Judges 21 16

Judges 21:16 kjv

Then the elders of the congregation said, How shall we do for wives for them that remain, seeing the women are destroyed out of Benjamin?

Judges 21:16 nkjv

Then the elders of the congregation said, "What shall we do for wives for those who remain, since the women of Benjamin have been destroyed?"

Judges 21:16 niv

And the elders of the assembly said, "With the women of Benjamin destroyed, how shall we provide wives for the men who are left?

Judges 21:16 esv

Then the elders of the congregation said, "What shall we do for wives for those who are left, since the women are destroyed out of Benjamin?"

Judges 21:16 nlt

So the elders of the assembly asked, "How can we find wives for the few who remain, since the women of the tribe of Benjamin are dead?

Judges 21 verses

Judges 21 16 Meaning

Judges 21:16 describes the deep dilemma faced by the leaders of Israel after their near annihilation of the tribe of Benjamin. The verse captures the elders' urgent concern for the 600 surviving Benjamite men who are without wives, as all the Benjamite women and children were killed in the preceding war. Their question reflects desperation to prevent the extinction of one of the twelve tribes of Israel, a foundational component of God's covenant people. It highlights the complex consequences of war and rash oaths, leading to a profound crisis regarding the very survival and continuation of a significant part of the nation.

Judges 21 16 Context

This verse is situated at a critical juncture following a devastating civil war in Judges chapters 19 and 20. A Levite's concubine was raped and murdered in Gibeah of Benjamin, leading to a holy war by the other eleven tribes against Benjamin. The conflict resulted in a near-annihilation of the tribe of Benjamin, with only 600 men surviving by fleeing to the rock of Rimmon. The other tribes, filled with regret and mourning, had also sworn a rash oath at Mizpah (Jdg 21:1) not to give their daughters to Benjamin as wives. This oath, coupled with the previous near-extermination, posed an existential threat to the tribe's continuation. Chapters 20 and 21 illustrate the extreme breakdown of social order, inter-tribal relations, and adherence to Yahweh's laws in the absence of central leadership, characteristic of the period described by the recurring phrase "in those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes" (Jdg 21:25). The elders' question in verse 16 encapsulates the immediate, seemingly insoluble problem of tribal survival in the wake of such catastrophic events. They had already provided the virgin women from Jabesh-Gilead (Jdg 21:12-14) but this proved insufficient for all 600 men, highlighting the magnitude of the problem.

Judges 21 16 Word analysis

• Then the elders: וַיֹּאמְרוּ זִקְנֵי (va-yo-m'ru ziq-ne): "And said the elders of." Ziqnei (elders) refers to the venerable leaders and heads of families, representing the collective wisdom and authority of the Israelite congregation. Their involvement signifies the gravity and official nature of the discussion.

• of the congregation: הָעֵדָה (ha-ey-dah): "The congregation" or "assembly." This term refers to the representative body of the tribes of Israel, indicating a formal and serious deliberative gathering. It highlights that the solution being sought is a national, not just tribal, concern.

• said: Simple past tense verb, introducing the crucial question.

• “How: מַה (mah): "What" or "how." This interrogative particle expresses deep perplexity and concern, emphasizing the seemingly intractable nature of their predicament.

• shall we do: נַּעֲשֶׂה (na'a-seh): "We shall do/make/act." It implies finding a way or strategy, highlighting their active search for a solution to an unprecedented crisis.

• for wives: לְנָשִׁים (le-na-shim): "For women/wives." The prefix le signifies purpose or for whom. This explicitly states the urgent need for women for marriage, specifically for procreation and tribal continuity, rather than mere companionship.

• for those who remain: לַנּוֹתָרִים (la-no-ta-rim): "For the remnant." The term notarim signifies those who are left over, the survivors. Here, it refers specifically to the 600 Benjamite men who escaped annihilation, highlighting their scarcity and preciousness for the continuation of their tribe. This emphasizes the dire straits of Benjamin.

• since the women: כִּי כָלְתָה הַנָּשִׁים (ki chal-tah ha-na-shim): "For the women have ceased/were consumed." Khal-tah implies complete destruction or coming to an end. This vivid phrasing underlines the absolute disappearance of Benjamite women.

• have been destroyed: Implies total eradication, reinforcing the severity of the loss. It's not just a shortage but an elimination.

• from Benjamin?”: מִבִּנְיָמִן (mi-bin-ya-min): "From Benjamin." This clearly states the source of the lost women and the tribe directly impacted, reinforcing the tribal specificity of the disaster.

• "How shall we do for wives for those who remain": This phrase captures the immense pressure and moral quandary facing the elders. They are not merely contemplating logistics but the very existence of a tribal unit within Israel, reflecting the breakdown of orderly societal functioning when human vengeance and flawed oaths override divine wisdom.

• "since the women have been destroyed from Benjamin": This phrase bluntly states the reason for their dilemma, emphasizing the devastating demographic consequence of the inter-tribal war. The destruction was so complete that no natural means of tribal perpetuation remained, necessitating extreme measures.

Judges 21 16 Bonus section

The concern for the continuity of the tribe of Benjamin highlights the vital importance of lineage and tribal identity within ancient Israel. The Abrahamic covenant promised countless descendants, and the tribal divisions were integral to Israel's identity and its inheritance in the Promised Land. Losing an entire tribe would represent a significant setback to God's covenant promises and the unity of His people. The phrase "the women have been destroyed" specifically refers to the female members, including young girls, who would have become future mothers. This deliberate destruction (though possibly accidental in its comprehensive nature or simply the result of harsh military practices) meant no new generations could emerge from Benjamin without external intervention. The extreme solution eventually implemented in the following verses (the kidnapping of the dancers at Shiloh) further illustrates the desperation and the breakdown of moral norms in a period where there was no central, righteous authority to guide the people. The underlying crisis also subtly hints at the need for a king to establish order and justice, a theme running through Judges and setting the stage for the Book of Samuel.

Judges 21 16 Commentary

Judges 21:16 articulates the profound regret and complex predicament of the Israelite elders after their self-inflicted near destruction of the tribe of Benjamin. The civil war, fueled by outrage and rash vows, brought Israel to the brink of reducing its twelve tribes to eleven, undermining God's established tribal structure for His chosen people. The "elders of the congregation," representing the entire nation, recognize the catastrophic impact of their actions and the existential threat to Benjamin. Their desperate question, "How shall we do for wives for those who remain," is not merely logistical but theological, revealing a national consciousness of the importance of maintaining the integrity of the tribes. This dilemma underscores the pervasive theme in Judges of people "doing what was right in their own eyes," leading to cycles of violence and unrighteousness, even by God's people. The verse highlights the practical consequences of spiritual failure and flawed leadership, forcing a consideration of desperate, ethically ambiguous measures to repair what was broken. It foreshadows the subsequent problematic solutions the elders will devise, illustrating how human beings often fall short in seeking God's will in times of crisis, relying instead on expediency.