Judges 21:7 - How shall we provide wives for those who remain, since we have sworn by Yahweh that we will not give them of our daughters to wives?”
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What does "Judges 21:7" mean?
This verse from Judges 21:7 refers to a serious problem the Israelites faced after a brutal civil war against the tribe of Benjamin. Here's a breakdown of what the verse means:
"How shall we provide wives for those who remain?": The Israelites had decimated the tribe of Benjamin, leaving very few men alive. The question is, how can they ensure the survival and continuation of the tribe? They recognized the need for the surviving Benjamite men to have wives to repopulate.
"Since we have sworn by Yahweh that we will not give them of our daughters to wives?”: This is the crux of the issue. The Israelites had made a solemn oath (sworn by Yahweh, their God) not to allow their daughters to marry any Benjamites. This oath was likely made in anger and grief over the Benjamites' actions that triggered the civil war.
The core issue: The Israelites had sworn an oath that now directly conflicted with their desire to ensure the survival of the tribe of Benjamin. They were trapped by their own hasty promise. They felt bound by their vow to God, but also recognized the disastrous consequences of allowing an entire tribe to disappear.
The rest of Judges 21 details the complicated and ethically questionable actions the Israelites take to try and resolve this dilemma, including attacking Jabesh-Gilead (whose inhabitants did not participate in the war against Benjamin) and giving their virgins to the Benjamites, and also suggesting the Benjamites capture women from Shiloh. These actions highlight the dangers of making rash oaths and the moral compromises people can make when they feel trapped by them.
Judges 21:7 - How shall we provide wives for those who remain, since we have sworn by Yahweh that we will not give them of our daughters to wives?”
What does "Judges 21:7" mean?
This verse from Judges 21:7 refers to a serious problem the Israelites faced after a brutal civil war against the tribe of Benjamin. Here's a breakdown of what the verse means:
"How shall we provide wives for those who remain?": The Israelites had decimated the tribe of Benjamin, leaving very few men alive. The question is, how can they ensure the survival and continuation of the tribe? They recognized the need for the surviving Benjamite men to have wives to repopulate.
"Since we have sworn by Yahweh that we will not give them of our daughters to wives?”: This is the crux of the issue. The Israelites had made a solemn oath (sworn by Yahweh, their God) not to allow their daughters to marry any Benjamites. This oath was likely made in anger and grief over the Benjamites' actions that triggered the civil war.
The core issue: The Israelites had sworn an oath that now directly conflicted with their desire to ensure the survival of the tribe of Benjamin. They were trapped by their own hasty promise. They felt bound by their vow to God, but also recognized the disastrous consequences of allowing an entire tribe to disappear.
The rest of Judges 21 details the complicated and ethically questionable actions the Israelites take to try and resolve this dilemma, including attacking Jabesh-Gilead (whose inhabitants did not participate in the war against Benjamin) and giving their virgins to the Benjamites, and also suggesting the Benjamites capture women from Shiloh. These actions highlight the dangers of making rash oaths and the moral compromises people can make when they feel trapped by them.