Judges 21:15 · Bible study
Judges 21:15 Commentary: Grief and the Breach in Israel
Hebrew · 7 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Why did Israel grieve Benjamin they nearly destroyed? What does Yahweh's 'breach' (perez) mean?
Research Summary
- Meaning: The Israelites grieve the near extinction of Benjamin and recognize God’s hand in the breach created by their own violent victory.
- Key words: Nacham (Niphal), be sorry, have compassion; Perez, breach, rupture, gap, often of divine judgment or breaking out.
- Main debate: Whether the breach was God’s direct judgment on Benjamin or His permissive allowance of human consequences; whether Israel’s grief was true repentance or regret for the outcome.
- Theological theme: Corporate sin and divine sovereignty; the fragility of covenant community; God’s mercy working through flawed human actions to preserve His people.
- Best use: Exploring the complexity of grief after judgment, acknowledging God’s sovereignty even in dark circumstances, and seeking restoration after communal rupture.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
The people grieved for Benjamin, because the LORD had made a void in the tribes of Israel.
WEB World English Bible 2000
The people grieved for Benjamin, because Yahweh had made a breach in the tribes of Israel.
KJV King James Version 1769
And the people repented them for Benjamin, because that the Lord had made a breach in the tribes of Israel.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
And the people repented them for Benjamin, because that Jehovah had made a breach in the tribes of Israel.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
And the people repented concerning Benjamin, for Jehovah had made a breach among the tribes of Israel.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
And the people repented them for Benjamin, because Jehovah had made a breach in the tribes of Israel.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
And all Israel was very sorry, and repented for the destroying of one tribe out of Israel.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Y el pueblo tuvo dolor á causa de Benjamín, de que Jehová hubiese hecho mella en las tribus de Israel.
E o povo teve dor por causa de Benjamim, de que o SENHOR houvesse feito brecha nas tribos de Israel.
Le peuple éprouvait du repentir au sujet de Benjamin, car l’ Éternel avait fait une brèche dans les tribus d’ Israël.
Da reute es das Volk über Benjamin, daß der HERR einen Riß gemacht hatte in den Stämmen Israels.
Toen berouwde het den volke over Benjamin, omdat de HEERE een scheur gemaakt had in de stammen van Israel.
Il popolo dunque si pentiva di quel che avea fatto a Beniamino, perché l’Eterno aveva aperta una breccia fra le tribù d’Israele.
A lud żałował Benjamina, iż uczynił Pan przerwę w pokoleniach Izraelskich.
Народ же сожалел о Вениамине, что Господь не сохранил целости колен Израилевых.
百姓 為便雅憫人 後悔，因為 耶和華 使 以色列人 缺了一個支派（原文是使以色列中有了破口）。
And the people were moved with pity for Benjamin, because the Lord had let his wrath loose on the tribes of Israel.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Judges 21:15
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that the Israelites grieved over Benjamin because the near extinction of a tribe was a grave communal disaster. Gill points out that the grief was provoked by their own actions: they had destroyed all the women of Benjamin and saved too few from Jabesh-gilead. Yet Gill also notes that this was done 'by the permission and according to the will of God, and through his overruling providence.' Keil and Delitzsch describe the 'breach' (perez) as arising from 'the almost complete extermination of Benjamin.' The Cambridge Bible adds that in ancient society a tribe dying out was a disaster, linked to the belief that family rites and tribal bonds would cease. The word nacham (Niphal perfect) indicates being moved to pity or compassion, not repentance from sin, but deep sorrow over the lost tribe and the rupture in Israel’s unity. All agree that the text attributes the breach to Yahweh, even though human hands carried it out.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Divine judgment view: The breach is God’s active punishment on Benjamin for their involvement in the Gibeah atrocity. The <em>perez</em> word often indicates divine breaking out in judgment (1 Chronicles 13:11; 15:13). The war was just, and the near extinction was God’s doing.
- Permissive providence view: God allowed the natural consequences of sin and rash oaths to unfold. Gill states the breach was 'by the permission and according to the will of God.' God did not directly command the violence but overruled it for His purposes.
- Tragic overreaction view: The breach is human failure—Israel’s excessive violence—not God’s direct will. The refrain 'no king in Israel' (v.25) suggests these events result from anarchy and human sin, not divine decree.
What is clear: The people grieved sincerely for Benjamin and recognized that Yahweh’s hand was behind the breach in the tribal unity of Israel.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Israel’s grief: repentance or regret? | Israel genuinely sorrowed over the loss of a tribe. | Some see this as repentance for their excessive violence (they were sorry for the bloodshed); others view it as natural regret over losing tribal unity, not moral repentance for their actions. The Hebrew <em>nacham</em> can cover both. |
| God’s agency in the breach | God is ultimately sovereign, and the text attributes the breach to Him. | Protestant traditions often see this as God’s active judgment on Benjamin (using Israel as instrument); others, like Gill, emphasize permissive providence: God allowed human freedom and its consequences to unfold. Catholic and Orthodox readings may also highlight the tragic dimension of human sin within providence. |
| Morality of the actions (war, abduction of women) | The chapter presents morally troubling events; the text does not explicitly endorse them. | Some argue the narrative condemns the events by setting them in the period 'when there was no king in Israel' (v.25), implying anarchy. Others see it as descriptive rather than prescriptive, recording what happened without moral approval. Reformed commentators (e.g., Matthew Henry) lament the sinfulness of the times. |
| Application for today: does God 'make breaches' in the church? | Christians agree God disciplines His people and allows consequences for sin. | Some apply this as a warning that God may break fellowship over serious sin, while others emphasize that God works to restore even after severe judgment. Interpretation of 'breach' as punishment vs. mercy differs. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Judges 21:15 sits at the close of one of the Bible’s darkest narratives. The war against Benjamin was sparked by the gang rape and murder of a Levite’s concubine in Gibeah (Judges 19). In response, the tribes swore at Mizpah not to give their daughters to Benjamin. They then defeated Benjamin in battle, killing all but 600 men (Judges 20). After the victory, grief set in. The Israelites had nearly wiped out one of the twelve tribes.
Ancient Israel’s identity was bound to tribal lineage. Losing a tribe meant a permanent rupture in the covenant community. The Cambridge Bible notes the 'primitive feeling' that it was a grave disaster if a clan died out, hence the practices of levirate marriage and the preservation of family names. The word perez ('breach') carries the image of a breaking out or a bursting gap. The same root appears in 2 Samuel 5:20 (Baal-perazim, where Yahweh 'breaks out' against enemies) and 1 Chronicles 13:11 (Perez-uzza, where God's wrath breaks out). Here the breach is a gaping wound in the corporate body of Israel.
The verse also shows how the Israelites understood God’s involvement. They did not separate their own violence from God’s sovereign rule. As Gill writes, the breach was made 'by the permission and according to the will of God.' The rest of the chapter describes messy solutions: slaughtering the people of Jabesh-gilead for failing to join the war, using their virgins as brides, and later allowing Benjamin to kidnap women at a festival in Shiloh. These actions reveal a community trying to repair the breach while still bound by their rash oath.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for Judges 21:15. The main difference across translations is the rendering of the Hebrew verb nacham: some use 'repented' (KJV, ASV) while modern versions prefer 'grieved' (WEB, BSB). This reflects interpretive choice, not a textual discrepancy. The noun perez ('breach') is consistently translated as 'breach,' 'void,' or 'gap,' all capturing the image of a rupture.
Reception History
Interpreters have long struggled with the moral ambiguity of Judges 21. The Geneva Bible notes simply that the people sorrowed because God made a breach, accepting divine sovereignty without explanation. Matthew Henry, in his commentary on the chapter, saw the later abduction of the Shilonite women as a departure from God’s law, but still allowed by God. Keil and Delitzsch focused on the cultural horror of tribal extinction. In more recent centuries, this passage has been a test case for discussing the ethics of war and divine command. Many readers find it unsettling; some see it as a mirror of human sinfulness in any age. The verse itself, grief over a breach that God made, has been used in sermons on how God can work through even our worst mistakes to preserve His covenant people.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The Complexity of Grief, Israel mourns the very tribe they helped destroy. Their sorrow is genuine but entangled with the consequences of their own violence. This forces us to ask: do we grieve the damage we have caused, or only its painful results?
- The Breach in the Body, The perez is not just a loss of life; it is a rupture in the covenant community. Sin, even justly punished, leaves wounds in the corporate body of God's people. The unity of the twelve tribes is broken.
- God’s Mercy in the Gap, Despite the breach, God does not abandon Benjamin. Through imperfect and troubling means, wives are provided and the tribe continues. God works through human failure to preserve his people.
Five-point outline
- The Tragedy of Overcorrection, Israel’s zeal for justice tips into near-total destruction.
- Grief That Leads to Action, Mourning moves the people to find a solution, however flawed.
- Divine Sovereignty in Human Violence, The text attributes the breach to Yahweh, even as Israel swung the swords.
- The Cost of Rash Oaths, The oath at Mizpah (Judges 21:1) forces the Israelites into increasingly desperate measures.
- Hope Through Imperfect Restoration, Benjamin is saved, though at great moral cost. God’s purposes outlast human failure.
Illustration hooks
- A church splits after a heated conflict over leadership. The winning side later mourns that the church has lost families and ministries. They realize the breach was not just others’ fault.
- A family disciplines a teenager so harshly that the child leaves home. The parents grieve, but the discipline was necessary; now they must rebuild relationship without excusing the initial wrongdoing.
- A community organization imposes strict rules after a scandal, then finds they have driven away good volunteers. Sorrow over the breach leads to reform.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Does God cause tragedy to punish us, or does He allow natural consequences to unfold?
- How can I grieve a loss I helped create? Is that sorrow still genuine before God?
- When is discipline too severe? How do we restore unity after a painful correction?
Leading a Discussion
This verse captures the raw moment when Israel realizes that their victory has become a wound. They grieved for Benjamin, but they were the ones who had nearly wiped them out. Their grief is real, yet the text points to God’s hand in the breach. As you discuss, consider the tension between human responsibility and divine sovereignty. The chapter does not resolve the moral complexity; it leaves it before us.
Discussion questions
- Read Judges 21:15. What do the words 'grieved' and 'breach' tell you about the emotional state of the Israelites?
- Why was the near loss of one tribe so devastating in ancient Israel? What does this reveal about their view of community?
- The text says Yahweh made the breach. How does that square with the fact that Israel did the killing? What might the narrator be saying about God’s role in events?
- How does the surrounding chapter (v.16-25) show Israel trying to 'repair the breach'? Are their solutions morally acceptable? Why or why not?
- What do you make of the fact that the same Hebrew word nacham is used for God’s relenting (Exodus 32:14) and here for Israel’s grief? How does that shape your understanding of the word?
- When have you seen a group or church grieve a loss it helped cause? What did that grief look like, and what, if anything, was restored?
- How does this passage challenge you to think about God’s sovereignty and human sin? Where do you find hope in the midst of the mess?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Judges 21:6 | The children of Israel grieved for Benjamin their brother, and said, “There is one tribe cut off from Israel today. |
| Judges 21:17 | They said, “There must be an inheritance for those who are escaped of Benjamin, that a tribe not be blotted out from Israel. |
| I Chronicles 13:11 | David was displeased, because Yahweh had broken out against Uzza. He called that place Perez Uzza, to this day. |
| I Chronicles 15:13 | For because you didn’t carry it at first, Yahweh our God broke out in anger against us, because we didn’t seek him according to the ordinance.” |
| Isaiah 30:13 | therefore this iniquity shall be to you like a breach ready to fall, swelling out in a high wall, whose breaking comes suddenly in an instant. |
| Isaiah 58:12 | Those who will be of you will build the old waste places. You will raise up the foundations of many generations. You will be called Repairer of the Breach, Restorer of Paths with Dwellings. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
6 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentator explains that ancient peoples saw the extinction of a family or tribe as a grave disaster. This dread came from a fear that the religious rites honoring departed members or preserving tribal bonds would stop being performed.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva note stresses that the people mourned for Benjamin because they saw the division as God's own doing. They grieved not merely over a military defeat but over a breach that the Lord himself had made among the tribes of Israel.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill emphasizes that the tribe of Benjamin was nearly wiped out not by human choice alone but by God's sovereign will. Though the other Israelites carried out the destruction, it happened with God's permission and according to His providential plan, which is why the people repented over what they had done.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch notes that the narrative repeats earlier verses to emphasize the crisis: only two hundred Benjaminites still needed wives, and the congregation authorized them to seize women at Shiloh. The earlier mention of four hundred already married is not repeated because those men could not surrender their own wives.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange draws a striking parallel between the seizure of the Shiloh maidens and the Roman rape of the Sabine women, arguing that the narrative illustrates how marriage connections necessarily overleap tribal divisions. He contrasts Benjamin's earlier near-annihilation by ambush with their life-giving ambush at Shiloh, noting that the closing refrain "no king in Israel" condemns the lack of organic national unity that led to such desperate measures.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley rejects Matthew Henry's claim that the goodness of God's promised land will intensify the punishment of those who perish. He argues that this reasoning fails under predestination: if some are not elected, they never had a genuine offer, and if all the elect are saved, the grant was never free to the others.