The provision for the Benjamites is a significant event recorded in the Book of Judges, specifically in chapters 19-21. This narrative highlights the aftermath of a civil conflict within the tribes of Israel and the measures taken to ensure the survival and continuity of the tribe of Benjamin.

Background and Conflict

The conflict arose from a grievous incident involving a Levite and his concubine in the town of Gibeah, which belonged to the tribe of Benjamin. The concubine was brutally abused and murdered by the men of Gibeah, leading the Levite to call for justice. In response, the other tribes of Israel gathered at Mizpah and demanded that the perpetrators be handed over. The Benjamites, however, refused to surrender the guilty men, resulting in a civil war between the tribe of Benjamin and the rest of Israel.

The ensuing battle was devastating for the Benjamites. Judges 20:46-48 records that "on that day twenty-five thousand Benjamite swordsmen fell, all of them valiant warriors." The tribe was nearly annihilated, with only six hundred men surviving by fleeing to the rock of Rimmon.

Provision for the Benjamites

After the conflict, the Israelites were struck with remorse over the near extinction of one of their own tribes. They had sworn an oath at Mizpah not to give their daughters in marriage to the Benjamites, which compounded the problem of ensuring the tribe's survival. To address this, the Israelites sought a solution to provide wives for the remaining Benjamite men.

The first provision involved the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead. Judges 21:8-12 recounts that the Israelites discovered that no one from Jabesh-gilead had come to the assembly at Mizpah. As a result, they sent an army to strike down the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead, sparing only the virgin women. Four hundred young women were taken and given as wives to the Benjamites.

Despite this, there were still not enough women for all the Benjamite men. Therefore, the Israelites devised another plan during the annual festival at Shiloh. Judges 21:19-23 describes how the Benjamites were instructed to hide in the vineyards and, when the daughters of Shiloh came out to dance, to seize them as wives. This act was seen as a way to circumvent the oath, as the women were not given but taken.

Significance

The provision for the Benjamites underscores several themes within the biblical narrative. It highlights the gravity of sin and its consequences, as seen in the initial atrocity and the subsequent civil war. It also reflects the importance of unity and reconciliation among God's people, as the Israelites sought to restore the tribe of Benjamin despite their earlier conflict.

Moreover, this account illustrates the complexities of human decisions and the lengths to which the Israelites went to preserve the integrity of the twelve tribes. The measures taken, though controversial, were seen as necessary to maintain the covenant community established by God.

The provision for the Benjamites serves as a reminder of the need for justice tempered with mercy and the ongoing challenge of living in accordance with God's will amidst human frailty.