Judges 21:7

Verse

What should we do about wives for the survivors, since we have sworn by the LORD not to give them our daughters in marriage?”

American Standard Version (1901)

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?

Bible in Basic English

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.

Free Bible Version

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?”

Geneva Bible 1599

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?

King James (Authorized) Version

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?

Translation for Translators

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?”

Unlocked Literal Bible

Who will provide wives for those who are left, since we have made a promise to Yahweh that we will not let any of them marry our daughters?”

Noah Webster Bible

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?

World English Bible

How shall we provide wives for those who remain, since we have sworn by Yahweh that we will not give them of our daughters to wives?”

Young's Literal Translation

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?'

Context

Wives for the Benjamites

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?”

Sermons

What Happened?

K.P. Yohannan

Summary

In this verse, the Israelites are lamenting the loss of one of the twelve tribes of Israel due to a civil war. They are grieving the potential extinction of an entire tribe and are seeking a solution to ensure the survival of the tribe of Benjamin. This chapter reflects the chaotic and morally dark period in Israel's history, marked by violence, injustice, and a lack of strong leadership. The desperation of the Israelites in this verse highlights the consequences of turning away from God's ways and the need for repentance and restoration.

Commentary

John Gill

John Gill Bible Commentary

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 Lord; by the Word of the Lord, as the Targum; and such an oath with them was a sacred thing, and to be kept inviolable, even to their own hurt: that we will not give them of our daughters to wives; as in Jdg 21:1 and therefore they must either marry among the Heathens, which was forbidden, or they must make void their oath, or the tribe in a little time would be extinct; these were difficulties they knew not how to surmount, and this was the object of their inquiry.