson first began treat the law as merely suggested behavior that didn‘t apply to him, the nation as a whole had developed the same attitude.
“And it came to pass on the morrow, that the people rose early, and built there an altar, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. And the children of Israel said, Who is there among all the tribes of Israel that came not up with the congregation unto the LORD? For they had made a great oath concerning him that came not up to the LORD to Mizpeh, saying, He shall surely be put to death.” (Judges 21:4-5)
At the peak of their outrage, Israel had also made another commitment, that anyone who did not help punish the guilty would be put to death, as tacitly supporting the crime. No one from the city of Jabesh-Gilead, in the land of Gad on the eastern side of Jordan had come to assist in defeating Benjamin. The problem with making threats or promises is that one is obligated to fulfill them or become a liar, even if one later regrets the commitment, just as Jephthah was. Promises made when we are angry or upset are seldom given sufficient thought.
“And the children of Israel repented them for Benjamin their brother, and said, There is one tribe cut off from Israel this day. 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?
And they said, What one is there of the tribes of Israel that came not up to Mizpeh to the LORD? And, behold, there came none to the camp from Jabeshgilead to the assembly. For the people were numbered, and, behold, there were none of the inhabitants of Jabeshgilead there.
And the congregation sent thither twelve thousand men of the valiantest, and commanded them, saying, Go and smite the inhabitants of Jabeshgilead with the edge of the sword, with the women and the children. And this is the thing that ye shall do, Ye shall utterly destroy every male, and every woman that hath lain by man.
And they found among the inhabitants of Jabeshgilead four hundred young virgins, that had known no man by lying with any male: and they brought them unto the camp to Shiloh, which is in the land of Canaan.” (Judges 21:6-12)
On reflection, Israel realized there had been no need to destroy Benjamites who had not gone to fight for the guilty ones at Gibeah. In their anger they had gone overboard, almost completely destroying the tribe of Benjamin in the effort to punish them. They recognized they needed to make up for that overreaction, by helping rebuild the tribe.
Because of their oath, they could not simply allow the Benjamites to marry their daughters lest they loose credibility, nor could they not keep their promise to destroy any who did not come up to help them. Realizing that Jabesh-Gilead had not sent any to help in the battle, they sent twelve thousand men to wipe out the city, sparing only the virgin women. There were four hundred virgins in the region that were spared and brought to the main camp.
“And the whole congregation sent some to speak to the children of Benjamin that were in the rock Rimmon, and to call peaceably unto them. And Benjamin came again at that time; and they gave them wives which they had saved alive of the women of Jabeshgilead: and yet so they sufficed them not.” (Judges 21:13-14)
Six hundred survivors of Benjamins army had taken refuge on top of the rock Rimmon. Messengers were sent to inform them that they were safe and ask them to come to main congregation, where the virgins from Jabesh Gilead were given to them to be their wives. Since there were only four hundred girls, there weren’t enough to go around.
Actions taken or commitments made when we are angry or upset frequently lead to serious problems because they are not well thought out. Instead of chastening wayward children, employees, or church members, we focus on punishing them abusively. We make threats and promises that will destroy our credibility if we break them and respect or love if we fulfill them. It is critical that we not allow our emotions to control our efforts to chasten those who do wrong.
Allowing their emotions to control their dealing with Gibeah’s sin had put Israel in an untenable position that they sincerely regret. Unlike many today, they did not just ignore their error, taking steps to correct in so far as possible. Judges 21:15 says, “And the people repented them for Benjamin…” Had they not done so, the tribe of Benjamin would have ultimately ceased to exist as part of Israel.
Failure to make amends when we over react often destroys rather than corrects those we deal with. Love requires we admit our faults and correct them. While chastening and punishment are necessary, they must be tempered with reason and love.
Act in haste, repent in leisure?
ReplyDeleteJames counsels us: be swift to hear, slow to speak and slow to wrath, since man's wrath does produce God's righteousness.
It's good advice, if we'd just listen.
ReplyDelete