And the people of Israel had compassion for Benjamin their brother and said, “One tribe is cut off from Israel this day.
We may observe in these verses, I. The ardent zeal which the Israelites had expressed against the wickedness of the men of Gibeah, as it was countenanced by the tribe of Benjamin. Occasion is here given to mention two instances of their zeal on this occasion, which we did not meet with before: - 1.
Commenting on Judges 21:1-15
And the children of Israel repented them for Benjamin their brother,.... Not that they went to war with them, as if their cause was not good; but for the severity they had exercised towards them, especially in destroying their women and children, and for the fatal consequences like to follow here after, particularly the dissolution of the whole tribe: and said, there is one tribe...
There is one tribe cut off from Israel this day--that is, in danger of becoming extinct; for, as it appears from Jdg 21:7, they had massacred all the women and children of Benjamin, and six hundred men alone survived of the whole tribe.