Judges 21:9

In this passage, the verse says, *When the people were numbered, behold, not one of the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead was there* (v.9). The account takes place at the tail end of a civil crisis within Israel, during the time of the judges (approximately 1380–1050 BC). Here, God’s people were gathered to see which communities responded to the call to assemble, and they discovered that none had come from Jabesh-gilead. This absence underscores the depth of dissension among the tribes of Israel, revealing how the fractures within God’s covenant community reached a point of widespread concern.

The geographic setting of Jabesh-gilead is east of the Jordan River in the region of Gilead. Located in a mountainous area, Gilead held significance for Israel’s history as part of the territory that was settled by some of the tribes after their entry into the Promised Land. Jabesh-gilead itself would appear again in Scripture, notably in 1 Samuel 11:1–11, when King Saul (who reigned from 1050–1010 BC) rescued the city from its enemies. This city’s absence in Judges 21:9 highlights a moment of disunity that is linked to the broader theme of Israel’s moral and spiritual volatility in the era before kingship.

By stating, *When the people were numbered, behold, not one of the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead was there* (v.9), the verse reveals a clear neglect of duty among fellow Israelites and anticipates further actions by the other tribes to address this failure. Their lack of unity foreshadows the critical need for faithful leadership and points toward the ultimate unity found in Christ (John 17:22–23 NASB-95), even though the direct context is well before the covenantal promises were fully realized through Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection.

Israel failed to unite in its calling and purpose.