Judges 21:16

Then the elders of the congregation said, “What should we do about wives for those who remain, since the women of Benjamin have been destroyed?”

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — The elders of the congregation address the assembled Israelites immediately after the LORD’s judgment leaves Benjamin without women. They speak at the moment of practical crisis, prior to any proposed solution.

The words — The phrase וַ/יֹּֽאמְר֨וּ (va/i.yo.me.Ru) literally renders "and they said," marking the elders' formal intervention. The verb נַּעֲשֶׂ֥ה (na.'a.Seh) means "we will do," framing the inquiry as a question of collective action.

The thread — The concern for tribal continuity runs directly through Judges 21:15, where the LORD makes a void in the tribes, and Judges 21:17, which mandates heirs for the survivors to prevent a tribe from being wiped out.

Why it lands — The text records a practical inquiry about securing wives before any theological or legal resolution is provided. It requires the reader to observe how communal survival is addressed through immediate, structural reckoning rather than abstract justification.

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

וַיֹּֽאמְר֨וּva/i.yo.me.Ruand/ they said זִקְנֵ֣יzik.Nei[the] elders of הָעֵדָ֔הha./'e.Dahthe/ congregation מַה־mah-what?נַּעֲשֶׂ֥הna.'a.Sehwill we do לַנּוֹתָרִ֖יםla./no.ta.Rimfor <the>/ [those who] remain לְנָשִׁ֑יםle./na.Shimfor/ wives כִּֽי־ki-for נִשְׁמְדָ֥הnish.me.Dahshe is destroyed מִבִּנְיָמִ֖ןmi./bin.ya.Minfrom/ Benjamin אִשָּֽׁה׃'i.Shahwoman

King James Version

Then the elders of the congregation said, How shall we do for wives for them that remain, seeing the women are destroyed out of Benjamin?