King James Version

What Does Judges 21:2 Mean?

Judges 21:2 in the King James Version says “And the people came to the house of God , and abode there till even before God, and lifted up their voices, and wept sor...” — study this verse from Judges chapter 21 with commentary, cross-references, and original Hebrew word analysis.

“And the people came to the house of God , and abode there till even before God, and lifted up their voices, and wept sore;”

Judges 21:2 · KJV

Context

1

Now the men of Israel had sworn in Mizpeh, saying, There shall not any of us give his daughter unto Benjamin to wife.

2

And the people came to the house of God , and abode there till even before God, and lifted up their voices, and wept sore;

3

And said, O LORD God of Israel, why is this come to pass in Israel, that there should be to day one tribe lacking in Israel?

4

And it came to pass on the morrow, that the people rose early, and built there an altar, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings.

Read Judges 21 full chapter

Commentary

KJV Study Commentary
And the people came to the house of God, and abode there till even before God, and lifted up their voices, and wept sore. After destroying Benjamin and realizing they had nearly annihilated an entire tribe (only 600 men survived), Israel came to "the house of God" (Bethel, where the ark temporarily resided) in grief and repentance. The phrase "abode there till even before God" indicates they remained in God's presence seeking guidance. Their weeping "sore" (beki gadol, בְּכִי גָדוֹל, "great weeping") reveals belated recognition of the tragedy—they had been zealous to punish Benjamin's sin but failed to temper justice with mercy, nearly destroying their brother tribe.

From a Reformed perspective, this verse demonstrates that even righteous causes can be pursued unrighteously through pride, excessive zeal, and failure to seek God's wisdom before acting. Israel's initial inquiries of God (20:18, 23, 27-28) focused on military strategy, not whether their massive response was proportionate or wise. Only after the catastrophic result did they weep before God, realizing their harsh justice had compounded rather than resolved evil. This teaches the necessity of seeking God's wisdom not just for tactical questions but for broader discernment about right response to sin—balancing justice with mercy, discipline with restoration.

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Historical & Cultural Context

The "house of God" where Israel assembled was Bethel, where the ark of the covenant temporarily resided during this period (Judges 20:26-27). Bethel was centrally located between Judah and Ephraim, making it accessible for national assemblies. The reference to Phinehas, son of Eleazar, son of Aaron, as high priest (20:28) helps date these events to the early Judges period, shortly after Joshua's death. The 600 surviving Benjamite men had fled to the rock of Rimmon (20:47), a limestone ridge east of Bethel offering natural fortress protection.

Israel's grief stemmed from realizing they had fulfilled their rash oath that "none of us shall give his daughter unto Benjamin to wife" (21:1), threatening Benjamin's extinction. Their subsequent actions—destroying Jabesh-gilead for not participating in the war, providing 400 virgin women to Benjamin (21:8-12), then condoning the kidnapping of 200 women from Shiloh (21:19-23)—reveal continued moral confusion. Even in attempting to remedy their excessive vengeance, they committed further violence. The entire Judges 19-21 narrative demonstrates the chaos resulting from "everyone doing what was right in his own eyes" (21:25) rather than seeking God's wisdom from the outset.

Reflection Questions

  1. How do we sometimes pursue righteous causes with excessive zeal that compounds rather than resolves problems?
  2. What does Israel's belated weeping teach about seeking God's wisdom before acting, not just tactical guidance during action?
  3. How can we balance necessary discipline for sin with mercy and concern for restoration rather than destruction?

Original Language Analysis

Hebrew · 15 words
וַיָּבֹ֤א1 of 15

“came”

H935

to go or come (in a wide variety of applications)

הָעָם֙2 of 15

“And the people”

H5971

a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a tribe (as those of israel); hence (collectively) troops or attendants; figuratively, a flock

בֵּֽית3 of 15

“to the house”

H1004

a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etc.)

אֵ֔ל4 of 15
H1008

beth-el, a place in palestine

וַיֵּ֤שְׁבוּ5 of 15

“and abode”

H3427

properly, to sit down (specifically as judge. in ambush, in quiet); by implication, to dwell, to remain; causatively, to settle, to marry

שָׁם֙6 of 15
H8033

there (transferring to time) then; often thither, or thence

עַד7 of 15
H5704

as far (or long, or much) as, whether of space (even unto) or time (during, while, until) or degree (equally with)

הָעֶ֔רֶב8 of 15

“there till even”

H6153

dusk

לִפְנֵ֖י9 of 15

“before”

H6440

the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposi

הָֽאֱלֹהִ֑ים10 of 15

“God”

H430

gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme god; occasionally applied by way of

וַיִּשְׂא֣וּ11 of 15

“and lifted up”

H5375

to lift, in a great variety of applications, literal and figurative, absolute and relative

קוֹלָ֔ם12 of 15

“their voices”

H6963

a voice or sound

וַיִּבְכּ֖וּ13 of 15

“and wept”

H1058

to weep; generally to bemoan

בְּכִ֥י14 of 15
H1065

a weeping; by analogy, a dripping

גָדֽוֹל׃15 of 15

“sore”

H1419

great (in any sense); hence, older; also insolent

Study Guide

Historical Context

This verse is found in the book of Judges. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.

Theological Significance

Judges 21:2 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.

Cross-References

Verses related to Judges 21:2 from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Judges 20:26Judges 20:181 Samuel 30:4Genesis 27:38Judges 21:12Judges 20:23

Places in This Verse

Bethel 1Settlement · Modern: Beitin · 31.92°N, 35.24°E69 verses across 12 books
View all places in Judges 21 →

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