Judges 21:13

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.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(13) To call peaceably—i.e., proclaim peace.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

17:7-13 Micah thought it was a sign of God's favour to him and his images, that a Levite should come to his door. Thus those who please themselves with their own delusions, if Providence unexpectedly bring any thing to their hands that further them in their evil way, are apt from thence to think that God is pleased with them.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

To Shiloh - Whither, as the usual place of meeting for the national assembly, the Israelites had moved from Bethel (a distance of about 10 miles), during the expedition of the 12,000 to Jabesh-Gilead.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

8. 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 (Jud 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.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

No text from Poole on this verse.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

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.

Geneva Study Bible

And the whole congregation {e} sent some to speak to the children of Benjamin that were in the rock Rimmon, and to call peaceably unto them.

(e) That is, about four months after the punishment, Jud 20:47.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

13. in the rock of Rimmon] Cf. Jdg 20:45.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 13. - Translate the whole verse thus: And the whole congregation sent and shake to the children of Benjamin, etc., and proclaimed peace to them (see Deuteronomy 20:10). They sent ambassadors or heralds to them as it were with a flag of truce. Judges 21:13

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

The congregation then sent to call the Benjaminites, who had taken refuge upon the rock Rimmon, and gave them as wives, when they returned (sc., into their own possessions), the 400 virgins of Jabesh who had been preserved alive. "But so they sufficed them not" (כּן, so, i.e., in their existing number, 400: Bertheau). In this remark there is an allusion to what follows.