King James Version:
(The Lord speaking is red text)
And they said, [There must be] an inheritance for them that be escaped of Benjamin, that a tribe be not destroyed out of Israel.
Complete Jewish Bible:
They said, "There has to be a way to help the survivors preserve Binyamin's inheritance, so that a tribe will not be eliminated from Isra'el.
Berean Standard Bible:
They added, “There must be heirs for the survivors of Benjamin, so that a tribe of Israel will not be wiped out.
American Standard Version:
And they said, There must be an inheritance for them that are escaped of Benjamin, that a tribe be not blotted out from Israel.
KJV with Strong’s Numbers:
And they said{H559}, There must be an inheritance{H3425} for them that be escaped{H6413} of Benjamin{H1144}, that a tribe{H7626} be not destroyed{H4229} out of Israel{H3478}.
Cross-References (KJV):
Numbers 36:7
- So shall not the inheritance of the children of Israel remove from tribe to tribe: for every one of the children of Israel shall keep himself to the inheritance of the tribe of his fathers.
Numbers 26:55
- Notwithstanding the land shall be divided by lot: according to the names of the tribes of their fathers they shall inherit.
Explore This Verse Across Other Resources:
Commentary for Judges 21:17
Judges 21:17 is a verse set within the broader context of the tumultuous period in Israel's history when the nation was led by judges rather than kings. The book of Judges is characterized by a cycle of apostasy, oppression, repentance, and deliverance among the Israelites. This particular verse comes at the end of a dark and violent episode known as the "Benjamite War," which is recounted in chapters 19-21.
The story leading up to Judges 21:17 involves a series of tragic events: a Levite's concubine is raped and murdered by men from the tribe of Benjamin, leading to a civil war between Benjamin and the other tribes of Israel. The war results in heavy losses, nearly wiping out the tribe of Benjamin. In their zeal for justice and their vow not to give their daughters in marriage to Benjamin, the Israelites find themselves inadvertently contributing to the potential extinction of one of their own tribes.
In verse 17, the remaining Israelites recognize the dire consequences of their actions and the danger of losing an entire tribe from among them. They acknowledge that the survivors of Benjamin must have an inheritance—land and the means to sustain themselves—so that the tribe can continue to exist within the nation of Israel. This realization prompts them to devise a plan to ensure the continuity of the tribe, which includes sanctioning the abduction of young women from another town to be wives for the remaining Benjamites.
The themes present in this verse include the importance of unity among the tribes of Israel, the consequences of sin and rash vows, and the pragmatic measures taken to preserve the integrity of the nation. It also reflects the harsh realities of tribal society in ancient Israel, where the survival of a tribe was closely linked to its ability to maintain lineage and land. The verse underscores the complex interplay between justice, mercy, and the preservation of social order in a theocratic society.
*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model
Strong's Numbers and Definitions:
Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)
- Strong's Number: H559
There are 4434 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: אָמַר
Transliteration: ʼâmar
Pronunciation: aw-mar'
Description: a primitive root; to say (used with great latitude); 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. - Strong's Number: H3425
There are 12 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: יְרֻשָּׁה
Transliteration: yᵉrushshâh
Pronunciation: yer-oosh-shaw'
Description: from יָרַשׁ; something occupied; a conquest; also a patrimony; heritage, inheritance, possession. - Strong's Number: H6413
There are 28 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: פְּלֵיטָה
Transliteration: pᵉlêyṭâh
Pronunciation: pel-ay-taw'
Description: or פְּלֵטָה; feminine of פָּלִיט; deliverance; concretely, an escaped portion; deliverance, (that is) escape(-d), remnant. - Strong's Number: H1144
There are 156 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: בִּנְיָמִין
Transliteration: Binyâmîyn
Pronunciation: bin-yaw-mene'
Description: from בֵּן and יָמִין; son of (the) right hand; Binjamin, youngest son of Jacob; also the tribe descended from him, and its territory; Benjamin. - Strong's Number: H7626
There are 178 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: שֵׁבֶט
Transliteration: shêbeṭ
Pronunciation: shay'-bet
Description: from an unused root probably meaning to branch off; a scion, i.e. (literally) a stick (for punishing, writing, fighting, ruling, walking, etc.) or (figuratively) a clan; [idiom] correction, dart, rod, sceptre, staff, tribe. - Strong's Number: H4229
There are 32 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: מָחָה
Transliteration: mâchâh
Pronunciation: maw-khaw'
Description: a primitive root; properly, to stroke or rub; by implication, to erase; also to smooth (as if with oil), i.e. grease or make fat; also to touch, i.e. reach to; abolish, blot out, destroy, full of marrow, put out, reach unto, [idiom] utterly, wipe (away, out). - Strong's Number: H3478
There are 2229 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: יִשְׂרָאֵל
Transliteration: Yisrâʼêl
Pronunciation: yis-raw-ale'
Description: from שָׂרָה and אֵל; he will rule as God; Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterity; Israel.