Judges 21:3 Meaning and Explanation
“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?”
King James Version (KJV)
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Read Full Chapter →They cried out to God, asking why such a thing had happened that one of Israel's tribes should now be missing.
What Does Judges 21:3 Mean?
The mourning turns into a question flung toward heaven: why has this come to pass, that one tribe should be lacking in Israel? It is the cry of people who feel the wound but have not yet faced their share in it. They address the LORD God of Israel, naming Him by the covenant that binds all twelve tribes into one people.
Sometimes the honest question we ask God is also the question we must turn back on ourselves. Israel mourns a loss it helped bring about, yet the crying out is still a movement toward the LORD, not away from Him. He welcomes such raw questions. The grief points ahead to the gospel hope that no part of God's family is meant to be lost, and that He labors to gather and restore what has been broken.
Frequently Asked Questions About Judges 21:3
What does Judges 21:3 mean?
They cried out to God, asking why such a thing had happened that one of Israel's tribes should now be missing.