It shall be, when their fathers or their brothers come to complain to us, that we will say to them, ‘Grant them graciously to us, because we didn’t take for each man his wife in battle, neither did you give them to them; otherwise you would now be guilty.’”
ExplanationCommentary
Verse 22. Part. Hebrew is variously translated; but the Septuagint and Arab. agree with the Vulg. By your refusal, and by your oath, you have constrained them to take what you would not, ( Calmet.) or could not grant. Prot. “Be favourable to them for our sakes, because we reserved not to each man his wife, in the war; for ye did not give unto them, at that time, that ye should be guilty.” Bible.—You have not to answer for the infraction of the oath, since you did not give your daughters. Calmet.—They had not objections to the Benjamites on any other head, and the young women were not very reluctant. Tirinus.—It is wonderful that the high priest, Phinees, appears so little on this occasion. If he had spoken in the name of God, the rest would have been under no perplexity.