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Judges 21:15

Old Testament Historical ASV (1901)

What does Judges 21:15 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “And the people repented them for Benjamin, because that Jehovah had made a breach in the tribes of Israel.” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

And the people repented them for Benjamin, because that Jehovah had made a breach in the tribes of Israel.
Judges 21:15 — American Standard Version

Context — Judges 21

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
12And they found among the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead four hundred young virgins, that had not known man by lying with him; and they brought them unto the camp to Shiloh, which is in the land of Canaan.
13And the whole congregation sent and spake to the children of Benjamin that were in the rock of Rimmon, and proclaimed peace unto them.
14And Benjamin returned at that time; and they gave them the women whom they had saved alive of the women of Jabesh-gilead: and yet so they sufficed them not.
15And the people repented them for Benjamin, because that Jehovah had made a breach in the tribes of Israel.
16Then the elders of the congregation said, How shall we do for wives for them that remain, seeing the women are destroyed out of Benjamin?
17And they said, There must be an inheritance for them that are escaped of Benjamin, that a tribe be not blotted out from Israel.
18Howbeit we may not give them wives of our daughters, for the children of Israel had sworn, saying, Cursed be he that giveth a wife to Benjamin.
← Judges 21:14Judges 21:16 →
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What do historical commentaries say?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · 18th-century historical commentary
“And the people repented them for Benjamin, etc.] That they had destroyed all their women, and that they had saved no more of the daughters of Jabeshgilead, not a sufficient number to be wives to the Benjaminites: because the Lord had made a breach in the tribes of Israel; by almost destroying one of them; for though this was done by the Israelites, yet by the permission and according to the will of God, and through his overruling providence.”
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Wesley's Explanatory Notes
John Wesley (1703–1791) · Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Old Testament notes · 18th-century historical commentary
“The Lord, &c. - The Benjamites were the only authors of the sin, but God was the chief author of the punishment, and the Israelites were but his executioners. Judges 21:17”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“repented: Jdg 21:6, Jdg 21:17 a breach: Ch1 13:11, Ch1 15:13; Isa 30:13, Isa 58:12 Judges 21:17”
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Keil & Delitzsch
C. F. Keil & F. Delitzsch · Commentary on the Old Testament · 19th-century historical commentary
“Of the six hundred Benjaminites who had escaped, there still remained two hundred to be provided with wives. To these the congregation gave permission to take wives by force at a festival at Shiloh. The account of this is once more introduced, with a description of the anxiety felt by the congregation for the continuance of the tribe of Benjamin. Jdg 21:15, Jdg 21:16, and Jdg 21:18 are only a repetition of Jdg 21:6 and Jdg 21:7, with a slight change of expression. The "breach (perez) in the tribes of Israel" had arisen from the almost complete extermination of Benjamin. "For out of Benjamin is (every) woman destroyed," viz., by the ruthless slaughter of the whole of the people of that tribe…”
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Related study paths

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Sources and verification