Judges 21:3

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

1Now the men of Israel had sworn in Mizpah, saying, “None of us shall give his daughter to Benjamin in marriage.” 2So the people came to Bethel and sat there before God until evening, and lifted up their voices and wept bitterly. They said, “Why, O Lord, God of Israel, has this come about in Israel, so that one tribe should be missing today in Israel?” 4It came about the next day that the people arose early and built an altar there and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. 5Then the sons of Israel said, “Who is there among all the tribes of Israel who did not come up in the assembly to the Lord?” For they had taken a great oath concerning him who did not come up to the Lord at Mizpah, saying, “He shall surely be put to death.”

Judges 21:3 word by word

וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ לָמָ֗ה יְהוָה֙ אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל הָ֥יְתָה זֹּ֖את בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל לְהִפָּקֵ֥ד הַיּ֛וֹם מִיִּשְׂרָאֵ֖ל שֵׁ֥בֶט אֶחָֽד׃Read the interlinear

• They saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• Whyמָהmâh mah mâ ma meh · what?H4100
• , O Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
• of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
• has thisזֶהzeh · thisH2088
• comeהָיָהhâyâh · to beH1961
• so that oneאֶחָד'echâd · oneH259
• tribeשֵׁ֫בֶטshêbeţ · tribeH7626
• todayיוֹםyôm · day: todayH3117

Cross-references for Judges 21:3

• Deuteronomy 29:24All the nations will say, ‘Why has the Lord done thus to this land? Why this great outburst of anger?’
• Joshua 7:7Joshua said, “Alas, O Lord God, why did You ever bring this people over the Jordan, only to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us? If only we had been willing to dwell beyond the Jordan!
• Psalms 74:1O God, why have You rejected us forever? Why does Your anger smoke against the sheep of Your pasture?
• Psalms 80:12Why have You broken down its hedges, So that all who pass that way pick its fruit?
• Proverbs 19:3The foolishness of man ruins his way, And his heart rages against the Lord.
• Isaiah 63:17Why, O Lord, do You cause us to stray from Your ways And harden our heart from fearing You? Return for the sake of Your servants, the tribes of Your heritage.
• Jeremiah 12:1Righteous are You, O Lord, that I would plead my case with You; Indeed I would discuss matters of justice with You: Why has the way of the wicked prospered? Why are all those who deal in treachery 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

• Nation
• Rashness

In the dictionaries

• God
• Israel
• Israel, Israelites
• Jacob, Israel
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• JabeshGilead
• Spring
• Wolf
• Israel, History of
• Jabesh-Gilead

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