Judges 21:8 (KJV)

Passage

And they said, What one is there of the tribes of Israel that came not up to Mizpeh to the LORD? And, behold, there came none to the camp from Jabeshgilead to the assembly.

Nearby Context

Judges 21:6 And the children of Israel repented them for Benjamin their brother, and said, There is one tribe cut off from Israel this day.

Judges 21:7 How shall we do for wives for them that remain, seeing we have sworn by the LORD that we will not give them of our daughters to wives?

Judges 21:8 And they said, What one is there of the tribes of Israel that came not up to Mizpeh to the LORD? And, behold, there came none to the camp from Jabeshgilead to the assembly.

Judges 21:9 For the people were numbered, and, behold, there were none of the inhabitants of Jabeshgilead there.

Judges 21:10 And the congregation sent thither twelve thousand men of the valiantest, and commanded them, saying, Go and smite the inhabitants of Jabeshgilead with the edge of the sword, with the women and the children.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "said", "tribes", "israel", "came", "mizpeh", "lord", and "behold". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "said" and "tribes", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 7's "How shall we do for wives for..." into verse 9's "For the people were numbered and behold...", so "said" and "tribes" 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 "said" and "tribes" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.