Judges 21 4

Judges 21:4 kjv

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.

Judges 21:4 nkjv

So it was, on the next morning, that the people rose early and built an altar there, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings.

Judges 21:4 niv

Early the next day the people built an altar and presented burnt offerings and fellowship offerings.

Judges 21:4 esv

And the next day the people rose early and built there an altar and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings.

Judges 21:4 nlt

Early the next morning the people built an altar and presented their burnt offerings and peace offerings on it.

Judges 21 verses

Judges 21 4 Meaning

Judges 21:4 describes the immediate action taken by the assembly of Israel after their national lament and a profound sense of despair regarding the near-extinction of the tribe of Benjamin. It recounts their prompt return to a state of ritual worship, rising early to build an altar and offer both burnt offerings (representing atonement and total dedication) and peace offerings (signifying fellowship and a desire for restored communion) to God. This act demonstrates their acknowledgment of divine sovereignty and their urgent appeal for divine intervention and guidance in resolving the grave crisis born from their hasty oath and devastating civil war.

Judges 21 4 Context

Judges chapter 21 concludes one of the darkest narratives in the book of Judges, following the devastating civil war against the tribe of Benjamin (Judges 19-20). The preceding verses (Judges 21:1-3) recount the extreme despair of the Israelite assembly gathered at Mizpah/Bethel, after having virtually annihilated Benjamin, but only after solemnly swearing an oath (likely at Mizpah) that no Israelite would give his daughter to a Benjaminite in marriage. This oath, coupled with the extent of the Benjaminite destruction, created a national crisis: how could a tribe be preserved in Israel when its remaining men had no means to obtain wives, and Israel had sworn a covenantal oath to prevent them from doing so? Verse 4 captures the immediate aftermath of this realization and lament, as the people, desperate for a solution, turn to God in traditional forms of worship. This reflects a time when tribal confederations functioned without a central monarchy, often resorting to localized altars or established sanctuaries like Bethel for national consultation and spiritual renewal, especially in times of profound distress.

Judges 21 4 Word analysis

• "And it came to pass" (וַיְהִי - wayehi): This common Hebrew transitional phrase serves as a narrative marker, indicating a sequential development or a new, significant turn of events. Here, it highlights the immediacy of the action following their deep lament.
• "on the morrow" (מִמָּחֳרָת - mimohorath): Signifies immediate action and urgency. After a night of weeping and despair (Judg 21:2), they rise early to address the profound crisis, reflecting a serious and pressing resolve.
• "the people" (הָעָם - ha'am): Refers to the collective assembly of Israel, excluding the few remaining Benjaminites. This emphasizes a national, unified (albeit flawed) effort to seek divine favor and solution.
• "rose early" (וַיַּשְׁכִּימוּ - vayashkimu): This phrase frequently denotes earnestness, dedication, and deliberate intent in scripture. It underscores the urgency and importance of their seeking God's intervention for their severe predicament.
• "and built there an altar" (וַיִּבְנוּ שָׁם מִזְבֵּחַ - vayivnu sham mizbe'ah):
  • Mizbe'ah: An altar, a designated place for ritual sacrifice to God. While the primary tabernacle altar was supposed to be in Shiloh at this time, Judges often depicts the building of temporary altars for significant, often national, spiritual purposes, particularly in times of crisis or special divine encounter. "There" refers to their gathering place, likely Bethel, which was a sacred site. The building of a new altar underscores the exceptional nature and perceived gravity of their situation, beyond merely utilizing an existing one.
• "and offered burnt offerings" (וַיַּעֲלוּ עֹלוֹת - vayyaʿălu ʿolōṯ):
  • Olot: Burnt offerings, which were completely consumed by fire on the altar. These sacrifices primarily symbolized complete devotion to God and served as a means of atonement for sin. In this context, it speaks to Israel's desperate desire for expiation from the national guilt of the civil war and the breaking of fellowship, alongside their absolute dependence on God to resolve their impasse.
• "and peace offerings" (וּשְׁלָמִים - ušelemīm):
  • Shelemim: Peace offerings, or fellowship offerings. These offerings were typically made to express thanksgiving, fulfill vows, or seek communion with God. A portion was burnt for God, while parts were shared among the priests and the worshippers in a communal meal. In this dire situation, they express a longing for restoration of national well-being and a re-establishment of peaceful covenantal relationship with God, despite their recent actions.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "rose early and built there an altar": This immediate, physically demanding action signifies the depth of their distress and their belief that only a direct, earnest approach to God through sacrificial worship could offer a solution. The building of a new altar emphasizes the extraordinary nature of their supplication.
• "offered burnt offerings and peace offerings thereon": The selection of these specific sacrifices reveals their multi-faceted spiritual intent. The burnt offerings underscore their recognition of sin and their plea for atonement, signifying total consecration in the face of judgment. The peace offerings reflect their profound yearning for shalom (wholeness, peace, restoration) after the trauma of civil war, seeking renewed communion and God's favor for national stability and prosperity, even while facing the immediate existential threat to one of their tribes.

Judges 21 4 Bonus section

• The paradox of piety: The verse showcases the peculiar blend of profound spiritual consciousness and ethical compromise characteristic of the Judges period. A nation capable of devastating internal conflict and hasty, regrettable oaths still retains a deep-seated instinct to seek God's face in ritual sacrifice.
• A plea for guidance: This act of worship, coming immediately after their national lament (Judg 21:3), can be seen as Israel seeking God's input and blessing before attempting to solve the complex issue of preserving Benjamin. It's an appeal for divine wisdom in a situation they clearly recognize they cannot resolve by human strength or logic alone.
• The urgency of covenant: Their early rising and immediate sacrifice highlight the severity of violating the inter-tribal covenant and the fear of losing a tribe—a direct affront to the Abrahamic promise of a numerous people. Their sacrifice is an attempt to mitigate these consequences.

Judges 21 4 Commentary

Judges 21:4 encapsulates the profound irony and deep religious impulses of Israel during a chaotic period. Despite having just engaged in a brutal and misguided civil war, driven by their failure to collectively enforce justice against Gibeonite wickedness, the people nevertheless possessed an enduring conviction that divine intervention was crucial. Their immediate turn to solemn ritual worship, marked by building an altar and offering both burnt and peace offerings, signifies their understanding that national reconciliation and the resolution of their self-inflicted crisis (the oath preventing marriage) depended entirely on God. It was an act of both desperate repentance for their actions and fervent supplication for divine wisdom to navigate their intractable problem. This piety, however, stands in stark contrast to their often flawed understanding of God's will and their subsequent human-devised, ethically compromised "solutions" to their dilemma. It highlights that outward acts of devotion, while essential, must be coupled with true obedience, wisdom, and steadfast love, demonstrating a fundamental tension between ritual performance and spiritual discernment.