Judges 21 3

Judges 21:3 kjv

And said, O LORD God of Israel, why is this come to pass in Israel, that there should be to day one tribe lacking in Israel?

Judges 21:3 nkjv

and said, "O LORD God of Israel, why has this come to pass in Israel, that today there should be one tribe missing in Israel?"

Judges 21:3 niv

"LORD, God of Israel," they cried, "why has this happened to Israel? Why should one tribe be missing from Israel today?"

Judges 21:3 esv

And they said, "O LORD, the God of Israel, why has this happened in Israel, that today there should be one tribe lacking in Israel?"

Judges 21:3 nlt

"O LORD, God of Israel," they cried out, "why has this happened in Israel? Now one of our tribes is missing from Israel!"

Judges 21 verses

Judges 21 3 Meaning

Judges 21:3 articulates the lament and profound distress of the Israelites as they acknowledge the near annihilation of the tribe of Benjamin due to the civil war. It is a direct appeal to the covenant God, expressing bewilderment and sorrow that the integrity and wholeness of their twelve-tribe nation, central to their divine identity, has been shattered by internal conflict. The verse highlights the devastating spiritual and demographic cost of their unbridled anger and zeal.

Judges 21 3 Context

Judges 21:3 concludes the intense civil war between the tribes of Israel and Benjamin. Chapters 19-21 describe a horrific series of events initiated by the brutal rape and murder of a Levite's concubine by Benjamite men in Gibeah. The subsequent refusal of Benjamin to surrender the perpetrators led the other tribes of Israel to declare war, vowing to severely punish Benjamin. The war, fought with immense zeal and wrath, resulted in the near extinction of the tribe of Benjamin, with only 600 men surviving. This verse occurs after the overwhelming victory, when the victors suddenly realize the dire, unforeseen consequences of their extreme judgment: the potential loss of one of God's chosen tribes from the twelve-tribe confederacy, which threatened the very fabric of Israel's national and covenant identity. It reflects a moment of somber reflection and profound regret amidst the devastating outcomes of self-righteous and unbridled vengeance.

Judges 21 3 Word analysis

• And said: The subject is implicitly the assembled people of Israel, specifically their leaders and elders who represent the nation. This implies a collective cry or statement, signifying national remorse and perplexity.
• O LORD God of Israel: The Hebrew phrase is YHWH Elohei Yisrael (יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל). This is a foundational covenant name for God, emphasizing His unique relationship with Israel as their deliverer, provider, and ruler. Addressing Him by this title signifies an appeal to His covenant faithfulness, power, and wisdom in a time of crisis.
• why: The Hebrew term is maddua' (מַדּוּעַ), meaning "why" or "wherefore." It conveys confusion, distress, and a longing for understanding. Unlike an accusation, it's a lament of bewilderment at a catastrophic outcome, suggesting a recognition that such a disaster seems contrary to God's ultimate good plans for His people.
• is this come to pass: The Hebrew word hayah (הָיָה), meaning "to be," "to become," or "to happen." The phrasing implies an event has occurred or unfolded, acknowledging a stark reality. It can also hint at divine permission or judgment allowing such an event, even if tragic.
• in Israel: Specifies the direct impact on the entire nation. This calamity is not an external threat but an internal, self-inflicted wound, highlighting the severity of the moral and social decay within God's own people.
• to day: This emphasizes the immediacy and current reality of the crisis. The loss is not theoretical or future, but a stark, present fact keenly felt by the living generation.
• one tribe: Refers specifically to Benjamin, but underscores the critical importance of each of the twelve tribes as essential components of Israel's divinely ordained structure. The absence of even one diminishes the whole.
• lacking: The Hebrew word nifqad (נִפְקַד) is from the root paqad (פָּקַד), here in the Nifal stem, meaning "to be missed," "to be wanting," or "to be numbered and found absent." It expresses a profound sense of loss, deficit, and a disruption of the intended completeness. It's not just a numerical shortage, but a deep spiritual and structural wound to the nation's integrity.

Words-group by words-group analysis

• O LORD God of Israel, why is this come to pass: This segment forms the core of the lament, directing a bewildered and sorrowful question to their covenant Lord. It implies an appeal for divine wisdom or intervention, recognizing God's ultimate sovereignty even over human-wrought destruction.
• in Israel, that there should be to day one tribe lacking in Israel: This phrase articulates the specific tragedy. The repetition of "in Israel" highlights that the disaster affects the very identity and divinely given structure of the nation. The specific mention of "one tribe lacking" captures the full extent of the immediate and critical threat to Israel's covenant completeness.

Judges 21 3 Bonus section

• The profound grief expressed here illustrates a key principle: even when pursuing justice against grave evil, humans can, through excess zeal and a lack of divine wisdom, bring about unforeseen and devastating consequences.
• This verse provides a crucial counterpoint to the triumphant mood of the preceding battles. It reveals the long-term, painful cost of disunity and internal strife, even when supposedly resolving an egregious wrong. The physical victory comes at a profound spiritual and national loss.
• The absence of one tribe challenged the eschatological ideal of the twelve tribes of Israel (e.g., as referenced in Revelation concerning the New Jerusalem, Rev 21:12-14), signifying a brokenness in their covenant standing before God.
• The question "why" (maddua') is not accusatory towards God, but rather a profound wrestling with their own choices and their perceived abandonment or allowance by God, akin to the laments found throughout the Psalms or in books like Lamentations.

Judges 21 3 Commentary

Judges 21:3 stands as a poignant cry from a nation grappling with the devastating aftermath of its own sin and disproportionate vengeance. After violently enforcing their oath against Benjamin, the other tribes confront the horrifying reality that their actions have pushed one of their brethren tribes to the brink of extinction, threatening the very identity of Israel as the twelve-tribe people of God. The lament "Why is this come to pass...one tribe lacking?" is not merely a question of numerical loss, but a spiritual lament reflecting their understanding that God had established a twelve-tribe nation, and its diminishment signified a fundamental breach in the divine order. This verse highlights the painful lesson that even acts driven by perceived righteous zeal can lead to profound self-inflicted harm if not guided by discernment, wisdom, and genuine humility before God. It's a stark portrayal of the chaos that ensues when "everyone did what was right in his own eyes" (Jdg 21:25), even in the pursuit of justice, underscoring the vital need for divine guidance and unity among God's people.