Judges 21:1 Meaning and Explanation
“Now the men of Israel had sworn in Mizpeh, saying, There shall not any of us give his daughter unto Benjamin to wife.”
King James Version (KJV)
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Read Full Chapter →At Mizpeh the men of Israel had bound themselves by oath never to give their daughters in marriage to the tribe of Benjamin.
What Does Judges 21:1 Mean?
The chapter opens by recalling a vow taken before the civil war chronicled in the previous chapters. Gathered at Mizpeh, the assembly of Israel had sworn that none of them would let a daughter marry into Benjamin, the tribe that had shielded the wicked men of Gibeah. Now the war is over, Benjamin is nearly wiped out, and that hasty oath returns to haunt the survivors.
An oath taken in heat can bind beyond what its makers foresaw. Israel had spoken in anger, and now grief sets in. The verse quietly warns how rash words, sworn in a moment of zeal, can entangle a people and leave them weeping over the harvest of their own vows. It readies the reader for a story in which men strain to honor a promise they wish they had never made.
Judges 21:1 in the Original Language
Mizpeh (מִצְפָּה), 'watchtower' -- a height where Israel gathered to take counsel and swear before the LORD.
Frequently Asked Questions About Judges 21:1
What does Judges 21:1 mean?
At Mizpeh the men of Israel had bound themselves by oath never to give their daughters in marriage to the tribe of Benjamin.