Judges 21:18 (WEB)

Passage

However we may not give them wives of our daughters, for the children of Israel had sworn, saying, ‘Cursed is he who gives a wife to Benjamin.’”

Nearby Context

Judges 21:16 Then the elders of the congregation said, “How shall we provide wives for those who remain, since the women are destroyed out of Benjamin?”

Judges 21:17 They said, “There must be an inheritance for those who are escaped of Benjamin, that a tribe not be blotted out from Israel.

Judges 21:18 However we may not give them wives of our daughters, for the children of Israel had sworn, saying, ‘Cursed is he who gives a wife to Benjamin.’”

Judges 21:19 They said, “Behold, there is a feast of Yahweh from year to year in Shiloh, which is on the north of Bethel, on the east side of the highway that goes up from Bethel to Shechem, and on the south of Lebonah.”

Judges 21:20 They commanded the children of Benjamin, saying, “Go and lie in wait in the vineyards,

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "however", "give", "wives", "daughters", "children", "israel", "sworn", and "saying". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "however" and "give", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 17's "They said There must be an inheritance..." into verse 19's "They said Behold there is a feast...", so "however" and "give" 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 "however" and "give" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.