Judges 21:8

Jdg 21:8 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.

Ver. 8. There came none to the camp from Jabeshgilead.] They came not up to help the Lord, as Jdg 5:23; they contributed nothing toward the just punishment of those sons of Belial, and therefore seemed to like well of their wickedness. These inhabitants of Jabeshgilead lay far out beyond Jordan, toward the Lake of Gennesaret, and therefore, haply, held themselves less concerned. There is none so wise as the sluggard, {Pro 26:16} for self-love teacheth him a great many excuses, which he thinks will go for wisdom, because by them he thinks to sleep in a whole skin. But in fine his cunning deceiveth him, and he smoketh for it.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Condemning them to be favors of vice, which would not put their hand to punish it.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

there came none to the camp from Jabesh-gilead to the assembly--This city lay within the territory of eastern Manasseh, about fifteen miles east of the Jordan, and was, according to JOSEPHUS, the capital of Gilead. The ban which the assembled tribes had pronounced at Mizpeh seemed to impose on them the necessity of punishing its inhabitants for not joining the crusade against Benjamin; and thus, with a view of repairing the consequences of one rash proceeding, they hurriedly rushed to the perpetration of another, though a smaller tragedy. But it appears (Jdg 21:11) that, besides acting in fulfilment of their oath, the Israelites had the additional object by this raid of supplying wives to the Benjamite remnant. This shows the intemperate fury of the Israelites in the indiscriminate slaughter of the women and children.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 8. There came none to the camp from Jabesh-gilead] As they had sworn to destroy those who would not assist in this war, Jdg 21:5, they determined to destroy the men of Jabesh, and to leave none alive except the virgins, and to give these to the six hundred Benjamites that had escaped to the rock Rimmon. So twelve thousand men went, smote the city, and killed all the males and all the married women. The whole account is dreadful; and none could have been guilty of all these enormities but those who were abandoned of God. The crime of the men of Gibeah was of the deepest die; the punishment, involving both the guilty and innocent, was extended to the most criminal excess; and their mode or redressing the evil which they had occasioned was equally abominable.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(8) There came none to the camp from Jabesh-gilead.—Jabesh-Gilead, which Josephus calls the metropolis of Gilead (Antt. vi. 5, § 1), is probably to be identified with the ruins now called El-Deir in the Wady Yabes (Robinson, 3:319). It was six miles from Pella, on the top of a hill which lies on the road from Pella to Gerasa. For some reason with which we are unacquainted, there seems to have been a bond of intense sympathy between the inhabitants of this town and Benjamin. If their abstinence from the assembly of vengeance was not due to this, we must suppose that the sort of companionship in misery caused by these wild events itself created a sense of union between these communities, for it is the peril of Jabesh which first arouses King Saul to action (1 Samuel 11). and in memory of the deliverance which he effected the men of Jabesh alone save the bodies of Saul and Jonathan from the indignity of rotting on the wall of Bethshan (1Sa_31:11), which gained them the blessing of David (2Sa_2:5-6). We see from these later incidents that Jabesh recovered from the extermination now inflicted on its inhabitants.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

8. Jabesh-gilead] This ancient city, Jabesh of G., is only mentioned again in connexion with the history of Saul, 1Sa_11:1 ff; 1Sa_31:11 ff., 2Sa_2:5 f., Jdg_21:12 f. The name survives in the Wâdi el-Jâbis, about half way between the Yarmuk and the W. Zerḳâ (Jabbok); the city probably lay in the upper part of the valley where it reaches the highlands of Gilead, a nights march from Beth-shean (= Bçsân) across the Jordan, 1Sa_31:12. It has been suggested that this narrative of the war against Jabesh was dictated by Judaean animosity against Saul1[64]; but it is clear that the narrative dates from a period later than that of the kingdom of Judah. At the same time we cannot deny that the writer, in singling out Jabesh for punishment, may have remembered its ancient loyalty to Saul (so Moore).

[64] So recently, Kittel, Gesch. des Volkes Israel2 (1909), p. 23.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And they said, what one is there of the tribes of Israel that came not up to Mizpeh to the Lord?.... This is asked not only to bring them to justice, and put them to death, according to their oath, who should be found guilty, Jdg 21:5 but as an expedient to find wives for the surviving Benjaminites; since these, as they came not to Mizpeh, so consequently swore not that they would not give their daughters to Benjaminites; wherefore from among them wives might be given to them, without the violation of an oath:

and, behold, there came none to the camp from Jabeshgilead to the assembly; this was observed by some upon the question put, which caused an inquiry to be made as after related. This city was in the land of Gilead, from whence it had its name, on the other side Jordan, and is placed by Adrichomius (a) in the half tribe of Manasseh; and Jerom (b) says it was a village in his time six miles from the city Pella, upon a mountain, as you go to Gerasa.

(a) Theatrum Terrae S. p. 90. (b) De loc. Heb. fol. 88. K. & fol. 93. L.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Jabesh-Galead - Is here mentioned for the first time. (See marginal references.) The name of Jabesh survives only in the Wady Yabes (running down to the east bank of the Jordan), near the head of which are situated the ruins called Ed-Deir, which are identified with Jabesh-Gilead.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Jabes was between Pella and Gerasa, upon a mountain, east of the Jordan. It was after its destruction rebuilt, (Calmet) and became very famous, (1 Kings xi.; Menochius) if it was indeed ever demolished. We know not what prevented the inhabitants from joining in common cause. (Haydock)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

A city in Gilead, and in the tribe of Manasseh; of which see 1Sa 11:1,3,9, &c.; 1Sa 31:11, &c.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

8. Came none… from Jabesh-gilead — This was the chief city of the mountainous land of Gilead on the east of the Jordan, and its name is still preserved in the valley in which it was situated — Wady Yabis. Its exact site has not been positively ascertained, but there remains hardly a doubt that it was identical with the modern ruin ed-Deir, which lies on a hill on the south side of the wady Yabis, some six or seven miles east of the Jordan. “The name ed-Deir,” says Dr. Robinson. “is often given to ruins of which the Arabs can make nothing else; while the existence of columns, and the position upon the road from Beisan to Jerash, are circumstances of great weight. The distance too, of six miles from Pella, as specified by Eusebius and Jerome, seems entirely applicable to ed-Deir.” The fact that none came from this city to fight against Benjamin has led some writers, with reason, to suspect that a secret alliance existed between this city and Benjamin.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Jabesh Gilead

This is the name of a city. (See: How to Translate Names)

people were set out in an orderly manner

"people that were assembled at Mizpah were accounted for"

none of the inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead were there

This refers back to the earlier assembly at Mizpah. The full meaning of this statement can be made clear. AT: "none of the inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead had been present at Mizpah" (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

twelve thousand

"12,000" (See: Numbers)

strike the inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead with the edge of the sword, including the women and children

The next verse will add an exception to this general instruction.

strike ... with the edge of the sword

"kill ... with their swords"

translationWords

tribe

Israel

Yahweh

Mizpah

Gilead

assembly

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.