Judges 21:5

“And the sons of Israel said, “Who is there that did not come up in the assembly from all the tribes of Israel to YHWH?” For the great oath had been concerning him who did not come up to YHWH at Mizpah, saying, “He shall surely be put to death.””

Judges 21:5 · direct translation from the Hebrew
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With the Hebrew beneath

5

Judges 21:5, word by word

And 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
saidיֹּאמְרוּyomru

say

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

Where else “yomru” appears
come upעָלָהala

go up

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

Where else “ala” appears
in the assemblyקָּהָלkahal

assembly

The people gathered before YHWH.

Where else “kahal” appears
the tribesשִׁבְטֵיshivte

tribe

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

Where else “shivte” 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
the greatגְּדוֹלָהgedola

great

Of great size, amount or importance: a river, a city, a king.

Where else “gedola” appears
oathשְּׁבוּעָהshevua

oath

Oath: a solemn promise sworn in someone's name.

Where else “shevua” appears
had beenהָיְתָהhayta

exist

To exist: "let there be light".

Where else “hayta” appears
at Mizpahמִּצְפָּהmitspa

Mizpah

See it on the mapWhere else “mitspa” appears
“He shall surelyמוֹתmot

be put to death

To lose one's life as punishment.

Where else “mot” appears

Places in this verse

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

    Today: possibly Tell en-Nasbeh, West Bank

    The name of several places; the main one was north of Jerusalem in Benjamin, and its exact site is not certain.

    There Samuel gathered Israel, who confessed, “We have sinned against YHWH” (1 Sam 7:5-6), and there he presented Saul as king (1 Sam 10:17-24).

    Genesis 31:49Judges 20:11 Samuel 7:51 Samuel 10:17

The context

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

5 · This verse (above)

6And the sons of Israel had compassion on Benjamin their brother and said, “One tribe is cut off today from Israel.

Read all of Judges 21

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