King James Version:
(The Lord speaking is red text)
For the people were numbered, and, behold, [there were] none of the inhabitants of Jabeshgilead there.
Complete Jewish Bible:
since when the people were counted, none of the inhabitants of Yavesh-Gil'ad were found there.
Berean Standard Bible:
For when the people were counted, none of the residents of Jabesh-gilead were there.
American Standard Version:
For when the people were numbered, behold, there were none of the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead there.
KJV with Strong’s Numbers:
For the people{H5971} were numbered{H6485}, and, behold, there were none{H376} of the inhabitants{H3427} of Jabeshgilead{H3003}{H1568} there.
Cross-References (KJV):
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Commentary for Judges 21:9
Judges 21:9 is part of a narrative that takes place towards the end of the Book of Judges, which documents the history of Israel between the conquest of Canaan and the establishment of the monarchy. The verse is set within a broader story of tribal conflict and the tragic near-extinction of the tribe of Benjamin.
In the preceding chapters, the tribe of Benjamin is almost entirely wiped out due to a civil war sparked by the outrageous behavior of some men from Gibeah, a city within Benjamin's territory. The other tribes of Israel, horrified by the actions of these men, rally against Benjamin, leading to a series of battles where the Benjamites suffer heavy losses. After the war, the Israelites take an oath not to give their daughters in marriage to any man from Benjamin, further compounding the tribe's dire situation.
Judges 21:9 specifically references the aftermath of this conflict, as the Israelites seek to honor their oath while also finding a way to preserve the tribe of Benjamin. They realize that none of the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead, a town outside of the main conflict, had participated in the war against Benjamin. The Israelites then send a force to Jabesh-gilead to kill all the inhabitants except for the virgin women, who are to be given as wives to the surviving Benjamites. This act is a desperate measure to repopulate the tribe and fulfill the oath made earlier.
The themes present in this verse include the complexities of tribal loyalty, the consequences of breaking societal norms, the brutality of war, and the struggles of maintaining a covenant with God amidst human failings. The historical context reflects a time when Israel was a loose confederation of tribes, often acting independently and sometimes in conflict with one another, before the establishment of a centralized monarchy under Saul and later David. The verse underscores the lawlessness and moral ambiguity that characterized the period described in the Book of Judges, as well as the desperate measures people took to preserve their tribes and adhere to their commitments in the absence of a strong central authority.
*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: H6485
There are 270 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: פָּקַד
Transliteration: pâqad
Pronunciation: paw-kad'
Description: a primitive root; to visit (with friendly or hostile intent); by analogy, to oversee, muster, charge, care for, miss, deposit, etc.; appoint, [idiom] at all, avenge, bestow, (appoint to have the, give a) charge, commit, count, deliver to keep, be empty, enjoin, go see, hurt, do judgment, lack, lay up, look, make, [idiom] by any means, miss, number, officer, (make) overseer, have (the) oversight, punish, reckon, (call to) remember(-brance), set (over), sum, [idiom] surely, visit, want. - 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. - 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: 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). - 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.