Then the whole congregation sent word to the people of Benjamin who were at the rock of Rimmon and proclaimed peace to them.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse highlights how "proclaiming peace" wasn't just a casual announcement, but a deliberate, official act by the whole congregation to assure the Benjamites they could safely emerge from hiding. It signifies a crucial turning point from widespread conflict and oaths to reconciliation and rebuilding the fractured nation.
Then the whole congregation sent word to the people of Benjamin who were at the rock of Rimmon and proclaimed peace to them.
English Standard Version (ESV)
After a brutal civil war that nearly wiped out the tribe of Benjamin, the remaining 600 Benjamites fled and hid in a rocky stronghold. The united tribes of Israel now realize they've gone too far, having almost destroyed one of their own, and seek to make peace with the survivors. This verse marks the beginning of their efforts to reconcile with Benjamin and find wives for the remaining men, a task complicated by a rash oath made earlier by the congregation.
After devastating conflict, how does a nation begin to heal and reconcile?
The aftermath of the Gibeah incident was incredibly destructive. The tribe of Benjamin was nearly annihilated, leaving Israel with a deep sense of loss and regret.
In this moment, the entire congregation of Israel sends word to the surviving 600 men of Benjamin, who had fled to the rock of Rimmon. The key action here is to 'proclaim peace' to them.
This wasn't just a casual greeting. It was a formal declaration, a 'flag of truce,' assuring the Benjamites that the violence was over and that they could safely leave their hiding place. It was the first step towards reintegrating them into the nation and rebuilding what had been broken.
What happens when a nation's promises lead to unintended destruction, and how do they course-correct?
The context leading up to this verse is crucial. The tribes of Israel had made a rash and devastating oath in Mizpah: 'There shall not any of us give his daughter unto Benjamin to wife' (Judges 21:1). This oath, made in a moment of righteous anger that spiraled into excessive vengeance, led to near-extermination of the Benjaminite tribe.
Now, facing the grim reality of a lost tribe, the 'whole congregation' must act. Sending messengers to the rock of Rimmon with a proclamation of peace is a direct response to the crisis they themselves created. It shows a nation grappling with the consequences of its actions and seeking a way to mend the fabric of Israelite society. It’s a complex picture of both fierce zeal for justice and the profound need for mercy and restoration.
Ask a follow-up
Understand the original words
edah · Hebrew Noun
The assembly of the people of God, gathered for purposes of worship, justice, or communal decision-making. It represents the corporate body of Israel before the Lord.
shalom · Hebrew Noun
A Hebrew greeting or concept implying wholeness, completeness, welfare, and security. It denotes the restoration of a relationship, specifically the end of hostility or war.
This verse marks the end of a brutal period of internal conflict, highlighting Israel's desperate measures to uphold their covenant community and tribal system, even through morally questionable means.
c. 1100-1050 BC
The Crime at Gibeah
A Levite's concubine is brutally assaulted and killed by the men of Gibeah, a city in the tribe of Benjamin. This horrific event sparks outrage throughout Israel.
c. 1100-1050 BC
Civil War Against Benjamin
The other tribes of Israel declare war on the tribe of Benjamin to bring the perpetrators of the Gibeah crime to justice. The war is devastating, nearly wiping out the entire tribe of Benjamin.
c. 1100-1050 BC
The Vow and its Consequence
The Israelites discover they have sworn an oath not to give their daughters to any Benjamite. This creates a crisis as the tribe of Benjamin faces extinction, threatening the integrity of Israel's tribal structure.
c. 1100-1050 BC
The Raid at Shiloh
To provide wives for the surviving Benjamites, the Israelites raid the annual festival at Shiloh and take young women by force. This is a desperate measure to preserve the tribe.
c. 1100-1050 BC— this verse
Peace Declared to Benjamin
After the crisis is addressed through the forced marriages, the entire congregation sends messengers to the surviving six hundred Benjamites, hiding at the rock of Rimmon, to proclaim peace and invite them back.
This passage describes the procedure for approaching a city to make war, which includes offering terms of peace first, paralleling the tribes' action towards Benjamin after intense conflict.
1 Samuel 11:1Similar to how Nahash the Ammonite first offered terms to the men of Jabesh-gilead before attacking, this verse shows the principle of offering peace before resorting to extreme measures.
1 Samuel 30:21After David's victory, he sent to the elders to share the spoil, demonstrating a communal resolution and peace-making after conflict, much like the entire congregation acting towards Benjamin here.
2 Chronicles 10:9When Rehoboam rejects the elders' counsel, he is advised to 'speak kindly' to the people, echoing the sentiment of proclaiming peace and seeking reconciliation, even if the outcome differs.
clarkeJudges 21:13: "And the whole congregation sent some to speak to the children of Benjamin that were in the rock Rimmon, and to call peaceably unto them."
And to call peaceably unto them - To proclaim peace to them; to assure them that the enmity was all over, and that they might with safety leave their strong hold.
ellicottJudges 21:13: "And the whole congregation sent some to speak to the children of Benjamin that were in the rock Rimmon, and to call peaceably unto them."
(13) To call peaceably —i.e., proclaim peace.
This verse highlights how "proclaiming peace" wasn't just a casual announcement, but a deliberate, official act by the whole congregation to assure the Benjamites they could safely emerge from hiding. It signifies a crucial turning point from widespread conflict and oaths to reconciliation and rebuilding the fractured nation.
After a brutal civil war that nearly wiped out the tribe of Benjamin, the remaining 600 Benjamites fled and hid in a rocky stronghold. The united tribes of Israel now realize they've gone too far, having almost destroyed one of their own, and seek to make peace with the survivors. This verse marks the beginning of their efforts to reconcile with Benjamin and find wives for the remaining men, a task complicated by a rash oath made earlier by the congregation.
After a brutal civil war that nearly wiped out the tribe of Benjamin, the remaining 600 Benjamites fled and hid in a rocky stronghold. The united tribes of Israel now realize they've gone too far, having almost destroyed one of their own, and seek to make peace with the survivors. This verse marks the beginning of their efforts to reconcile with Benjamin and find wives for the remaining men, a task complicated by a rash oath made earlier by the congregation.
"Then the whole congregation sent word to the people of Benjamin who were at the rock of Rimmon and proclaimed peace to them." — This verse highlights how "proclaiming peace" wasn't just a casual announcement, but a deliberate, official act by the whole congregation to assure the Benjamites they could safely emerge from hiding…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Last reviewed October 2026