King James Version:
(The Lord speaking is red text)
And the people came to the house of God, and abode there till even before God, and lifted up their voices, and wept sore;
Complete Jewish Bible:
The people came to Beit-El and stayed there before God till evening crying out and weeping.
Berean Standard Bible:
So the people came to Bethel and sat there before God until evening, lifting up their voices and weeping bitterly.
American Standard Version:
And the people came to Beth-el, and sat there till even before God, and lifted up their voices, and wept sore.
KJV with Strong’s Numbers:
And the people{H5971} came{H935} to the house{H1004} of God{H430}{H1008}, and abode{H3427} there till even{H6153} before{H6440} God{H430}, and lifted up{H5375} their voices{H6963}, and wept{H1058}{H1065} sore{H1419};
Cross-References (KJV):
Judges 20:26
- ¶ Then all the children of Israel, and all the people, went up, and came unto the house of God, and wept, and sat there before the LORD, and fasted that day until even, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the LORD.
Judges 20:18
- ¶ And the children of Israel arose, and went up to the house of God, and asked counsel of God, and said, Which of us shall go up first to the battle against the children of Benjamin? And the LORD said, Judah [shall go up] first.
1 Samuel 30:4
- Then David and the people that [were] with him lifted up their voice and wept, until they had no more power to weep.
Genesis 27:38
- And Esau said unto his father, Hast thou but one blessing, my father? bless me, [even] me also, O my father. And Esau lifted up his voice, and wept.
Judges 20:23
- (And the children of Israel went up and wept before the LORD until even, and asked counsel of the LORD, saying, Shall I go up again to battle against the children of Benjamin my brother? And the LORD said, Go up against him.)
Judges 2:4
- And it came to pass, when the angel of the LORD spake these words unto all the children of Israel, that the people lifted up their voice, and wept.
Judges 21:12
- And they found among the inhabitants of Jabeshgilead four hundred young virgins, that had known no man by lying with any male: and they brought them unto the camp to Shiloh, which [is] in the land of Canaan.
Explore This Verse Across Other Resources:
Commentary for Judges 21:2
Judges 21:2 is part of a narrative that takes place towards the end of the Book of Judges, which documents the history of the Israelites following their settlement in the Promised Land of Canaan. This period is characterized by a cycle of apostasy, oppression, repentance, and deliverance among the Israelites, as they frequently turned away from God, fell under the dominion of foreign powers, cried out to God for help, and were subsequently saved by judges—charismatic leaders raised up by God.
The specific context of Judges 21:2 is the aftermath of a brutal civil war between the tribe of Benjamin and the other Israelite tribes. The war was instigated by the near-total destruction of the tribe of Benjamin, save for 600 men, as a response to the gang rape and murder of a Levite's concubine by men from the tribe of Benjamin (Judges 19-20). The remaining Benjamites were in danger of extinction since the other tribes had sworn not to intermarry with them.
In Judges 21, the Israelites gather at the house of God, which is likely a reference to the tabernacle at Shiloh, to seek God's guidance and to mourn the devastating consequences of their actions. The verse captures a moment of collective repentance and grief, as the people weep bitterly before God, likely seeking forgiveness and a way to rectify the situation. Their prolonged stay "till even" indicates an intense and extended period of prayer and lamentation.
The themes present in this verse include the gravity of sin and its consequences, the importance of repentance, and the communal aspect of worship and seeking God's will. It also highlights the Israelites' recognition of God's sovereignty over their nation and their need for His guidance in times of crisis. This event underscores the broader theme of the Book of Judges: the necessity of faithfulness to God's laws and the chaos that ensues when those laws are disregarded.
*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: H5971
There are 1654 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: עַם
Transliteration: ʻam
Pronunciation: am
Description: from עָמַם; a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a tribe (as those of Israel); hence (collectively) troops or attendants; figuratively, a flock; folk, men, nation, people. - Strong's Number: H935
There are 2307 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: בּוֹא
Transliteration: bôwʼ
Pronunciation: bo
Description: a primitive root; to go or come (in a wide variety of applications); abide, apply, attain, [idiom] be, befall, [phrase] besiege, bring (forth, in, into, to pass), call, carry, [idiom] certainly, (cause, let, thing for) to come (against, in, out, upon, to pass), depart, [idiom] doubtless again, [phrase] eat, [phrase] employ, (cause to) enter (in, into, -tering, -trance, -try), be fallen, fetch, [phrase] follow, get, give, go (down, in, to war), grant, [phrase] have, [idiom] indeed, (in-) vade, lead, lift (up), mention, pull in, put, resort, run (down), send, set, [idiom] (well) stricken (in age), [idiom] surely, take (in), way. - Strong's Number: H1004
There are 1718 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: בַּיִת
Transliteration: bayith
Pronunciation: bah'-yith
Description: probably from בָּנָה abbreviated; a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etc.); court, daughter, door, [phrase] dungeon, family, [phrase] forth of, [idiom] great as would contain, hangings, home(born), (winter) house(-hold), inside(-ward), palace, place, [phrase] prison, [phrase] steward, [phrase] tablet, temple, web, [phrase] within(-out). - Strong's Number: H430
There are 2334 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: אֱלֹהִים
Transliteration: ʼĕlôhîym
Pronunciation: el-o-heem'
Description: plural of אֱלוֹהַּ; gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme God; occasionally applied by way of deference to magistrates; and sometimes as a superlative; angels, [idiom] exceeding, God (gods) (-dess, -ly), [idiom] (very) great, judges, [idiom] mighty. - Strong's Number: H1008
There are 63 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: בֵּית־אֵל
Transliteration: Bêyth-ʼÊl
Pronunciation: bayth-ale'
Description: from בַּיִת and אֵל; house of God; Beth-El, a place in Palestine; Beth-el. - Strong's Number: H3427
There are 980 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: יָשַׁב
Transliteration: yâshab
Pronunciation: yaw-shab'
Description: a primitive root; properly, to sit down (specifically as judge. in ambush, in quiet); by implication, to dwell, to remain; causatively, to settle, to marry; (make to) abide(-ing), continue, (cause to, make to) dwell(-ing), ease self, endure, establish, [idiom] fail, habitation, haunt, (make to) inhabit(-ant), make to keep (house), lurking, [idiom] marry(-ing), (bring again to) place, remain, return, seat, set(-tle), (down-) sit(-down, still, -ting down, -ting (place) -uate), take, tarry. - Strong's Number: H6153
There are 130 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: עֶרֶב
Transliteration: ʻereb
Pronunciation: eh'-reb
Description: from עָרַב; dusk; [phrase] day, even(-ing, tide), night. - Strong's Number: H6440
There are 1890 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: פָּנִים
Transliteration: pânîym
Pronunciation: paw-neem'
Description: plural (but always as singular) of an unused noun פָּנֶה; from פָּנָה); the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposition (before, etc.); [phrase] accept, a-(be-) fore(-time), against, anger, [idiom] as (long as), at, [phrase] battle, [phrase] because (of), [phrase] beseech, countenance, edge, [phrase] employ, endure, [phrase] enquire, face, favour, fear of, for, forefront(-part), form(-er time, -ward), from, front, heaviness, [idiom] him(-self), [phrase] honourable, [phrase] impudent, [phrase] in, it, look(-eth) (-s), [idiom] me, [phrase] meet, [idiom] more than, mouth, of, off, (of) old (time), [idiom] on, open, [phrase] out of, over against, the partial, person, [phrase] please, presence, propect, was purposed, by reason of, [phrase] regard, right forth, [phrase] serve, [idiom] shewbread, sight, state, straight, [phrase] street, [idiom] thee, [idiom] them(-selves), through ([phrase] -out), till, time(-s) past, (un-) to(-ward), [phrase] upon, upside ([phrase] down), with(-in, [phrase] -stand), [idiom] ye, [idiom] you. - Strong's Number: H5375
There are 611 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: נָשָׂא
Transliteration: nâsâʼ
Pronunciation: naw-saw'
Description: or נָסָה; (Psalm 4:6 (אֲבַד)), a primitive root; to lift, in a great variety of applications, literal and figurative, absolute and relative; accept, advance, arise, (able to, (armor), suffer to) bear(-er, up), bring (forth), burn, carry (away), cast, contain, desire, ease, exact, exalt (self), extol, fetch, forgive, furnish, further, give, go on, help, high, hold up, honorable ([phrase] man), lade, lay, lift (self) up, lofty, marry, magnify, [idiom] needs, obtain, pardon, raise (up), receive, regard, respect, set (up), spare, stir up, [phrase] swear, take (away, up), [idiom] utterly, wear, yield. - Strong's Number: H6963
There are 436 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: קוֹל
Transliteration: qôwl
Pronunciation: kole
Description: or קֹל; from an unused root meaning to call aloud; a voice or sound; [phrase] aloud, bleating, crackling, cry ([phrase] out), fame, lightness, lowing, noise, [phrase] hold peace, (pro-) claim, proclamation, [phrase] sing, sound, [phrase] spark, thunder(-ing), voice, [phrase] yell. - Strong's Number: H1058
There are 100 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: בָּכָה
Transliteration: bâkâh
Pronunciation: baw-kaw'
Description: a primitive root; to weep; generally to bemoan; [idiom] at all, bewail, complain, make lamentation, [idiom] more, mourn, [idiom] sore, [idiom] with tears, weep. - Strong's Number: H1065
There are 29 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: בְּכִי
Transliteration: Bᵉkîy
Pronunciation: bek-ee'
Description: from בָּכָה; a weeping; by analogy, a dripping; overflowing, [idiom] sore, (continual) weeping, wept. - Strong's Number: H1419
There are 499 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: גָּדוֹל
Transliteration: gâdôwl
Pronunciation: gaw-dole'
Description: or גָּדֹל; (shortened) from גָּדַל; great (in any sense); hence, older; also insolent; [phrase] aloud, elder(-est), [phrase] exceeding(-ly), [phrase] far, (man of) great (man, matter, thing,-er,-ness), high, long, loud, mighty, more, much, noble, proud thing, [idiom] sore, ([idiom]) very.