Judges 21:6

And the Israelites grieved for their brothers, the Benjamites, and said, “Today a tribe is cut off from Israel.

Berean Standard Bible

Study note

Setting — The Israelites address themselves immediately after the battle at Gibeah, when the full scale of Benjamin's near-annihilation becomes clear.

The words — The verb נִגְדַּע (nigdaʿ) literally means "it has been cut off," marking the sudden termination of the tribe. The verb יִנָּחֲמוּ (yinḥamû) conveys the people's acute grief or compassion for their kin.

The thread — This mourning echoes the earlier weeping before the LORD in Judges 20:23 and anticipates the explicit statement in Judges 21:15 that the LORD had made a void in the tribes of Israel.

Why it lands — The text forces a reader to confront the immediate crisis that follows a rigid oath, asking how a community responds when its own legal commitments produce national devastation.

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

וַיִּנָּֽחֲמוּ֙va/i.yi.na.cha.Muand/ they had compassion בְּנֵ֣יbe.Nei[the] people of יִשְׂרָאֵ֔לYis.ra.'ElIsrael אֶל־'el-to בִּנְיָמִ֖ןbin.ya.MinBenjamin אָחִ֑יו'a.Chi/vbrother/ its וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּva/i.Yo.me.Ruand/ they said נִגְדַּ֥עnig.Da'it has been cut off הַיּ֛וֹםhai./Yomthis/ day שֵׁ֥בֶטShe.veta tribe אֶחָ֖ד'e.Chadone מִיִּשְׂרָאֵֽל׃mi./Yis.ra.'Elfrom/ Israel

King James Version

And the children of Israel repented them for Benjamin their brother, and said, There is one tribe cut off from Israel this day.

Cross-references

Judges 21:15 The people grieved for Benjamin, because the LORD had made a void in the tribes of Israel.
Judges 11:35 As soon as Jephthah saw her, he tore his clothes and said, “No! Not my daughter! You have brought me to my knees! You have brought great misery upon me, for I have given my word to the LORD and cannot take it back.”
Judges 20:23 They went up and wept before the LORD until evening, inquiring of Him, “Should we again draw near for battle against our brothers the Benjamites?” And the LORD answered, “Go up against them.”
2 Samuel 2:26 Then Abner called out to Joab: “Must the sword devour forever? Do you not realize that this will only end in bitterness? How long before you tell the troops to stop pursuing their brothers?”
Hosea 11:8 How could I give you up, O Ephraim? How could I surrender you, O Israel? How could I make you like Admah? How could I treat you like Zeboiim? My heart is turned within Me; My compassion is stirred!
Luke 19:41 As Jesus approached Jerusalem and saw the city, He wept over it