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Judges 21:1

Judges 21:1 in Multiple Translations

Now the men of Israel had sworn an oath at Mizpah, saying, “Not one of us will give his daughter in marriage to a Benjamite.”

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

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

Now the men of Israel had taken an oath in Mizpah, saying, Not one of us will give his daughter as a wife to Benjamin.

The men of Israel had sworn an oath at Mizpah, “None of us will allow our daughters to marry a Benjamite.”

Moreouer, the men of Israel sware in Mizpeh, saying, None of vs shall giue his daughter vnto the Beniamites to wyfe.

And the men of Israel have sworn in Mizpeh, saying, 'None of us doth give his daughter to Benjamin for a wife.'

Now the men of Israel had sworn in Mizpah, saying, “None of us will give his daughter to Benjamin as a wife.”

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

Now the children of Israel had also sworn in Maspha, saying: None of us shall give of his daughters to the children of Benjamin to wife.

When the Israeli men gathered at Mizpah before the battle started, they vowed, “None of us will ever allow one of our daughters to marry any man from the tribe of Benjamin!”

Study Highlights

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Berean Amplified Bible — Judges 21:1

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Word Study

Hover over any word to see its amplified meaning. Click a word to explore its full definition and translation comparisons.

Amplified text is generated using scripting to tie together English translations for comparison. Always refer to the core BSB translation and original Hebrew/Greek text for accuracy. Anomalies may occur.

Judges 21:1 Interlinear (Deep Study)

BIB
HEB וְ/אִ֣ישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל נִשְׁבַּ֥ע בַּ/מִּצְפָּ֖ה לֵ/אמֹ֑ר אִ֣ישׁ מִמֶּ֔/נּוּ לֹא יִתֵּ֥ן בִּתּ֛/וֹ לְ/בִנְיָמִ֖ן לְ/אִשָּֽׁה
וְ/אִ֣ישׁ ʼîysh H376 man Conj | N-ms
יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל Yisrâʼêl H3478 Israel N-proper
נִשְׁבַּ֥ע shâbaʻ H7650 to swear V-Niphal-Perf-3ms
בַּ/מִּצְפָּ֖ה Mitspâh H4709 Mizpah Prep | N-proper
לֵ/אמֹ֑ר ʼâmar H559 to say Prep | V-Qal-Inf-a
אִ֣ישׁ ʼîysh H376 man N-ms
מִמֶּ֔/נּוּ min H4480 from Prep | Suff
לֹא lôʼ H3808 not Part
יִתֵּ֥ן nâthan H5414 to give V-Qal-Imperf-3ms
בִּתּ֛/וֹ bath H1323 Bath (Shua) N-fs | Suff
לְ/בִנְיָמִ֖ן Binyâmîyn H1144 Benjamin Prep | N-proper
לְ/אִשָּֽׁה ʼishshâh H802 woman Prep | N-fs
Hebrew Word Study

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Hebrew Word Reference — Judges 21:1

וְ/אִ֣ישׁ ʼîysh H376 "man" Conj | N-ms
The Hebrew word for man, referring to a male person or individual, is used in the Bible to describe humans in contrast to God or animals, as seen in Genesis and Psalms. It can also mean husband or servant. In the KJV, it is translated as man or male.
Definition: : man 1) man 1a) man, male (in contrast to woman, female) 1b) husband 1c) human being, person (in contrast to God) 1d) servant 1e) mankind 1f) champion 1g) great man 2) whosoever 3) each (adjective)
Usage: Occurs in 1851 OT verses. KJV: also, another, any (man), a certain, [phrase] champion, consent, each, every (one), fellow, (foot-, husband-) man, (good-, great, mighty) man, he, high (degree), him (that is), husband, man(-kind), [phrase] none, one, people, person, [phrase] steward, what (man) soever, whoso(-ever), worthy. Compare H802 (אִשָּׁה). See also: Genesis 2:23; Genesis 42:25; Exodus 32:23.
יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל Yisrâʼêl H3478 "Israel" N-proper
Israel is the symbolic name of Jacob, also referring to his descendants. Jacob, son of Isaac and Rebekah, had 12 sons who became the tribes of Israel, as told in Genesis 25:26. His story is crucial to the Bible's narrative.
Definition: A man living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.25.26; son of: Isaac (H3327) and Rebekah (H7259); brother of: Esau (H6215); married to Rachel (H7354), Leah (H3812), Zilpah (H2153) and Bilhah (H1090A); father of: Reuben (H7205), Simeon (H8095), Levi (H3878), Judah (H3063), Dan (H1835H), Naphtali (H5321), Gad (H1410), Asher (H0836), Issachar (H3485), Zebulun (H2074), Dinah (H1783), Joseph (H3130) and Benjamin (H1144); also called Jacob frequently § Israel = "God prevails" 1) the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel 2) the name of the descendants and the nation of the descendants of Jacob 2a) the name of the nation until the death of Solomon and the split 2b) the name used and given to the northern kingdom consisting of the 10 tribes under Jeroboam; the southern kingdom was known as Judah 2c) the name of the nation after the return from exile
Usage: Occurs in 2231 OT verses. KJV: Israel. See also: Genesis 32:29; Exodus 13:18; Exodus 40:38.
נִשְׁבַּ֥ע shâbaʻ H7650 "to swear" V-Niphal-Perf-3ms
This Hebrew word means to swear an oath, like making a promise or vow. In the Bible, it is used when someone is making a serious promise, often with God as a witness. The KJV translates it as adjure or take an oath.
Definition: 1) to swear, adjure 1a) (Qal) sworn (participle) 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to swear, take an oath 1b2) to swear (of Jehovah by Himself) 1b3) to curse 1c) (Hiphil) 1c1) to cause to take an oath 1c2) to adjure
Usage: Occurs in 175 OT verses. KJV: adjure, charge (by an oath, with an oath), feed to the full (by mistake for H7646 (שָׂבַע)), take an oath, [idiom] straitly, (cause to, make to) swear. See also: Genesis 21:23; Judges 21:18; Psalms 15:4.
בַּ/מִּצְפָּ֖ה Mitspâh H4709 "Mizpah" Prep | N-proper
Mitspah means watchtower, referring to a place in Palestine near Mount Hermon. It appears in the Bible as a location. The name is associated with a place of observation.
Definition: § Mizpah = "watchtower" a place near Mount Hermon
Usage: Occurs in 33 OT verses. KJV: Mitspah. (This seems rather to be only an orthographic variation of H4708 (מִצְפֶּה) when 'in pause'.) See also: Genesis 31:49; 1 Samuel 10:17; Jeremiah 40:10.
לֵ/אמֹ֑ר ʼâmar H559 "to say" Prep | V-Qal-Inf-a
This Hebrew word means to say or speak, and it's used in many different ways in the Bible. It can mean to command, promise, or think, and it's translated in the KJV as 'answer', 'appoint', or 'command'.
Definition: 1) to say, speak, utter 1a) (Qal) to say, to answer, to say in one's heart, to think, to command, to promise, to intend 1b) (Niphal) to be told, to be said, to be called 1c) (Hithpael) to boast, to act proudly 1d) (Hiphil) to avow, to avouch Aramaic equivalent: a.mar (אֲמַר "to say" H0560)
Usage: Occurs in 4337 OT verses. KJV: answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, [phrase] (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, [idiom] desire, determine, [idiom] expressly, [idiom] indeed, [idiom] intend, name, [idiom] plainly, promise, publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), [idiom] still, [idiom] suppose, talk, tell, term, [idiom] that is, [idiom] think, use (speech), utter, [idiom] verily, [idiom] yet. See also: Genesis 1:3; Genesis 18:23; Genesis 25:32.
אִ֣ישׁ ʼîysh H376 "man" N-ms
The Hebrew word for man, referring to a male person or individual, is used in the Bible to describe humans in contrast to God or animals, as seen in Genesis and Psalms. It can also mean husband or servant. In the KJV, it is translated as man or male.
Definition: : man 1) man 1a) man, male (in contrast to woman, female) 1b) husband 1c) human being, person (in contrast to God) 1d) servant 1e) mankind 1f) champion 1g) great man 2) whosoever 3) each (adjective)
Usage: Occurs in 1851 OT verses. KJV: also, another, any (man), a certain, [phrase] champion, consent, each, every (one), fellow, (foot-, husband-) man, (good-, great, mighty) man, he, high (degree), him (that is), husband, man(-kind), [phrase] none, one, people, person, [phrase] steward, what (man) soever, whoso(-ever), worthy. Compare H802 (אִשָּׁה). See also: Genesis 2:23; Genesis 42:25; Exodus 32:23.
מִמֶּ֔/נּוּ min H4480 "from" Prep | Suff
This Hebrew word means a portion or part of something, and is often used to show the relationship between things, like from or out of something.
Definition: prep 1) from, out of, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not, more than 1a) from (expressing separation), off, on the side of 1b) out of 1b1) (with verbs of proceeding, removing, expelling) 1b2) (of material from which something is made) 1b3) (of source or origin) 1c) out of, some of, from (partitively) 1d) from, since, after (of time) 1e) than, more than (in comparison) 1f) from...even to, both...and, either...or 1g) than, more than, too much for (in comparisons) 1h) from, on account of, through, because (with infinitive) conj 2) that Aramaic equivalent: min (מִן־ "from" H4481)
Usage: Occurs in 1094 OT verses. KJV: above, after, among, at, because of, by (reason of), from (among), in, [idiom] neither, [idiom] nor, (out) of, over, since, [idiom] then, through, [idiom] whether, with. See also: Genesis 2:6; Exodus 16:32; Leviticus 14:26.
לֹא lôʼ H3808 "not" Part
The Hebrew word for not or no is used to indicate absence or negation, as when God says no to the Israelites' requests, or when they disobey His commands.
Definition: 1) not, no 1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition) 1b) not (with modifier-negation) 1c) nothing (subst) 1d) without (with particle) 1e) before (of time) Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)
Usage: Occurs in 3967 OT verses. KJV: [idiom] before, [phrase] or else, ere, [phrase] except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never, no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), ([idiom] as though...,(can-), for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, [phrase] surely, [phrase] as truly as, [phrase] of a truth, [phrase] verily, for want, [phrase] whether, without. See also: Genesis 2:5; Genesis 31:15; Exodus 4:9.
יִתֵּ֥ן nâthan H5414 "to give" V-Qal-Imperf-3ms
This word means to give, put, or set something, with a wide range of applications. It appears in many books, including Genesis and Exodus, describing God's actions and human interactions. The word is used to convey giving, selling, or exchanging something.
Definition: : give/deliver/send/produce 1) to give, put, set 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to give, bestow, grant, permit, ascribe, employ, devote, consecrate, dedicate, pay wages, sell, exchange, lend, commit, entrust, give over, deliver up, yield produce, occasion, produce, requite to, report, mention, utter, stretch out, extend 1a2) to put, set, put on, put upon, set, appoint, assign, designate 1a3) to make, constitute 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be given, be bestowed, be provided, be entrusted to, be granted to, be permitted, be issued, be published, be uttered, be assigned 1b2) to be set, be put, be made, be inflicted 1c) (Hophal) 1c1) to be given, be bestowed, be given up, be delivered up 1c2) to be put upon
Usage: Occurs in 1816 OT verses. KJV: add, apply, appoint, ascribe, assign, [idiom] avenge, [idiom] be (healed), bestow, bring (forth, hither), cast, cause, charge, come, commit, consider, count, [phrase] cry, deliver (up), direct, distribute, do, [idiom] doubtless, [idiom] without fail, fasten, frame, [idiom] get, give (forth, over, up), grant, hang (up), [idiom] have, [idiom] indeed, lay (unto charge, up), (give) leave, lend, let (out), [phrase] lie, lift up, make, [phrase] O that, occupy, offer, ordain, pay, perform, place, pour, print, [idiom] pull, put (forth), recompense, render, requite, restore, send (out), set (forth), shew, shoot forth (up), [phrase] sing, [phrase] slander, strike, (sub-) mit, suffer, [idiom] surely, [idiom] take, thrust, trade, turn, utter, [phrase] weep, [phrase] willingly, [phrase] withdraw, [phrase] would (to) God, yield. See also: Genesis 1:17; Genesis 40:21; Exodus 30:12.
בִּתּ֛/וֹ bath H1323 "Bath (Shua)" N-fs | Suff
The Hebrew word for daughter is used to describe a female child or a woman, and can also be used figuratively. In the Bible, it is used to describe women like Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah and later of King David.
Definition: A woman living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.38.2; daughter of: Shua (H7770); married to Judah (H3063); mother of: Er (H6147), Onan (H0209) and Shelah (H7956) the wife of Uriah whom David had murdered, having had adulterous relations with her; subsequently wife of David and mother of Solomon, Shimea, Shobab, and Nathan (alternate spelling to 'Bathsheba')
Usage: Occurs in 498 OT verses. KJV: apple (of the eye), branch, company, daughter, [idiom] first, [idiom] old, [phrase] owl, town, village. See also: Genesis 5:4; Exodus 2:21; Ruth 1:13.
לְ/בִנְיָמִ֖ן Binyâmîyn H1144 "Benjamin" Prep | N-proper
Benjamin means son of the right hand, referring to the youngest son of Jacob and the tribe that descended from him. The term is first used in Genesis 35:18. Benjamin was a brother of Joseph and a half-brother of Reuben and others.
Definition: § Benjamin = "son of the right hand" a gate in Jerusalem
Usage: Occurs in 160 OT verses. KJV: Benjamin. See also: Genesis 35:18; 1 Samuel 9:21; Psalms 68:28.
לְ/אִשָּֽׁה ʼishshâh H802 "woman" Prep | N-fs
The Hebrew word for woman, used to describe a female person, wife, or animal, appears in many biblical passages, including Genesis and Exodus, and is often translated as woman, wife, or female.
Definition: : woman 1) woman, wife, female 1a) woman (opposite of man) 1b) wife (woman married to a man) 1c) female (of animals) 1d) each, every (pronoun)
Usage: Occurs in 686 OT verses. KJV: (adulter) ess, each, every, female, [idiom] many, [phrase] none, one, [phrase] together, wife, woman. Often unexpressed in English. See also: Genesis 2:22; Genesis 34:4; Numbers 5:12.

Study Notes — Judges 21:1

Show Verse Quote Highlights

Context — Wives for the Benjamites

Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1 Judges 20:1 Then all the Israelites from Dan to Beersheba and from the land of Gilead came out, and the congregation assembled as one man before the LORD at Mizpah.
2 Mark 6:23 And he swore to her, “Whatever you ask of me, I will give you, up to half my kingdom!”
3 Acts 23:12 When daylight came, the Jews formed a conspiracy and bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul.
4 Judges 20:8 Then all the people stood as one man and said, “Not one of us will return to his tent or to his house.
5 Ecclesiastes 5:2 Do not be quick to speak, and do not be hasty in your heart to utter a word before God. After all, God is in heaven and you are on earth. So let your words be few.
6 Judges 21:18 But we cannot give them our daughters as wives.” For the Israelites had sworn, “Cursed is he who gives a wife to a Benjamite.”
7 Jeremiah 4:2 and if you can swear, ‘As surely as the LORD lives,’ in truth, in justice, and in righteousness, then the nations will be blessed by Him, and in Him they will glory.”
8 1 Samuel 14:28–29 Then one of the soldiers told him, “Your father bound the troops with a solemn oath, saying, ‘Cursed is the man who eats food today.’ That is why the people are faint.” “My father has brought trouble to the land,” Jonathan replied. “Just look at how my eyes have brightened because I tasted a little of this honey.
9 Judges 20:10 We will take ten men out of every hundred from all the tribes of Israel, and a hundred out of every thousand, and a thousand out of every ten thousand, to supply provisions for the army when they go to Gibeah in Benjamin to punish them for the atrocity they have committed in Israel.”
10 Deuteronomy 7:2–3 and when the LORD your God has delivered them over to you to defeat them, then you must devote them to complete destruction. Make no treaty with them and show them no mercy. Do not intermarry with them. Do not give your daughters to their sons or take their daughters for your sons,

Judges 21:1 Summary

The men of Israel made a promise to God that they would not let their daughters marry any men from the tribe of Benjamin. This was because of the terrible things that the Benjamites had done, as recorded in the preceding chapters of the book of Judges. This promise shows how seriously the Israelites took the sin of the Benjamites and how they wanted to separate themselves from it, much like God calls us to be separate from the world in 2 Corinthians 6:17. However, it also highlights the need for balance and discernment in our relationships with others, as we are called to love and show compassion to all people, as seen in Matthew 22:37-40.

Frequently Asked Questions

What oath did the men of Israel swear at Mizpah?

The men of Israel swore an oath at Mizpah, saying they would not give their daughters in marriage to a Benjamite, as recorded in Judges 21:1. This oath was likely made in response to the events that unfolded in Judges 20.

Why did the men of Israel make this oath?

The men of Israel made this oath because of the actions of the Benjamites, which are recorded in the preceding chapters of the book of Judges, particularly in Judges 19 and Judges 20. They were likely seeking to separate themselves from the sin of the Benjamites.

Is this kind of oath common in the Bible?

While oaths like this one are not common, the Bible does record instances where God's people made vows or oaths, such as in Deuteronomy 29:12 and Nehemiah 10:29. However, this specific type of oath is unique to this situation.

How does this verse relate to the rest of the book of Judges?

This verse is a culmination of the events in the book of Judges, which highlights the cycle of sin, judgment, and restoration in Israel. It specifically follows the events in Judges 20, where the Benjamites were nearly wiped out, and sets the stage for the events in Judges 21:2-25, where the Israelites try to find wives for the remaining Benjamites.

Reflection Questions

  1. What are some ways that I have separated myself from others because of their sin, and is this always the right approach?
  2. How can I balance the need to separate myself from sin with the need to show love and compassion to those who are struggling?
  3. What are some areas in my life where I need to seek God's guidance and wisdom, just as the Israelites did in this verse?
  4. How can I use my relationships and interactions with others to point them to God and His love, rather than separating myself from them?

Gill's Exposition on Judges 21:1

Now the men of Israel had sworn in Mizpeh,.... Where they were there convened, before the war began; after they had heard the account the Levite gave of the affair, which brought them thither; and

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Judges 21:1

Now the men of Israel had sworn in Mizpeh, saying, There shall not any of us give his daughter unto Benjamin to wife. No JFB commentary on this verse.

Matthew Poole's Commentary on Judges 21:1

JUDGES CHAPTER 21 The people bewail the desolation of Benjamin, . The inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead, for not coming up to this battle, are all destroyed, excepting four hundred damsels, whom the Israelites bestow for wives on the remaining Benjamites, . They advise the rest to seize on the dancing maidens at the feast in Shiloh; and to carry away as many as they had need of . The answer wherewith they should pacify their relations, . The men of Israel had sworn; in the beginning of this war, after the whole tribe had espoused the quarrel of the men of Gibeah, ,14. They do not (as some suppose) here swear the utter extirpation of the tribe, which fell out beyond their expectation, ,6, but only not to give their daughters to those men who should survive; justly esteeming them for their barbarous villany to be as bad as the worst of heathens, with whom they were forbidden to marry. In this case the Benjamites might have married among themselves, if any of their men and women were left alive.

Trapp's Commentary on Judges 21:1

Judges 21:1 Now the men of Israel had sworn in Mizpeh, saying, There shall not any of us give his daughter unto Benjamin to wife.Ver. 1. Now the men of Israel had sworn.] Rashly and uncharitably, out of rage rather than right zeal The fiery spirited man hath mettle in him, but base and reprobate, that never received the image and impress of God’ s Spirit. Men must swear in judgment; and as Minerva is said to put a golden bridle upon Pegasus, that he should not fly too fast, in like sort our Minerva, that is, our Christian discretion, must put a golden bridle on our earnest zeal, lest it make us follow too fast.

Ellicott's Commentary on Judges 21:1

(1) Had sworn.—The circumstance has not been mentioned in the account of the proceedings at Mizpeh. It is clear from the sequel (Judges 21:18) that the oath was not only an oath but “a vow under a curse,” as in Acts 23:14.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on Judges 21:1

CHAPTER XXI The Israelites mourn because of the desolation of Benjamin, and consult the Lord, 1-4. They inquire who of Israel had not come to this war, as they had vowed that those who would not make this a common cause should be put to death, 5, 6. They consult how they shall procure wives for the six hundred men who had fled to the rock Rimmon, 7. Finding that the men of Jabesh-gilead had not come to the war, they send twelve thousand men against them, smite them, and bring off four hundred virgins, which they give for wives to those who had taken refuge in Rimmon, 8-14. To provide for the two hundred which remained, they propose to carry off two hundred virgins of the daughters of Shiloh, who might come to the annual feast of the Lord, held at that place, 15-22. They take this counsel, and each carries away a virgin from the feast, 23-25. NOTES ON CHAP. XXI Verse 1. Now the men of Israel had sworn] Of this oath we had not heard before; but it appears they had commenced this war with a determination to destroy the Benjamites utterly, and that if any of them escaped the sword no man should be permitted to give him his daughter to wife. By these means the remnant of the tribe must soon have been annihilated.

Cambridge Bible on Judges 21:1

1. had sworn in Mizpah] Probably, like Jephthah’s vow (Judges 11:30 n.), a religious oath made at the sanctuary (Judges 20:1). This solemn oath, which could neither be broken nor withdrawn, is an essential feature of both narratives (Judges 21:18; Judges 21:22 A; 7 B); it created the problem for which some solution had to be found.

Whedon's Commentary on Judges 21:1

THE REMNANT OF , Judges 21:1-25. 1. Israel had sworn — This fact, not recorded before, shows up the impetuous zeal and fury with which Israel had been inspired, and during the whole conflict feelings

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