Judges 21:14 (KJV)

What does Judges 21:14 mean?

Judges 21:14 describes how the tribe of Benjamin, after being nearly wiped out in a civil war, was given wives from the women of Jabeshgilead who had been spared. However, the number of women provided was not enough to supply wives for all the surviving Benjamite men.

The verse is set after a devastating conflict between the tribe of Benjamin and the rest of Israel. The Israelites had vowed not to give their daughters to Benjamin, so they sought another way to provide wives for the remaining Benjamite men. They found women in Jabeshgilead who had survived a separate attack and gave them to Benjamin, but this solution did not fully resolve the problem, as there were still not enough women for every man.

The Hebrew behind Judges 21:14

• "Again" (שׁוּב, shuv): This word often means "to return" or "come back." Here, it emphasizes that the Benjamites were returning to the community after their near-destruction.
• "Sufficed" (מָצָא, matsa): This word means "to be enough" or "to be found." The verse notes that the number of women was not sufficient, highlighting the ongoing struggle to restore the tribe.

Why Judges 21:14 matters

• The verse clarifies that the Israelites' attempt to provide for Benjamin was only partially successful, showing the lingering consequences of the earlier violence.
• It highlights the desperate and unusual measures taken to preserve a tribe of Israel, reflecting the deep divisions and challenges facing the nation at this time.
• This verse connects to the wider narrative of Judges, where repeated cycles of conflict and imperfect solutions reveal the instability and moral struggles of Israel during this period.