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Judges 21:6

Old Testament Historical ASV (1901)

What does Judges 21:6 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “And the children of Israel repented them for Benjamin their brother, and said, There is one tribe cut off from Israel this day.” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

And the children of Israel repented them for Benjamin their brother, and said, There is one tribe cut off from Israel this day.
Judges 21:6 — American Standard Version

Context — Judges 21

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
3And they said, O Jehovah, the God of Israel, why is this come to pass in Israel, that there should be to-day one tribe lacking in Israel?
4And it came to pass on the morrow, that the people rose early, and built there an altar, and offered burnt-offerings and peace-offerings.
5And the children of Israel said, Who is there among all the tribes of Israel that came not up in the assembly unto Jehovah? For they had made a great oath concerning him that came not up unto Jehovah to Mizpah, saying, He shall surely be put to death.
6And the children of Israel repented them for Benjamin their brother, and said, There is one tribe cut off from Israel this day.
7How shall we do for wives for them that remain, seeing we have sworn by Jehovah that we will not give them of our daughters to wives?
8And 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.
9For when the people were numbered, behold, there were none of the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead there.
← Judges 21:5Judges 21:7 →
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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 children of Israel repented them for Benjamin their brother, etc.] Not that they went to war with them, as if their cause was not good; but for the severity they had exercised towards them, especially in destroying their women and children, and for the fatal consequences like to follow here after, particularly the dissolution of the whole tribe: and said, there is one tribe cut off from Israel this day; that is, there is a likelihood or great danger of it.”
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Jamieson, Fausset & Brown
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown · Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“There is one tribe cut off from Israel this day--that is, in danger of becoming extinct; for, as it appears from Jdg 21:7, they had massacred all the women and children of Benjamin, and six hundred men alone survived of the whole tribe. The prospect of such a blank in the catalogue of the twelve tribes, such a gap in the national arrangements, was too painful to contemplate, and immediate measures must be taken to prevent this great catastrophe.”
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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
“Repented - Not for the war, which was just and necessary, but for their immoderate severity in the execution of it. That is no good divinity which swallows up humanity. Even necessary justice is to be done with compassion. Judges 21:15”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“repented them: Jdg 21:15, Jdg 11:35, Jdg 20:23; Sa2 2:26; Hos 11:8; Luk 19:41, Luk 19:42 Judges 21:7”
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Related study paths

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Sources and verification