Judges 21 1

Judges 21:1 kjv

Now the men of Israel had sworn in Mizpeh, saying, There shall not any of us give his daughter unto Benjamin to wife.

Judges 21:1 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."

Judges 21:1 niv

The men of Israel had taken an oath at Mizpah: "Not one of us will give his daughter in marriage to a Benjamite."

Judges 21:1 esv

Now the men of Israel had sworn at Mizpah, "No one of us shall give his daughter in marriage to Benjamin."

Judges 21:1 nlt

The Israelites had vowed at Mizpah, "We will never give our daughters in marriage to a man from the tribe of Benjamin."

Judges 21 verses

Judges 21 1 Meaning

Judges chapter 21, verse 1 begins by detailing a solemn, collective oath taken by the other eleven tribes of Israel at Mizpah. This oath strictly prohibited any man from giving his daughter in marriage to a man of the tribe of Benjamin. This declaration established a critical problem for the Israelite nation following their devastating war against Benjamin, creating an unforeseen crisis concerning the very survival and unity of one of the twelve tribes.

Judges 21 1 Context

Judges 21:1 opens immediately after the almost total decimation of the tribe of Benjamin in the previous chapter. The other Israelite tribes, outraged by the atrocity committed in Gibeah and Benjamin's refusal to surrender the culprits, engaged in a severe punitive war. While seeking justice, their zeal led to an excessive slaughter, leaving only 600 Benjaminite men. This unexpected outcome plunged the tribes into deep lamentation, realizing they had nearly eradicated an entire tribe from Israel, contrary to God's promise and design for the twelve tribes. This verse highlights the profound human predicament they created: having taken a severe oath that, combined with the nearly genocidal war, would lead to Benjamin's extinction, they must now find a way to circumvent their self-imposed dilemma, illustrating the depths of moral and spiritual confusion in the "days when there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes" (Judg 17:6; 21:25).

Judges 21 1 Word Analysis

• Now: The Hebrew conjunction "waw" often marks a sequence or continuation. It indicates that the events of this chapter follow directly from the consequences of the war against Benjamin.
• the men of Israel: Refers to the collective body of the other eleven tribes of Israel. It emphasizes a national, unified action, though one taken without divine consultation. This highlights the problem of human leadership making sweeping decisions independently.
• had sworn: The Hebrew verb is nishba' (נִשְׁבַּע), a reflexive form meaning "they caused themselves to swear" or "they bound themselves by oath." The root implies invoking the divine name or power, making the oath extremely solemn and binding. Oaths were not lightly broken in ancient Israel, especially when publicly made. This demonstrates the people's rigid adherence to their vow, even when its consequences became detrimental to the covenant community.
• in Mizpah: Miṣpâh (מִצְפָּה), meaning "watchtower" or "outlook." Mizpah was a significant assembly point for Israel (Judg 20:1; 1 Sam 7:5-11). It was a place for deliberation and taking solemn vows or making covenants. The setting adds weight and public legitimacy to the oath.
• saying: Introduces the direct quote of their oath.
• Not one of us: Emphasizes the unanimous and absolute nature of the prohibition. There was collective agreement that no individual would deviate from this vow. It speaks to a shared fervor, which was misguided.
• shall give his daughter: This refers to the act of marriage. In Israelite society, daughters were "given" in marriage, symbolizing the transfer of lineage and establishing family alliances. To forbid this was to prevent the continuation of the family line, ensuring Benjamin's demise.
• to Benjamin: The target of the oath, the remnant tribe that survived the devastating war. This points to the paradoxical situation: while the intention was punishment, the consequence was potential eradication of one of God's chosen tribes.
• as a wife: The Hebrew lĕ'ishshâh (לְאִשָּׁה) signifies "for a woman" or "as a wife." This specifically refers to the institution of marriage for procreation and the continuation of the tribal line, making the oath's devastating effect on Benjamin's survival explicit.

Words-group analysis:

• "Now the men of Israel had sworn in Mizpah": This phrase highlights a moment of significant collective action, undertaken with great solemnity and a sense of shared purpose. However, the subsequent actions in the chapter reveal that this purpose was tragically flawed because it lacked divine guidance, setting up an intractable problem for the entire nation. It emphasizes a human-initiated crisis, not a divinely ordained one.
• "Not one of us shall give his daughter to Benjamin as a wife": This exact phrasing demonstrates the severity and completeness of the ban. It’s a total social and marital ostracization of an entire tribe, effectively sentencing them to extinction if not reversed or circumvented. The direct prohibition on intermarriage reveals the Israelites' (flawed) solution to their previous communal trauma—they sought to isolate and further punish Benjamin, unwittingly leading to their own communal lamentation.

Judges 21 1 Bonus Section

• The Israelite leaders failed to consult the LORD (through the Urim and Thummim or high priest) before making this oath, despite having consulted Him repeatedly during the preceding war. This glaring omission underscores their reliance on human reasoning and fervor rather than divine wisdom.
• The paradox of the situation is profound: the very tribes who united to uphold justice by nearly eradicating Benjamin for gross sin, now faced the dilemma of eradicating an entire covenant tribe by upholding their own oath. This highlights a fundamental imbalance in their judgment system and a misunderstanding of what truly constitutes Israelite identity and unity under God.
• This verse and the subsequent events indirectly pose a polemic against rash vows and the danger of human decrees overriding higher covenantal or divine principles, such as the continuation of God's people. The extreme measures taken to resolve this self-created problem serve as a cautionary tale of misguided zeal.

Judges 21 1 Commentary

Judges 21:1 presents the chilling predicament of the Israelites after their fierce war against Benjamin. The oath, taken in the heat of righteous indignation at Mizpah, exemplifies a deeply human failing: prioritizing an emotionally driven vow over the long-term spiritual health and covenant promises regarding the twelve tribes of Israel. The act reflects the self-governance of a people who, without a king and divine counsel, frequently made rash decisions "right in their own eyes" (Judg 17:6, 21:25). The ban on giving daughters in marriage was, by ancient custom, a direct death sentence to the continuation of the Benjaminite line, as there were only 600 men left and no Benjaminite women. This setup illustrates the book's cyclical theme of sin leading to calamity, then a misguided attempt at remedy, often leading to deeper ethical entanglements. It powerfully portrays the tension between zealous judgment and God's principle of preservation, forcing the Israelites into desperate measures to salvage the remnants of Benjamin.