Judges 21:16 (GNV)

Passage

Therefore the Elders of the Congregation said, How shall we doe for wiues to the remnant? for the women of Beniamin are destroyed.

Nearby Context

Judges 21:14 And Beniamin came againe at that time, and they gaue them wiues which they had saued aliue of the women of Iabesh Gilead: but they had not so ynough for them.

Judges 21:15 And the people were sorie for Beniamin, because the Lord had made a breach in the tribes of Israel.

Judges 21:16 Therefore the Elders of the Congregation said, How shall we doe for wiues to the remnant? for the women of Beniamin are destroyed.

Judges 21:17 And they saide, there must be an inheritance for them that be escaped of Beniamin, that a tribe be not destroyed out of Israel.

Judges 21:18 Howbeit we may not giue them wiues of our daughters: for the childre of Israel had sworne, saying, Cursed be he that giueth a wise to Beniamin.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "therefore", "elders", "congregation", "said", "shall", "wiues", "remnant", and "women". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "therefore" and "elders", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 15's "And the people were sorie for Beniamin..." into verse 17's "And they saide there must be an...", so "therefore" and "elders" belong inside that flow. In Judges context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "therefore" and "elders" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.