Judges 21:16
◄  Judges 21:16  ►
New International Version (©2011)
And the elders of the assembly said, "With the women of Benjamin destroyed, how shall we provide wives for the men who are left?

New Living Translation (©2007)
So the elders of the assembly asked, "How can we find wives for the few who remain, since the women of the tribe of Benjamin are dead?

English Standard Version (©2001)
Then the elders of the congregation said, “What shall we do for wives for those who are left, since the women are destroyed out of Benjamin?”

New American Standard Bible (©1995)
Then the elders of the congregation said, "What shall we do for wives for those who are left, since the women are destroyed out of Benjamin?"

King James Bible (Cambridge Ed.)
Then the elders of the congregation said, How shall we do for wives for them that remain, seeing the women are destroyed out of Benjamin?

Holman Christian Standard Bible (©2009)
The elders of the congregation said, "What should we do about wives for those who are left, since the women of Benjamin have been destroyed?"

International Standard Version (©2012)
So the elders of the congregation asked, "What will we do to obtain wives for the survivors, since the women of Benjamin have been devastated?"

NET Bible (©2006)
The leaders of the assembly said, "How can we find wives for those who are left? After all, the Benjaminite women have been wiped out.

GOD'S WORD® Translation (©1995)
The leaders of the congregation asked, "What should we do to provide wives for the men who are left, since the women in Benjamin have been killed?"

King James 2000 Bible (©2003)
Then the elders of the congregation said, What shall we do for wives for them that remain, seeing the women are destroyed out of Benjamin?

American King James Version
Then the elders of the congregation said, How shall we do for wives for them that remain, seeing the women are destroyed out of Benjamin?

American Standard Version
Then the elders of the congregation said, How shall we do for wives for them that remain, seeing the women are destroyed out of Benjamin?

Douay-Rheims Bible
And the ancients said: What shall we do with the rest, that have not received wives? for all the women in Benjamin are dead.

Darby Bible Translation
Then the elders of the congregation said, "What shall we do for wives for those who are left, since the women are destroyed out of Benjamin?"

English Revised Version
Then the elders of the congregation said, How shall we do for wives for them that remain, seeing the women are destroyed out of Benjamin?

Webster's Bible Translation
Then the elders of the congregation said, How shall we do for wives for them that remain, seeing the women are destroyed out of Benjamin?

World English Bible
Then the elders of the congregation said, "How shall we provide wives for those who remain, since the women are destroyed out of Benjamin?"

Young's Literal Translation
And the elders of the company say, 'What do we do to the remnant for wives -- for the women have been destroyed out of Benjamin?'

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

17:7-13 Micah thought it was a sign of God's favour to him and his images, that a Levite should come to his door. Thus those who please themselves with their own delusions, if Providence unexpectedly bring any thing to their hands that further them in their evil way, are apt from thence to think that God is pleased with them.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 16. - Seeing the women. It is rather more in accordance with the Hebrew style to take the words as the narrator's explanation of the question, What shall we do? They said this because all the women of Benjamin had been destroyed.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

Then the elders of the congregation said.... This being the case, that there were not wives enough for them, they were obliged to consult again, and consider of another expedient to provide for them; and this motion came from the elders of the people, not only in years, but in office:

how shall we do for wives for them that remain: the other two hundred, who had none:

seeing the women are destroyed out of Benjamin? and so no wives to be had there; and as for the Israelites which came to Mizpeh, who were of all the tribes of Israel, they had solemnly sworn that they would not give any of their daughters to them, and therefore it was a very difficult thing to provide wives for them.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

Jud 21:16-21. The Elders Consult How to Find Wives for Those That Were Left.

16. the elders of the congregation said, How shall we do for wives for them that remain—Though the young women of Jabesh-gilead had been carefully spared, the supply was found inadequate, and some other expedient must be resorted to.

Judges 21:16 Parallel Commentaries

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Provision for Benjamin's Survival
…15And the people repented them for Benjamin, because that the LORD had made a breach in the tribes of Israel. 16Then the elders of the congregation said, How shall we do for wives for them that remain, seeing the women are destroyed out of Benjamin? 17And they said, There must be an inheritance for them that be escaped of Benjamin, that a tribe be not destroyed out of Israel. …

Judges 21:15 The people grieved for Benjamin, because the LORD had made a gap in the tribes of Israel.
Judges 21:17 The Benjamite survivors must have heirs," they said, "so that a tribe of Israel will not be wiped out.