The Meaning of Judges 21:15 Explained

Judges 21:15

KJV: And the people repented them for Benjamin, because that the LORD had made a breach in the tribes of Israel.

YLT: And the people repented concerning Benjamin, for Jehovah had made a breach among the tribes of Israel.

Darby: And the people had compassion on Benjamin because the LORD had made a breach in the tribes of Israel.

ASV: And the people repented them for Benjamin, because that Jehovah had made a breach in the tribes of Israel.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And the people  repented  them for Benjamin,  because that the LORD  had made  a breach  in the tribes  of Israel. 

What does Judges 21:15 Mean?

Chapter Summary: Judges 21

1  The people bewail the desolation of Benjamin
8  By the destruction of Jabesh Gilead they provide them four hundred wives
16  They advise the remainder to surprise the virgins that danced at Shiloh

What do the individual words in Judges 21:15 mean?

And the people grieved for Benjamin because had made Yahweh a void in the tribes of Israel
וְהָעָ֥ם נִחָ֖ם לְבִנְיָמִ֑ן כִּֽי־ עָשָׂ֧ה יְהוָ֛ה פֶּ֖רֶץ בְּשִׁבְטֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל

וְהָעָ֥ם  And  the  people 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
נִחָ֖ם  grieved 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: נָחַם  
Sense: to be sorry, console oneself, repent, regret, comfort, be comforted.
לְבִנְיָמִ֑ן  for  Benjamin 
Parse: Preposition-l, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: בִּנְיָמִין 
Sense: Jacob’s and Rachel’s youngest son, Joseph’s full brother.
כִּֽי־  because 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
עָשָׂ֧ה  had  made 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
יְהוָ֛ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
פֶּ֖רֶץ  a  void 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: פֶּרֶץ  
Sense: breach, gap, bursting forth.
בְּשִׁבְטֵ֥י  in  the  tribes 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: שֵׁבֶט  
Sense: rod, staff, branch, offshoot, club, sceptre, tribe.
יִשְׂרָאֵֽל  of  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.