Judges 21:8

King James Version:

(The Lord speaking is red text)

And they said, What one [is there] of the tribes of Israel that came not up to Mizpeh to the LORD? And, behold, there came none to the camp from Jabeshgilead to the assembly.

Complete Jewish Bible:

Then they asked who from the tribes of Isra'el had not come up to ADONAI at Mitzpah and found that none had come from Yavesh-Gil'ad to the camp where the assembly was;

Berean Standard Bible:

So 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.

American Standard Version:

And they said, What one is there of the tribes of Israel that came not up unto Jehovah to Mizpah? And, behold, there came none to the camp from Jabesh-gilead to the assembly.

KJV with Strong’s Numbers:

And they said^{H559}, What one^{H259} is there of the tribes^{H7626} of Israel^{H3478} that came not up^{H5927} to Mizpeh^{H4709} to the LORD^{H3068}? And, behold, there came^{H935} none^{H376} to the camp^{H4264} from Jabeshgilead^{{H3003}{H1568}} to the assembly^{H6951}.

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Commentary for Judges 21:8

Judges 21:8 is part of a narrative that takes place towards the end of the Book of Judges, a period in Israel's history characterized by a cyclical pattern of apostasy, oppression, repentance, and deliverance. The verse is situated within the broader context of a civil war that erupted between the tribe of Benjamin and the other Israelite tribes, following the brutal gang rape and murder of a Levite's concubine by men from the tribe of Benjamin (Judges 19-20).

In response to this crime, the other tribes of Israel rallied at Mizpeh to seek the Lord's guidance and to muster an army against Benjamin. The verse in question reflects the Israelites' attempt to determine which tribe had not participated in this assembly. They discovered that the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead, a town east of the Jordan River, had not joined the rest of Israel at Mizpeh.

The themes present in this verse include unity and tribal responsibility within the nation of Israel, as well as the consequences of failing to participate in the collective response to sin and injustice. The historical context suggests a time when Israel's tribal structure was still strong, but also a time of moral decline and intertribal conflict. The mention of Jabesh-gilead's absence is significant because it sets the stage for a subsequent punitive expedition against that town, which results in the mass killing of its inhabitants, save for 400 virgins who were spared to be given as wives to the surviving men of Benjamin (Judges 21:10-14). This harsh action underscores the gravity with which the Israelites viewed the failure to support the tribal league in its time of crisis.

In summary, Judges 21:8 highlights the themes of tribal unity, religious assembly, and the severe communal repercussions for failing to stand with one's people against internal threats. It reflects a society grappling with its identity, moral obligations, and the complexities of enforcing justice within a loosely confederated tribal structure.

*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: 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.
   
2. 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,
   
3. 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.
   
4. 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.
   
5. Strong's Number: H5927
   There are 817 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: עָלָה
   Transliteration: ʻâlâh
   Pronunciation: aw-law'
   Description: a primitive root; to ascend, intransitively (be high) or actively (mount); used in a great variety of senses, primary and secondary, literal and figurative; arise (up), (cause to) ascend up, at once, break (the day) (up), bring (up), (cause to) burn, carry up, cast up, [phrase] shew, climb (up), (cause to, make to) come (up), cut off, dawn, depart, exalt, excel, fall, fetch up, get up, (make to) go (away, up); grow (over) increase, lay, leap, levy, lift (self) up, light, (make) up, [idiom] mention, mount up, offer, make to pay, [phrase] perfect, prefer, put (on), raise, recover, restore, (make to) rise (up), scale, set (up), shoot forth (up), (begin to) spring (up), stir up, take away (up), work.
   
6. Strong's Number: H4709
   There are 31 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: מִצְפָּה
   Transliteration: Mitspâh
   Pronunciation: mits-paw'
   Description: feminine of מִצְפֶּה; Mitspah, the name of two places in Palestine; Mitspah. (This seems rather to be only an orthographic variation of מִצְפֶּה when 'in pause'.)
   
7. Strong's Number: H3068
   There are 5521 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: יְהֹוָה
   Transliteration: Yᵉhôvâh
   Pronunciation: yeh-ho-vaw'
   Description: from הָיָה; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, Jewish national name of God; Jehovah, the Lord. Compare יָהּ, יְהֹוִה.
   
8. 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.
   
9. Strong's Number: H376
   There are 1507 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: אִישׁ
   Transliteration: ʼîysh
   Pronunciation: eesh
   Description: contracted for אֱנוֹשׁ (or perhaps rather from an unused root meaning to be extant); a man as an individual or a male person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term (and in such cases frequently not expressed in translation); also, another, any (man), a certain, [phrase] champion, consent, each, every (one), fellow, (foot-, husband-) man, (good-, great, mighty) man, he, high (degree), him (that is), husband, man(-kind), [phrase] none, one, people, person, [phrase] steward, what (man) soever, whoso(-ever), worthy. Compare אִשָּׁה.
   
10. Strong's Number: H4264
    There are 190 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: מַחֲנֶה
    Transliteration: machăneh
    Pronunciation: makh-an-eh'
    Description: from חָנָה; an encampment (of travellers or troops); hence, an army, whether literal (of soldiers) or figurative (of dancers, angels, cattle, locusts, stars; or even the sacred courts); army, band, battle, camp, company, drove, host, tents.
    
11. Strong's Number: H3003
    There are 21 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: יָבֵשׁ
    Transliteration: Yâbêsh
    Pronunciation: yaw-bashe'
    Description: the same as יָבֵשׁ (also יָבֵישׁ; often with the addition of גִּלְעָד, i.e. Jabesh of Gilad); Jobesh, the name of an Israelite and of a place in Palestine; Jobesh (-Gilead).
    
12. Strong's Number: H1568
    There are 123 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: גִּלְעָד
    Transliteration: Gilʻâd
    Pronunciation: ghil-awd'
    Description: probably from גַּלְעֵד; Gilad, a region East of the Jordan; also the name of three Israelites; Gilead, Gileadite.
    
13. Strong's Number: H6951
    There are 116 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: קָהָל
    Transliteration: qâhâl
    Pronunciation: kaw-hawl'
    Description: from קָהַל; assemblage (usually concretely); assembly, company, congregation, multitude.