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ויבא935 העם5971 בית  אל1008  וישׁבו3427 שׁם8033 עד5704 הערב6153 לפני6440 האלהים430 וישׂאו5375 קולם6963 ויבכו1058 בכי1065 גדול׃1419

:12; 20:18,23,26 Jos 18:1

Verse 2. The people came to the house of God] Literally, the people came la-tyb to Bethel; this is considered as the name of a place by the Chaldee, Syriac, Arabic, and Septuagint.

And wept sore] Their revenge was satisfied, and now reflection brings them to contrition for what they had done.

Ver. 2. And the people came to the house of God , etc.] Not to the city Bethel, as the Targum, Septuagint, and other versions, but to Shiloh, where were the tabernacle and ark; and this is to be understood of the army after they had utterly destroyed the Benjaminites: hence we read of the camp in Shiloh, ( Judges 21:12), here they came not so much to rejoice, and be glad, and to return thanks for the victory they had at last obtained, as to lament the unhappy case of the tribe of Benjamin, and to have counsel and advice, and consider of ways and means to repair their loss: and abode there till even before God ; fasting and praying, instead of feasting and rejoicing: and lifted up their voices, and wept sore ; not so much, or at least not only for the 40,000 Israelites that were slain, but for the tribe of Benjamin, in danger of being lost, as follows.

--Israel lamented for the Benjamites, and were perplexed by the oat they had taken, not to give their daughters to them in marriage. Me are more zealous to support their own authority than that of God. The would have acted better if they had repented of their rash oaths brought sin-offerings, and sought forgiveness in the appointed way rather than attempt to avoid the guilt of perjury by actions quite a wrong. That men can advise others to acts of treachery or violence, ou of a sense of duty, forms a strong proof of the blindness of the huma mind when left to itself, and of the fatal effects of a conscienc under ignorance and error _________________________________________________

ויבא935 העם5971 בית  אל1008  וישׁבו3427 שׁם8033 עד5704 הערב6153 לפני6440 האלהים430 וישׂאו5375 קולם6963 ויבכו1058 בכי1065 גדול׃1419