Judges 21:1

Judges 21:1 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Now the men of Israel had sworn in Mizpeh, saying, There shall not any of us give his daughter unto Benjamin to wife.
• New International Version (NIV)The men of Israel had taken an oath at Mizpah: “Not one of us will give his daughter in marriage to a Benjamite.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)Now the men of Israel had sworn at Mizpah, "No one of us shall give his daughter in marriage to Benjamin."
• New King James Version (NKJV)Now the men of Israel had sworn an oath at Mizpah, saying, “None of us shall give his daughter to Benjamin as a wife.”

Context of Judges 21:1

The Israelites had taken an oath in Mizpah, saying, “Not one of us will allow his daughter to marry a Benjaminite.” 2So the people came to Bethel and sat there before God until evening, weeping loudly and uncontrollably. 3They said, “Why, O Lord God of Israel, has this happened in Israel?” An entire tribe has disappeared from Israel today!”

Judges 21:1 word by word

וְאִ֣ישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל נִשְׁבַּ֥ע בַּמִּצְפָּ֖ה לֵאמֹ֑ר אִ֣ישׁ מִמֶּ֔נּוּ לֹא־יִתֵּ֥ן בִּתּ֛וֹ לְבִנְיָמִ֖ן לְאִשָּֽׁה׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Now the menאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
• of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
• had swornשָׁבַעshâba‛ · to swearH7650
• in Mizpehמִצְפָּהmitspâh · MizpahH4709
• sayingאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• There shall not anyאִישׁ'îysh · man: anyoneH376
• of us giveנָתַןnâthan · to give: give(marriage)H5414
• his daughterבַּתbath · daughterH1323
• unto Benjaminבִּנְיָמִיןbinyâmîyn · BenjaminH1144
• to wifeאִשָּׁה'ishshâh nâshîym · woman: wifeH802

Cross-references for Judges 21:1

• Judges 20:1All the Israelites from Dan to Beer Sheba and from the land of Gilead left their homes and assembled together before the Lord at Mizpah.
• Jeremiah 4:2You must be truthful, honest and upright when you take an oath saying, ‘As surely as the Lord lives!’ If you do, the nations will pray to be as blessed by him as you are and will make him the object of their boasting.”
• Judges 21:5The Israelites asked, “Who from all the Israelite tribes has not assembled before the Lord?” They had made a solemn oath that whoever did not assemble before the Lord at Mizpah must certainly be executed.
• Judges 11:30Jephthah made a vow to the Lord, saying, “If you really do hand the Ammonites over to me,
• 1 Samuel 14:24Now the men of Israel were hard pressed that day, for Saul had made the army agree to this oath: “Cursed be the man who eats food before evening! I will get my vengeance on my enemies!” So no one in the army ate anything.
• Ecclesiastes 5:2Do not be rash with your mouth or hasty in your heart to bring up a matter before God, for God is in heaven and you are on earth! Therefore, let your words be few.
• Mark 6:23He swore to her, “Whatever you ask I will give you, up to half my kingdom.”
• Acts 23:12When morning came, the Jews formed a conspiracy and bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink anything until they had killed Paul.
• Romans 10:2For I can testify that they are zealous for God, but their zeal is not in line with the truth.
• Exodus 34:12Be careful not to make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land where you are going, lest it become a snare among you.
• Deuteronomy 7:2and he delivers them over to you and you attack them, you must utterly annihilate them. Make no treaty with them and show them no mercy!

Commentaries on Judges 21:1

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 1Now the men of Israel had sworn - Of this oath we had not heard before; but it appears they had commenced this war with a determination to destroy the Benjamites utterly, and that if any of them escaped the sword no man should be permitted to give him his daughter to wife. By these means the remnant of the tribe must soon have been annihilated.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 1The Israelites lament for the Benjamites. --Israel lamented for the Benjamites, and were perplexed by the oath they had taken, not to give their daughters to them in marriage. Men are more zealous to support their own authority than that of God. They would have acted better if they had repented of their rash oaths, brought sin-offerings, and sought forgiveness in the appointed way, rather than attempt to avoid the guilt of perjury by actions quite as…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1In Judges, for the second time, a foolish vow caused problems for those who made it (see study note on Judges 11:31).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 21:1

• Rashness

In the dictionaries

• Benjamin
• Israel
• Benjamin, Benjaminite
• Israel, Israelites
• Jacob, Israel
• JabeshGilead
• Mizpah
• Spring
• Wolf
• Israel, History of

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