Verses 5-7 stress the sorrow and the dilemma the Israelites felt because of the Benjamites' situation. The "great oath"(v. 5) seems to have been that any Israelites who did not participate in the nation's battles against her enemies should suffer God's punishment (cf. Num. 32:20-33).
Verses 8-9 record the Israelites' solution to their dilemma having asked themselves, "What shall we do?"(v. 7; cf. v. 16). They should have confessed their mistake in making the "wife vow"and asked for God's solution (cf. 20:8-11). Jabesh-Gilead ("well-drained soil of Gilead") was about 48 miles northeast of Shiloh on the east side of the Jordan River.
Next, the Israelites commanded 12,000 assailants to attack the uncooperative Israelite town (vv. 10-11). This was another sinful plan born out of self-will and vengeance.
"The action [against Jabesh-gilead] appears cruel in the extreme to the modern reader, but the virtual sacredness of the bond linking the several tribes into the amphictyony must be appreciated, and the sin of Jabesh-gilead seen in its light."369
This oppressive action provided only 400 women for the 600 remaining Benjamites, an insufficient number (vv. 12-14). The failure of the plan confirms that it was not God's will, though He permitted it.
This section closes with the people's response to the continuing problem due to the failure of the plan (v. 15). The Lord had made a breach or gap in the ranks of the Israelites in the sense that He permitted it to happen. However, He would not permit the annihilation of Benjamin in view of His promises concerning the future of Israel.
