Judges 21:4 - Clarke's commentary and critical notes on the Bible

And it came to pass on the morrow, that the people rose early, and built there an altar, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. Built there an altar - This affords some evidence that this was not a regular place of worship, else an altar would have been found in the place; and their act was not according to the law, as may be seen in several places of the Pentateuch. But there was neither king nor law among them, and they did whatever appeared right in their own eyes.