Judges 21:5-15
solemn oath <07621 01419> [a great oath.]
regretted ........ Benjamin <05162 01144> [repented them.]
oath <07650> [sworn.]
Jabesh <03003> [Jabesh-gilead.]
This place, as its name imports, was situated in Gilead, east of Jordan. Eusebius and Jerome say it was a great town in their time, standing upon a hill, six miles south from Pella, in the way to Geresa, now Djerash. The Wady Yabes, mentioned by Burckhardt, which empties itself into the Jordan, in the neighbourhood of Bisan or Beth-shan (see 1 Sa 31:11,) and upon which Pella was situated, (celebrated by Pliny, 1. v. c. 18, for its fine waters,) seems to have taken its name from Jabesh. Near this spot, we must therefore look for its site; and the place called Kalaat Rabbad seems to correspond, very nearly, to the spot; though it probably still retains among the Arabs its ancient name.
kill <03212 05221> [Go and smite.]
As they had sworn to destroy those who would not assist in the war (ver. 5,) they determined to destroy the men of Jabesh, and to leave none except the virgins; and to give these to the 600 Benjamites who had escaped to the rock of Rimmon. The whole account is dreadful. The crime of the men of Gibeah was of the deepest dye; the punishment involving both the guilty and innocent, was extended to the most criminal excess, and their mode of remedying the evil they had occasioned was equally abominable.
male .............. male <02145> [every male.]
sexual relations <03045 04904> [hath lain by man. Heb. knoweth the lying with man.]
virgins <01330> [virgins. Heb. women, virgins. Shiloh.]
messengers <01696> [to speak. Heb. and spake and called. the rock Rimmon.]
assured ..... not ... harmed <07965 07121> [call peaceably. or, proclaim peace.]
there were ... enough <04672> [sufficed them not.]
regretted <05162> [repented.]
weakened <06556> [a breach.]
