Judges 20:26

“Then all the sons of Israel and all the people went up and came to Bethel and wept, and they sat there before YHWH and fasted on that day until evening, and they offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before YHWH.”

Judges 20:26 · direct translation from the Hebrew
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With the Hebrew beneath

26

Judges 20:26, word by word

the sonsבְּנֵיbene

descendant

A descendant or member of a people: "sons of Israel".

Where else “bene” appears
of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyisrael

Israel

Israel, the new name Jacob received from God, explained as "you have striven with God" (Genesis 32:28); then the name of the people that came from him and, after the division, of the northern kingdom.

Where else “yisrael” appears
the peopleעָםam

crowd

The people gathered in a place: the crowd, or the troops that go out to war.

Where else “am” appears
went upיַּעֲלוּyaalu

go up

To go from a low place to a higher one: up the mountain, to Jerusalem or to a city.

Where else “yaalu” appears
and cameיָּבֹאוּyavou

come

To come, arrive: "days are coming".

Where else “yavou” appears
and weptיִּבְכּוּyivku

weep

Weep, cry; mourn for someone.

Where else “yivku” appears
and they satיֵּשְׁבוּyeshvu

sit

To sit; or sit on the throne to reign.

Where else “yeshvu” appears
beforeפְנֵיfene

before

Literally "to the face of": in sight of someone, or on account of something.

Where else “fene” appears
YHWHיְהוָהyehva

YHWH

The personal name of the God of Israel, written in Hebrew with four letters, Y-H-W-H, without vowels. Out of reverence Jews stopped pronouncing it and read "Adonai" (Lord), so many Bibles put "the LORD" or "Jehovah". This translation keeps the four letters. The name is related to the verb "to be" (Exodus 3:14-15). He is not a god other than Elohim: "YHWH Elohim" is the same Creator God, called by his name.

Where else “yehva” appears
and fastedיָּצוּמוּyatsumu

fast

Fast: go without food for a time, as a sign of grief or to seek God.

Where else “yatsumu” appears
dayיּוֹםyom

day

The day, the hours of light, or a whole day.

Where else “yom” appears
eveningעָרֶבarev

evening

Evening, when the sun goes down. Each day of Genesis 1 is counted "evening and morning"; so in Israel the day begins at sunset.

Where else “arev” appears
burnt offeringsעֹלוֹתolot

burnt offering

A sacrifice burned whole on the altar.

Where else “olot” appears
and peace offeringsשְׁלָמִיםshelamim

peace offerings

Peace offering: a sacrifice of which one part was burned for God and the rest was eaten by the one who offered it, as a sign of peace and fellowship with him (Leviticus 3).

Where else “shelamim” appears

Places in this verse

JerusalemBethel?
Approximate location. A “?” means it is not known for sure where it was.
  • Bethel ?

    Today: possibly Beitin, West Bank

    A city in the hills about 11 miles (17 km) north of Jerusalem; the location is approximate.

    There Jacob dreamed of a ladder reaching to heaven and named the place Bethel, "house of God" (Gen 28:19). Jeroboam set up a golden calf there (1 Kgs 12:29).

    Genesis 28:19Genesis 12:81 Kings 12:29Amos 7:13

The context

25And Benjamin went out to meet them from Gibeah on the second day and brought down among the sons of Israel another eighteen thousand men to the ground; all these were men who drew the sword.

26 · This verse (above)

27And the sons of Israel inquired of YHWH —and there was the ark of the covenant of Elohim in those days,

Read all of Judges 20

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