Judges 21:17Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

The tears that were shed stirred deep sorrow in the spirit and kindled an intensified love; rage was supplanted by careful wisdom. Envoys were dispatched to the six hundred men of Benjamin who had taken refuge among the rocks for four months in the desolate wilderness—this was all that kept the attackers at bay. They conveyed their sorrow over shared loss, as some had lost fellow countrymen and others close relatives or allies. Yet, the lineage of the tribe of Benjamin had not been entirely extinguished. They agreed among themselves that the vow would remain binding, ensuring that one tribe, a part of the communal body, would not be annihilated.