Focused Passage

Judges 21:1-4

Benjamin's Preservation and Israel's Final No-King Verdict

Judges 21 moves from grief over Benjamin's near extinction to morally compromised schemes for tribal preservation, ending with the book's final verdict that life without righteous covenant kingship produces self-justified violence, oath loopholes, and vulnerable people sacrificed to communal repair.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

1Now the men of Israel had sworn an oath at Mizpah, saying, “Not one of us will give his daughter in marriage to a Benjamite.”

2So the people came to Bethel and sat there before God until evening, lifting up their voices and weeping bitterly.

3“Why, O LORD God of Israel,” they cried out, “has this happened in Israel? Today in Israel one tribe is missing!”

4The next day the people got up early, built an altar there, and presented burnt offerings and peace offerings.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 1

Cross-references

Judges 20:1Classic cross-references Judges 21:18Classic cross-references Acts 23:12Classic cross-references Judges 21:22Classic cross-references Judges 21:7Classic cross-references

Original words

Now the menוְאִ֣ישׁH376Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular constructof Israelיִשְׂרָאֵ֔לH3478Noun - proper - masculine singularhad sworn an oathנִשְׁבַּ֥עH7650Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person masculine singularat Mizpahבַּמִּצְפָּ֖הH4709Preposition-b, Article | Noun - proper - feminine singularsayingלֵאמֹ֑רH559Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructNot oneאִ֣ישׁH376Noun - masculine singular. . .לֹא־H3808Adverb - Negative particleof usמִמֶּ֔נּוּH4480Preposition | first person common pluralwill give his daughterבִּתּ֛וֹH1323Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singularin marriageיִתֵּ֥ןH5414Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularto a Benjamiteלְבִנְיָמִ֖ןH1144Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular. . .לְאִשָּֽׁה׃H802Preposition-l | Noun - feminine singular

Verse 2

Cross-references

1 Samuel 1:10Classic cross-references 1 Samuel 11:4Classic cross-references Judges 20:26Classic cross-references 1 Samuel 30:4Classic cross-references Judges 20:18Classic cross-references

Original words

So the peopleהָעָם֙H5971Article | Noun - masculine singularcameוַיָּבֹ֤אH935Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularvvvבֵּֽית־H1008Prepositionto Bethelאֵ֔לH1008Noun - proper - feminine singularand satוַיֵּ֤שְׁבוּH3427Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralthereשָׁם֙H8033Adverbbeforeלִפְנֵ֖יH6440Preposition-l | Noun - common plural constructGodהָאֱלֹהִ֑יםH430Article | Noun - masculine pluraluntilעַד־H5704Prepositioneveningהָעֶ֔רֶבH6153Article | Noun - masculine singularlifting upוַיִּשְׂא֣וּH5375Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluraltheir voicesקוֹלָ֔םH6963Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine pluraland weepingוַיִּבְכּ֖וּH1058Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural. . .בְּכִ֥יH1065Noun - masculine singularbitterlyגָדֽוֹל׃H1419Adjective - masculine singular

Verse 3

Cross-references

Jeremiah 12:1Classic cross-references Psalms 80:12Classic cross-references

Original words

Whyלָמָ֗הH4100InterrogativeO LORDיְהוָה֙H3068Noun - proper - masculine singularGodאֱלֹהֵ֣יH430Noun - masculine plural constructof Israelיִשְׂרָאֵ֔לH3478Noun - proper - masculine singularthey cried outוַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּH559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralhas thisזֹּ֖אתH2063Pronoun - feminine singularhappenedהָ֥יְתָהH1961Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singularin Israelבְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֑לH3478Preposition-b | Noun - proper - masculine singularTodayהַיּ֛וֹםH3117Article | Noun - masculine singularin Israelמִיִּשְׂרָאֵ֖לH3478Preposition-m | Noun - proper - masculine singularoneאֶחָֽד׃H259Number - masculine singulartribeשֵׁ֥בֶטH7626Noun - masculine singularis missingלְהִפָּקֵ֥דH6485Preposition-l | Verb - Nifal - Infinitive construct

Verse 4

Cross-references

2 Samuel 24:25Classic cross-references Judges 6:24Classic cross-references 1 Samuel 14:35Classic cross-references 1 Samuel 6:14Classic cross-references

Original words

-וַֽיְהִי֙H1961Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularThe next dayמִֽמָּחֳרָ֔תH4283Preposition-m | Noun - feminine singularthe peopleהָעָ֔םH5971Article | Noun - masculine singulargot up earlyוַיַּשְׁכִּ֣ימוּH7925Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralbuiltוַיִּבְנוּ־H1129Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralan altarמִזְבֵּ֑חַH4196Noun - masculine singularthereשָׁ֖םH8033Adverband presentedוַיַּעֲל֥וּH5927Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralburnt offeringsעֹל֖וֹתH5930Noun - feminine pluraland peace offeringsוּשְׁלָמִֽים׃פH8002Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural

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