Judges 21:14

When the tribe of *Benjamin returned at that time, and they gave them the women whom they had kept alive from the women of Jabesh-gilead; yet they were not enough for them* (Judges 21:14), we see the aftermath of a devastating civil war in Israel where Benjamin had nearly been wiped out. These survivors desperately needed a means to continue their lineage, so the Israelites granted them some of the women taken from Jabesh-gilead in an effort to preserve the tribe. This act reveals both the severity of Israel’s internal strife and the remarkable lengths they went to repair the brokenness. Though the solution was imperfect, it highlights a flicker of mercy within a society rife with moral confusion.

Geographically, Jabesh-gilead was located east of the Jordan River, in the territory that would later be associated with the half-tribe of Manasseh. Throughout the period of the Judges (approximately 1380 BC–1050 BC), Israel was a confederation of tribes without centralized leadership, aside from the temporary deliverers raised up by God. The tribe of Benjamin, named after Jacob’s youngest son (ca. 1800 BC–1700 BC), found itself shattered after a conflict recounted in Judges 20, and these women from Jabesh-gilead provided a means of restoration. Although the supply of women did not fully meet Benjamin’s need, the provision was a symbolic act aimed at preserving unity among God’s chosen people.

On a spiritual level, *yet they were not enough* (Judges 21:14) suggests that any human attempt at repair falls short without God’s ultimate intervention. We might connect this longing for sufficiency with the New Testament’s emphasis on Jesus Christ, the fulfillment of all spiritual and relational needs (NASB-95). In the Gospels, Jesus consistently extends compassionate restoration to those marginalized or left in need, mirroring the notion of preserving life and community—even when that community has wandered from God’s ways (Matthew 9:36, NASB-95).

Benjamin’s restoration came through human effort, but the true restoration of hearts and lives finds its full expression in God’s mercy for all people.