Judges 21:16

16 And the elders of the congregation said, What shall we do for wives for them that remain? for the women have been destroyed out of Benjamin.

Judges 21:16 Meaning and Commentary

Judges 21:16

Then the elders of the congregation said
&c.] 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.

Judges 21:16 In-Context

14 And Benjamin returned to the children of Israel at that time, and the children of Israel gave them the women whom they save alive of the daughters of Jabis Galaad; and they were content.

15 And the people relented for Benjamin, because the Lord had made a breach in the tribes of Israel.

16 And the elders of the congregation said, What shall we do for wives for them that remain? for the women have been destroyed out of Benjamin.

17 And they said, an inheritance of them that are escaped of Benjamin; and a tribe shall not be destroyed out of Israel.

18 For we shall not be able to give them wives of our daughters, because we swore among the children of Israel, saying, Cursed he that gives a wife to Benjamin.