Alright. I'm finally getting around to this. Sorry for the delay.
I finally present to you...
Part 3 The aftermath of the civil war.
This section comes from Judges 21. Before the Benjamite vs. Israel civil war the rest of Israel swore that they would never allow the Benjamites to marry their daughters.
Judges 21:1 Now the men of Israel had sworn in Mizpeh, saying, There shall not any of us give his daughter unto Benjamin to wife.
This causes God to feel sorry by the lack of one of His tribes marital prospects.
Judges 21:3 And said, O LORD God of Israel, why is this come to pass in Israel, that there should be to day one tribe lacking in Israel?
Surprisingly enough, the people of Israel agree with God. They hold a council to decide what should be done. Is is decided that anyone who didn't show up to kill the Benjamites will have to give wives to them. So that's exactly what they do.
Judges 21:8 And, behold, there came none to the camp from Jabeshgilead to the assembly.
So they are going to send people to purchase and negotiate for wives for their cousins the Benjamites, right?
Um, not quite. They have a completely different idea.
Judges 21:10-11 And the congregation sent thither twelve thousand men of the valiantest, and commanded them, saying, Go and smite the inhabitants of Jabeshgilead with the edge of the sword, with the women and the children.
And this is the thing that ye shall do, Ye shall utterly destroy every male, and every woman that hath lain by man.
This sounds rather familiar. I think I may have read something similar in Numbers 31. Of course this is an equally good cause, like hiring Balaam to curse Israel. This is a punishment for not helping kill the Benjamites, by giving all their virginal women to the the tribe of Benjamin. Makes sense..
Judges 21:12 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.
The Benjamites carry off their captives.
400 virgins. That's quite a score! The matter is closed, right?
Er, not quite.
Judges 21:14 And Benjamin came again at that time; and they gave them wives which they had saved alive of the women of Jabeshgilead: and yet so they sufficed them not.
We need more virgins!
The elders of Israel speak again lamenting that God has caused a breech in one of the tribes and without more wives the tribe of Benjamin will die out.
They still can't marry their daughters to them, so they come up with another elegant solution.
They tell the Benjamites about a festival held at Shiloh.
19Then they said, Behold, there is a feast of the LORD in Shiloh yearly in a place which is on the north side of Bethel, on the east side of the highway that goeth up from Bethel to Shechem, and on the south of Lebonah.
20Therefore they commanded the children of Benjamin, saying, Go and lie in wait in the vineyards;
21And see, and, behold, if the daughters of Shiloh come out to dance in dances, then come ye out of the vineyards, and catch you every man his wife of the daughters of Shiloh, and go to the land of Benjamin.
They are going to wait in the bushes until the women come and dance. I'm sure they just want to talk to them and ask them on dates, right? Right?
23And the children of Benjamin did so, and took them wives, according to their number, of them that danced, whom they caught: and they went and returned unto their inheritance, and repaired the cities, and dwelt in them.
Praise God. Another great smiting. He is great!