The Heart of a Promise: Finding Resolution in Difficult Decisions
"How shall we do for wives for them that remain, seeing we have sworn by the LORD that we will not give them of our daughters to wives?" - Judges 21:7
In the book of Judges, we are presented with a gripping narrative that unfolds a complex situation faced by the Israelites: the challenge of finding wives for the surviving men of the tribe of Benjamin after a shocking civil war (Judges 21:7, KJV: "How shall we do for wives for them that remain, seeing we have sworn by the LORD that we will not give them of our daughters to wives?"). This verse encapsulates not just a logistical dilemma but speaks deeply to the themes of loyalty, promise, and God’s providence in precarious places.
To understand this moment, we must first consider the context of the events preceding it. The tribe of Benjamin had suffered significant losses due to their moral failures, leading to a near annihilation at the hands of the other tribes of Israel. In the aftermath, when the smoke of war had cleared, there remained a small remnant of men in Benjamin, desperately in need of wives to restore their lineage and the tribe itself. Here’s the first dilemma: How do they reconcile their promise to the Lord—having sworn not to give their daughters to the Benjamites—with the urgent need to continue a tribe crucial to the nation of Israel?
The Israelites’ oath reflects a profound commitment to their promises. In today's world, we often find ourselves faced with commitments that seem ridged and sometimes rudimentary—whether it be tied to our marriages, friendships, or faith in God. The Israelites had placed themselves in a challenging predicament, torn between keeping their word before God and fulfilling a crucial social need. This raises a pressing question: how deeply do we consider the implications of our vows? Our oaths, especially when undertaken in fervent devotion, carry weight and significance that should not be taken lightly.
As believers, we are called to reflect on how our promises align with our actions. What do we do when faithfulness to our commitments seems to clash with the compassionate acts we are called to pursue? The Israelites, in their struggle, teaches us that honesty and integrity with our promises must coexist with a heart seeking solutions.
After much deliberation, they decide upon a plan that involved a festival, which would allow the Benjamite men to find wives among the daughters of Shiloh who were allowed to dance and, presumably, be chosen by the men as partners (Judges 21:18-22). This, however, stands as a cautionary tale; even as we seek ways to resolve our challenges, we must consider God’s moral law and guidance, for He is ultimately sovereign over every situation. The Israelites’ solution was a creative response born from desperation, which perhaps sparked new concerns about how far to bend established vows.
Moreover, this account illustrates something greater: in times of seeming impossibilities and strife, God remains in command and orchestration of our lives. While the Israelites approached their self-imposed limit, God’s hand was still evident in the care for the remnant of Benjamin. It reminds us that amidst our trials, our perceived limitations can also be the breeding grounds for miraculous provision—even if the resolution comes through unconventional means.
Ultimately, Judges 21:7 compels us to consider the principles of loyalty and care in our own lives as followers of Christ. It encourages us to weigh our commitments with gravity, while also invoking God’s wisdom in finding resolutions that honor those commitments while leading to life-giving outcomes for others. Perhaps, like the Israelites, we must be open to sensing the Holy Spirit’s leading as we navigate tough decisions. When we feel stuck, let us turn in prayer and reflection, trusting that God provides not only the wisdom on how to act but also the resources we need to fulfill our divine destinies.
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Judges 21:7 - "How shall we do for wives for them that remain, seeing we have sworn by the LORD that we will not give them of our daughters to wives?"
"How shall we do for wives for them that remain, seeing we have sworn by the LORD that we will not give them of our daughters to wives?" - Judges 21:7
Judges 7:21 - "And they stood every man in his place round about the camp: and all the host ran, and cried, and fled."
"And they stood every man in his place round about the camp: and all the host ran, and cried, and fled." - Judges 7:21
Judges 5:7
Matthew 7:1 - "Judge not, that ye be not judged."
Judges 21:20 - "Therefore they commanded the children of Benjamin, saying, Go and lie in wait in the vineyards;"
Judges 21:9 - "For the people were numbered, and, behold, there were none of the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead there."
John 7:24 - "Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment."
Judges 18:21 - "So they turned and departed, and put the little ones and the cattle and the carriage before them."
Judges 21:17 - "And they said, There must be an inheritance for them that be escaped of Benjamin, that a tribe be not destroyed out of Israel."
Matthew 7:1-2 - "Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."
"Judge not, that ye be not judged." - Matthew 7:1
Judges 9:21 - "And Jotham ran away, and fled, and went to Beer, and dwelt there, for fear of Abimelech his brother."
Judges 21:15 - "And the people repented them for Benjamin, because that the LORD had made a breach in the tribes of Israel."
Judges 21:25 - "In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes."
Judges 21:21 - "And 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."
Hosea 7:7 - "They are all hot as an oven, and have devoured their judges; all their kings are fallen: there is none among them that calleth unto me."
Judges 21:4 - "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 13:21 - "But the angel of the LORD did no more appear to Manoah and to his wife. Then Manoah knew that he was an angel of the LORD."
Judges 21:6 - "And the children of Israel repented them for Benjamin their brother, and said, There is one tribe cut off from Israel this day."
Judges 21:2 - "And the people came to the house of God, and abode there till even before God, and lifted up their voices, and wept sore;"
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."
Judges 12:7 - "And Jephthah judged Israel six years. Then died Jephthah the Gileadite, and was buried in one of the cities of Gilead."
Judges 14:7 - "And he went down, and talked with the woman; and she pleased Samson well."
Judges 19:21 - "So he brought him into his house, and gave provender unto the asses: and they washed their feet, and did eat and drink."
Judges 21:16 - "Then the elders of the congregation said, How shall we do for wives for them that remain, seeing the women are destroyed out of Benjamin?"
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?"
Judges 1:21 - "And the children of Benjamin did not drive out the Jebusites that inhabited Jerusalem; but the Jebusites dwell with the children of Benjamin in Jerusalem unto this day."
Judges 20:21 - "And the children of Benjamin came forth out of Gibeah, and destroyed down to the ground of the Israelites that day twenty and two thousand men."