Judges 21 12

Judges 21:12 kjv

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 21:12 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.

Judges 21:12 niv

They found among the people living in Jabesh Gilead four hundred young women who had never slept with a man, and they took them to the camp at Shiloh in Canaan.

Judges 21:12 esv

And they found among the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead 400 young virgins who had not known a man by lying with him, and they brought them to the camp at Shiloh, which is in the land of Canaan.

Judges 21:12 nlt

Among the residents of Jabesh-gilead they found 400 young virgins who had never slept with a man, and they brought them to the camp at Shiloh in the land of Canaan.

Judges 21 verses

Judges 21 12 Meaning

Judges 21:12 details the discovery and collection of four hundred young virgins from Jabesh-gilead who had not had sexual relations. These women were brought to the Israelite camp at Shiloh, located in the land of Canaan, to be provided as wives for the remaining men of the tribe of Benjamin, fulfilling a desperate and morally compromised strategy to prevent the extinction of a tribe while attempting to adhere to a prior rash vow. The verse highlights the Israelite leaders' focus on ensuring the Benjaminites' survival through an available group of pure women, obtained through violent means.

Judges 21 12 Context

Judges chapter 21 concludes one of the darkest periods in Israel's history, depicting a severe moral and political breakdown following the near annihilation of the tribe of Benjamin due to a heinous crime committed by Benjaminites in Gibeah (Judges 19-20). The other eleven tribes had vowed at Mizpah not to give their daughters to Benjamin in marriage. After winning the war against Benjamin, but seeing the tribe reduced to a mere six hundred men, the Israelites were filled with regret and faced a dilemma: how to preserve Benjamin without breaking their oath. This verse is part of their desperate and violent solution. Jabesh-gilead was targeted because its inhabitants did not participate in the punitive war against Benjamin, violating a previous Israelite communal oath (Judg 21:5). This selective extermination allowed the Israelites to 'find' virgins who had not been part of the sworn 'no daughter' pledge, thus providing wives for Benjamin while attempting to circumvent their prior vow.

Judges 21 12 Word analysis

• And they found (וַיִּמְצְאוּ - wa-yimtse'u): From the root matsa', meaning "to find, discover, acquire." Here, it indicates a deliberate act of seeking or locating, a result of the military operation. It signifies the success of their brutal mission, presenting the acquisition as a solution.
• among the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead (מִיֹּשְׁבֵי יָבֵישׁ גִּלְעָד - mî-yōšəḇê yāḇêš gil‘āḏ): Jabesh-gilead was an Israelite city in Transjordan. Its residents' failure to join the previous battle against Benjamin marked them for punitive action. This selective targeting implies that the Israelites acted with premeditation, seeking out a source of eligible women for Benjamin.
• four hundred young virgins (אַרְבַּע מֵאוֹת בְּתוּלוֹת נַעֲרָה - ’arba‘ mē’ōṯ bəṯûlôṯ na‘ărâ):
  • Four hundred: A specific number, emphasizing the limited scope of the rescue operation for Benjamin (600 remaining men). It indicates only a partial solution for the tribe's needs.
  • young virgins (bəṯûlôṯ na‘ărâ): Bəṯûlôṯ (virgins) implies a maiden, untouched, highlighting their suitability for marriage and procreation. Na‘ărâ means "young girl" or "maiden," confirming their age and status. Their virginity was crucial for ensuring legitimate offspring and maintaining tribal purity in ancient societal views, especially for establishing a new lineage. The phrase "who had not known a man intimately" immediately follows to underscore this specific qualification, aligning with Mosaic law's high regard for virginity prior to marriage.
• who had not known a man intimately (אֲשֶׁר לֹא־יָדְעוּ אִישׁ לְמִשְׁכָּב - ’ăšer lō’-yāḏə‘û ’îš ləmiš·kāḇ): This is a common Hebrew euphemism for sexual intercourse, literally "who had not known a man for lying." It explicitly confirms their virgin status, which was a critical criterion for these women to be considered suitable wives. This detail underscores the legal and social significance of virginity in Israelite society.
• and they brought them (וַיָּבִיאוּ אֹתָם - wayyābî'û ’ōṯām): The action is swift and forceful. "They" refers to the twelve thousand chosen warriors (Judg 21:10), indicating military action.
• to the camp at Shiloh (אֶל־הַֽמַּחֲנֶה שִׁלֹה - ’el-ham·maḥăneh šillōh):
  • camp (maḥăneh): Implies a military encampment, fitting the war-torn context.
  • Shiloh (šillōh): This was the primary religious center of Israel at that time, where the Tabernacle resided. Bringing the captured virgins to this sacred location highlights the profound moral paradox of the situation—sacred and profane actions occurring simultaneously, exposing the ethical decay and self-justification that characterized this period. It implies a 'cleansing' or a re-legitimization process to marry these women.
• which is in the land of Canaan (אֲשֶׁר בְּאֶרֶץ כְּנָעַן - ’ăšer bə’ereṣ kəna‘an): A geographical marker identifying the land of promise. The reminder that this action takes place within the land God had given them for holiness underscores the profound failure of Israel to live up to their covenant responsibilities. The "promised land" has become a stage for internal strife and violence.

Judges 21 12 Bonus section

• The Problem of the Vow: The Israelite oath at Mizpah not to give daughters to Benjamin created a moral conundrum they sought to "resolve" through violent means, rather than repenting of the rash vow itself. This illustrates how human attempts to uphold a flawed promise can lead to further sin.
• Contrast with Mosaic Law: While wartime practices often involved taking captives, the specific targeting of a fellow Israelite city (Jabesh-gilead) for not participating in their war against another Israelite tribe demonstrates a significant departure from principles of justice and mercy found in the Mosaic Law. The very definition of holy war was corrupted.
• Symbolism of Shiloh's Defilement: The bringing of women obtained through violence and destruction directly to Shiloh, the sanctuary, powerfully foreshadows Shiloh's eventual destruction, as mentioned in later prophetic texts (e.g., Jer 7:12). It was a sacred place yet a witness to profound unholiness.
• Preparation for a King: This entire narrative cycle in Judges 19-21, culminating in such acts, underscores the theological need for a righteous king to guide Israel, providing moral and spiritual stability where tribal autonomy failed.

Judges 21 12 Commentary

Judges 21:12 presents a chilling snapshot of Israel's spiritual and moral degradation, aptly summarized by the recurrent phrase "In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes" (Judg 21:25). The procurement of these virgins from Jabesh-gilead was a pragmatic, yet deeply unethical, solution to a problem of Israel's own making: a rash oath against giving daughters to Benjamin, compounded by a previous oath requiring collective participation in the Gibeah conflict. The selection criterion of "virgins who had not known a man intimately" underscores the primary purpose—legitimate procreation—while treating women as spoils of war and commodities. The bringing of these women to Shiloh, the place of God's Tabernacle, serves as a poignant and disturbing symbol. It illustrates the extent to which Israel intertwined profane violence and self-serving acts with their sacred life, blurring the lines of moral and spiritual integrity. This episode stands as a stark warning about the consequences when people deviate from God's law, relying instead on human ingenuity, violence, and self-serving interpretations of justice to resolve their dilemmas.