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.
• 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.”
• New Living Translation (NLT)The Israelites had vowed at Mizpah, “We will never give our daughters in marriage to a man from the tribe of Benjamin.”

Context of Judges 21:1

The men of Israel had taken an oath at Mizpah: “Not one of us will give his daughter in marriage to a Benjamite.” 2The people went to Bethel, where they sat before God until evening, raising their voices and weeping bitterly. 3“Lord, God of Israel,” they cried, “why has this happened to Israel? Why should one tribe be missing 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 20:1Then all Israel from Dan to Beersheba and from the land of Gilead came together as one and assembled before the Lord in Mizpah.
• Jeremiah 4:2and if in a truthful, just and righteous way you swear, ‘As surely as the Lord lives,’ then the nations will invoke blessings by him and in him they will boast.”
• Judges 21:5Then the Israelites asked, “Who from all the tribes of Israel has failed to assemble before the Lord?” For they had taken a solemn oath that anyone who failed to assemble before the Lord at Mizpah was to be put to death.
• Judges 11:30And Jephthah made a vow to the Lord: “If you give the Ammonites into my hands,
• 1 Samuel 14:24Now the Israelites were in distress that day, because Saul had bound the people under an oath, saying, “Cursed be anyone who eats food before evening comes, before I have avenged myself on my enemies!” So none of the troops tasted food.
• Ecclesiastes 5:2Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God. God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few.
• Mark 6:23And he promised her with an oath, “Whatever you ask I will give you, up to half my kingdom.”
• Acts 23:12The next morning some Jews formed a conspiracy and bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul.
• Romans 10:2For I can testify about them that they are zealous for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge.
• Exodus 34:12Be careful not to make a treaty with those who live in the land where you are going, or they will be a snare among you.
• Deuteronomy 7:2and when the Lord your God has delivered them over to you and you have defeated them, then you must destroy them totally. 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