Judges

Judges 21:5–11

⁵The Israelites asked, “Who among all the tribes of Israel did not come to the assembly before the LORD?” For they had taken a solemn oath that anyone who failed to come up before the LORD at Mizpah would surely be put to death.

⁶And the Israelites grieved for their brothers, the Benjamites, and said, “Today a tribe is cut off from Israel. ⁷What should we do about wives for the survivors, since we have sworn by the LORD not to give them our daughters in marriage?”

⁸So 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. ⁹For when the people were counted, none of the residents of Jabesh-gilead were there.

¹⁰So the congregation sent 12,000 of their most valiant men and commanded them: “Go and put to the sword those living in Jabesh-gilead, including women and children. ¹¹This is what you are to do: Devote to destruction^a every male, as well as every female who has had relations with a man.”

Footnotes

a 21:11 Forms of the Hebrew cherem refer to the giving over of things or persons to the LORD, either by destroying them or by giving them as an offering.

Read all of Judges 21

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

Judges 21:5

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
The Israelites	בְּנֵ֣י	bə·nê	Noun - masculine plural construct	H1121 son
asked	וַיֹּֽאמְרוּ֙	way·yō·mə·rū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H559 utter, say
Who	מִ֠י	mî	Interrogative	H4310 who?
among all	מִכָּל־	mik·kāl	Preposition-m; Noun - masculine singular construct	H3605 the whole, all
the tribes	שִׁבְטֵ֥י	šiḇ·ṭê	Noun - masculine plural construct	H7626 rod, staff, club, sceptre
of Israel	יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל	yiś·rā·’êl	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3478 Israel
did not	לֹא־	lō-	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
come	עָלָ֧ה	‘ā·lāh	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H5927 go up, ascend, climb
to the assembly	בַקָּהָ֛ל	ḇaq·qā·hāl	Preposition-b, Article; Noun - masculine singular	H6951 assembly, convocation, congregation
before	אֶל־	’el-	Preposition	H413 motion to
the LORD	יְהוָ֑ה	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
For	כִּי֩	kî	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
they had taken	הָיְתָ֗ה	hā·yə·ṯāh	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular	H1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
a solemn	הַגְּדוֹלָ֜ה	hag·gə·ḏō·w·lāh	Article; Adjective - feminine singular	H1419 great
oath	הַשְּׁבוּעָ֨ה	haš·šə·ḇū·‘āh	Article; Noun - feminine singular	H7621 oath, curse
that anyone	לַ֠אֲשֶׁר	la·’ă·šer	Preposition-l; Pronoun - relative	H834 particle of relation
who failed	לֹא־	lō-	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
to come up	עָלָ֨ה	‘ā·lāh	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H5927 go up, ascend, climb
before	אֶל־	’el-	Preposition	H413 motion to
the LORD	יְהוָ֧ה	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
at Mizpah	הַמִּצְפָּ֛ה	ham·miṣ·pāh	Article; Noun - proper - feminine singular	H4709 Mitspah
would surely be put to death	מ֥וֹת	mō·wṯ	Verb - Qal - Infinitive absolute	H4191 die

Judges 21:6

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
And the Israelites	בְּנֵ֣י	bə·nê	Noun - masculine plural construct	H1121 son
grieved	וַיִּנָּֽחֲמוּ֙	way·yin·nā·ḥă·mū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Nifal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H5162 be sorry, console
for	אֶל־	’el-	Preposition	H413 motion to
their brothers	אָחִ֑יו	’ā·ḥîw	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H251 brother
the Benjamites	בִּנְיָמִ֖ן	bin·yā·min	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H1144 Binjamin
and said	וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ	way·yō·mə·rū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H559 utter, say
Today	הַיּ֛וֹם	hay·yō·wm	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H3117 day
a	אֶחָ֖ד	’e·ḥāḏ	Number - masculine singular	H259 one
tribe	שֵׁ֥בֶט	šê·ḇeṭ	Noun - masculine singular	H7626 rod, staff, club, sceptre
is cut off	נִגְדַּ֥ע	niḡ·da‘	Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H1438 hew, hew down or off
from Israel	מִיִּשְׂרָאֵֽל׃	mî·yiś·rā·’êl	Preposition-m; Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3478 Israel

Judges 21:7

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
What	מַה־	mah-	Interrogative	H4100 what? how? aught
should we do	נַּעֲשֶׂ֥ה	na·‘ă·śeh	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common plural	H6213 do, make
about wives	לְנָשִׁ֑ים	lə·nā·šîm	Preposition-l; Noun - feminine plural	H802 woman, wife, female
for the survivors	לַנּוֹתָרִ֖ים	lan·nō·w·ṯā·rîm	Preposition-l, Article; Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine plural	H3498 remain over
since we	וַאֲנַ֙חְנוּ֙	wa·’ă·naḥ·nū	Conjunctive waw; Pronoun - first person common plural	H587 we
have sworn	נִשְׁבַּ֣עְנוּ	niš·ba‘·nū	Verb - Nifal - Perfect - first person common plural	H7650 swear
by the LORD	בַֽיהוָ֔ה	Yah·weh	Preposition-b; Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
not	לְבִלְתִּ֛י	lə·ḇil·tî	Preposition-l	H1115 not, except
to give	תֵּת־	têṯ-	Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H5414 give, put, set
them	לָהֶ֥ם	lā·hem	Preposition; third person masculine plural
our daughters	מִבְּנוֹתֵ֖ינוּ	mib·bə·nō·w·ṯê·nū	Preposition-m; Noun - feminine plural construct; first person common plural	H1323 daughter
in marriage	לְנָשִֽׁים׃	lə·nā·šîm	Preposition-l; Noun - feminine plural	H802 woman, wife, female

Judges 21:8

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
So they asked	וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ	way·yō·mə·rū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H559 utter, say
Which	מִ֗י	mî	Interrogative	H4310 who?
one	אֶחָד֙	’e·ḥāḏ	Number - masculine singular	H259 one
of the tribes	מִשִּׁבְטֵ֣י	miš·šiḇ·ṭê	Preposition-m; Noun - masculine plural construct	H7626 rod, staff, club, sceptre
of Israel	יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל	yiś·rā·’êl	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3478 Israel
failed	לֹֽא־	lō-	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
to come up	עָלָ֥ה	‘ā·lāh	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H5927 go up, ascend, climb
before	אֶל־	’el-	Preposition	H413 motion to
the LORD	יְהוָ֖ה	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
at Mizpah	הַמִּצְפָּ֑ה	ham·miṣ·pāh	Article; Noun - proper - feminine singular	H4709 Mitspah
And	וְ֠הִנֵּה	wə·hin·nêh	Conjunctive waw; Interjection	H2009 lo! behold!
in fact	וְ֠הִנֵּה	wə·hin·nêh	Conjunctive waw; Interjection	H2009 lo! behold!
no one	לֹ֣א	lō	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
from Jabesh-gilead	מִיָּבֵ֥ישׁ	mî·yā·ḇêš	Noun - proper - feminine singular	H3003 Jobesh
had come	בָא־	ḇā-	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H935 come in, come, go in, go
to	אֶל־	’el-	Preposition	H413 motion to
the camp	הַֽמַּחֲנֶ֛ה	ham·ma·ḥă·neh	Article; Noun - common singular	H4264 encampment, camp
for the assembly	הַקָּהָֽל׃	haq·qā·hāl	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H6951 assembly, convocation, congregation

Judges 21:9

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
For when the people	הָעָ֑ם	hā·‘ām	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H5971 people
were counted	וַיִּתְפָּקֵ֖ד	way·yiṯ·pā·qêḏ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hitpael - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H6485 attend to, visit, muster, appoint
none	אֵֽין־	’ên-	Adverb	H369 nothing, nought
of the residents	מִיּוֹשְׁבֵ֖י	mî·yō·wō·šə·ḇê	Preposition-m; Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct	H3427 sit, remain, dwell
of Jabesh-gilead	יָבֵ֥שׁ	yā·ḇêš	Noun - proper - feminine singular	H3003 Jobesh
were there	שָׁם֙	šām	Adverb	H8033 there, thither

Judges 21:10

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
So the congregation	הָעֵדָ֗ה	hā·‘ê·ḏāh	Article; Noun - feminine singular	H5712 congregation
sent	וַיִּשְׁלְחוּ־	way·yiš·lə·ḥū-	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H7971 send
12,000	שְׁנֵים־	šə·nêm-	Number - md	H8147 two
of	מִבְּנֵ֣י	mib·bə·nê	Preposition-m; Noun - masculine plural construct	H1121 son
their most valiant	הֶחָ֑יִל	he·ḥā·yil	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H2428 strength, efficiency, wealth, army
men	אִ֖ישׁ	’îš	Noun - masculine singular	H376 man
and commanded them	וַיְצַוּ֨וּ	way·ṣaw·wū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H6680 lay charge (upon), give charge (to), charge, command, order
Go	לְ֠כוּ	lə·ḵū	Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural	H1980 go, come, walk
and put	וְהִכִּיתֶ֞ם	wə·hik·kî·ṯem	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine plural	H5221 smite
to the sword	חֶ֔רֶב	ḥe·reḇ	Noun - feminine singular	H2719 sword
those living	יוֹשְׁבֵ֨י	yō·wō·šə·ḇê	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct	H3427 sit, remain, dwell
in Jabesh-gilead	יָבֵ֤שׁ	yā·ḇêš	Noun - proper - feminine singular	H3003 Jobesh
including women	וְהַנָּשִׁ֖ים	wə·han·nā·šîm	Conjunctive waw, Article; Noun - feminine plural	H802 woman, wife, female
and children	וְהַטָּֽף׃	wə·haṭ·ṭāp̄	Conjunctive waw, Article; Noun - masculine singular	H2945 children

Judges 21:11

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
This	וְזֶ֥ה	wə·zeh	Conjunctive waw; Pronoun - masculine singular	H2088 this, that
is what	אֲשֶׁ֣ר	’ă·šer	Pronoun - relative	H834 particle of relation
you are to do	תַּעֲשׂ֑וּ	ta·‘ă·śū	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural	H6213 do, make
Devote to destruction	תַּחֲרִֽימוּ׃	ta·ḥă·rî·mū	Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - second person masculine plural	H2763 ban, devote, exterminate
every	כָּל־	kāl-	Noun - masculine singular construct	H3605 the whole, all
male	זָכָ֗ר	zā·ḵār	Noun - masculine singular	H2145 male
as well as every	וְכָל־	wə·ḵāl	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular construct	H3605 the whole, all
female	אִשָּׁ֛ה	’iš·šāh	Noun - feminine singular	H802 woman, wife, female
who has had relations with	יֹדַ֥עַת	yō·ḏa·‘aṯ	Verb - Qal - Participle - feminine singular	H3045 know
a man	זָכָ֖ר	zā·ḵār	Noun - masculine singular	H2145 male