Judges 21
Dear RTB’ers,
Today we end Judges on a happier note that we’ve had the past two days. Although Israel has conjured up a plan to save the tribe of Benjamin, in the process they are losing a “sub-tribe”, a family from across the Jordan River, in their destruction of all the men and their wives from Jabesh-Gilead. But with that action Benjamin is partially restored and remains one of the twelve tribes. We see the importance of this decision twice down the road. First, in the Old Testament: Saul answered, “Am I not a Benjaminite, from the least of the tribes of Israel? And is not my clan the humblest of all the clans of the tribe of Benjamin? (1 Samuel 9:21) Paul the apostle in the New Testament also claims his Benjaminite heritage: …circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews… (Philippians 3:5)
A few days ago I quoted a verse from earlier in Judges (Jg. 17:6) that provides a good summary of the book of Judges. We see that verse repeated today: In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes. (v. 25) A good, continuing caution for all of us today…!
Blessings!
See also: March 19 (2023) / Judges 19-21