Judges 21:3

“And they said, “Why, YHWH, Elohim of Israel, has this happened in Israel, that there should be missing today from Israel one tribe?””

Judges 21:3 · direct translation from the Hebrew
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With the Hebrew beneath

3

Judges 21:3, word by word

And they saidיֹּאמְרוּyomru

say

To say with the mouth to someone what one thinks or wants, or to answer him.

Where else “yomru” 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
Elohimאֱלֹהֵיelohe

Elohim

The one true God, the Creator; the word is plural but means one.

Where else “elohe” 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
happenedהָיְתָהhayta

happen

For something to occur or take place; many stories open with this word.

Where else “hayta” appears
that there should be missingהִפָּקֵדhipaked

be missing

To find something gone.

Where else “hipaked” appears
todayיּוֹםyom

today

This very day in which one speaks, the present moment.

Where else “yom” appears
oneאֶחָדechad

one

The number one; just one and no more.

Where else “echad” appears
tribeשֵׁבֶטshevet

tribe

Literally "the rod": one of the twelve great clans of Israel.

Where else “shevet” appears

The context

2And the people came to Bethel and sat there until evening before Elohim, and they lifted up their voice and wept with great weeping.

3 · This verse (above)

4And it happened the next day that the people rose early and built there an altar and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings.

Read all of Judges 21

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