Christian Standard Bible
Judges 21:3
3and cried out, “Why, Lord God of Israel, has it occurred that one tribe is missing in Israel today?”
Judges 21:3 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And said, O Lord God of Israel, why is this come to pass in Israel, that there should be to day one tribe lacking in Israel?
- New International Version (NIV)“Lord, God of Israel,” they cried, “why has this happened to Israel? Why should one tribe be missing from Israel today?”
- English Standard Version (ESV)And they said, "O Lord, the God of Israel, why has this happened in Israel, that today there should be one tribe lacking in Israel?"
- New King James Version (NKJV)and said, “O Lord God of Israel, why has this come to pass in Israel, that today there should be one tribe missing in Israel?”
Context of Judges 21:3
1The men of Israel had sworn an oath at Mizpah: “None of us will give his daughter to a Benjaminite in marriage.” 2So the people went to Bethel and sat there before God until evening. They wept loudly and bitterly, and cried out, “Why, Lord God of Israel, has it occurred that one tribe is missing in Israel today?” 4The next day the people got up early, built an altar there, and offered burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. 5The Israelites asked, “Who of all the tribes of Israel didn’t come to the Lord with the assembly?” For a great oath had been taken that anyone who had not come to the Lord at Mizpah would certainly be put to death.
Read all of Judges 21Judges 21:3 word by word
וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ לָמָ֗ה יְהוָה֙ אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל הָ֥יְתָה זֹּ֖את בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל לְהִפָּקֵ֥ד הַיּ֛וֹם מִיִּשְׂרָאֵ֖ל שֵׁ֥בֶט אֶחָֽד׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Judges 21:3
- Deuteronomy 29:24All the nations will ask, ‘Why has the Lord done this to this land? Why this intense outburst of anger?’
- Joshua 7:7“Oh, Lord God,” Joshua said, “why did you ever bring these people across the Jordan to hand us over to the Amorites for our destruction? If only we had been content to remain on the other side of the Jordan!
- Psalms 74:1Why have you rejected us forever, God? Why does your anger burn against the sheep of your pasture?
- Psalms 80:12Why have you broken down its walls so that all who pass by pick its fruit?
- Proverbs 19:3A person’s own foolishness leads him astray, yet his heart rages against the Lord.
- Isaiah 63:17Why, Lord, do you make us stray from your ways? You harden our hearts so we do not fear you. Return, because of your servants, the tribes of your heritage.
- Jeremiah 12:1You will be righteous, Lord, even if I bring a case against you. Yet, I wish to contend with you: Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why do all the treacherous live at ease?
Commentaries on Judges 21:3
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3Why is this come to pass - This was a very impertinent question. They knew well enough how it came to pass. It was right that the men of Gibeah should be punished, and it was right that they who vindicated them should share in that punishment; but they carried their revenge too far, they endeavored to exterminate both man and beast, Judges 20:48.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3The repetition of the name of Israel is very striking in connection with the title of Yahweh as “God of Israel.” It contains a very forcible pleading of the covenant, and memorial of the promises. The very name “Israel” comprehended all the twelve tribes; with one of them blotted out, the remnant would not be Israel.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3The idea of a twelve-tribe league was important in Israel. It lasted despite Levi separating from the other tribes, Simeon and Asher almost disappearing, and Joseph splitting into two tribes (Manasseh and Ephraim). Losing one tribe would have implied that God's agreement with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob was falling apart.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-152-5. the people came to the house of God, ... and lifted up their voices, and wept sore--The characteristic fickleness of the Israelites was not long in being displayed; for scarcely had they cooled from the fierceness of their sanguinary vengeance, than they began to relent and rushed to the opposite extreme of self-accusation and grief at the desolation which their impetuous zeal had produced. Their victory saddened and humbled them. Their feelings on…Read the comment
Topics related to Judges 21:3
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Judges 21
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- Darby Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
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