Judges 21:20 (GNV)

Passage

Therefore they commanded the children of Beniamin, saying, Goe, and lye in waite in the vineyardes.

Nearby Context

Judges 21:18 Howbeit we may not giue them wiues of our daughters: for the childre of Israel had sworne, saying, Cursed be he that giueth a wise to Beniamin.

Judges 21:19 Therefore they said, Beholde, there is a feast of the Lord euery yere in Shiloh in a place, which is on the Northside of Beth-el, and on the Eastside of the way that goeth vp from Beth-el to Shechem, and on the South of Lebonah.

Judges 21:20 Therefore they commanded the children of Beniamin, saying, Goe, and lye in waite in the vineyardes.

Judges 21:21 And when ye see that the daughters of Shiloh come out to dance in dances, then come ye out of the vineyards, and catche you euery man a wife of the daughters of Shiloh, and goe into the land of Beniamin.

Judges 21:22 And when their fathers or their brethren come vnto vs to complaine, we wil say vnto them, Haue pitie on them for our sakes, because we reserued not to eche man his wife in the warre, and because ye haue not giuen vnto them hitherto, ye haue sinned.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "therefore", "commanded", "children", "beniamin", "saying", "waite", and "vineyardes". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "therefore" and "commanded", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 19's "Therefore they said Beholde there is a..." into verse 21's "And when ye see that the daughters...", so "therefore" and "commanded" belong inside that flow. In Judges context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "therefore" and "commanded" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.