Judges 21:7
Judges 21:7 in Multiple Translations
What should we do about wives for the survivors, since we have sworn by the LORD not to give them our daughters in marriage?”
How shall we do for wives for them that remain, seeing we have sworn by the LORD that we will not give them of our daughters to wives?
How shall we do for wives for them that remain, seeing we have sworn by Jehovah that we will not give them of our daughters to wives?
What are we to do about wives for those who are still living? For we have taken an oath by the Lord that we will not give them our daughters for wives.
What shall we do about wives for those who are left, since we have sworn an oath before the Lord that we will not allow any of our daughters to marry them?”
How shall we do for wiues to them that remaine, seeing we haue sworne by the Lord, that we will not giue them of our daughters to wiues?
what do we do for them — for those who are left — for wives, and we — we have sworn by Jehovah not to give to them of our daughters for wives?'
How shall we provide wives for those who remain, since we have sworn by the LORD that we will not give them of our daughters to wives?”
How shall we do for wives for them that remain, seeing we have sworn by the LORD, that we will not give them of our daughters for wives?
Whence shall they take wives? For we have all in general sworn, not to give our daughters to them.
Yahweh heard us solemnly declare that we would not allow any of our daughters to marry any man from the tribe of Benjamin. What can we do to make certain that the men of the tribe of Benjamin who were not killed will have wives?”
Berean Amplified Bible — Judges 21:7
BAB
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 21:7 Interlinear (Deep Study)
BIB
HEB
מַה
נַּעֲשֶׂ֥ה
לָ/הֶ֛ם
לַ/נּוֹתָרִ֖ים
לְ/נָשִׁ֑ים
וַ/אֲנַ֨חְנוּ֙
נִשְׁבַּ֣עְנוּ
בַֽ/יהוָ֔ה
לְ/בִלְתִּ֛י
תֵּת
לָ/הֶ֥ם
מִ/בְּנוֹתֵ֖י/נוּ
לְ/נָשִֽׁים
מַה
mâh
H4100
what?
Part
נַּעֲשֶׂ֥ה
ʻâsâh
H6213
to make
V-Qal-Imperf-1cp
לָ/הֶ֛ם
Prep | Suff
לַ/נּוֹתָרִ֖ים
yâthar
H3498
to remain
Prep | V-Niphal-Inf-c
לְ/נָשִׁ֑ים
ʼishshâh
H802
woman
Prep | N-fp
וַ/אֲנַ֨חְנוּ֙
ʼănachnûw
H587
we
Conj | Pron
נִשְׁבַּ֣עְנוּ
shâbaʻ
H7650
to swear
V-Niphal-Perf-1cp
בַֽ/יהוָ֔ה
Yᵉhôvâh
H3068
The Lord
Prep | N-proper
לְ/בִלְתִּ֛י
biltîy
H1115
lest
Prep | Conj
תֵּת
nâthan
H5414
to give
V-Qal-Inf-a
לָ/הֶ֥ם
Prep | Suff
מִ/בְּנוֹתֵ֖י/נוּ
bath
H1323
Bath (Shua)
Prep | N-fp | Suff
לְ/נָשִֽׁים
ʼishshâh
H802
woman
Prep | N-fp
Hebrew Word Study
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Hebrew Word Reference — Judges 21:7
מַה
mâh
H4100
"what?"
Part
This Hebrew word means what or how, often used to ask questions or express surprise, like in Genesis when God asks Adam what he has done. It can also mean why or when, and is used in various ways throughout the Old Testament. It appears in many KJV translations, including how or what.
Definition: interr pron 1) what, how, of what kind 1a) (interrogative) 1a1) what? 1a2) of what kind 1a3) what? (rhetorical) 1a4) whatsoever, whatever, what 1b) (adverb) 1b1) how, how now 1b2) why 1b3) how! (exclamation) 1c) (with prep) 1c1) wherein?, whereby?, wherewith?, by what means? 1c2) because of what? 1c3) the like of what? 1c3a) how much?, how many?, how often? 1c3b) for how long? 1c4) for what reason?, why?, to what purpose? 1c5) until when?, how long?, upon what?, wherefore? indef pron 2) anything, aught, what may
Usage: Occurs in 655 OT verses. KJV: how (long, oft, (-soever)), (no-) thing, what (end, good, purpose, thing), whereby(-fore, -in, -to, -with), (for) why. See also: Genesis 2:19; Numbers 21:5; 1 Samuel 19:5.
נַּעֲשֶׂ֥ה
ʻâsâh
H6213
"to make"
V-Qal-Imperf-1cp
This verb means to make or do something, and is used over 2,600 times in the Bible. It is first used in Genesis 1:7 to describe God's creation of the world and is also used in Exodus 31:5 to describe the work of skilled craftsmen.
Definition: : make(OBJECT) 1) to do, fashion, accomplish, make 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to do, work, make, produce 1a1a) to do 1a1b) to work 1a1c) to deal (with) 1a1d) to act, act with effect, effect 1a2) to make 1a2a) to make 1a2b) to produce 1a2c) to prepare 1a2d) to make (an offering) 1a2e) to attend to, put in order 1a2f) to observe, celebrate 1a2g) to acquire (property) 1a2h) to appoint, ordain, institute 1a2i) to bring about 1a2j) to use 1a2k) to spend, pass 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be done 1b2) to be made 1b3) to be produced 1b4) to be offered 1b5) to be observed 1b6) to be used 1c) (Pual) to be made
Usage: Occurs in 2286 OT verses. KJV: accomplish, advance, appoint, apt, be at, become, bear, bestow, bring forth, bruise, be busy, [idiom] certainly, have the charge of, commit, deal (with), deck, [phrase] displease, do, (ready) dress(-ed), (put in) execute(-ion), exercise, fashion, [phrase] feast, (fight-) ing man, [phrase] finish, fit, fly, follow, fulfill, furnish, gather, get, go about, govern, grant, great, [phrase] hinder, hold (a feast), [idiom] indeed, [phrase] be industrious, [phrase] journey, keep, labour, maintain, make, be meet, observe, be occupied, offer, [phrase] officer, pare, bring (come) to pass, perform, pracise, prepare, procure, provide, put, requite, [idiom] sacrifice, serve, set, shew, [idiom] sin, spend, [idiom] surely, take, [idiom] thoroughly, trim, [idiom] very, [phrase] vex, be (warr-) ior, work(-man), yield, use. See also: Genesis 1:7; Genesis 34:19; Exodus 18:24.
לָ/הֶ֛ם
""
Prep | Suff
לַ/נּוֹתָרִ֖ים
yâthar
H3498
"to remain"
Prep | V-Niphal-Inf-c
The Hebrew word 'yâthar' means to remain or be left, and can also mean to excel or have more than enough, often translated as 'remain' or 'preserve'.
Definition: 1) to be left over, remain, remain over, leave 1a) (Qal) remainder (participle) 1b) (Niphal) to be left over, remain over, be left behind 1c) (Hiphil) 1c1) to leave over, leave 1c2) to save over, preserve alive 1c3) to excel, show pre-eminence 1c4) to show excess, have more than enough, have an excess
Usage: Occurs in 101 OT verses. KJV: excel, leave (a remnant), left behind, too much, make plenteous, preserve, (be, let) remain(-der, -ing, -nant), reserve, residue, rest. See also: Genesis 30:36; 2 Samuel 9:1; Psalms 79:11.
לְ/נָשִׁ֑ים
ʼishshâh
H802
"woman"
Prep | N-fp
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.
וַ/אֲנַ֨חְנוּ֙
ʼănachnûw
H587
"we"
Conj | Pron
A Hebrew word for we or us, used for emphasis, like when Moses said we will follow God's commands, emphasizing the community's commitment.
Definition: we (first pers. pl. -usually used for emphasis)
Usage: Occurs in 115 OT verses. KJV: ourselves, us, we. See also: Genesis 13:8; 1 Chronicles 11:1; Psalms 20:8.
נִשְׁבַּ֣עְנוּ
shâbaʻ
H7650
"to swear"
V-Niphal-Perf-1cp
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.
בַֽ/יהוָ֔ה
Yᵉhôvâh
H3068
"The Lord"
Prep | N-proper
Yehovah is another name for God, often translated as 'the Lord'. It is a national name for God in the Jewish faith. This name is used throughout the Old Testament.
Definition: Another name of ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)
Usage: Occurs in 5522 OT verses. KJV: Jehovah, the Lord. Compare H3050 (יָהּ), H3069 (יְהֹוִה). See also: Genesis 2:4; Genesis 24:42; Exodus 8:8.
לְ/בִלְתִּ֛י
biltîy
H1115
"lest"
Prep | Conj
This Hebrew word means not or except, and is often used with a prepositional prefix. It appears in various forms, such as not, except, or unless, and is used in many biblical passages.
Definition: subst 1) not, except adv 2) not 3) except (after preceding negation) conj 4) except (after an implied or expressed negation) with prep 5) so as not, in order not 6) an account of not, because...not 7) until not
Usage: Occurs in 107 OT verses. KJV: because un(satiable), beside, but, [phrase] continual, except, from, lest, neither, no more, none, not, nothing, save, that no, without. See also: Genesis 3:11; 2 Kings 12:9; Isaiah 10:4.
תֵּת
nâthan
H5414
"to give"
V-Qal-Inf-a
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.
לָ/הֶ֥ם
""
Prep | Suff
מִ/בְּנוֹתֵ֖י/נוּ
bath
H1323
"Bath (Shua)"
Prep | N-fp | 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/נָשִֽׁים
ʼishshâh
H802
"woman"
Prep | N-fp
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 21:7
Show Verse Quote Highlights
Context — Wives for the Benjamites
5The Israelites asked, “Who among all the tribes of Israel did not come to the assembly before the LORD?” For they had taken a solemn oath that anyone who failed to come up before the LORD at Mizpah would surely be put to death.
6And the Israelites grieved for their brothers, the Benjamites, and said, “Today a tribe is cut off from Israel.
7What should we do about wives for the survivors, since we have sworn by the LORD not to give them our daughters in marriage?”
8So they asked, “Which one of the tribes of Israel failed to come up before the LORD at Mizpah?” And, in fact, no one from Jabesh-gilead had come to the camp for the assembly. 9For when the people were counted, none of the residents of Jabesh-gilead were there.Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Judges 21:1 | 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.” |
| 2 | 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.” |
| 3 | 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. |
| 4 | 1 Samuel 14:45 | But the people said to Saul, “Must Jonathan die—he who accomplished such a great deliverance for Israel? Never! As surely as the LORD lives, not a hair of his head will fall to the ground, for with God’s help he has accomplished this today.” So the people rescued Jonathan, and he did not die. |
Judges 21:7 Summary
This verse is about the Israelites trying to figure out how to help the Benjamites, who were in a difficult situation, without going back on their promise to God. They had sworn not to give their daughters in marriage to the Benjamites, but they still wanted to help them. This shows that the Israelites were trying to be faithful to God while also being kind to their brothers, similar to the principle seen in Galatians 6:2. It's a reminder that we should try to balance our loyalty to God with our love and compassion for others, as seen in verses like Matthew 22:37-40.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did the Israelites swear not to give their daughters in marriage to the Benjamites?
The Israelites had sworn this oath because of the evil actions of the Benjamites, as seen in Judges 19-20, and they wanted to separate themselves from their sinful behavior, similar to the principle seen in Second Corinthians 6:14-17.
What was the problem the Israelites were trying to solve in this verse?
The Israelites were trying to figure out how the surviving Benjamites could have wives, since they had sworn not to give them their daughters in marriage, highlighting the complexity of their situation and the need for a creative solution, as seen in the following verses, Judges 21:8-9.
How does this verse relate to the concept of oaths and vows in the Bible?
This verse shows the seriousness with which the Israelites took their oaths, as they had sworn by the Lord, highlighting the importance of keeping vows, as taught in Deuteronomy 23:21-23 and Ecclesiastes 5:4-5.
What does this verse reveal about the Israelites' attitude towards the Benjamites?
This verse reveals that the Israelites were concerned about the Benjamites' well-being and wanted to find a way to help them, despite their past actions, showing a sense of compassion and loyalty, as seen in Judges 21:6.
Reflection Questions
- What are some situations in my life where I have had to navigate complex loyalties or conflicting values, and how can I apply the principles seen in this verse to those situations?
- How can I balance the need to separate myself from sinful behavior with the need to show compassion and love to those who are struggling, as seen in this verse and in verses like Matthew 9:10-13?
- What are some creative solutions that I can apply to complex problems in my life, inspired by the Israelites' attempts to solve the problem of the Benjamites' wives?
- How can I ensure that my decisions and actions are guided by a sense of loyalty and compassion, rather than just convenience or self-interest, as seen in this verse and in verses like Proverbs 3:3-4?
Gill's Exposition on Judges 21:7
How shall we do for wives for them that remain,.... By which it seems, as well as by what is after related, that they knew of the six hundred men hid in the rock Rimmon: seeing we have sworn by the
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Judges 21:7
How shall we do for wives for them that remain, seeing we have sworn by the LORD that we will not give them of our daughters to wives? No JFB commentary on this verse.
Trapp's Commentary on Judges 21:7
Judges 21:7 How shall we do for wives for them that remain, seeing we have sworn by the LORD that we will not give them of our daughters to wives?Ver. 7. How shall we do for wives? &c.] All this difficulty, say our interpreters, did arise from their gross ignorance in those dark times: for they had no other cause to perplex themselves about their oath, but to stop the outcry of a superstitious conscience: since their oath being wicked, they were not bound at all to keep it, &c.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on Judges 21:7
Verse 7. How shall we do for wives for them] From this it appears that they had destroyed all the Benjamitish women and children! They had set out with the purpose of exterminating the whole tribe, and therefore they massacred the women, that if any of the men escaped, they might neither find wife nor daughter; and they bound themselves under an oath not to give any of their females to any of the remnant of this tribe, that thus the whole tribe might utterly perish.
Cambridge Bible on Judges 21:7
7. wives for them that remain] Cf. the parallel version in Judges 21:16.