Judges — Chapter 21

The children of Israel repented them for Benjamin their brother. God willed all twelve tribes to be preserved — as types of the twelve Apostles, and because from Benjamin was to come Saul the first king, and the Apostle Paul (Benjamin = \"wolf\" of Gen. 49:27; Paul = Saul of Benjamin). Lapide quotes S. Jerome in the Epitaph of Paula on this point.

We may not give them wives of our daughters, for the children of Israel have sworn. Lapide on oaths in extreme necessity: a vow or oath is not violated when adhering to it would cause a greater evil (the extinction of a tribe) than the good it was meant to secure. The oath binds only the one who swore it, not those who were absent; and it implicitly excepts cases of overwhelming necessity for the common good.

The abduction of the daughters of Shiloh. Lapide draws the comparison with the Rape of the Sabine women under Romulus — both motivated by necessity, both eventuating in peace. But Lapide: the Romans acted from liberty and ambition; the Benjaminites from genuine necessity to preserve a tribe. \"The Romans' rape stirred wars and slaughter; the Benjaminites' brought peace and joy.\"

The book closes: \"In those days there was no king in Israel; every man did that which was right in his own eyes.\" Lapide quotes Rupertus: the twelve Judges were types of the twelve Apostles — \"in discipline, judges; in battle, leaders; in both, saviours.\" They prefigured the sacred victories of the eternal Saviour, as a mirror placed opposite the sun reflects a like image. The book of Judges ends in disorder pointing toward the need for the true King of Israel.