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<p>We may observe in these verses,</p>
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<p class="tab-1">I. The ardent zeal which the Israelites had expressed against the wickedness of the men of Gibeah, as it was countenanced by the tribe of Benjamin. Occasion is here given to mention two instances of their zeal on this occasion, which we did not meet with before:—1. While the general convention of the states was gathering together, and was waiting for a full house before they would proceed, they bound themselves with the great execration, which they called the <i>Cherum</i>, utterly to destroy all those cities that should not send in their representatives and their quota of men upon this occasion, or had sentenced those to that curse who should thus refuse (<a class="bibleref" title="Judg.21.5" href="/passage/?search=Judg.21.5">Jdg. 21:5</a>); for they would look upon such refusers as having no indignation at the crime committed, no concern for the securing of the nation from God’s judgments by the administration of justice, nor any regard to the authority of a common consent, by which they were summoned to meet. 2. When they had met and heard the cause they made another solemn oath that none of all the thousands of Israel then present, nor any of those whom they represented (not intending to bind their posterity), should, if they could help it, <i>marry a daughter</i> to a Benjamite, <a class="bibleref" title="Judg.21.1" href="/passage/?search=Judg.21.1">Jdg. 21:1</a>. This was made an article of the war, not with any design to extirpate the tribe, but because in general they would treat those who were then actors and abettors of this villany in all respects as they treated the devoted nations of Canaan, whom they were not only obliged to destroy, but with whom they were forbidden to marry; and because, in particular, they judged those unworthy to match with a daughter of Israel that had been so very barbarous and abusive to one of the tender sex, than which nothing could be done more base and villainous, nor a more certain indication given of a mind perfectly lost to all honour and virtue. We may suppose that the Levite’s sending the mangled pieces of his wife’s body to the several tribes helped very much to inspire them with all this fury, and much more than a bare narrative of the fact, though ever so well attested, would have done, so much does the eye affect the heart.</p>
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<p class="tab-1">II. The deep concern which the Israelites did express for the destruction of the tribe of Benjamin when it was accomplished. Observe,</p>
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<p class="tab-1">1. The tide of their anger at Benjamin’s crime did not run so high and so strong before but the tide of their grief for Benjamin’s destruction ran as high and as strong after: <i>They repented for Benjamin their brother</i>, <a class="bibleref" title="Judg.21.6,Judg.21.15" href="/passage/?search=Judg.21.6,Judg.21.15"><span class="bibleref" title="Judg.21.6">Jdg. 21:6</span>, <span class="bibleref" title="Judg.21.15">15</span></a>. They did not repent of their zeal against the sin; there is a holy indignation against sin, the fruit of godly sorrow, which is <i>to salvation, not to be repented of</i>, <a class="bibleref" title="2Cor.7.10,2Cor.7.11" href="/passage/?search=2Cor.7.10,2Cor.7.11"><span class="bibleref" title="2Cor.7.10">2 Cor. 7:10</span>, <span class="bibleref" title="2Cor.7.11">11</span></a>. But they repented of the sad consequences of what they had done, that they had carried the matter further than was either just or necessary. It would have been enough to destroy all they found in arms; they needed not to have cut off the husbandmen and shepherds, the women and children. Note, (1.) There may be over-doing in well-doing. Great care must be taken in the government of our zeal, lest that which seemed supernatural in its causes prove unnatural in its effects. That is no good divinity which swallows up humanity. Many a war is ill ended which was well begun. (2.) Even necessary justice is to be done with compassion. God does not punish with delight, nor should men. (3.) Strong passions make work for repentance. What we say and do in a heat our calmer thoughts commonly wish undone again. (4.) In a civil war (according to the usage of the Romans) no victories ought to be celebrated with triumphs, because, which soever side gets, the community loses, as here <i>there is a tribe cut off from Israel</i>. What the better is the body for one member’s crushing another? Now,</p>
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<p class="tab-1">2. How did they express their concern? (1.) By their grief for the breach that was made. They came to the house of God, for thither they brought all their doubts, all their counsels, all their cares, and all their sorrows. There was to be heard on this occasion, not the voice of joy and praise, but only that of lamentation, and mourning, and woe: They <i>lifted up their voices and wept sore</i> (<a class="bibleref" title="Judg.21.2" href="/passage/?search=Judg.21.2">Jdg. 21:2</a>), not so much for the 40,000 whom they had lost (these would not be so much missed out of eleven tribes), but for the entire destruction of one whole tribe; for this was the complaint they poured out before God (<a class="bibleref" title="Judg.21.3" href="/passage/?search=Judg.21.3">Jdg. 21:3</a>): <i>There is one tribe lacking</i>. God had taken care of every tribe; their number twelve was that which they were known by; every tribe had his station appointed in the camp, and his stone in the high priest’s breast-plate; every tribe had his blessing both from Jacob and Moses; and it would be an intolerable reproach to them if they should drop any out of this illustrious jury, and lose one out of twelve, especially Benjamin, the youngest, who was particularly dear to Jacob their common ancestor, and whom all the rest ought to have been in a particular manner tender of. Benjamin is not; what then will become of Jacob? Benjamin is become a Benoni, the son of the right hand a son of sorrow! In this trouble they built an altar, not in competition, but in communion with the appointed altar at the door of the tabernacle, which was not large enough to contain all the sacrifices they designed; for they offered burnt offerings and peace offerings, to give thanks for their victory, yet to atone for their own folly in the pursuit of it, and to implore the divine favour in their present strait. Every thing that grieves us should bring us to God. (2.) By their amicable treaty with the poor distressed refugees that were hidden in the rock Rimmon, to whom they sent an act of indemnity, assuring them, upon the public faith, that they would now no longer treat them as enemies, but receive them as brethren, <a class="bibleref" title="Judg.21.13" href="/passage/?search=Judg.21.13">Jdg. 21:13</a>. The falling out of friends should thus be the renewing of friendship. Even those that have sinned, if at length they repent, must be forgiven and comforted, <a class="bibleref" title="2Cor.2.7" href="/passage/?search=2Cor.2.7">2 Cor. 2:7</a>. (3.) By the care they took to provide wives for them, that their tribe might be built up again, and the ruins of it repaired. Had the men of Israel sought themselves, they would have been secretly pleased with the extinguishing of the families of Benjamin, because then the land allotted to them would escheat to the rest of the tribes, <i>ob defectum sanguinis—for want of heirs</i>, and be easily seized for want of occupants; but those have not the spirit of Israelites who aim to raise themselves upon the ruins of their neighbours. They were so far from any design of this kind that all heads were at work to find out ways and means for the rebuilding of this tribe. All the women and children of Benjamin were slain: they had sworn not to marry their daughters to any of them; it was against the divine law that they should match with the Canaanites; to oblige them to that would be, in effect, to bid them <i>go and serve other gods</i>. What must they do then for wives for them? While the poor distressed Benjamites that were hidden in the rock feared their brethren were contriving to ruin them, they were at the same time upon a project to prefer them; and it was this:—[1.] There was a piece of necessary justice to be done upon the city of Jabesh-Gilead, which belonged to the tribe of Gad, on the other side Jordan. It was found upon looking over the muster-roll (which was taken, <a class="bibleref" title="Judg.20.2" href="/passage/?search=Judg.20.2">Jdg. 20:2</a>) that none appeared from that city upon the general summo
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