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Judges 21:3

Grief

1 Now the men of Israel had sworn an oath at Mizpah, saying, “Not one of us will give his daughter in marriage to a Benjamite.”

2 So the people came to Bethel and sat there before God until evening, lifting up their voices and weeping bitterly.

“Why, O LORD God of Israel,” they cried out, “has this happened in Israel? Today in Israel one tribe is missing!”

4 The next day the people got up early, built an altar there, and presented burnt offerings and peace offerings.

5 The Israelites asked, “Who among all the tribes of Israel did not come to the assembly before the LORD?” For they had taken a solemn oath that anyone who failed to come up before the LORD at Mizpah would surely be put to death.

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Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB
“Why, O LORD God of Israel,” they cried out, “has this happened in Israel? Today in Israel one tribe is missing!”
KJV
And said, O LORD God of Israel, why is this come to pass in Israel, that there should be to day one tribe lacking in Israel?
WEB
They said, “The LORD, the God of Israel, why has this happened in Israel, that there should be one tribe lacking in Israel today?”
ASV
And 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?
DARBY
and said, Jehovah, God of Israel, why is it come to pass in Israel, that there should be this day one tribe lacking in Israel?
BLB
and they said, “Why, O YHWH, God of Israel, has this come to pass in Israel, to be lacking today in Israel one tribe?”
ÅB
og sa: Herre, Israels Gud, hvorfor har dette hendt i Israel at det i dag fattes en hel stamme av Israel?
OTB
«Hvorfor, Herre, Israels Gud,» ropte de, «har dette skjedd i Israel, at en stamme mangler i dag fra Israel?»
B1930
og sa: Herre, Israels Gud, hvorfor har dette hendt i Israel at det i dag fattes en hel stamme av Israel?

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

  • Psalms 80:12

    Why have You broken down its walls, so that all who pass by pick its fruit?

    Read in context

  • Jeremiah 12:1

    Righteous are You, O LORD, when I plead before You. Yet about Your judgments I wish to contend with You: Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why do all the faithless live at ease?

    Read in context

  • Joshua 7:7–9

    “O, Lord GOD,” Joshua said, “why did You ever bring this people across the Jordan to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites to be destroyed? If only we had been content to stay on the other side of the Jordan!

    Read in context

  • Psalms 74:1

    Why have You rejected us forever, O God? Why does Your anger smolder against the sheep of Your pasture?

    Read in context

  • Deuteronomy 29:24

    So all the nations will ask, ‘Why has the LORD done such a thing to this land? Why this great outburst of anger?’

    Read in context

  • Proverbs 19:3

    A man’s own folly subverts his way, yet his heart rages against the LORD.

    Read in context

  • Isaiah 63:17

    Why, O LORD, do You make us stray from Your ways and harden our hearts from fearing You? Return, for the sake of Your servants, the tribes of Your heritage.

    Read in context