The Israelites ask, What one is there of the tribes of Israel that did not come up to the Lord to Mizpah?
The thinking is that if some Israelites never showed up to the assembly, they would not have been party to Israel’s oath not to give its daughters in marriage to Benjamin. And so their women would be eligible spouses for the remaining Benjamites. And it is not as though the no-shows would too quickly put up a fight on the issue, since Israel had decreed the death penalty for them as no-shows at Mizpah. So this could be Israel’s solution to their problem. They only had to hope to find now a town or clan large enough to ensure the needed number of women.1
8 And they said, “What one is there of the tribes of Israel that did not come up to the LORD to Mizpah?” And behold, no one had come to the camp from Jabesh-gilead, to the assembly.