Judges 21:18

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.

Judges 21:18 Meaning and Commentary

Judges 21:18

Howbeit, we may not give them wives of our daughters
Though their case was so very necessitous and desperate:

for the children of Israel have sworn, saying, cursed be he that giveth
a wife to Benjamin,
( Judges 21:1 ) and therefore without the violation of their oath could not give any of their daughters in marriage to them: wherefore some other way must be devised to help them.

Judges 21:18 In-Context

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.

19 And they said, Lo! now a feast of the Lord from year to year in Selom, which is on the north of Baethel, eastward on the way that goes up from Baethel to Sychem, and from the south of Lebona.

20 And they charged the children of Benjamin, saying, Go and lie in wait in the vineyards;