**The Sorrow of Israel and the Redemption of Benjamin**
In those days, there was no king in Israel, and every man did what was right in his own eyes. The people of Israel had gathered at Mizpah, bound by a solemn oath before the Lord, swearing that none of them would give their daughters in marriage to the tribe of Benjamin. This oath was taken in the heat of grief and anger, for the tribe of Benjamin had committed a grievous sin—a crime so vile that it had shaken the very foundations of Israel. The men of Gibeah, a city of Benjamin, had committed an atrocity against a Levite’s concubine, leading to her death and sparking a civil war that nearly wiped out the entire tribe of Benjamin.
Now, the war was over. The tribe of Benjamin stood on the brink of extinction, with only six hundred men remaining, hiding in the stronghold of Rimmon. The rest of the tribe had been slain in battle, and their cities lay in ruins. The people of Israel, though victorious, were filled with sorrow. They had fought against their own brothers, and now they faced the grim reality that one of the twelve tribes of Israel might be lost forever.
The elders of Israel gathered at Bethel, the house of God, and sat before the Lord, weeping and fasting until evening. They cried out, “O Lord, God of Israel, why has this come to pass in Israel, that one tribe should be missing from Israel today?” They were torn between their oath and their love for their brethren. How could they ensure the survival of Benjamin without breaking their vow to the Lord?
Then, they remembered that the people of Jabesh-gilead had not joined them in the assembly at Mizpah. They had not taken part in the oath to withhold their daughters from Benjamin. So, the leaders of Israel sent twelve thousand of their bravest warriors to Jabesh-gilead with a grim command: “Go and strike the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead with the edge of the sword, including the women and children. But spare the young women who have not known a man.”
The warriors obeyed, and they brought back four hundred young virgins from Jabesh-gilead to the camp at Shiloh. These women were given to the surviving men of Benjamin as wives, so that the tribe might be preserved. Yet, there were still two hundred men without wives, for the number of women was not enough.
The elders of Israel pondered this dilemma, and they devised a plan. They remembered that every year, there was a feast of the Lord held in Shiloh, where the young women of Israel would go out to dance in the vineyards. So, they instructed the men of Benjamin, “Go and hide in the vineyards, and when the daughters of Shiloh come out to dance, each of you shall seize a wife for himself and return to the land of Benjamin.”
The men of Benjamin did as they were told. They went to Shiloh and waited in the vineyards. When the young women came out to dance, the men of Benjamin rushed out and carried them away, each man taking a wife for himself. They returned to their inheritance, rebuilt their cities, and began to dwell in them once more.
The people of Israel, though relieved that the tribe of Benjamin was not lost, were heavy with sorrow. They had been forced to break their oath, and they had resorted to violence and deception to preserve their brethren. They knew that their actions were not without fault, but they also knew that the Lord had allowed them to find a way to keep the twelve tribes of Israel intact.
In the end, the people of Israel returned to their homes, each man to his own tribe and family. They reflected on the events that had transpired, and they mourned the sin that had brought such devastation upon them. They cried out to the Lord for forgiveness and guidance, for they knew that without Him, they were lost.
And so, the story of Benjamin’s redemption serves as a reminder of the consequences of sin and the mercy of God. Though the people of Israel had strayed far from His ways, the Lord did not abandon them. He provided a way for the tribe of Benjamin to be restored, even in the midst of their brokenness. And though the path was fraught with sorrow and hardship, it was a testament to the enduring faithfulness of God, who works all things together for the good of His people.
