Judges 21:6

King James Version:

(The Lord speaking is red text)

And the children of Israel repented them for Benjamin their brother, and said, There is one tribe cut off from Israel this day.

Complete Jewish Bible:

The people of Isra'el became sorry for Binyamin their brother and said, "Today one tribe has been cut off from Isra'el.

Berean Standard Bible:

And the Israelites grieved for their brothers, the Benjamites, and said, “Today a tribe is cut off from Israel.

American Standard Version:

And the children of Israel repented them for Benjamin their brother, and said, There is one tribe cut off from Israel this day.

KJV with Strong’s Numbers:

And the children^{H1121} of Israel^{H3478} repented^{H5162} them for Benjamin^{H1144} their brother^{H251}, and said^{H559}, There is one^{H259} tribe^{H7626} cut off^{H1438} from Israel^{H3478} this day^{H3117}.

Cross-References (KJV):

Explore This Verse Across Other Resources:

BibleHub.com BibleRef.com

Commentary for Judges 21:6

Judges 21:6 is a part of the narrative found in Judges 19-21, which details a series of tragic events that lead to a civil war among the tribes of Israel. The verse is situated towards the end of the Book of Judges, a period characterized by a cycle of sin, oppression, repentance, and deliverance among the Israelites.

In the specific context of Judges 21:6, the Israelites have just completed a devastating campaign against the tribe of Benjamin, nearly annihilating them. This conflict was sparked by the outrageous behavior of some men from the tribe of Benjamin towards a Levite's concubine, which resulted in her death and the Levite's dismemberment of her body to rally the other tribes against Benjamin. The ensuing battle was brutal, and the tribe of Benjamin was almost entirely wiped out, save for a remnant of 600 men.

The verse reflects the sorrow and regret of the other Israelite tribes as they realize the dire consequences of their actions. They mourn the loss of their kinsmen, recognizing that with Benjamin on the brink of extinction, there is now "one tribe cut off from Israel." This realization prompts a sense of repentance and a concern for the future unity and strength of the nation of Israel, which was comprised of twelve tribes. The Israelites' repentance here is not just for the loss of life but also for the potential fracturing of the tribal structure that was central to their national identity.

The themes present in this verse include the gravity of sin and its far-reaching consequences, the importance of kinship and tribal unity, and the need for repentance and reconciliation within the community of Israel. The historical context underscores the volatility and moral decay that characterized the period of the Judges, where personal and tribal vendettas could escalate to the point of fratricide, and where the lack of central leadership often led to chaos and intertribal conflict.

*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model

Strong's Numbers and Definitions:

Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)

1. Strong's Number: H1121
   There are 3654 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: בֵּן
   Transliteration: bên
   Pronunciation: bane
   Description: from בָּנָה; a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.); [phrase] afflicted, age, (Ahoh-) (Ammon-) (Hachmon-) (Lev-) ite, (anoint-) ed one, appointed to, ([phrase]) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon-) (Egypt-) (Grec-) ian, one born, bough, branch, breed, [phrase] (young) bullock, [phrase] (young) calf, [idiom] came up in, child, colt, [idiom] common, [idiom] corn, daughter, [idiom] of first, [phrase] firstborn, foal, [phrase] very fruitful, [phrase] postage, [idiom] in, [phrase] kid, [phrase] lamb, ([phrase]) man, meet, [phrase] mighty, [phrase] nephew, old, ([phrase]) people, [phrase] rebel, [phrase] robber, [idiom] servant born, [idiom] soldier, son, [phrase] spark, [phrase] steward, [phrase] stranger, [idiom] surely, them of, [phrase] tumultuous one, [phrase] valiant(-est), whelp, worthy, young (one), youth.
   
2. 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.
   
3. Strong's Number: H5162
   There are 100 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: נָחַם
   Transliteration: nâcham
   Pronunciation: naw-kham'
   Description: a primitive root; properly, to sigh, i.e. breathe strongly; by implication, to be sorry, i.e. (in a favorable sense) to pity, console or (reflexively) rue; or (unfavorably) to avenge (oneself); comfort (self), ease (one's self), repent(-er,-ing, self).
   
4. 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.
   
5. Strong's Number: H251
   There are 636 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: אָח
   Transliteration: ʼâch
   Pronunciation: awkh
   Description: a primitive word; a brother (used in the widest sense of literal relationship and metaphorical affinity or resemblance (like father)); another, brother(-ly); kindred, like, other. Compare also the proper names beginning with 'Ah-' or 'Ahi-'.
   
6. 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.
   
7. Strong's Number: H259
   There are 801 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: אֶחָד
   Transliteration: ʼechâd
   Pronunciation: ekh-awd'
   Description: a numeral from אָחַד; properly, united, i.e. one; or (as an ordinal) first; a, alike, alone, altogether, and, any(-thing), apiece, a certain, (dai-) ly, each (one), [phrase] eleven, every, few, first, [phrase] highway, a man, once, one, only, other, some, together,
   
8. 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.
   
9. Strong's Number: H1438
   There are 23 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: גָּדַע
   Transliteration: gâdaʻ
   Pronunciation: gaw-dah'
   Description: a primitive root; to fell a tree; generally, to destroy anything; cut (asunder, in sunder, down, off), hew down.
   
10. Strong's Number: H3117
    There are 1931 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: יוֹם
    Transliteration: yôwm
    Pronunciation: yome
    Description: from an unused root meaning to be hot; a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an associated term), (often used adverb); age, [phrase] always, [phrase] chronicals, continually(-ance), daily, ((birth-), each, to) day, (now a, two) days (agone), [phrase] elder, [idiom] end, [phrase] evening, [phrase] (for) ever(-lasting, -more), [idiom] full, life, as (so) long as (... live), (even) now, [phrase] old, [phrase] outlived, [phrase] perpetually, presently, [phrase] remaineth, [idiom] required, season, [idiom] since, space, then, (process of) time, [phrase] as at other times, [phrase] in trouble, weather, (as) when, (a, the, within a) while (that), [idiom] whole ([phrase] age), (full) year(-ly), [phrase] younger.