7 "How can we provide wives for those who are left, since we have taken an oath by the Lord not to give them any of our daughters in marriage?"
7 How shall we do for wives for them that remain, seeing we have sworn by the Lord that we will not give them of our daughters to wives?
7 What shall we do for wives for those who are left, since we have sworn by the Lord that we will not give them any of our daughters for wives?"
7 How can we get wives for those who are left? We have sworn by God not to give any of our daughters to them in marriage."
7 What shall we do for wives for those who remain, seeing we have sworn by the Lord that we will not give them our daughters as wives?"
7 How can we find wives for the few who remain, since we have sworn by the Lord not to give them our daughters in marriage?"
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Judges 21:7
Chapter Contents
The Israelites lament for the Benjamites.
Israel lamented for the Benjamites, and were perplexed by the oath they had taken, not to give their daughters to them in marriage. Men are more zealous to support their own authority than that of God. They would have acted better if they had repented of their rash oaths, brought sin-offerings, and sought forgiveness in the appointed way, rather than attempt to avoid the guilt of perjury by actions quite as wrong. That men can advise others to acts of treachery or violence, out of a sense of duty, forms a strong proof of the blindness of the human mind when left to itself, and of the fatal effects of a conscience under ignorance and error.