Bible Strands
Judges 20:7
Behold, all you Israelites, give your advice and verdict here and now.”
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — The Levite addresses the assembled Israelite tribes immediately after describing the mutilation of his concubine and demanding they judge the crime in Gibeah.
The words — הָב֥וּ (ha.Vu) means "give" or "bring," paired with דָּבָ֥ר (da.Var, "word") and עֵצָ֖ה ('e.Tzah, "counsel") to form the command to deliver judgment. הִנֵּ֥ה (hi.Neh) functions as a demonstrative marker meaning "behold" or "here," drawing immediate attention to the assembly.
The thread — The demand for public judgment echoes the witness in Judges 19:30 and triggers the unified stand in Judges 20:8. The call to covenant accountability parallels Exodus 19:5, while the exposure of sexual immorality resonates with 1 Corinthians 5:10.
Why it lands — The text commands the assembly to immediately deliberate and render a verdict on a capital crime, requiring the reader to confront the necessity of collective responsibility and decisive action in the face of systemic corruption.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
Behold, ye are all children of Israel; give here your advice and counsel.
Cross-references
- Judges 19:30 And everyone who saw it said, “Nothing like this has been seen or done from the day the Israelites came out of the land of Egypt until this day. Think it over, take counsel, and speak up!”
- 1 Corinthians 5:10 I was not including the sexually immoral of this world, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world.
- Exodus 19:5 Now if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, you will be My treasured possession out of all the nations—for the whole earth is Mine.
- Deuteronomy 4:6 Observe them carefully, for this will show your wisdom and understanding in the sight of the peoples, who will hear of all these statutes and say, “Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.”
- Deuteronomy 14:1 You are sons of the LORD your God; do not cut yourselves or shave your foreheads on behalf of the dead,
- Joshua 9:14 Then the men of Israel sampled their provisions but did not seek the counsel of the LORD.
- Proverbs 20:18 Set plans by consultation, and wage war under sound guidance.
- Proverbs 24:6 Only with sound guidance should you wage war, and victory lies in a multitude of counselors.
- 1 Corinthians 5:1 It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that is intolerable even among pagans: A man has his father’s wife.
- 1 Corinthians 5:6 Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven works through the whole batch of dough?