Judges 21 18

Judges 21:18 kjv

Howbeit we may not give them wives of our daughters: for the children of Israel have sworn, saying, Cursed be he that giveth a wife to Benjamin.

Judges 21:18 nkjv

However, we cannot give them wives from our daughters, for the children of Israel have sworn an oath, saying, 'Cursed be the one who gives a wife to Benjamin.' "

Judges 21:18 niv

We can't give them our daughters as wives, since we Israelites have taken this oath: 'Cursed be anyone who gives a wife to a Benjamite.'

Judges 21:18 esv

Yet we cannot give them wives from our daughters." For the people of Israel had sworn, "Cursed be he who gives a wife to Benjamin."

Judges 21:18 nlt

But we cannot give them our own daughters in marriage because we have sworn with a solemn oath that anyone who does this will fall under God's curse."

Judges 21 verses

Judges 21 18 Meaning

Judges 21:18 reveals the specific content of a solemn vow made by the other Israelite tribes following the devastating conflict with Benjamin. This oath strictly prohibited any man from giving his daughter as a wife to a man of Benjamin. This seemingly righteous vow, made in the heat of anger and grief over Benjamin's severe transgression, unexpectedly led to a grave crisis: the potential extinction of an entire tribe of Israel, which caused great lamentation and regret among the people.

Judges 21 18 Context

Judges 21:18 stands in the climactic, yet tragic, final chapter of the book of Judges. Following the horrific atrocity in Gibeah (Judges 19) and the subsequent tribal war that almost annihilated Benjamin (Judges 20), the remaining tribes of Israel experienced deep remorse for what they had done. In the emotional aftermath, fueled by their anger and commitment to punishing Benjamin, they had sworn a binding oath at Mizpah (implicitly referenced by their sorrow) that none would give their daughters in marriage to Benjaminite men. This vow, designed to enforce a perceived justice, unexpectedly jeopardized the survival of the Benjaminite tribe, as there were only 600 surviving men. The elders of Israel faced a moral dilemma: how to preserve a tribe of God's people while upholding a solemn, yet hastily made, oath that seemed to contradict God's broader purpose of preserving Israel as twelve tribes. The verse specifically details this critical prohibition that created the central problem of the chapter.

Judges 21 18 Word analysis

• For (כִּ֣י - ki): A causal or explanatory conjunction, introducing the reason for the people's current dilemma and lamentation mentioned in previous verses. It signals that what follows is the explanation for their sorrow and predicament concerning Benjamin.
• the children of (בְּנֵֽי - bene): A common Hebrew construct noun, meaning "sons of" or "descendants of." Here, "children of Israel" refers to the entire Israelite community represented by their leaders, excluding Benjamin itself.
• Israel (יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל - Yisrael): The collective national body of the twelve tribes. This highlights that the oath was a communal, corporate decision made by the majority of the tribes, reflecting a national consensus, however ill-conceived.
• had sworn (נִשְׁבְּעוּ֙ - nishbe'u): From the verb שׁבע (shava'), meaning "to swear, make an oath, bind oneself by an oath." This word is critical as it denotes a solemn, self-imprecatory covenant, a legal act that invoked divine witness and a curse upon the swearer if the oath was broken. Its pluperfect tense emphasizes a past, completed action that has ongoing implications. The Israelite mindset viewed oaths very seriously (cf. Num 30:2, Deut 23:21).
• saying (לֵאמֹ֑ר - lemor): A common introductory particle to direct speech, indicating the precise content of the oath.
• No one of us (אִ֛ישׁ מִמֶּ֨נּוּ֙ - ish mimmenu): אִ֛ישׁ (ish) means "a man, each man, anyone," emphasizing the individual responsibility of every Israelite male in the community to uphold the oath. מִמֶּ֨נּוּ֙ (mimmenu) means "from us," reinforcing the oath's collective application to all who made it.
• shall give (לֹא־יִתֵּ֥ן - lo-yitten): This combines לֹא (lo'), the negative particle, with יִתֵּ֥ן (yitten), the imperfect form of נתן (natan), "to give." Together, it signifies a strong prohibition or refusal, indicating an absolute future denial of this specific action.
• his daughter (בִּתּ֛וֹ - bitto): Refers to the male's direct female offspring. Marriage in ancient Israel was a contractual arrangement involving the father, emphasizing the patriarchal structure and a father's authority over his daughters in marital matters.
• to Benjamin (לְבִנְיָמִ֥ן - l'Binyamin): The preposition "to" designates the tribe of Benjamin as the intended recipient of the "gift" (a wife). The exclusion specifically targeting this tribe is the core of the problem.
• as a wife (לְאִשָּֽׁה - l'ishshah): The preposition "as" with אִשָּׁה (ishshah - woman/wife) clarifies the specific purpose of giving the daughter. This explicitly targets the most direct and conventional means of preserving the tribe through intermarriage.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• For the children of Israel had sworn, saying: This phrase highlights the communal genesis of their present crisis. The gravity stems from the fact that it was not an individual act but a corporate vow, carrying immense weight and legal-religious binding power for the entire nation. It also underscores a prior act, setting the stage for the narrative’s immediate dilemma.
• 'No one of us shall give his daughter to Benjamin as a wife': This verbatim declaration is the core of the prohibition. It specifies the "what" and the "to whom," laying bare the dire consequences for Benjamin. The inclusion of "No one of us" demonstrates a complete consensus among the other tribes to isolate Benjamin reproductively, an act born of profound anger and collective indignation that neglected foresight or divine counsel. This direct ban on marital relations directly threatened Benjamin's lineage and existence as a tribe.

Judges 21 18 Bonus section

• The Theological Paradox: The book of Judges continually presents human actions in stark contrast to God's character and intentions for His covenant people. Here, Israel's attempt to uphold a perceived "justice" (punishing Benjamin for its grave sin, which included violating the "no marriage" vow for the Philistines and others, which was meant to be only with specific group that doesn't obey Yahweh but to be removed entirely, it was the Law against nations outside, not among tribes of Israel. This shows that Law itself wasn't well implemented, rather the whole scenario shows lawlessness.) through a binding oath inadvertently leads to a situation that threatens God's plan for the twelve tribes of Israel.
• The Problem of Human Autonomy: This verse, like others in Judges, vividly illustrates the chaos that ensues when "there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes" (Jdg 21:25). The oath was made from human wisdom, passion, and without seeking the divine will, setting a devastating precedent for a time without proper leadership or spiritual guidance.
• The Vulnerability of a Tribe: The verse directly speaks to the precariousness of Benjamin's existence after the war, highlighting how easily a significant component of God's covenant nation could be wiped out due to the choices and reactions of their own brethren. This reflects the fragility of unity when sin is not rightly dealt with and true reconciliation not earnestly sought.
• Prophetic Significance: While not a direct prophecy, the underlying themes in Judges 21, including the binding nature of oaths, the dangers of unholy covenants, and God's eventual mercy/sovereignty even through human error, echo through biblical narratives leading up to Christ. The emphasis on "no king" also implicitly points towards the need for a righteous king, which God eventually provides in King David, a shepherd king unlike those leading in Judges.

Judges 21 18 Commentary

Judges 21:18 captures the fatal vow that trapped the Israelites between maintaining their honor (by keeping an oath) and preventing the extinction of a tribe. The core issue is not simply the oath itself, but the lack of divine counsel before the oath was made. In their fervent indignation over Benjamin's sin and subsequent resistance, they failed to seek Yahweh's guidance concerning the tribal covenant and the implications for their family. This reflects the prevailing moral anarchy in Judges ("everyone did what was right in his own eyes," Jdg 21:25). The seriousness with which Israelites regarded oaths is clear; they considered a broken oath an affront to God Himself, yet they paradoxically failed to prioritize compassion and the preservation of His people in their zealous pursuit of justice. The verse encapsulates a moment of deep regret where human judgment, however well-intentioned, created an insurmountable human problem that necessitated morally ambiguous "solutions" (the massacre at Jabesh-Gilead and the abduction of virgins from Shiloh) that further demonstrate the moral decay of the period. The ultimate lesson underscores the dangers of impulsive vows and decision-making without prayerful deliberation and true reliance on God's wisdom, as God desires not merely obedience to the letter of the law but the spirit of covenant loyalty and the preservation of His people.