Judges 21:13
in Judges 21Then the whole congregation sent a message of peace to the Benjamites who were at the rock of Rimmon.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And the whole congregation sent and spake to the children of Benjamin that were in the rock of Rimmon, and proclaimed peace unto them.
KJV
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.
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This verse in Judges 21
Commentary
6 notes on this verseWhile 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.
This site's exposition
the whole congregation sent a message of peace
on Judges 21:13-14
Peace is sent to the six hundred at “the rock of Rimmon”, where 20:47 says they stayed four months, and the women are handed over. The four hundred do not cover six hundred, and the text says so, “there were not enough women for all of them”. Jabesh returns twice in Saul's story, rescued by him at 1 Samuel 11 and burying his bones at 1 Samuel 31:11 to 13.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
Sending legates to the six hundred men of Benjamin, who for four months guarded themselves on the top of sheer rocks and by the desert's barrenness, which was dangerous for a mass of attackers, they lamented their common hardship in losing their fellow tribesmen, relatives and allies. Yet the hope of renewing the tribe was not utterly destroyed, and they consulted together how they might agree on a pledge of faith and one tribe not perish, severed from the body.
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
And the whole congregation sent some to speak to the children of Benjamin,.... Sent some messengers to them, to call them, and desire them to come to them: that were in the rock Rimmon; the six hundred men who had hid themselves in a cave in it, of which the people of Israel were informed: and to call peaceably unto them; to proclaim peace to them, and assure them of it, and to let them know that they had no ill design against them, that they might come safely to them, and would be kindly received and protected by them.
They did not repent of their zeal against the sin; there is a holy indignation against sin, the fruit of godly sorrow, which is to salvation, not to be repented of, 2 Cor. vii. 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.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
And to call peaceably unto them - To proclaim peace to them; to assure them that the enmity was all over, and that they might with safety leave their strong hold.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
On the verses either side of this one
Four hundred virgin maids They placed them over the openings of wine barrels. Those with carnal knowledge emitted an aroma, the virgins did not. 3 Yevamos,:b.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 6 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
13 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַֽיִּשְׁלְחוּ֙ | vaiyishlechu | and they sent | H7971 → | 845 times |
| כָּל־ | kol- | all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| הָ֣עֵדָ֔ה | haedah | the congregation | H5712 → | 149 times |
| וַֽיְדַבְּרוּ֙ | vaydaberu | and they spoke | H1696 → | 1141 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| בְּנֵ֣י | benei | [the] descendants of | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| בִנְיָמִ֔ן | vinyamin | Benjamin | H1144 → | 166 times |
| אֲשֶׁ֖ר | ʾasher | who | H834 → | 5497 times |
| בְּסֶ֣לַע | besela' | [were] at [the] rock of | H5553 → | 58 times |
| רִמּ֑וֹן | rimon | Rimmon | H7417 → | 16 times |
| וַיִּקְרְא֥וּ | vaiyikreu | and they proclaimed | H7121 → | 733 times |
| לָהֶ֖ם | lahem | to <the> them | ||
| שָׁלֽוֹם׃ | shalom | peace | H7965 → | 236 times |
וַֽיִּשְׁלְחוּ֙and they sent
vaiyishlechuH7971 →845 times
כָּל־all
kol-H3605 →5413 times
הָ֣עֵדָ֔הthe congregation
haedahH5712 →149 times
וַֽיְדַבְּרוּ֙and they spoke
vaydaberuH1696 →1141 times
אֶל־to
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
בְּנֵ֣י[the] descendants of
beneiH1121 →4930 times
בִנְיָמִ֔ןBenjamin
vinyaminH1144 →166 times
אֲשֶׁ֖רwho
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
בְּסֶ֣לַע[were] at [the] rock of
besela'H5553 →58 times
רִמּ֑וֹןRimmon
rimonH7417 →16 times
וַיִּקְרְא֥וּand they proclaimed
vaiyikreuH7121 →733 times
לָהֶ֖םto <the> them
lahem
שָׁלֽוֹם׃peace
shalomH7965 →236 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Ephesians 2:17He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near.
it leads to
- Acts 10:36
He has sent this message to the people of Israel, proclaiming the gospel of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all.
Reached by 3 separate paths from here.
- Isaiah 57:19–21
bringing praise to their lips. Peace, peace to those far and near,” says the LORD, “and I will heal them.”
- Romans 5:1
Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
- Deuteronomy 4:7
For what nation is great enough to have a god as near to them as the LORD our God is to us whenever we call on Him?
- Acts 10:36
Through
Isaiah 57:19bringing praise to their lips. Peace, peace to those far and near,” says the LORD, “and I will heal them.”
it leads to
- Acts 2:39
This promise belongs to you and your children and to all who are far off—to all whom the Lord our God will call to Himself.”
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Hebrews 13:15
Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise, the fruit of lips that confess His name.
- Luke 10:5–6
Whatever house you enter, begin by saying, ‘Peace to this house.’
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Ephesians 6:19
Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will boldly make known the mystery of the gospel,
- Acts 2:39
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies1
About Judges
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes on the Old Testament; Ambrose of Milan, LETTER 33; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.