The Meaning of Judges 21:6 Explained

Judges 21:6

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

YLT: And the sons of Israel repent concerning Benjamin their brother, and say, 'There hath been to-day cut off one tribe from Israel,

Darby: And the people of Israel had compassion for Benjamin their brother, and said, "One tribe is cut off from Israel this day.

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

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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

What does Judges 21:6 Mean?

Study Notes

repented
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Repentance (O.T.), Summary: In the O.T., repentance is the English word used to translate the Heb. nacham, to be "eased" or "comforted." It is used of both God and man. Notwithstanding the literal meaning of nacham, it is evident, from a study of all the passages, that the sacred writers use it in the sense of metanoia in the N.T.--a change of mind. Matthew 3:2 (See Scofield " Acts 17:30 ") . As in the N.T., such change of mind is often accompanied by contrition and self-judgment. When applied to God the word is used phenomenally according to O.T. custom. God seems to change His mind. The phenomena are such as, in the case of man, would indicate a change of mind.

Chapter Summary: Judges 21

1  The people bewail the desolation of Benjamin
8  By the destruction of Jabesh Gilead they provide them four hundred wives
16  They advise the remainder to surprise the virgins that danced at Shiloh

What do the individual words in Judges 21:6 mean?

And grieved the sons of Israel for Benjamin their brother and said is cut off today Tribe one from Israel
וַיִּנָּֽחֲמוּ֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אֶל־ בִּנְיָמִ֖ן אָחִ֑יו וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ נִגְדַּ֥ע הַיּ֛וֹם שֵׁ֥בֶט אֶחָ֖ד מִיִּשְׂרָאֵֽל

וַיִּנָּֽחֲמוּ֙  And  grieved 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Nifal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: נָחַם  
Sense: to be sorry, console oneself, repent, regret, comfort, be comforted.
בְּנֵ֣י  the  sons 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל  of  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
בִּנְיָמִ֖ן  Benjamin 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: בִּנְיָמִין 
Sense: Jacob’s and Rachel’s youngest son, Joseph’s full brother.
אָחִ֑יו  their  brother 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: אָח  
Sense: brother.
וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ  and  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
נִגְדַּ֥ע  is  cut  off 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: גָּדַע  
Sense: to cut, hew, chop, cut down, hew down, hew off, cut off, cut in two, shave off.
הַיּ֛וֹם  today 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
שֵׁ֥בֶט  Tribe 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: שֵׁבֶט  
Sense: rod, staff, branch, offshoot, club, sceptre, tribe.
אֶחָ֖ד  one 
Parse: Number, masculine singular
Root: אֶחָד  
Sense: one (number).
מִיִּשְׂרָאֵֽל  from  Israel 
Parse: Preposition-m, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.