Judges 21:23-25: Wives Stolen, Benjamin Rebuilt, Religious Confusion

Verse 23:[1] And the children of Benjamin did so, and took them wives, according to their number, of them that danced, whom they caught: and they went and returned unto their inheritance, and (see Judg. 20:48) repaired the cities, and dwelt in them.

According to their number, that is, each man his wife, as is said, verse 22. By which we may see they had no very favourable opinion of polygamy, because they did not allow it is this case, when it might seem most necessary for the reparation of a lost tribe. Returned into their inheritance; which being very near the place, they could speedily do before the parents could obtain redress. Repaired the cities, and dwelt in them; not at that instant, which could not be; but by degrees, increasing their buildings as their number increased.

Verse 24:[2] And the children of Israel departed thence at that time, every man to his tribe and to his family, and they went out from thence every man to his inheritance.

[They returned by their tribes, etc.] That is, although each Tribe had first arrived at its lot in a flock, afterwards they individually dispersed unto their own possessions (Malvenda out of Junius).

Verse 25:[3] (Judg. 17:6; 18:1; 19:1) In those days there was no king in Israel: (Deut. 12:8; Judg. 17:6) every man did that which was right in his own eyes.

[There was no king, etc.] See above, Judges 17:6; 18:1 (Malvenda).

[1] Hebrew: וַיַּֽעֲשׂוּ־כֵן֙ בְּנֵ֣י בִנְיָמִ֔ן וַיִּשְׂא֤וּ נָשִׁים֙ לְמִסְפָּרָ֔ם מִן־הַמְּחֹלְל֖וֹת אֲשֶׁ֣ר גָּזָ֑לוּ וַיֵּלְכ֗וּ וַיָּשׁ֙וּבוּ֙ אֶל־נַ֣חֲלָתָ֔ם וַיִּבְנוּ֙ אֶת־הֶ֣עָרִ֔ים וַיֵּשְׁב֖וּ בָּהֶֽם׃

[2] Hebrew: וַיִּתְהַלְּכ֙וּ מִשָּׁ֤ם בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ בָּעֵ֣ת הַהִ֔יא אִ֥ישׁ לְשִׁבְט֖וֹ וּלְמִשְׁפַּחְתּ֑וֹ וַיֵּצְא֣וּ מִשָּׁ֔ם אִ֖ישׁ לְנַחֲלָתֽוֹ׃

[3] Hebrew: בַּיָּמִ֣ים הָהֵ֔ם אֵ֥ין מֶ֖לֶךְ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל אִ֛ישׁ הַיָּשָׁ֥ר בְּעֵינָ֖יו יַעֲשֶֽׂה׃