Judges 21 5

Judges 21:5 kjv

And the children of Israel said, Who is there among all the tribes of Israel that came not up with the congregation unto the LORD? For they had made a great oath concerning him that came not up to the LORD to Mizpeh, saying, He shall surely be put to death.

Judges 21:5 nkjv

The children of Israel said, "Who is there among all the tribes of Israel who did not come up with the assembly to the LORD?" For they had made a great oath concerning anyone who had not come up to the LORD at Mizpah, saying, "He shall surely be put to death."

Judges 21:5 niv

Then 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 21:5 esv

And the people of Israel said, "Which of all the tribes of Israel did not come up in the assembly to the LORD?" For they had taken a great oath concerning him who did not come up to the LORD to Mizpah, saying, "He shall surely be put to death."

Judges 21:5 nlt

Then they said, "Who among the tribes of Israel did not join us at Mizpah when we held our assembly in the presence of the LORD?" At that time they had taken a solemn oath in the LORD's presence, vowing that anyone who refused to come would be put to death.

Judges 21 verses

Judges 21 5 Meaning

Judges 21:5 details a crucial inquiry by the Israelites as they sought to identify which of their tribes had not participated in the sacred assembly and subsequent punitive action against Gibeah, held earlier at Mizpeh. This investigation was initiated out of a pressing need to find women to replenish the depleted tribe of Benjamin, especially given the solemn oath they had made not to give their daughters in marriage to any Benjaminite. Identifying a tribe that had failed to answer the communal summons to Mizpeh would provide a pretext for judgment and the acquisition of wives, thereby allowing them to fulfill one vow while navigating the implications of another.

Judges 21 5 Context

Judges 21 records the desperate plight of the remaining eleven tribes of Israel after their near annihilation of the tribe of Benjamin in the previous chapter, due to Benjamin's refusal to surrender the wicked men of Gibeah (Judges 19-20). The narrative unfolds a chaotic period in Israel's history, characterized by tribal disunity and a lack of central authority ("in those days there was no king in Israel; every man did what was right in his own eyes" - Judges 17:6; 21:25). After the initial campaign against Benjamin, the Israelites mourned their brother tribe's near extinction and remembered a severe oath they had collectively sworn at Mizpeh: "There shall not any of us give his daughter unto Benjamin to wife" (Judges 21:1). Verse 5 signifies the moment of collective reflection and a strategic effort to find a solution to this profound crisis. The question posed here is not merely one of attendance, but of adherence to a sacred communal obligation.

Judges 21 5 Word analysis

• And (וְ / w^e): A conjunctive particle, linking this statement to the preceding lament and the difficult situation Israel faces. It signals a continuation of the deliberation concerning Benjamin's plight.
• the children of Israel (בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל / bene Yisrael): This collective term denotes the entire community of God's covenant people. It emphasizes corporate responsibility and the fact that this decision was a communal, not individual, initiative. Their identity as "Israel" bound them by the oath taken and the actions that ensued.
• said (אָמְרֽוּ / amru): Indicates deliberation and discussion among the leaders and the people. It implies a serious, perhaps agonizing, council to find a way forward from their predicament of having sworn two conflicting oaths—one not to give daughters to Benjamin, and another to save Benjamin.
• Which (מִי / mi): An interrogative pronoun, signaling a search for identification. The urgency of their situation drives this inquiry.
• among all the tribes (מִכָּל־שִׁבְטֵ֣י / mi-kol-shiv^ete): Emphasizes a comprehensive review of all twelve tribes (including Levi, even though not typically listed with a tribal land portion, they were still part of the assembly). This highlights the expectation of complete communal participation. Shevatim (tribes) signifies distinct familial-political units of the nation.
• of Israel (יִשְׂרָאֵל / Yisrael): Reaffirms the national identity. The tribes collectively formed the nation of Israel, and therefore shared corporate responsibility for covenant fidelity and national endeavors.
• came not up (לֹא־עָלָ֨ה / lo alah):
  • לֹא (lo): The negation "not," highlighting absence and non-compliance.
  • עָלָה (alah): Means "to go up" or "ascend." In a religious or national context, it often implies a pilgrimage to a central sanctuary (e.g., to Jerusalem) or assembling for a sacred purpose, implying devotion and obedience. This was a religious assembly "with the LORD."
• with the LORD (אֶל־יְהוָה֙ / el YHWH): This is a critical phrase. It elevates the assembly at Mizpeh from a mere human gathering to a sacred convocation. Their presence was not just for men but before the presence of the Almighty God. Failure to "come up with the LORD" was considered a grave sin, a failure of divine summons. YHWH (the LORD) is the personal covenant name of God, indicating His active involvement and authority in the communal gathering.
• to Mizpeh (לַמִּצְפָּ֑ה / la-Mitzpah): A significant assembly point in Judges (ch. 20) and later in Samuel (1 Sam 7). Mizpeh (meaning "watchtower" or "outlook") was a designated place where Israel assembled to seek God's guidance, administer justice, and prepare for communal action. It represented a place of divine counsel and covenant commitment.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "And the children of Israel said": This opening phrase emphasizes that the subsequent decision was a collective national response. It wasn't the decree of a single leader but the consensus of the "bene Yisrael," highlighting the communal nature of both their dilemma and their attempts to resolve it in a period without a king.
• "Which among all the tribes of Israel came not up": This specific formulation indicates a search for a delinquent party within their own brotherhood. It implies that attendance at Mizpeh was considered mandatory for all tribes. This question lays the groundwork for identifying a tribe that could potentially face severe repercussions for their absence, repercussions that Israel could leverage to solve their new crisis regarding the Benjaminites.
• "came not up with the LORD to Mizpeh": This crucial phrase defines the specific transgression they are investigating. "Coming up with the LORD" points to the religious and covenantal obligation of participating in the assembly at Mizpeh. The gathering was not merely for military purposes but to seek God's will and execute His judgment upon the wicked, making non-participation an act of disobedience to God himself, not just the other tribes. Mizpeh functioned as a de facto central religious site for this emergency convocation.

Judges 21 5 Bonus section

The inquiry of Judges 21:5 leads directly to the identification of Jabesh-Gilead as the absent party (Judges 21:8-9). This act was viewed as a grievous offense, a failure to participate in the "holy war" or communal judgment deemed necessary by the other tribes. According to ancient Israelite law and covenant theology, such non-participation in a divinely sanctioned call to arms was tantamount to rebellion against the LORD and the covenant. The consequence for Jabesh-Gilead's perceived dereliction was a harsh "cherem" or "ban" (Deut 13:12-18), a complete destruction with specific exemptions to fulfill the immediate need for virgins. This demonstrates the immense weight placed on corporate responsibility and unity within the tribal confederacy, especially concerning matters of national and divine significance. The willingness to inflict such a devastating judgment on a "brother" tribe showcases the desperate and morally strained environment of the era. The narrative serves as a stark example of how, in the absence of faithful leadership and direct divine revelation, human reasoning, even with good intentions (to preserve a tribe), can lead to brutal and ethically complex actions.

Judges 21 5 Commentary

Judges 21:5 encapsulates the complex and morally compromised state of Israel at the end of the Judges period. The verse details the assembly's focused query: identifying any tribe that failed to appear "with the LORD" at Mizpeh during the initial gathering against Benjamin. This investigation wasn't a casual check of attendance records, but a calculated search for a means to circumvent another difficult oath. Having sworn not to give their daughters to Benjamin, yet regretting Benjamin's near annihilation, the Israelites needed an external solution. Their method reflects the tragic logic of a people struggling with the consequences of hasty, zeal-driven vows made without full divine wisdom. By identifying a non-participating tribe, they would have a "righteous" target for a holy war, where the spoils could include unmarried women who would then be legitimate brides for the Benjaminites, thereby fulfilling one oath by violating the laws related to another. This situation highlights Israel's communal accountability, the seriousness of vows, and the dark reality of a people where spiritual fervor could tragically intersect with legalistic pragmatism and violence, leading to further moral compromises rather than seeking God's ultimate guidance and mercy.